There’s nothing small about this small business.

Monastery Scents, the brainchild of Sister Cathleen Marie Timberlake, a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, has become a valuable resource for the Sisters with its line of handcrafted soaps.

Founded in 2000, Monastery Scents began when Sister Cathleen Marie decided to pursue her interest in soap making as part of the Sisters’ devotion to St. Benedict, who stressed the importance of work and prayer. Armed with nothing more than a recipe and a photo taken from the Internet, she jumped in and never looked back.

Her products are homemade, all-natural, environmentally friendly and a godsend for dry and fragile skin and for those suffering from ailments such as poison oak or poison ivy. With more than 40 scents to choose from, she has the right fragrance for any occasion.

Packaged in light brown muslin bags and sealed with a drop of red wax and the congregation’s logo, the soaps look right at home in exclusive gift shops, wineries and bed and breakfast businesses. Sister Cathleen adds a drop of holy water to the soap and prays for everyone who uses it. The soaps have found their way around the globe, usually given as gifts by people wishing to pass along a prayer to those they love.

To keep up with business, she relies on volunteers who donate materials and time to sew thousands of the bags. Also helping out are local schools and organizations that sell the soap as a fundraiser. She now offers personalized wedding favors and a new line of soaps for baby’s soft and delicate skin.