The various Basilian communities throughout the world draw their spiritual and moral support from the dedicated life of prayer, work and sacrifice of the Basilian Nuns living in contemplative monasteries. These monasteries were especially established for this purpose in 1951, when the Order was centralized by a Decree of the Holy See and united under a General Administration with its seat in Rome, Italy.

On the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, a Basilian Contemplative Community was formed in Astoria, New York, in 1958. Four Sisters from the Jesus Lover of Humanity Province in Fox Chase Manor, PA formed the original nucleus of the newly erected Sacred Heart Contemplative Monastery in Astoria. In 1992 the nuns relocated to Middletown, New York.

Personal and communal prayer, form the substance of each day in the life of the community.