Nuns of Ajijic

does anyone know the history of the nuns in Ajijic (besides that they sell lemoncello). Just interested in some of our history here.

I have been told by multiple sources that the SE corner of Serdun and Hildago was the nunnery from early 1600s. I didn't take it too serious until I got a tour for  a caretaker job and saw all the little rooms in the back that looked just like the nunnery my High School nuns lived in.  Never found out more and have no idea if todays nuns are related to yesterdays nuns.

Good luck on your research!!

thanx Zed, I appreciate you taking the time to respond, I hope that other people have some more to add.

I'll ask some friends who probably have an answer and will come back with the answer.

Any friends of Zorro are a friend on mine.

My friend Judy King provided the following info:

As a matter of fact, these are cloistered Benedictine nuns from the north of Italy. a small group of them -- ?4? came here about three years ago and moved into the seminary that had formerly housed the male seminarian students of Don Bosco. Because there is a shortage of priests, and of nuns, and of lay clergy people, the nuns cannot be strictly cloistered (remain in the convent, unseen by the public at all times). Most days one of the priests in the area goes to the convent to say mass for them, but on Sunday all area priests are so over loaded with services that the nuns come to the 9 a.m. English Mass in Ajijic.

AND, why do they make Limoncello and in season Mandarincello? In the US and here in Mexico, the nuns and sisters are expected to own their own property, and to provide for their own needs. Monks too. That's why some have restuarants or sell cookbooks or make wine or bread or cheese, etc. These ladies make the favorite Italian liqueur, limoncello! An interesting detail that I didn't know -- Benedictines basically have a "one year contract" they renew their vows every year on New Year's Day. Because January 1 is a day of holy obligation and churches run the same schedule as they would on Sundays, there is no one to go to the convent to hear their renewals...so they came to our Mass and did it there this year. We felt honored to see this as normally it would be behind the screen in their section of the chapel in the convent. How many services on Sundays? Well to start, the Saturday evening services in the parish church near the plaza, 7 and 8 count as though they attended on Sunday. On Sundays, there are Masses there at 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 4, 5, 7, 8. In the chapel in La Floresta (part of the Ajijic parish) there are masses at 7:30 p.m. Sat. 12:30 Sun and 7:30 Sun. At Seis Esquinas there are masses at 6 on Saturday, and at 12 and 6 on Sunday. Now, consider that at least 8 of those have an attendance of close to 200, and the rest only 100 to 150. Oh, and did I mention all the other Saturday masses for Weddings and 15th birthday celebrations?

Thank you!

I wonder how one would buy their limon and mandarincello.

I'm confused. The convent, or whatever it's called, is from the 16'th Century in the OP. Judy King's referenced nuns came here "4 years ago". It seems to me the place you're talking about has been owned and occupied by Rene and Mary for at least the past 14 years at the location you described. I would think its referenced in one of Dane Chalmers (?) books on lakeside - Village of the Sun is maybe the title and available at LCS.

You can go directly to the convent to buy their liqueurs. The cost is 250 pesos per bottle and they are located almost across the Carretera from Paninos Restaurant. (the yellow building). Just ring the door bell and one of the nuns will come. I just bought mine last week.

Old convent owned by private owners. New convent has new nuns from Italy. Two separate places.