Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on the First Interracial Monastery - Established in Alabama

"One day, Mother Mary of Jesus, cloistered Dominican nun, had a vision. While in the monastery garden, she saw a scene of a race riot unfold before her. The sight was a violent one, with people of different races engaged in struggle.

"Then Mother Mary of Jesus, who was white, saw a dark-skinned friar approaching the crowd. He was clad in the Dominican habit and holding a rosary. She recognized him as St. Martin de Porres. As Martin walked among the crowd, the weapons and clubs they were holding turned to rosaries and their fighting to prayer. Then Martin pointed to a monastery on the top of a hill. Mother Mary of Jesus saw there Dominican nuns of all races praying the Rosary, with their arms outstretched in the form of a cross."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on the establishment of the first interracial cloistered monastery in the United States - established in Alabama in 1944..

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: During segregation Dominican sisters established the first interracial monastery - in Alabama (16 JUN 20)

Editor's note: Myrna and I are parishioners at Saint Pius V Parish, where Fr. Patrick is currently serving (until the end of June).