Discalced Carmelite Nun Communities

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever.

The new foundation of the Discalced Carmelites in Canyon, CA will be having a Pontifical Mass of Dedication September 21st.

Prayers for the community as they faithfully live their way of life in the circumstances they are in right now. There's no telling when, but I hope that a monastery will be be built for them soon enough. I'm interested to find out if the structure/layout of the monastery will be the same as the one they have in Valparaiso.

If you would like to send donations and/or prayer requests:

Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph of Canyon, CA
P.O. Box 183
Canyon‎ CA‎ 94516

From a little article I read:

[size=4]"The newest neighbors in Canyon are intent on living a quiet life. Guests of the McCosker ranch, they are vegetarians who make their bedding from handmade straw and ticking, wear simple garb and sandals, and rely on donations to meet their everyday needs. They don't teach, or nurse or work with the poor. Instead they hope to help everyone through a life of contemplation and prayer. Lamorinda's newest neighbors are Sisters of the Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph of Canyon, relocating from Valparaiso, Nebraska to accommodate their expanding population.
[img]http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/images/space.gif[/img]

By their own rules, a Carmelite community may not number more than 21 members. The Nebraska population had swelled to 37. "We love it here," said Mother Agnes, of their new surrounds. "Right now it's just the 'shock troops,'" she said, with a smile in her voice and sounding decidedly secular. The first group of five sisters, ranging in age from 27 to 72, arrived in late July. A second group of younger sisters, all in their late-teens to mid-20s, are scheduled to arrive late September.

The establishment of the new temporary monastery falls on the 450th anniversary of the order's formation in the 16th century. The order has ties to the San Francisco area dating back to Spanish occupation. Eventually a permanent monastery will be built within the Diocese of Oakland, which extends from Fremont to Vallejo and east to Livermore.
[img]http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/images/space.gif[/img]

As new neighbors, the sisters have registered for a post office box, and are encountering wildlife in Canyon, including a mountain lion sighted on their grounds.
[img]http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/images/space.gif[/img]

"Everybody's been so welcoming," Mother Agnes said. Although she politely declined to have the sisters faces photographed or even named, she said members come from as far away as Seattle and Australia.
[img]http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/images/space.gif[/img] [/size]

[size=2][size=4]Outsiders may consider cloistered religious to be "tight lipped and frowning." Not so, says Mother Agnes. The sisters are "joyful and full of life...a reminder God is there for them, and hope for our sometimes poor, sad world." Reflecting on her own 36 years of cloistered life, she said simply, "It's a wonderful life."[/size]
[img]http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/images/space.gif[/img][/size]

Edited September 18, 2012 by VeniJesuAmorMi

[Chiquitunga]

Wow, thank you Veni for sharing that! I wondered where it came from and found it here, [url="http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue0613/New-Neighbors-Arrive-in-Canyon.html"]http://www.lamorinda...-in-Canyon.html[/url] Wonderful to hear about!

[lmsb1231]

Hello!

I had a question: Does anyone know why the cloistered Carmelites have Eucharistic Adoration only a few times a month? I was curious if there was a spiritual reason for this.

Thank you! God bless =]

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1347993723' post='2483803']
Wow, thank you Veni for sharing that! I wondered where it came from and found it here, [url="http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue0613/New-Neighbors-Arrive-in-Canyon.html"]http://www.lamorinda...-in-Canyon.html[/url] Wonderful to hear about!
[/quote]

God reward you for posting the link Chiquitunga!

I sometimes search the internet for new information about this; any little bit is exciting. There seems to be not that much information right now. Maybe after the Dedication Mass they will put out more information.

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

[quote name='lmsb1231' timestamp='1347999532' post='2483865']
Hello!

I had a question: Does anyone know why the cloistered Carmelites have Eucharistic Adoration only a few times a month? I was curious if there was a spiritual reason for this.

Thank you! God bless =]
[/quote]

Thats a very good question! I don't have the answer to this, but I'd like to know that too. Its interesting. I only have a thought of why this could be; but its probably just a personal opinion. Hopefully someone will post if they know. I wish I could answer this for you. I'll have to do some research.

