Under the leadership of Abbot Christian Meyer from the monastery of Engelberg, the election of the new prioress of the convent of St. John took place on 2nd October, 2019. Sr. Aloisia Steiner from Taufers i.M. in South Tyrol/Italy was elected as the new Prioress for three years. Prioress emeritus Domenica Dethomas celebrated her 75th birthday this year; she had led the convent for the past seven years according to the Rule of St. Benedict. Prioress Sr. Aloisia has been living in the convent of Müstair for 38 years and is very attached to the community and the people of the valley.
The convent of St. John in Müstair was founded in the 8th century by Charlemagne as a Benedictine monastery. In the 12th century the monastery became a convent of Benedictine nuns. In 1810 the abbey became a priory. For 1,244 years the walls of the monastery have breathed the Benedictine spirit. Prioress Aloisia is the 58th in the line of Superiors who have directed the destiny of the convent. Today nine Benedictine nuns live in the convent of St. John in Müstair. They come from Switzerland, and also from Germany and the neighbouring German-speaking South Tyrol in Italy.
Prioress Aloisia was born in Taufers i. M. in 1951 and as a young woman ran the family's farm. Already in the 1970’s she had contact with the nuns of Müstair, as an employee in the guesthouse of the convent. Her wish to join the community developed during these years, and at the age of 30 she decided to enter the convent; she took her vows in 1983. She then worked in the household, in the kitchen, in the embroidery of traditional costumes and sewing. A task that is a matter close to her heart is the care of the Chapel of Grace with the „intercessory roses". One service that she would also like to continue as Prioress is the provision of the daily bread at the community’s meals. In accordance with the first word of the Rule of St. Benedict "Listen", Sr. Aloisia always lent an ear to the community’s fellow sisters from the Philippines. As the new Prioress, she firmly wishes to be “listening" to the whole community.
After the election of the new prioress, the bells of the convent church were rung festively. The installation took place in a solemn setting in the convent church. All the sisters extended the sign of peace to the new prioress, as well as wishing her all the best in her new ministry, and that she may be granted strength and God's blessing.
