A brief history of our time in Swellendam

The Sisters of the Order of the Capuchin Poor Clares live by the Rule as laid down by Saint Clare of Assisi, according to the spirit and ideals of the Capuchins.

A brief history of our monastery

In 1931, the first Capuchin Poor Clare sisters arrived in South Africa. They were originally from the Monastery of Kolbenz-Pfappendorf in Germany. They established the Monastery in Melville on the south coast of KwaZulu - Natal. Among them was the founder of the Swellendam monastery, Mother Maria Angela Lenzer. Twenty years later, the monastery in Swellendam was opened.

Rv. Bishop Bruno Agostino Hipel, the Bishop of Oudtshoorn at the time, expressed an interest in having the Capuchin Poor Clare Sisters establish a community of Perpetual Adoration in the Diocese of Oudtshoorn.

In 1951, the Community of Melville in KwaZulu - Natal, agreed to establish a monastery in Swellendam in the Western Cape. The Founder, Mother Angela Lenzer started the discussions with Bishop Hipel to arrange for the establishment of the new foundation. In December 1951, Mother Angela came with three sisters to meet with Bishop Hipel and to look at possible housing sites. The former Seminary at St Patrick’s Parish Church, in the centre of Swellendam town was chosen. Also, at this time, a farm was purchased on the outskirts of Swellendam. The three sisters remained in Swellendam, in the farm house, on the property chosen for the establishment of the monastery. Mother Angela went back to Melville to continue making arrangements for the new foundation to be established.

At the beginning of March 1952, a group of sisters arrived to start the Capuchin Adoration Monastery, “Bethania”. Among the group of the sisters were eleven German sisters, two of whom came directly from the monastery of Mainz in Germany to join the new foundation and the rest of the group came from Melville, four Professed sisters from South Africa were part of the group as well as three Postulants.

It was a new adventure of faith for the new foundation. For the first nine years most of the sisters lived in town. During this time, the sisters worked on clearing the farm land and planting vegetables and fruit, keeping some animals and chickens. It was during this time, that the convent was being built. They supported themselves through the work of their hands; selling the produce of the farm, knitting, baking hosts, making vestments and altar linen. The farm produced a large quantity of food which fed the poor, was sold locally and supplied to the market in Cape Town.

On Christmas Eve in 1960, the sisters all moved to the newly built convent on the farm. The monastery was officially opened by Rv. Bishop Bruno Agostino Hipel in 1961. It was some time later that electricity was installed at the monastery.

After establishing the community, they found themselves happy. Now we are happy to live our unique charism in this Church of Oudtshoorn. We live in the present, full of hope and open to a future that is in God’s hands.

The sacred Liturgy, the continuation of the priestly mission of Christ, is the most important of all the activity of the Church. It is the source of life and strength and constitutes the primary element of our contemplative life. Our entire existence is a sacrifice offered to God, a continuous worship of God in Christ.

By virtue of our special vocation, we totally abandon ourselves and dedicate our spirit to God in solitude and silence, in fervent prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and generous penance.

Our mission as Capuchin Poor Clares is to live the Gospel.

We live our contemplative life in a cloistered community, joyfully embracing a life of poverty and fraternity. Our cloister is a visible sign of our total consecration to God.