Discalced Carmelite Nun Communities

[Guest vent801]

I was wondering if anyone knew of any "good" thriving discalced carmelite communities in the US. Also, I know there's at least one carmelite community in the US that recites the divine office in English and Spanish, does anyone know which it is?

[AveMariaPurissima]

The Carmelites in Iron Mountain, MI are good. I was corresponding with them for a while. If you're interested I could post their address.

[EmilyAnn]

I think Cristo Rey may be the Carmel you're thinking of that recites in English and Spanish.

[Lisa]

I believe the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in Valparaiso, NE is thriving.
There's also the Carmel of Elysburg, PA that was a branch off of that.

It's my understanding that both of these are Discalced Carmelites (OCD). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

[AnneLine]

I know Cristo Rey is bilingual. I believe Dallas might be as well.

A number of communities (including Valpariso and Elysberg and Ada and Wheeling have Mexican roots, but I don't know if they still are bilingual..... Anyone know for sure?

[OnlySunshine]

I'd recommend the Carmel in Buffalo, NY. I was corresponding with Mother Miriam and fully intended to visit, but I realized that, the only reason I was seeking out the Carmelites was for my own selfish desires -- not the desires of God. I had become obsessed with St. Therese of Lisieux and this monastery was named for her the day she was canonized in 1925. They say that the whole monastery smelled of roses that day. I'd recommend it to anyone who had a true desire to live the Carmelite life.

The monastery was begun by Mother Elias of the Blessed Sacrament from Mexico. She lived during the Mexican Revolution, at a time when nuns were not safe in Mexico and were persecuted if they were discovered. She was found out and brought before the firing squad along with her companion. She promised St. Therese, that if she protected her, she would build a monastery in her honor. Mother Elias and her companion heard the shots and sunk to the ground. But they were not killed. She was able to escape to Cuba and then, eventually, to New Orleans.

She had great devotion to the Infant Jesus, and a beautiful, life-like statue which is now at the Ada-Parnell monastery. Once, during her travels through Mexico, trying to avoid arrest, Mother was on a train, dressed as a housewife. She had the statue of Baby Jesus in her arms wrapped in a blanket, like a real baby. There were revolutionary soldiers on the train. One of them, vigilant for escaping religious, noticed Mother Elias and her little bundle. "That baby is being awfully quiet," he said, and started over towards Mother. At that moment, the statue of the Infant came to life, and began to wail like a living child. The soldiers left Mother alone.

The first foundation was in Grand Rapids, MI (now Ada Parnell, MI). But Mother had to keep her promise and found a monastery in honor of St. Therese, however, since St. Therese was not yet canonized that was impossible. News of the canonization began and Mother received permission to dedicate the new monastery in Buffalo, NY on the day of the canonization. This occurred on May 17th, 1925. On the day of the dedication, the nuns claimed that they smelled roses and felt Therese's presence. The monastery was the first dedication EVER to St. Therese.

Here is some more information on Mother Elias:

[url="http://fountainofelias.blogspot.com/2009/07/mother-mary-elias-of-blessed-sacrament.html"]Part 1[/url]
[url="http://fountainofelias.blogspot.com/2009/07/mother-elias-part-2.html"]Part 2[/url]

The Brooklyn Carmel is a foundation of the Buffalo Carmel. The original Carmel in Brooklyn closed and the nuns were dispersed to a few monasteries, however, it was their hope that Brooklyn would, once again, be opened. They didn't see it in their lifetime, but their dream came true.

Since there is not a website for Brooklyn and they don't appear to be a part of a Carmelite association (Buffalo is part of St. Joseph's Association of Carmelites), it's quite difficult to remember when the new monastery was founded. The Carmel in Brooklyn actually doesn't have the Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) but the Ordinary Form as Buffalo does, with a mix of Latin and English. Then they pray the entire Office (of the new rite) in Latin, as Buffalo and Alexandria do also. I've never visited there, but know a couple people who have, and I've heard it's beautiful.

The Carmel in Alexandria, SD is also a foundation from Buffalo so they are very strict in their observance, as well. Ada (Parnell)'s Carmel has relaxed it's observance and is no longer a 1990 Carmel but a 1991.

I hope this helps!

Edited May 17, 2012 by MaterMisericordiae

[Chiara Francesco]

The Carmel in Erie, PA is an excellent Carmel. A 1990 Carmel. Only English though.

