How A Great Falls, Mont. Monastery Fuses 13th Century Teachings With 21st Century Technology

This piece originally aired on Montana Public Radio on June 23, 2010.

The Monastery of Saint Clare sits on a wide open bluff on the southern edge Great Falls, Montana. Four sisters, known as Poor Clares, eat, pray and live at the newly built brick Monastery. The Poor Clares belong to the Franciscan order of the Catholic Church. They adhere to the teachings of Saint Francis, who had a high regard for the environment.

At the monastery in Great Falls, the women are using 21st century technology to interpret the teachings of the 13th century saint. Saint Francis of Assisi is the Catholic Church's patron saint of animals and the environment, but chances are he never dreamed of wind-powering monasteries.

Sister Catherine Cook says Saint Francis taught his followers to care for and love each of the elements.

"He spoke of brother wind and brother fire and sister water and our sister Mother Earth," Sister Cook explains. "That’s all part of our own Franciscan heritage, and so it seems like a natural to have wind turbines, to ask brother wind to help us out.” So last month, two brand-new wind turbines went up in their front yard.

The sisters say as soon as they moved into the monastery in 2005 they knew wind energy would be part of the plan. Sister Cook says they began researching wind power and other ways the monastery could move away from using fossil fuels.

"It’s not only what they can do, but we find them very graceful," Sister Cook says. "We think they add something to the landscape, they look like they’re dancing when they’re rotating. It’s almost as if they’re giving praise to God.”

In the front lawn, Wind Power of Montana owner Scott Palmer finishes installing the towering turbines.

"We run wire from the top of the turbines down through the pole and into the ground and bring it up to the houses," Palmer explains. "Then we have electricians come in and wire them from that point into the breaker box.”

He says the two, 35-foot-tall turbines will produce about 4.8 kilowatt hours of power. He’s not sure that will be enough to power the entire monastery, but says it will definitely make a dent in their electric bill.

"It’s been a joy working with them, because they’re so fun...their enthusiasm is just phenomenal,” says Palmer.

Sister Maryalice Pierce wrote a grant request two years ago to Northwestern Energy, in hopes of being able to fund their turbines.

The monastery received $17,000 worth of renewable energy grants. The turbines cost a total of $24,000 and the sisters hope donations will make up the difference.

Plus, Sister Pierce says wind power isn’t the only way the Poor Clares are going green. "We do a lot of recycling. Practically everything we can recycle we do, paper, bottles, cans, whatever," Pierce says. "We’re very conscious about using things so we don’t waste.”

The sisters also do a lot of their work via email, things like prayer requests and spiritual counseling. They even have a website.

Sister Catherine Cook says it’s important they live in the ‘real world’ and technology is one way they’re able to do their daily work.

"We are a community dedicated to prayer primarily, for the church and the world, so everything in our life is based on that,” she says.

It’s a very peaceful place. Quiet, except during prayer and dinner.

And now – two towering wind turbines will add to the grace of the Monastery of Saint Clare.