Discalced Carmelite Nuns Of St. Louis

[Chiara Francesco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw67LULjPcw&feature

[Pia Jesu]

Beautiful video (and the SL Carmel's updated website as well!).  Are you acquainted with them, Chiara?  The novice

reading in her cell looks a "bit" older (God forgive me if I'm wrong).  Are they open to belated vocations?  Portions

of their Carmel look so similar to the Lisieux dovecot...excluding the occasional window air conditioner, of course!

Yet St. Teresa of Avila would surely fit such conveniences into her common sense approach to community living!

[Chiara Francesco]

Beautiful video (and the SL Carmel's updated website as well!).  Are you acquainted with them, Chiara?  The novice

reading in her cell looks a "bit" older (God forgive me if I'm wrong).  Are they open to belated vocations?  Portions

of their Carmel look so similar to the Lisieux dovecot...excluding the occasional window air conditioner, of course!

Yet St. Teresa of Avila would surely fit such conveniences into her common sense approach to community living!

 

Pia Jesu, I don't know them well but did write them like 2004-5 or something.  They have a beautiful monastery.  Back then they weren't really open to older vocations.  The Mother then was very nice and would write a bit but in the end it was nothing past their age limit or if so maybe a few years.

 

But I too thought that one on novice is no spring chicken!  So perhaps they have changed their minds regarding age, which I have found to be true with many orders and communities and especially if there is a new Prioress or Abbess.  Other reasons could be this sister was a religious elsewhere so they took that into consideration. 

 

But if you are interested there is nothing to lose in writing them!  I've found many that state an age limit will sometimes take older, and have, and will consider and take older. 

 

About some "conveniences", some are necessary and some are commanded by the local bishop.  The Dallas Carmel was commanded to put in A/C units several years ago when many sisters had major problems in the heat and I think awhile back a sister died from the heat.  So while some people speak ill of these conveniences, sometimes it is not the sisters doing.  But I am sure the the AC units aren't run on a super low cool setting but cooler than the environment to keep with their poverty and the AC bill low.

[Pia Jesu]

Thanks for the insights, Chiara!  I always enjoy reading your posts.  The recent thread on the Hawaii Carmel's

first profession of a 54+ year old was really encouraging.  You have to love the photo of sister and her daughters

in the parlor!  I will write a letter to the SL Carmel.

God bless!

[AccountDeleted]

Thanks for the insights, Chiara!  I always enjoy reading your posts.  The recent thread on the Hawaii Carmel's

first profession of a 54+ year old was really encouraging.  You have to love the photo of sister and her daughters

in the parlor!  I will write a letter to the SL Carmel.

God bless!

 

 

Pia - When I was living in St Louis, I went to a special Mass at that Carmel with Bishop Hermann. Archbishop Raymond Burke was supposed to be celebrating the Mass but he had just been appointed as Head of the Apostolic Signatura and was in the process of moving so wasn't able to attend. The Mass was held outside in the gardens because so many people were in attendance.

 

Afterwards, I went to see the inside of their chapel - absolutely beautiful- especially a lovely statue of St John of the Cross. The Prioress was outside the enclosure, supervising everything - I don't know if she is still the same Prioress or not - this was about 3 years ago. She was sweet but they weren't open to older vocations at that time, probably because they don't have a problem getting vocations so they have plenty of younger discerners. But even though I say that, I was told the same thing by the Carmel in Alberta, Canada (another very lovely Prioress) and yet about a year later, they accepted an older woman.

 

I would say that even though there is an upper limit for many Carmels, sometimes this is waived - on an individual basis. What makes a community decide to say no to one person and yes to another is a mystery - it could have something to do with being in the right place and the right time - nothing is impossible for God. Twice I have been invited to visit communities that post an upper age limit that makes me ineligible - but for some reason they were open to me. At other times I have been turned away because of my age. Nothing is impossible for God, but when we give our lives to Him, He takes us at our word and assumes that He has control - which means that our choice may not be His choice.

 

In the end it all comes down to trust. He loves us more than we can possibly imagine.