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

Alright, just one more post here .... for today anyway.

This website is new to me, has anyone else seen it? Its the website for the Carmelite Monastery of The Holy Cross in Iron Mountain Michigan. It has a lot of pictures and great slideshows. I wonder if its new? Or maybe I just missed it. They seem to be doing well with vocations. The last I heard is that they had 22 Sisters; two are externs.

[url="http://www.holycrosscarmel.com/"]http://www.holycrosscarmel.com/[/url]

[emmaberry]

[quote name='lmsb1231' timestamp='1347999532' post='2483865']
I had a question: Does anyone know why the cloistered Carmelites have Eucharistic Adoration only a few times a month? I was curious if there was a spiritual reason for this.
[/quote]

Like VJAM said (sorry for abbreviating your beautiful name, btw!), this is only my opinion, but it may have something to do with Carmel's heritage/beginnings from the life of the prophet Elijah. Obviously, there was no Eucharist before Christ's blessed resurrection. I would guess this has something to do with Adoration not being a part of the typical Carmelite horarium. The historical context is the reason Poor Clares are so focused on adoration, since they were founded during the medieval era when the Eucharist was being 'rediscovered' as worthy of praise and devotion outside of Holy Mass. Also, Saint Francis was extremely devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, so this overflowed into the whole Franciscan Order.

Sorry, that was quite a ramble, but I would suppose that, had Carmel been founded during the medieval ages, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament might have been a part of the daily horarium. It may sound strange, but I am so thankful that Carmel and other perpetual adoration contemplative orders differ in this way. Carmel has produced so many mystics, and it is wonderful that there are a variety of orders to support different nuances of prayer. I wrote into my application how I had discerned Carmel, but found that I am too easily distracted to pray 'inside my head,' so to speak. I am weak in prayer and I need the Blessed Sacrament there before me to hold my focus and keep both my mental and physical gaze, as PCs have 2+ hours of mental prayer, like the Carmelites. I so admire Carmelite nuns for their prayer-it is truly an ancient form like that of the Old Testament prophets.

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

[quote name='lmsb1231' timestamp='1347999532' post='2483865']
Hello!

I had a question: Does anyone know why the cloistered Carmelites have Eucharistic Adoration only a few times a month? I was curious if there was a spiritual reason for this.

Thank you! God bless =]
[/quote]

I couldn't find much at all, but I found this that might help answer this question (I found it on a thread posted last year.)

"Adoration is not a part of the charism of Carmel. Carmelite nuns are not "adorers" (in the strict sense, as in Adoring the exposed Blessed Sacrament) but they seek/adore the hidden Christ within, the Indwelling Trinity."

I did believe that it very well had to do with Carmelite spirituality being very interior. Always being with Jesus in her heart. The Carmelite is called to imitate Our Blessed Mother "who pondered all things in her heart."

I've always loved this prayer from Blessed Elizabeth of The Trinity:

"Mother of God, tell me your mystery;
of how your earthly life was spent:
the way, right from the time of 'Fiat' - how you'd be
buried in adoration, Mary!
Say how - in a peace, a silence - you could enter in
to deeps that none but you could do -
bearing the gift of God within."

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1348027992' post='2484031']
Like VJAM said (sorry for abbreviating your beautiful name, btw!), this is only my opinion, but it may have something to do with Carmel's heritage/beginnings from the life of the prophet Elijah. Obviously, there was no Eucharist before Christ's blessed resurrection. I would guess this has something to do with Adoration not being a part of the typical Carmelite horarium. The historical context is the reason Poor Clares are so focused on adoration, since they were founded during the medieval era when the Eucharist was being 'rediscovered' as worthy of praise and devotion outside of Holy Mass. Also, Saint Francis was extremely devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, so this overflowed into the whole Franciscan Order.