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

[Antoniette]

Brooklyn is slowly growing. Of the five nuns who were there when the original closed in 1997,3 went to Bufallo, where they interacted with the young sisters who made the foundation. So there was continuity. Unfortunately 2 were very old, and the third, though young became seriously ill. Mother Miriam went ahead with the foundation-she gets a lot of thanks and prayers from me. The 4th, Prioress Mother Marie Ange went to Dallas, where she has since passed. (The 5th, Sr. Maria is at St. Helens England)

Brooklyn, Buffalo, Dallas and even Philadelphia Carmel are all worth inquiries. I'm sure there are more, but I know of these and recommend them.

[the171]

Lafayette, LA Carmel has Vietnamese sisters. But that isn't the same as Spanish... They are thriving. Two aspirants, one postulant, two novices, and a lot of other sisters. They accept ages 17-35. I believe they do allow some later vocations. Individual basis. I can answer any questions. Just PM me. They are more of a French community (Since that IS Acadianna).

[miles Christi]

[sub]+[/sub]
[sub]I’d totally second MaterMisericordiae’s Buffalo recommendation – I visited their monastery back in 2008 and it was such a wonderful experience. [/sub]
[sub]One of their extern sisters, Sr Agnes was super kind and very accommodating and even arranged a visit with Reverend Mother despite my unannounced visit. She gave me the cell # of the other extern sister, Sr Consolata, in case I needed to reach them during my time there. I wasn’t actually staying at the monastery - I was just visiting in the Niagra Falls area in Canada and since I heard from the MCs how wonderful the Buffalo Carmelites were I decided to visit them… [/sub]

[sub]My visit with Rev. Mother was particularly memorable but unfortunately not for any spiritual reason but more so because I think I managed to make a fool of myself… when she asked me where I was staying I just blurted out (without thinking about how it would sound) that I was staying at Yogi Bear camp in Jellystone Park – need I describe Rev. Mother’s look on her face? Well, what can I say, I truly enjoy camping and wouldn’t have exchanged that little cabin for the finest hotel … sorry for the sidetrack there.[/sub]

[sub]After all that though, Sr. Agnes invited me to spend as much time at the Monastery as I wished so I ended up driving down from Jellystone Park and over the Canadian border to the Monastery every morning. The 2 extern Sisters stayed in the main church during the Hours, chanting along with the rest of the community behind the grilles – Sister Agnes told me where to sit so I could have a peak at them . Those who have already been there know how lovely their chant is. I can’t recommend enough a visit there and I can’t imagine them not thriving either.[/sub]
[sub]Their habit is the beautiful traditional Spanish habit too – without the rope sandals though (or at least the externs weren’t wearing them)[/sub]

[sub]Here is Sr. Agnes in Buffalo on the day of her final vows (I think these were posted on other threads too a few yrs back):[/sub]

[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ttZdWkLjkpc/T7ugzeyp3BI/AAAAAAAABXU/f0UjOzSVtoQ/s596/june%25202008%2520001.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8DUXaEh3ZrQ/T7ugzBkx_NI/AAAAAAAABXQ/XPHnCGrkH_4/s400/Sr.%2520Agnes%2520Marie%2520of%2520the%2520Eternal%2520High%2520Priest.jpg[/img]
[sub]I[/sub]
[sub]also visited a couple other East Coast Carmels – Port Tobacco in MD and Flemington NJ.[/sub]

[sub]Neither of these have left such a great impression on me though as Buffalo did.[/sub]

[sub]The fact that all the sisters at Port Tobacco received our Lord in the hand during Holy Communion really saddened my heart… [/sub][sub]I visited them with our diocesean women's discernment group and the Vocation Director took some photos:[/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yylua9kUfhY/SBDApkp5tLI/AAAAAAAABMA/yYsz7FKjBkU/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520043.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QAcQe1z2NDw/SBDAr0p5tMI/AAAAAAAABMI/bXiMVkIISSM/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520045.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6MZUjjQsfII/SBDAvkp5tOI/AAAAAAAABMY/TSEKb6KEfbE/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520060.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub]The Flemington Carmel was in more of a rural setting with cows, goats, chickens… nice quite place and they had an Indian priest as their chaplain.[/sub]

[sub]Sorry but I don’t know of any English-Spanish communities.[/sub]

[HollyDolly]

The Discaled Carmelite Nuns in San Antonio are a bilingual community.They have a website about the founding of their community in Mexico and how they came to the US in the 1930s.As far as i know they are recieving vocations.They used to have a monastery near the national Shrine of the Little Flower here in San Antonio.But since the place was getting smaller due to growth, they moved to Culebra Road and their monastery is located on St.Joseph Way.They do the liturgy in both english and spanish.They also founded the monastery in Houston ,Texas.

[reminiscere]

Dear Miles,

Buffalo, Brooklyn and Alexandria all wear the alpargatas. The externs don't though (at least outside). I don't know if Ada still does. Schenectady being a Mexican foundation did (not sure if the merged Rochester Carmel does since they're originally French). Surprisingly Valparaiso didn't the last I knew!

