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History of the Sisters

The Sisters trace their beginnings back to 1951 when two Byzantine Rite women from Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Minersville, Pennsylvania, who eventually became Sisters Miriam and Judith Konkus, entered the Latin Rite community of Benedictine Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent in Lisle, Illinois. They came with the understanding that eventually a Byzantine Rite Benedictine Foundation would be established from that priory to serve the needs of Byzantine parishes in the United States. 

In 1954, under the direction of the Prioress, Mother Aemilia Shonka, the Community Chapter of the Lisle Benedictine Sisters formally voted to establish the Foundation in Warren, Ohio. The pastor there, Father Sylvester Hladky, had asked the Lisle Sisters to open a school for Ss. Peter and Paul Byzantine Rite parish. The convent was named Queen of Heaven Convent when it opened in the summer of 1954, because it was a Marian Year.

Final steps to complete the establishment of this Foundation were taken in the summer of 1968. Under the leadership of its President, Mother Mary Susan Sevier, the Federation of St. Scholastica voted to accept Queen of Heaven Convent in Warren as an autonomous member. On November 19, 1968, a decree was received from Rome stating that the Foundation could function as an independent Priory.

Sister Margaret Mary Schima was elected the first Prioress of this newly-established Benedictine Priory on February 2, 1969, during the formal Founding Ceremonies held at the parish convent on East Market Street in Warren. Most Reverend Stephen J. Kocisko, Bishop of the Byzantine Rite Diocese of Pittsburgh, presided at these ceremonies. Mother Aemilia Shonka and Mother Mary Louise Hartwig of the Lisle Benedictine community, and Very Reverend Monsignor Sylvester Hladky, Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Warren, were present as well.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Sisters' Motherhouse were held on June 30, 1968, and it was blessed and dedicated on May 3, 1970 by Most Reverend Stephen J. Kocisko, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archdiocese of Munhall, Pennsylvania, assisted by Most Reverend Emil J. Mihalik, Byzantine Rite Bishop of Parma, Ohio.

Sister Mary Judith Konkus succeeded Sister Margaret Mary Schima as Prioress of the community in 1977, serving a 4-year term of office. On February 1, 1981, Sister Agnes Knapik was installed as the third Prioress of Queen of Heaven Convent. She was reelected to a second 4-year term of office in 1984. On May 6, 1989, Sister Barbara Pavlik was elected to succeed Sister Agnes. In 1993, she was reelected to a second 4-year term of office. In 1997, Sister Margaret Mary Schima was elected by the Monastery Chapter to serve again as Prioress and was reelected in 2001.

Under her leadership, the Sisters of Queen of Heaven Monastery are striving to respond to the needs of the Church today, as they live out their Benedictine charism, "To seek God in cenobitic life and respond in prayer and ministry." Wherever they serve and in whatever capacity they minister, the Sisters strive to enflesh the Benedictine motto, "That in all things, God may be glorified!"