Ortonville — In 1968, Dominican Sisters Mary Martin and Anne Mary, formerly of the Monastery of Union City, N.J., began a monastic life within the Dominican tradition in a small house in Detroit.

They chose the Transfiguration on Mount Thabor as their symbol to represent an age of technology that would harmonize the old and the new.

One room of the small Detroit house was turned into a chapel. The sisters realized their talent in sewing would sustain them, so they mended and made clothing, all the while staying within the monastery in keeping with monastic tradition. They were able to pay the monthly rent, realizing that being self-supporting was a vital aspect of being established in a modern society.

In 1972, the sisters were forced to move. A non-Catholic family stepped forward and offered a piece of property in the small village of Ortonville. An agreement was made that the sisters would pay at their own pace over a number of years.

Geodesic domes were chosen due to their low cost and pre-fabrication. Neighbors and contacts with the locals offered their skills and goodwill to help assemble the domes.

The withdrawn contemplative life was established and the balance of prayer, work and relaxation fitted in with its monastic observance. In 1994, an addition to the monastery was built to accommodate a more spacious library. In 1983, a cloister wing was added, though not open to the public. In 1984, a new chapel was built, and would later be enlarged in 2006 to create space for public attendance.

Today, the monastery houses seven sisters, ranging in age from 28-97: Sisters Anne Mary, Saima, Mary Joseph, Maria, Mary Martin, Veronica and Agnes. “God sees your needs and always provides,” Sr. Mary Martin said.

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—Michelle Samartino