[quote name='miles Christi' timestamp='1337698266' post='2433664']
[sub]+[/sub]
[sub]I’d totally second MaterMisericordiae’s Buffalo recommendation – I visited their monastery back in 2008 and it was such a wonderful experience. [/sub]
[sub]One of their extern sisters, Sr Agnes was super kind and very accommodating and even arranged a visit with Reverend Mother despite my unannounced visit. She gave me the cell # of the other extern sister, Sr Consolata, in case I needed to reach them during my time there. I wasn’t actually staying at the monastery - I was just visiting in the Niagra Falls area in Canada and since I heard from the MCs how wonderful the Buffalo Carmelites were I decided to visit them… [/sub]

[sub]My visit with Rev. Mother was particularly memorable but unfortunately not for any spiritual reason but more so because I think I managed to make a fool of myself… when she asked me where I was staying I just blurted out (without thinking about how it would sound) that I was staying at Yogi Bear camp in Jellystone Park – need I describe Rev. Mother’s look on her face? Well, what can I say, I truly enjoy camping and wouldn’t have exchanged that little cabin for the finest hotel … sorry for the sidetrack there.[/sub]

[sub]After all that though, Sr. Agnes invited me to spend as much time at the Monastery as I wished so I ended up driving down from Jellystone Park and over the Canadian border to the Monastery every morning. The 2 extern Sisters stayed in the main church during the Hours, chanting along with the rest of the community behind the grilles – Sister Agnes told me where to sit so I could have a peak at them . Those who have already been there know how lovely their chant is. I can’t recommend enough a visit there and I can’t imagine them not thriving either.[/sub]
[sub]Their habit is the beautiful traditional Spanish habit too – without the rope sandals though (or at least the externs weren’t wearing them)[/sub]

[sub]Here is Sr. Agnes in Buffalo on the day of her final vows (I think these were posted on other threads too a few yrs back):[/sub]

[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ttZdWkLjkpc/T7ugzeyp3BI/AAAAAAAABXU/f0UjOzSVtoQ/s596/june%25202008%2520001.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8DUXaEh3ZrQ/T7ugzBkx_NI/AAAAAAAABXQ/XPHnCGrkH_4/s400/Sr.%2520Agnes%2520Marie%2520of%2520the%2520Eternal%2520High%2520Priest.jpg[/img]
[sub]I[/sub]
[sub]also visited a couple other East Coast Carmels – Port Tobacco in MD and Flemington NJ.[/sub]

[sub]Neither of these have left such a great impression on me though as Buffalo did.[/sub]

[sub]The fact that all the sisters at Port Tobacco received our Lord in the hand during Holy Communion really saddened my heart… [/sub][sub]I visited them with our diocesean women's discernment group and the Vocation Director took some photos:[/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yylua9kUfhY/SBDApkp5tLI/AAAAAAAABMA/yYsz7FKjBkU/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520043.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QAcQe1z2NDw/SBDAr0p5tMI/AAAAAAAABMI/bXiMVkIISSM/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520045.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub][img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6MZUjjQsfII/SBDAvkp5tOI/AAAAAAAABMY/TSEKb6KEfbE/s720/2008%2520Spring%2520Nun%2520Run%2520060.jpg[/img][/sub]

[sub]The Flemington Carmel was in more of a rural setting with cows, goats, chickens… nice quite place and they had an Indian priest as their chaplain.[/sub]

[sub]Sorry but I don’t know of any English-Spanish communities.[/sub]
[/quote]

[Chiara Francesco]

The Jefferson City Carmel in Missouri, founded from Dallas, is a good Carmel, a 1990 I believe. They are a "Spanish" Carmel in habit only, they speak English only there. No website.

IRL page http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/398

These pictures, sorry for bad quality, terrible cell phone camera, were taking from a book they put together on their founding:

[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/quadrangle.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/Christmasprep.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/choirnunskneeling.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/bakingaltarbreads.jpg[/img]


[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/choir.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/jmjtcarmelite/choirforLent.jpg[/img]

[Chiara Francesco]

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1337206198' post='2431401']
I know Cristo Rey is bilingual. I believe Dallas might be as well.

A number of communities (including Valpariso and Elysberg and Ada and Wheeling have Mexican roots, but I don't know if they still are bilingual..... Anyone know for sure?
[/quote]

The Dallas Carmel is not bilingual - all is in English - though they have Spanish roots.

[Blessed&Grateful]

I have always had a soft spot for the Port Tobacco Carmel. I don't think they are bilingual though.