Discalced Carmelite Nun Communities

[ACS67]

Mantellata,

You bring up some good points. I like what you said about obedience being understood as a "stripping of the ego." I definitely have an ego!

Even when I first desired to become a nun (way back when I was 19 years old, a Poor Clare nun but I was talked out of my the deacon at my church because he said the Poor Clares and those like them were "archaic, pre-Vatican II, they will be gone in 5 years." That was 1988. The Poor Clares are still around, Deo Gratias.) I never considered that I would be giving up anything that did not already belong to God in the first place. All that I have and am comes from God. That's just how I have always understood it.

[emmaberry]

[quote name='ACS67' timestamp='1347035086' post='2479850']
...they will be gone in 5 years." That was 1988. The Poor Clares are still around, Deo Gratias.)[/quote]

Deo gratias indeed! I have read that there are 20,000 Poor Clares worldwide. "Gone in 5 years."

[mantellata]

Your deacon said WHAT?!

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

[quote name='ACS67' timestamp='1347035086' post='2479850']
I never considered that I would be giving up anything that did not already belong to God in the first place. All that I have and am comes from God. That's just how I have always understood it.
[/quote]

I really enjoyed how you put this! Thats certainly the detachment we need, isn't it? I was thinking back on your post about contacting that Carmelite community; I will keep this in prayer for you. That would be very exciting if you were to go and visit. When you visit a Carmel, you really don't want to leave; when we find Him in the silence who does want that to be disturbed? When you hear the Sisters behind the grille its just so captivating. When my parents came to visit they loved to just sit in the Chapel and listen to the Sisters pray. Please keep me in prayer also as I continue my discernment with Carmel. I'm thankful I have someone to help guide me as I didn't have this before and it has been such a help.

“Patience attains all that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.” Our Holy Mother St. Teresa of Avila

[ACS67]

double post

Edited September 8, 2012 by ACS67

[ACS67]

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=5][sub]Thank you Veni for your prayers. I will certainly keep you in mine. Carmel would be a big step for me. For some reason I have always held them as the "elites" of cloistered contemplatives and for that reason they "scare" me.
Emma/Mantellata,
1988. Those were some "dark days" for the Poor Clares. The entire 1980s actually. Many of their monasteries had 4-5 nuns. A lot of them joined assocations to band together or many of them gave in to the "times" and "updated." The ones who did not (Roswell, St. Louis, those in the Immaculate Conception Assocation) were ridiculed. Not only did my deacon (who was my RCIA instructor) say what he said, he told me my parrish priest would never give me a recommendation to such an order as the Poor Clares and that I should look into the more active orders. Which I did but I never found in any of them what I thought I was called to, which was contemplation. At that time I had no idea what "pre-Vatican II" meant. I didn't even know there was a Vatican I or anything for that matter about Councils, encyclicals, Church Fathers. None of that. We didn't learn it in RCIA. RCIA was very new at that time. We didn't even have the new Catechism back then (It came out in 1993 I believe). Keep in mind there was no internet back then. It was a very different time. I live in a state that is nominally Catholic by population and the population that is Catholic is progressive and always has been. I moved away for several years and only came back 3 years ago. Although still progressive, it is better here than it was back in 1988 when I came into the Church. Emma, you should ask any of the nuns at Roswell sometime if they have any memories of the 1980s.[/sub][/size][/font]

Edited September 8, 2012 by ACS67

[mantellata]

I am sorry that you had such a poor RCIA experience. I know many others have had similar experiences especially during the 70s and 80s. I suppose that the hopeful thing is that with our dear Sainted John Paul II so much has been rebuilt - the first seeds of the new springtime that he spoke about. I know that I have seen much development for the better in terms of catechesis in the present generation than those past. Of course we are far from there yet - but it is an exciting "missionary" time to be in the Church right now!!

[ACS67]

I appreciate that mantellata. You know God permitted me to go through that particular RCIA program at that particular time for a reason. I don't know what that reason was as of now but someday I trust I will know. Sadly my RCIA sponsor is now a sedevacantist. *sigh*....It was a odd time for the Church. I know that now looking back. I'm glad things are turning around, slowly but surely.

[emmaberry]

[quote name='ACS67' timestamp='1347110668' post='2480236']
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=5][sub]Emma, you should ask any of the nuns at Roswell sometime if they have any memories of the 1980s.[/sub][/size][/font]
[/quote]

I will! Although I will need to pick which Sisters I ask very carefully-I don't want a younger Sister to think I am calling her old.

I know Mother Francis [s]Francs[/s] wrote some books in that tumultuous period, one of which is Strange Gods Before Me, which addresses many of the aspects of modernization that were being implemented by various religious communities.

I suppose that the enclosed womb of the cloister was a perk in that period....but suspect that the ridicule still wormed its way in.

Thank you for that ACS67-I had a general idea of that time, but not having been born yet, it is always nice to hear specifics (even if they aren't happy specifics). Then again, I doubt there are many 'happy' specifics to speak of.

Edited September 8, 2012 by emmaberry

[ACS67]

I received a letter today from the Des Plaines Carmelites. Mother said I could come for a visit. I'm really nervous. Carmelites intimidate me. They are way out of my league! But I have to go otherwise I will always wonder, "what if?" However, I have to say, I'm excited to see Chicago again even if it will be briefly. I lived there for 4 years. It's quite a town.

[Chiquitunga]

[color=#222222][font='Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=4][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]

Yay!!! That is so wonderful!!! I will be praying for you!


Also I meant to post this before, but I really appreciate your sharing your experience here from the 1980's .. really adds a perspective that we might often forget on VS. Those were tough times.. I know especially for Carmel too. There was so much tension over the Constitutions! The Carmels that wanted the old ones had to go directly to the Vatican and they (particularly a major Cardinal and Blessed JPII) were in favor of what they wanted as opposed to the friars .. and then they were approved December 8th, 1990. Ah, I think it's so important to know this history! to know what the nuns had to go through to persevere what we have today...[/background][/size][/font][/color]

Edited September 10, 2012 by Chiquitunga

[Chiquitunga]

double post

Edited September 10, 2012 by Chiquitunga

[ACS67]

I am usually very reluctant to tell that story about the experience back in the 1980s because I don't want it to sound like I am blaming the priest or deacon at my parish for my not becoming a nun. Yes they influenced me but it was just the "times." It all happened for a reason.

Any details about Des PLaines Carmelite Monastery that I should know about before going Chiquitunga? You are so knowledgeable about Carmel.

[Chiquitunga]

Thanks, but no.. I'm not so knowledgeable really .. again, just so many random things here and there that I've heard from others discerning, priests, my own experience, etc. It's like one big collage in my head!! But if only I had half that much virtue .. which I don't!

But anyway, I can PM you more about Des Plaines. For one thing, they don't have Extern Sisters. When people go to visit there to leave prayer intentions, etc. they ring the door bell in front, talk through the speaker and the huge door is unlocked. Then you can go in and talk to the Sister behind the Turn. The place is like a fortress really .. very strong thick walls, which the Constitutions do specifically ask for They have a couple Novices I believe .. and one just made her First Profession. Many people knew her. She was the type the world wouldn't expect to enter the cloister. I love stories like that!! Just shows the world how foolish it is .. and how much God is everything!! the most amazing Husband you could ever have!

[ACS67]

Thanks Chiquitunga! Yes. PM me. I tried to send you a message but it said you couldn't receive messages or something like that.

Thanks again!