Madonna House, a Catholic community of laymen, laywomen and priests, had its beginnings in 1930 when Catherine de Hueck Doherty followed a call from God to live the radically simple life of Nazareth in Toronto, Ontario. This evolved into a family who live together in poverty, chastity and obedience, striving to preach the Gospel with their lives by being people of the water and the towel, praying for and serving the needs of the people and the Church in our everyday world.

In 1975, Bishop Noël Delaquis invited Madonna House to open a poustina in the former Precious Blood Monastery of Gravelbourg. A poustina is a prayer house that takes its name and essence from the Russian word “desert.” The poustina is that place of silence and presence of God within our deep hearts. The poustina is the contemporary as well as the ancient meeting place of God and man, a place to bring personal needs and the needs of all the world to the Lord. An invitation to work for the common good.

The lay apostolates of the Madonna House blessed Gravelbourg with their presence, prayers and visitations until their departure in 1998.

Members of the Madonna House Lay Apostolate from 1975-1998 were: Patti Birdsong, JoAnna DeGidio, Kathy Rodman, Miriam Stulberg, Doreen Rousseau, Marzena Szalewska, Veronica Wanchena, Nancy Miller, Dina Lingard, Doug Guss and Patrick McConville.