A small community of Trappistine nuns in the high desert foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, south-east of Tucson, founded from Wrentham in 1972. The sisters bake altar breads for parishes across the country and keep a small retreat house; they were the subject of the 2024 documentary 'Final Vows'.
What it needs
The heating, cooling and hot-water system of the sisters' dormitory, original to the building opened in 1988, is breaking down and its parts can no longer be replaced piecemeal. In its Christmas 2025 newsletter the abbey asked for contributions to a Dormitory Renovation Fund to install two new water heaters and two HVAC systems, expected to cost upwards of $60,000 (bids were still being obtained).
Before you act. The appeal was made in December 2025 and the abbey has not published how much has been raised or whether the work has been done. The $60,000 figure was a preliminary estimate. The community is very small and elderly, two of the eight members counted at the end of 2024 have since died, and it has been under an appointed superior since 2024; its long-term future is not assured, though nothing has been announced.
Last checked 9 November 2026. Parts of this entry could not be fully confirmed; see the note above. Responsible body: Santa Rita Abbey (Dormitory Renovation Fund; checks payable to Santa Rita Abbey).
Cement plaster applied in the mid-twentieth century trapped moisture and damaged the decorated facade; conservators are removing it and stabilizing the original plaster in seasonal phases, with later phases to replace lost columns and the balcony. The Spring 2026 newsletter adds that the Convento and Granjon wings need foundation reinforcement, adobe wall rehabilitation, new water and electrical systems, treatment of insect-damaged mesquite beams and hazardous-material abatement. Donations to Patronato San Xavier pay for the conservation team, outside experts and the next stages of work.
The community says it is at capacity in its present building and tiny temporary chapel and is running out of room for new vocations, while the 1960s ranch house that holds the chapel is deteriorating. Ground was broken on 5 June 2026 for phase two, a two-story living-quarters building of about 30,000 square feet bringing capacity to 70 sisters; phase three is a permanent monastic church. Gifts go to the 'Help Us Build' fund, including a 'One Day Wage' appeal.
