The Monastery of the Angels was founded in 1924 by Mother Mary of the Eucharist and four companions from the Dominican Monastery in Newark, New Jersey.  This monastery in New Jersey was the first monastery founded in the United States by Dominican nuns of the Second Order.  Of interest is the fact that this monastery is a descendent of the first monastery in Prouille, France.  Two American women entered the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Oullins, France and were subsequently sent to found the Monastery of Saint Dominic in Newark.

   Mother Mary of the Eucharist, had a great devotion to the Guardian Angels, and hoped to found a monastery in their honor one day.  When she learned of the possibility of founding a monastery in Los Angeles, California, she immediately began to inquire about this possibility.

    With time all difficulties were overcome and Archbishop Cantwell of Los Angeles, telegraphed Mother Mary of the Eucharist, inviting her to make the foundation.  With Mother, came four other Nuns from Newark: Sister Mary of Jesus, Sister Mary Raphael, Sister Mary Gabriel and Sister Mary of the Immaculate Conception.  These Sisters arrived in  Los Angeles and were given hospitality by the Sisters of Saint Joseph until they were able to locate a suitable house in which to live.

    The first residence was located on 28th Street in downtown Los Angeles and enabled the sisters to live the monastic life until they were able to purchase property on which to build a permanent monastery.  There are many stories of the early days which showed God’s loving care for the little community.  Money was often not sufficient for their needs and many times payments due were made at the last moment.  The sisters worked long and hard at sewing and other hand work in order to earn enough money to pay bills and of course save up money to purchase property.

    Mother Mary Gabriel, only a novice when she came to Los Angeles, was eventually elected Prioress and succeeded Mother Mary of the Eucharist in this office.  For a long time, they had been looking for property on which the permanent monastery could be built.

   In the 1930’s, the Prioress learned of a beautiful mansion with a small hill which was for sale in the Hollywood area.  That area had been dismissed as undesirable, nevertheless,  it was for sale at a price that the sisters could not refuse, so it was believed that God was asking them to build their monastery there.  During the later part of the 30’s, therefore, the Monastery of the Angels moved from 28th Street to its present location. 

  The sisters took up residence in the mansion at the bottom of the hill which had belonged to the Giroux Family.  A statue of Our Lady would take the place where the grand fountain stood.  The site of the future monastery would be in front of the mansion where gardens and lawns were landscaped with the most expensive shrubs and trees.

 The sisters accommodated themselves as best they could.  Even though there was much more space than formerly was to be had in the 28th Street house, many adaptations had to be made in order to insure that the monastic life was lived as perfectly as possible.  Many vocations arrived after the war and the first section of the permanent monastery was completed just in time for the celebration of Christmas Midnight Mass 1948.