Carmelite Nuns Of Erie, Pa

[Chiara Francesco]

I love the opening about God made the moonlight, starlight......He can make you a Carmelite!

Website: http://www.eriercd.org/carmelites.asp

IRL page: http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/401

Flickr pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicsanctuaries/sets/72157625779946503/


They are a 1990s Carmel.

I had a 3-way conversation today on the phone for an hour with Mother Prioress and a sister - what fun they are! It turns out the sister grew up and when to a school in a nearby town to me and both our fathers worked in the same company!

So lovely, holy and loving!

[LadyOfSorrows]

[quote name='Chiara Francesco' timestamp='1300847823' post='2222537']
I love the opening about God made the moonlight, starlight......He can make you a Carmelite!

Website: [url="http://www.eriercd.org/carmelites.asp"]http://www.eriercd.org/carmelites.asp[/url]

IRL page: [url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/401"]http://db.religiousl...irl.nsf/org/401[/url]

Flickr pictures: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicsanctuaries/sets/72157625779946503/"]http://www.flickr.co...57625779946503/ [/url]


They are a 1990s Carmel.

I had a 3-way conversation today on the phone for an hour with Mother Prioress and a sister - what fun they are! It turns out the sister grew up and when to a school in a nearby town to me and both our fathers worked in the same company!

So lovely, holy and loving!
[/quote]

I've heard about this Carmel! How many are in community?

[Chiara Francesco]

[quote name='LadyOfSorrows' timestamp='1300848426' post='2222543']
I've heard about this Carmel! How many are in community?
[/quote]


There are five of them now. They've had a few deaths of late. The last one was the Mother Foundress who passed at 96.

When I first called, the sister who answered (and was the sister in the 3 way conversation), was so joyful and funny as just when she answered the phone, the turn buzzer rang and she had to put me on hold.

I am hoping to visit at the end of May. They have "outer quarters" with kitchen, etc, and when Mother told me this room was right next door to the chapel I was more thrilled! To be that close to Jesus in the tabernacle! I am sure it was an extern's rooms at one time. They offered to have one of their good friends pick me up at the airport and drive me back at the end of my visit. They asked if I could stay a week and I am most gladly to do just that!

I was never that relaxed talking to a Mother or any sister on the phone! I was nervous at first in calling but the second I heard that sister's voice I was relaxed and my nerves vanished and then she had Mother pick up the other line and we had a grand talk!

Definitely, anyone who even suspects they might have a Carmelite vocation should contact them. As I said in my first post, they are a strict 1990s they said do not go out at all and not for conferences or meetings, etc. They told me how they had accepted one woman and who was ready to enter until she found out they do NOT go out! She started talking about "when I go home to visit my family..." they told her that wouldn't and couldn't happen she decided she was not entering! They said they assume she knew that, knew that Carmel is a cloistered order and most Carmelites do not go out (at least 1990s) and so they asked if I understood this and I laughed and said yes!

They said they were encouraged by other Carmels to get a website that is run by others for them. For any who email them, the email goes to woman who prints off and gives the email to the Mother prioress. For me, this woman was away for awhile so a woman in their diocese's Chancery office sent me an email saying Mother would like to talk to me and gave me 4 sets of times to call them. Thank God they do not have the internet in their Carmel! That is one thing I am hoping for wherever God wants me.

[TradMom]

+Praised be Jesus Christ!

I am very happy to see this new website.

Thank you for posting the link.

Pax,

TradMom

[Chamomile]

[quote name='Chiara Francesco' timestamp='1300847823' post='2222537']
I love the opening about God made the moonlight, starlight......He can make you a Carmelite!
[/quote]


That's a pretty a.wesome use of holy rhyming

Definitely let us know how the visit is!

[Chiara Francesco]

Here is Mother Emmaule and a sister from a few yrs old article on the sister's profession in their diocese magazine: http://www.eriercd.org/FL011407.htm

[Graciela]

"Belated/late vocations explanation
God calls precisely when He calls—Vocations blossom according to God’s perfect timing. Some sisters have been called in the midst of successful professional careers, as were the first Apostles."

I have to say that I am really overjoyed to see this Carmel's comments in their reply to the question of age requirements for entrance. I love that they recognize that God may indeed be calling some women to their community who are not under 30 or 35.

Bless them for their openness to the Holy Spirit's movement in human hearts.

I also think that a small community might be quite nice- even the 21 that is the cap of St. Teresa's reform might feel big to some of us.

Graciela

Edited March 24, 2011 by Graciela