Sorry, that was quite a ramble, but I would suppose that, had Carmel been founded during the medieval ages, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament might have been a part of the daily horarium. It may sound strange, but I am so thankful that Carmel and other perpetual adoration contemplative orders differ in this way. Carmel has produced so many mystics, and it is wonderful that there are a variety of orders to support different nuances of prayer. I wrote into my application how I had discerned Carmel, but found that I am too easily distracted to pray 'inside my head,' so to speak. I am weak in prayer and I need the Blessed Sacrament there before me to hold my focus and keep both my mental and physical gaze, as PCs have 2+ hours of mental prayer, like the Carmelites. I so admire Carmelite nuns for their prayer-it is truly an ancient form like that of the Old Testament prophets.
[/quote]

That's really beautiful, Emmaberry! I like how you said "it is wonderful that there are a variety of orders to support different nuances of prayer." All spiritualities are unique in their own ways, but each one brings us to intimate union with Our Lord. The Holy Spirit moves where He will. Now that you said it (I didn't even consider it before) that it must have something to do also with the history of Carmel right back to the start. I have a great love for Carmel, and though I learned so much in the monastery, there's still so much more for me to know.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Another of my ignorant questions........

Since, as I understand it, Sisters in Carmel have two hours of personal prayer a day (perhaps this differs by Community), would there be anything to forbid a Sister from spending all or part of her personal prayer time in Adoration? Or would just the fact of the Sister praying in front of the monstrance go against the intentions of St. Teresa of Avila as to the purpose of private prayer time.

And now a REALLY ignorant question.....Is it also that a Sister might not be able to pray in Adoration because the Eucharist is not exposed at all times? (This is when you can tell I'm not Catholic. Also, please correct me if I have not used all the terms correctly. Despite the fact that some very "high" Episcopal/Anglican churches set aside a time for Adoration for the congregation, it was not a concept I had heard about before joining Phatmass.)

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='VeniJesuAmorMi' timestamp='1348065480' post='2484148']

I've always loved this prayer from Blessed Elizabeth of The Trinity:

"Mother of God, tell me your mystery;
of how your earthly life was spent:
the way, right from the time of 'Fiat' - how you'd be
buried in adoration, Mary!
Say how - in a peace, a silence - you could enter in
to deeps that none but you could do -
bearing the gift of God within."
[/quote]

Thank-you for posting this. I am only just starting to get to know Mary (and the process has been VERY slow and difficult at times).

As I've started to "get to know" Mary, it's been disappointing just how little we know about her--although the few things we do know are very "telling." I have all kinds of questions to ask her should I meet her someday.

But, perhaps it's just as well that we know so little about Mary so that we don't lose the primary focus, which is Jesus. And, it makes what little we DO know about Mary even more important.

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='VeniJesuAmorMi' timestamp='1348065480' post='2484148']
I couldn't find much at all, but I found this that might help answer this question (I found it on a thread posted last year.)

"Adoration is not a part of the charism of Carmel. Carmelite nuns are not "adorers" (in the strict sense, as in Adoring the exposed Blessed Sacrament) but they seek/adore the hidden Christ within, the Indwelling Trinity."

I did believe that it very well had to do with Carmelite spirituality being very interior. Always being with Jesus in her heart. The Carmelite is called to imitate Our Blessed Mother "who pondered all things in her heart."

I've always loved this prayer from Blessed Elizabeth of The Trinity:

"Mother of God, tell me your mystery;
of how your earthly life was spent:
the way, right from the time of 'Fiat' - how you'd be
buried in adoration, Mary!
Say how - in a peace, a silence - you could enter in
to deeps that none but you could do -
bearing the gift of God within."
[/quote]

