motherhouse
Order's main convent
A motherhouse is the principal convent or monastery of a religious order, serving as its administrative headquarters and spiritual center.
Newer foundations are established from and remain connected to this central house: She returned to the motherhouse for the annual retreat.
The term reflects the house's role as the "mother" from which daughter houses are born.
Monastic house of worship
- cloisterCovered monastic walkway
- nunneryMonastery for women
- prioryLesser monastic house
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
sisterhood · novitiate · prioress · habit · vows · enclosure · refectory · dormitory
Points where things start
- establishmentFounded organization or venue
- foundationUnderlying support structure
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
- charismDivinely given spiritual gift
foundress · inception · beginning · patrimony · heritage · tradition · mission · apostolate
Address to deity
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithTrust without proof
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- meditationFocused attention practice
pilgrimage · retreat · discernment · vocation · sacred · holiness · sanctity · piety
Organizational oversight and control
- centralIn the middle, primary
- mainChief or primary element
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
leadership · oversight · management · coordination · visitation · jurisdiction · directive · canonical
abbey
Monastic house of worship
monastery · sisterhood · novitiate · prioress · habit · vows · enclosure · refectory · dormitory · chapel
origins
Points where things start
- establishmentFounded organization or venue
- foundationUnderlying support structure
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
charism · foundress · inception · beginning · patrimony · heritage · tradition · mission · apostolate · congregation
prayer
Address to deity
meditation · pilgrimage · retreat · discernment · vocation · sacred · holiness · sanctity · piety · liturgy
administration
Organizational oversight and control
- centralIn the middle, primary
- mainChief or primary element
- governanceHow authority is exercised
authority · leadership · oversight · management · coordination · visitation · jurisdiction · directive · canonical · curia
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- monasticismabbeys, abbey, abbots, abbot, cloister
- monasteriesabbey, abbeys, abbot, abbots, abbess
- nunsnun, nuns, sister, sisters, convent
- religious institutionschurch, cathedral, temple, synagogue, monastery
- religious lifereligious vows, religious sisters, religious habit, novitiate, convent life
maternal, grandmother, motherly, motherhood, matriarch, maternity, stepmother, motherland, motherboard