A group of American Redemptoristine nuns has opened a new monastery in Korat City, Thailand.
"Our contribution to the world's need is prayer," said Sister Joan Claver, who has been a nun for 63 years and is the prioress and founder of the new monastery, according to the Catholic News Agency.
She added, "We have great admiration for apostolic work like preaching or nursing and family life, but we as Redemptoristine nuns are called to this distinct way of contemplative prayer life. All together we contribute to build a better society and a better world."
It was in 2011 when the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer from St. Louis, Missouri visited Thailand to find where they can build the monastery.
Today, the priory has four nuns and one aspirant.
The nuns are called Red Nuns because they wear a red habit in addition to wearing a scapular and a choi-mantle with a coloured medallion of the Most Holy Redeemer.
They also wear a belt with a 15-decade rosary, which has a medallion embossed with the emblems of Jesus Christ's passion.
They pray several times a day.
"We follow a life of prayer in every moment right from the time we wake till rest," said Sister Maria Suphavadi Kamsamran, a Thai Redemptoristine sister. "Our meditation ranges from Jesus Christ's infancy in the crib to the Passion on the Cross and the Holy Eucharist which are our spiritual sources."
Sister Maria said they "are grateful to God and to the Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima for granting us support in our prayer ministry."
The new monastery has a private chapel, cells for nuns and a refectory.
It was the Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima that granted the nuns 3.2 acres of land in Korat, about 136 miles from Bangkok.
Bishop Joseph Chusak Sirisut held a Mass and blessed the monastery last October.
"I want the diocese to be also a focal centre of prayer," he said.
The Redemptoristine nuns were founded by the Italian Venerable Maria Celeste Crostarosa in 1731.