Veni, is that something I wrote? (not the prayer from Blessed Elizabeth but the little sentence above) Just wondering .. I could look it up myself :j because it's a combination of two things I have heard from two different Prioresses. But actually there are some Carmels that have a little more adoration now .. as is known [url="http://mtcarmel.stormpages.com/page4.html"]St. Louis[/url] (1991) but also the 1990 one in Wichita, KS [url="http://carmelofwichita.com/"]http://carmelofwichita.com/[/url] which is a new Carmel (actually not that new, but they have a long story of how they were founded & they are building a new monastery) They have a lot more adoration than most Carmels, all day and night every Thursday and additional time on Sundays. I did hear from a Carmel once that in Blessed Elizabeth's Carmel they had exposition every Sunday also .. not sure how long though. But anyway, I actually [i]just [/i]recently asked a priest who knows Carmel very well this exact question about adoration! I will look at the email again and see what I can post here, but basically he said mostly what has already been said.. how Carmelite prayer is especially interior, and not to be dependent on the external .. though again, all Carmels [i]do[/i] have some adoration at least, some more.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Chiquitunga

[emmaberry]

[quote name='VeniJesuAmorMi' timestamp='1348066133' post='2484154']
That's really beautiful, Emmaberry! I like how you said "it is wonderful that there are a variety of orders to support different nuances of prayer." All spiritualities are unique in their own ways, but each one brings us to intimate union with Our Lord. The Holy Spirit moves where He will. Now that you said it (I didn't even consider it before) that it must have something to do also with the history of Carmel right back to the start. I have a great love for Carmel, and though I learned so much in the monastery, there's still so much more for me to know.
[/quote]

Yes! This is one of my favorite things about being Catholic-I converted 3 years ago after being in almost every Protestant denomination. Protestants, especially the Fundamentalist churches I was in, God bless them, often see the Church as restrictive and limiting in the sense of 'personal' spirituality. I have been so pleased to find that this is not so! Even in my search for women's religious communities, which is such a small fraction of the Church, there is so much variety for whatever and wherever the Holy Spirit is drawing her. I am sure you did learn so much in your time at the monastery! It is great to have so many who are so knowledge about Carmel on VS.

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1348078938' post='2484227']
Another of my ignorant questions........

Since, as I understand it, Sisters in Carmel have two hours of personal prayer a day (perhaps this differs by Community), would there be anything to forbid a Sister from spending all or part of her personal prayer time in Adoration? Or would just the fact of the Sister praying in front of the monstrance go against the intentions of St. Teresa of Avila as to the purpose of private prayer time.

And now a REALLY ignorant question.....Is it also that a Sister might not be able to pray in Adoration because the Eucharist is not exposed at all times? (This is when you can tell I'm not Catholic. Also, please correct me if I have not used all the terms correctly. Despite the fact that some very "high" Episcopal/Anglican churches set aside a time for Adoration for the congregation, it was not a concept I had heard about before joining Phatmass.)
[/quote]
I don't know enough about Saint Teresa of Avila or Carmel's constitutions to answer, but your terms are correct! :D

For Catholics, adoration can take place in front of the tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and also in exposition, where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the monstrance. The only Carmel I have visited (in Arlington-very kind and helpful nuns) had the L shape, ie the nuns look at the altar from the side and are mostly hidden from the public's view. Their choir enabled them to look directly at the tabernacle, so this could be called adoration. The reason I might be hesitant to call it that is that I don't think all Carmelites pray mental prayer in community. I have heard of some who walk outside, but this might have been for a nun's hermit day or some other special event. Also, if you look at documentaries or photos of Carmelite nuns, they are often looking down with eyes shut in mental prayer, because of their focus on the interior, which they take from the Blessed Mother. In contrast, Poor Clares usually pray in front of the exposed Eucharist, and their eyes are pretty consistently upward on Him. It is a difference in charism and type of prayer. Also, when the Blessed Sacrament is in the tabernacle, no one is required to be there for before Him. When the Eucharist is exposed, at least one person must be adoring Him at all times. So the Carmelite may adore if her choir looks on the tabernacle, but generally, as VJAM said, they are not 'adorers.'

Please take everything I say concerning Carmel with a grain of salt. I have very little experience with Carmel, so anything I know is from VS!

Edited September 19, 2012 by emmaberry

[ACS67]

Emma,
I think what you said is very insightful. If you have this much insight into your calling then I think you will do well as a contemplative nun. Had I known what you now know I would have realized that I was never a Franciscan but possibly (I say possibly) a Carmelite.

