A Post-St. Louis Sharing from the Carmel of Buffalo by Mother Miriam of Jesus, OCD, Prioress Carmel of Buffalo

[graciandelamadrededios]

What a joy and a grace it was to have the opportunity to meet with our Father General, Fr. Saverio Cannistrà, in St. Louis in April. Our dear Father is truly a holy man of God, a man after the heart of our Holy Mother St. Teresa and filled with the Spirit of Carmel. I am sure all of the Sisters present at the meeting would agree that we are very fortunate to have his Reverence at the head of the Order at this very critical time in history. If anyone can bring about a wholesome unity amidst so much diversity in Carmel, it is our present Father General. We are truly blest and should thank God for this great mercy.

This being the first meeting of its kind that I have attended, I was happily surprised to meet so many likeminded Mothers and Sisters. There is certainly a distinct family resemblance in spite of the variety of Habits and customs, not to mention Constitutions. I think we have much more in common than we realized. The joy and charity evident in all whom we encountered was indeed edifying and so promising for the future of Carmel. We pray that this historic meeting will bear fruit in a more authentic adherence to the charism of our Holy Mother. We also pray that the meeting will remain a unique experience, an exception to our ordinary mode of communication.

As Cloistered Contemplative Nuns, we love our Enclosure and Regular Observance. However, we do not deny the value and necessity at times for legitimate exits from the Cloister for a greater common good; this meeting was obviously one such event. We feel strongly that prayer, true contemplative prayer, is the answer for the survival of Carmel. We joyfully acknowledge that we need to help one another, love one another and pray for one another. Our Holy Mother is still leading the way; her writings are still applicable in our time. Our enclosures are still seed-beds where the virtues can be tended and bear fruit for eternal life. There are still young souls looking for the way of perfection and eager to embrace it.

Let us place our hope in God, expect great things and live in such a way that we can pass on the true Teresian charism to the next generation. Let us thank God and our dear Father General for all the encouragement that his gracious visit to our country has given us. With renewed courage let us joyfully unite in spirit with all our Sisters and Brothers in Carmel and labor to the best of our ability in the vineyard of our Holy Mother St. Teresa. Let us strive to be fruitful branches on the vine that her right hand has planted, for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.