St Scholastica Benedictine Abbey Umuoji is a Benedictine women monastery of Nigeria. Founded under the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha with the initiative of His Eminence + Francis Cardinal Arinze Supported by the assistance of the Nuns of the Abbey of St John the Baptist in Rome in the year 1978. St. Scholastica Benedictine Abbey “Peace and Joy” is a Daughter house of the Benedictine Abbey of St John the Baptist in Rome.
It forms parth of the great Benedictine family which St Benedict started in the 6th Century at Subiaco Italy. The Monastery was built by His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, Archbishop Emeritus of Onitsha and now serving at the Vatican City. He built the Monastery for the spiritual progress of the Archdiocese of Onitsha and for the Church of Christ as a whole. The building plan was suggested by Late Rev Mother Mary Patricia Alufuo O.S.B. The Mother Superior of the founding Abbey in Rome was Mother Silvestra Ricchiardino, while Sr. Saveria Moscini, Sr. Grgoria Toffano, Sr. Getrude Moscini and Sr. Patricia Alufuo flew in from Rome as the foundation members.
The 8th day of July 1978 is the birth day of the Monastery as its foundation members arrived headed by Sr. Patricia Alufuo (Late Rev Mother Mary Patricia Alufuo). On the 13th day of July 1980 the whole building having being completed was blessed and the church and alter were dedicated and was also grace by the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Nigeria His Excellency, Archbishop Carlo Curis. This same year 1980 was the year which the whole Benedictines all over the world Celebrated the 15th Century of the birth of the great Father of Monks St. Benedict. In the year 1982 the first seven novices took their first monastic vows received by the Mother Abbess and Pia Nardulli who came from Rome. Also on 3rd September 1988 the first Solemn monastic profession was held.
Monastery became autonomous from the Roman founding Abbey in the year 1992 and was canonically raised to an Abbey in the year 1993. The First Abbess Being Late Rev Mother Mary Patricia Alufuo O.S.B and also the first Nigerian woman Abbess was blessed on the 21st August 1994. With the increase of vocation, the Abbey now opened a daughter house, “Queen of Peace” at Ozubulu in Nnewi Diocese in the year 1998. Still as time extends other daughter houses - Visitation Monastery of Angola and Immaculate Heart Monastery Cape Coast Ghana are also founded as at present which is still under the Abbey as a dependent house.
The Abbeys (Monastery’s) Main source of income remains the Baking of Altar Bread as we supply supported by Gods grace according to our strength and capacity to all demands. This is also to support the flourishing Church and faith of the Catholic Church.
The gradual progressive growth of our piggery also supports the vision for a better tomorrow in the monastic life flourishing in our time, thus representing the humble work of the monastics who must climb the twelve degrees of humility to reach perfection as stated in the holy rule of our Father in monasticism, St. Benedict.
The rearing of domestic birds such as chickens of both layers and broilers serve also as a support to the financial strength of the Abbey. Thus engaging in creativity to promote the progress of the work of God and the dignity of labour.
This also in union with all the above mentioned groups of animal husbandry is another aspect of practical living of the Benedictine life of prayer and work which incorporated both humble work and living by the work of our hands which makes a monk or Nun. As we hope to improve our catfish farm in gradual process putting human effort in.
This is one of the ancient monastic works as associated to the history of monasticism which deals with copying of manuscripts. But in today’s monastic existence such as the Abbey of St. Scholastica thrives at book binding. As book binding remains the creative work which we can offer to the public at affordable price, We invite the secular world also to support the work of God by patronizing these works of ours for the support of the Church and progress of Monasticism.
We also supply candles according to sizes, most especially Paschal candles for the Great Easter celebration, Advent candles, Mass candles and different pillar sizes according to demands. We hope to meet up to demands as the Lord wills, to the glory of His name..
In order to support the missionary work of the active ministers of the Church, we do not only pray for them but also sew Vestments and Sacred Linens for the use of priests. It pinpoints the monastic tradition which safeguards and places great value to the Sacred Liturgy; A love for the Churches tradition and support for the missionary work. We invite the Sacred Ministers (the Priests) to respond by assisting us through their patronage for the growth and financial support of Monastic life.
The call for the individual transformation of every Christian, to live a worthy life also inspires the hospitality of offering both personal, communal, directed and preaching retreats to individuals, prayer groups, devotional societies and congregations. A heartily warm welcome to the soul who seeks the face of God and offering of a suitable room for a free monastic experience becomes the practical aspect of the practice of hospitality as indicated by our Holy Father in the holy rule. We now also offer an ongoing marriage course for the growth, development and empowerment of the family as the first Christian Church based on some structured and strategized topics.
For more information on our retreat offers 09038065581 / 081084400169.
Despite the many departmental works we engage in as sources of livelihood, we also engage in Agricultural farming, from which we feed by the toils of our hands. Agricultural farming as it stands, therefore becomes our major work on which the others anchors. We put to soil many vegetables, garden eggs, fruit trees, tubers of yam, other seedlings, and many more to mention but few. All thanks to God who kept blessing and multiplying our produce for greater sustainability.
Motto: Peace and Joy.
Charism: Prayer and Work.
The nuns of St. Scholastica Benedictine Abbey, Umuoji, are monastic women who seek God in Community life through prayer and work. Living in accordance with the Gospel, the Rule of St. Benedict, and the Declarations of our Abbey and the general and specific norms of Subiaco-Cassino Congregation. We respond to the needs of the Church through our prayers and sacrifices for the sanctification of the whole world.
In light of our Benedictine values we seek to live: – a cenobitic contemplative life in humility, silence, simplicity and joy within the enclosure. – a life of prayer, worship and praise – to seek God and follow Christ under the Rule and the Abbess – to be a place of welcome through our hospitality.