About Us, Past and Present

In 1974 Sister Miriam Stoll of the Sisters of Providence in St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana felt inspired by God to open a prayer house with hermitages. With the generous help of a lawyer who donated his services to set up a non-profit corporation, Glimpse of Glory Ministries began.

Sr. Miriam spent three years searching before she found the perfect location for a new house of prayer in Pevely, MO.  The property on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River had been the summer home of Frank and Marie McNaughton.  After the death of her husband Marie McNaughton held out for the right buyer for the property.  According to Sr. Miriam, Mrs. McNaughton wanted someone to buy the property who would have a religious affiliation.

The property was acquired on June 17, 1977 and construction began in a humble way. This started by converting the garage into the first hermitage. Construction moved slowly, but as word of this new ministry spread, gifts of prayer, money, skill, and materials were made. 

In time construction began on three individual hermitages facing the river.  Eventually six more hermitages bordering the woods were added.

Next door at Saint Pius X Benedictine Abbey, Father Wilfrid Tunick, OSB offered to help Sr. Miriam.  He assisted her in improving the property and in converting the summer house into a place of ministry and prayer. Both Sr. Miriam and Fr. Tunick ministered to the spiritual needs of guests and offered hospitality.

In time, Sr. Miriam moved on to other ministries. When the Abbey closed in 1984, and the property sold to a private developer, Fr. Wilfrid stayed at Vision of Peace.

In 1994, Fr. Wilfrid left Vision of Peace in the care of lay directors. Today, Vision of Peace continues as a place of peace, prayer, rest, and solitude, and is managed by a volunteer Board.

A New Era with New Buildings 

In 2014 a new era for Vision of Peace began with the construction of the Spirituality Center, which replaced the original McNaughton home on the same footprint.   In 2018 a free-standing hermitage, Isaiah House, was added nearby for priests who stay and minister to guests at Vision of Peace.

 

Ongoing Updates

Updating inside the hermitages and across the property is ongoing to continue to provide a place when guests find peace and solitude. New concrete paths and a steps make it easier to navigate the property.