The Thomas Berry Sanctuary

Our Mission
At the Heart of the Universe – In the Heart of God – Ever Expanding


We are a new monastery in the Catholic Tradition with an original founding impulse that has gathered its inspiration from our mentor and co-founder, the late Fr Thomas Berry; monk, scholar, and cultural historian.

Our monastery exists to carry on the great momentum of the Catholic Tradition as it has unfolded through its 6 major “moments of grace” (Desert, Community, Mendicant, Intellectual, Activist, …..) with particular attention to this 6th moment, theCosmological/Planetary.

In our community life we desire to come together beyond the boundaries of separation and ego – unfurling the deep mandate of Jesus; “That all may be One” – by boldly creating new and as yet unimagined ways of relating, creating, and realizing our highest potentiality in service to the Whole.

We take to heart the words of the late Jesuit paleontologist Teilhard De Chardin who said:

As we move into the noosphere it is in union with all the rest that we must advance. The more we energetically unite with others the more our creative differences bring the planet to higher development.

This is our mission and dedication.

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Sister Gail Worcelo



I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.

Dance has always been my passion. I began taking ballet and tap lessons as a child and continue to this day, using dance as an art form for healing Earth.

In the 1980′s I studied Liturgical Dance with Carla DeSola and became a choreographer of this style which I have been able to integrate into the beauty of liturgy as an embodied expression of praise and adoration of the Divine.

I joined the Passionist nuns, a monastic community of women in 1982 with a Master’s degree in Christian Spirituality from Fordham University. During my novitiate in 1984, Thomas Berry, who was a priest in the same congregation came to the monastery to give us classes on The Universe Story and our Role as Humans in that Story.

Thomas became my mentor and guide and I began to study with him at the Riverdale Center for Religious Research in NYC. He continued to mentor me until his death in 2009.

During my years at my former monastery I founded and directed, Homecomings: Center for Ecology and Contemplation, (1990-1999) served on the Leadership Team as Councilor and Novice director of the community, (1992-1999) obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (1993) and began traveling around the world giving retreats to congregations of men and women religious based on my work with Thomas Berry (1990-present).

I have been a workshop presenter and speaker at gatherings such as: The national assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Congregational Chapters of Men and Women, Sisters of Earth, Spiritual Directors International, Catholic Theological Union, The International European Passionists Gathering, The International Gathering of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Quito, Ecuador, Sophia Center, The Network of Religious Congregations in Melbourne, Australia, and seminaries, formation houses and universities throughout India and Indonesia.



I am passionate about my own growth in Christ Consciousness within the Collective Field as we come together in more expansive ways to be in service to the whole.

I want to wholeheartedly contribute to the revival of women’s religious life in North America and invite vibrant women into this vital dimension of the tradition. I am currently working on a book on the topic of the Evolution of Christ Consciousness and its New Emergence within Religious Life.

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Earth Prayer Beads

We have created these Earth Prayer Beads with the intention of bringing the power of prayer to bear upon the needs of the planet.

Each of the beads is hand crafted and represents the 13.7+ billion years in the unfolding story of the universe.

These beads can be worn on the wrist or carried in your pocket!

Handmade by the sisters and friends of Green Mt. Monastery.



Mary of the Cosmos Prints & Cards

This is an original Icon written by Sr. Bernadette Bostwick based on the ancient image of “Our Lady of the Sign.”


This image of Mary of the Cosmos celebrates the beauty of our embodiment and the sacredness and holiness of all matter in the cosmos.

In this Icon, the universe is flowing through Mary, (mother, matter, mater) whose body is made of the star stuff of the cosmos.

In her Iconoclastic form with Earth at her center, the planet becomes the birthing bed of Jesus.

The Mother of love and compassion looks out to us with outstretched arms inviting us to become life bearers for the planet.

- Sr. Bernadette Bostwick


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