I would just echo what everyone else is saying...that Carmel is interior and that is why the focus on the externals even the Blessed Sacrament is excluded. St. John of the Cross calls for Carmelites to go "beyond concepts." We all have our own subjective "concepts" of who Our Lord is, who God is despite the very objective teaching of the Church. I believe this is just natural because we all have different circumstances in which we grow up creating different minds, therefore we all learn and conceive differently. However, we must all realize the real danger of clinging to concepts and I believe this is what St. John was talking about in Ascent to Mount Carmel. God/Our Lord is all the things the Church has said he is (and even a few of the things we may "think" he is subjectively) and yet he is none of those things. He is beyond those concepts because he is beyond all concepts. I believe this is why Carmel strips all the exteriors away so that God/Our Lord can reveal who He is in His Essence (borrowing a bit from the Eastern Church), who He truly is at His "core" not merely in our subjective "ideas" and even "fantasies" (yes some women religious contemplatives I have encountered have "fantasies." Innocent fantasies, nevertheless, fantasies of Our Lord).

I believe this is the reason why most Carmels (1990's I would assume) do not have devotions in their horarium. Although some are adding devotions like the Divine Mercy which I think is unfortunate. Not because the Divine Mercy is not worthy of devotion but simply because it is once again, an external...it's not part of Carmel.

These are all just my thoughts...I'm no expert on Carmel...far from it!

Edited September 19, 2012 by ACS67

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1348078938' post='2484227']
Another of my ignorant questions........

Since, as I understand it, Sisters in Carmel have two hours of personal prayer a day (perhaps this differs by Community), would there be anything to forbid a Sister from spending all or part of her personal prayer time in Adoration? Or would just the fact of the Sister praying in front of the monstrance go against the intentions of St. Teresa of Avila as to the purpose of private prayer time.[/quote]
No worries about your questions! They are not stupid. So about a Sister spending some of her personal prayer time in adoration .. well first, the Sisters are all altogether in choir for their meditation times (although in some '91 Carmels, they can be in the cell) so she cannot simply expose the Eucharist on her own.

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NX_WKfuGCWQ/T2jbiEzAyBI/AAAAAAAACTY/ZzNMHeu5vPQ/s576/16%2520ke-morning-inchoir.jpg[/img]


Also, exposition is reserved for a priest, though in extraordinary cases it can be done by an EMHC (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, which could be a Nun) I know many PCCs do this (again with permission, they are EMHCs) including Rockford and Palos Park when they have private adoration in their enclosure choirs. Then in Rockford on Fridays they have public exposition where a priest exposes Our Lord on the main altar, which both the nuns and public can see. But anyway, back to Carmel, no an individual Sister could not simply expose the Eucharist for her own prayer time (same with PCCs) And no, the reason wouldn't be because this is against St. Teresa's intentions.

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1348078938' post='2484227']And now a REALLY ignorant question.....Is it also that a Sister might not be able to pray in Adoration because the Eucharist is not exposed at all times? (This is when you can tell I'm not Catholic. Also, please correct me if I have not used all the terms correctly. Despite the fact that some very "high" Episcopal/Anglican churches set aside a time for Adoration for the congregation, it was not a concept I had heard about before joining Phatmass.)
[/quote]
No worries again, although I don't know if I fully understand your question .. but I would answer that the Eucharist can be exposed at specific times.. but yes, not according to when the individual Sister wants but what that particular community does. Hope this answers your question a bit

Also, as long as I'm posting pictures from Kirk Edge/Sheffield, they have a special little choir behind the altar (I believe it is, LaudemGloriae can help me here) where they do have specific times of adoration throughout the day on special Feast days. So again, it is really up to the individual Carmels regarding how much expositition they have. But in general it is not a major part of Carmelite life, as compared to the Poor Clares, as their charism is especially to seek the Lord within

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-le1Tk5ZbTnI/TrWK05wUjmI/AAAAAAAACxY/xTrCYk8m_WY/s497/pray3.jpg[/img]

Edited September 19, 2012 by Chiquitunga