The Order Of Mt. Carmel

[HeavenlyCalling]

God has led me many places in this crazy thing called discernment, and now I feel he is calling me to the cloister. Being me, I want to make sure I visit a well-rounded selection of communities. I know of quiet a few cloistered Dominicans and Poor Claires I hope to visit soon ( i.e. when I get a job and thus the money to fly all over the US : : ) but I have very little information about Carmalite orders in the US. If anone knows some, I would very much like to know so I can check them out . Mostly, I would like very traditional orders, with the grill and full habit,and if at all possible, a website or e-mail adress I could work with. Thanks very much
-HeavelyCalling

[daveybe]

We have a Carmel in Buffalo, NY, that is quite traditional, including full habits and the grill. Recently, it is doing very well in vocations. It doesn't have a website, but our diocesan site has contact info:
[url="http://www.buffalodiocese.org/relcomwomen.htm"]http://www.buffalodiocese.org/relcomwomen.htm[/url]


This next site has links to a huge assortment of Carmel locations. I've never been to any except the one in Buffalo, so i can't evaluate their traditional level, but here they are:
[url="http://www.ocd.pcn.net/ocd/n2_usa.htm"]http://www.ocd.pcn.net/ocd/n2_usa.htm[/url]

May Christ be your light,
D.Be

[HeavenlyCalling]

Thank you very much, Daveybe, does anyone know anything about the other Orders (or have more to suggest)?

[Chiquitunga]

Hey, HeavenlyCalling! Check out the thread I started earlier this week - "The Discalced Carmelite Nuns - 1990 & 1991 Constitutions" That should give you some good information on solid communities. I was for a very very short time in the Buffalo Carmel. Now I believe God is calling me specifically to another community. But the Buffalo Carmelites are [i]GREAT !!![/i] Also the other 1990 communities I visited, in particularly Iron Mountain, MI. I wish you the best in your discernment!!

[Gemma]

Check my website, dear: [url="http://cloisters.tripod.com/"]http://cloisters.tripod.com/[/url]

Blessings,
Gemma

[bmb144]

If your thinking about going a bit further afield...... :

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

Shameless plug of Australian Carmelites

JMMB,
Belinda

[Mary-Kathryn]

I googled and came across these Carmelite nuns in Maryland.

[url="http://users.erols.com/carmel-of-port-tobacco/"]http://users.erols.com/carmel-of-port-tobacco/[/url]

I have also heard the Buffalo Carmel is absolutely living the life.

prayers for you!
Mary-Kathryn

[HeavenlyCalling]

Could someone perhaps PM me with more information about the Buffalo Carmilites? In the mean time, if anyone else out there knows any more Carmel, please post! :

[onlygrace08]

[quote name='Mary-Kathryn' post='1090176' date='Oct 12 2006, 09:14 PM']
I googled and came across these Carmelite nuns in Maryland.

[url="http://users.erols.com/carmel-of-port-tobacco/"]http://users.erols.com/carmel-of-port-tobacco/[/url]

I have also heard the Buffalo Carmel is absolutely living the life.

prayers for you!
Mary-Kathryn
[/quote]

Wow! I can't believe that I never came across this website while doing many google searches of my own. What a beautiful monastery!

[Chiquitunga]

Something else I was thinking of posting about the Discalced Carmelite Nuns in the US is about the different customs each of the houses have. (this spans across all the Carmels in the US - 1990 & 1991's)

Though each house is very unique in its customs and the community in general, I noticed two general categories of customs - one, the hispanic customs from Mexico (from Spain), and the other, more plain customs (which generally come from foundations from France - as one OCD told me - or other European countries).

I have never read any article or book on the history of the OCDs nuns in America. All I know, is from visiting some of the Carmels and talking with the nuns (and the beautiful little history booklet at Buffalo Carmel - if you call there, I'm sure they'd sent you one).

The hispanic customs are generally - more decorative chapels with colorful statues, (but not too excessive of course), hmmm ... , well I know in Buffalo they have specific Latin phrases you must greet the Mother Superior and Novice Mistress with ... and particular times to kneel down and kiss the floor - though these customs may not be specific to the hispanic traditions - I'm not sure, they wear the long veil over the veil which is under the scapular when visiting guests in the parlor and at other times, (the plain customs Carmels do not) besides in the choir or other solemn times, in Buffalo they have the dramatic Spanish crucifixes - very large ones, and some smaller (they also make these)

(that's about all I can think of now - if brendan comes on this thread, he may be able to think of some more things)

From my limited knowledge, the first foundation from Mexico was the Grand Rapids Carmel of OL of Guadalupe (now Ada Parnell, MI). From there came many Carmels - Buffalo is one of them that has kept all the customs.

The Carmels with the more plain customs generally have simpler chapels and not as many particular customs. But they in no way are less orthodox. The Carmel near me, Des Plaines, is one of these. So is Lake Elmo, MN. I spoke with the Mother there on this, when I was discerning the Buffalo Carmel. She asked if I liked the particular monastic feel of Buffalo, and I did, because the Lake Elmo Carmel is very plain - and doesn't have any feel of an old monastery (wood chapel - old stone building). Their chapel is very simple with cement walls. Their Carmel is, Carmel of Our Lady of Divine Providence. Actually, this is something particularly great about the Lake Elmo Carmel - their spirit of poverty and simplicity. St. Teresa did say, this life is nothing but a night in a bad inn. But the Lake Elmo Mother said when you're called to Carmel, it's often to a specific house. And this house, to many, could become rather depressing with the cement walls. And of course the other Carmels, (without doubt - the 1990's), have unswerving fidelity to the vow of poverty - definitely so in Buffalo.

Here's a site I found while searching for any information online about the Lake Elmo Carmel - [url="http://carmelsong.com/hubforpicturesofhistoricalimportance.htm"]of historical importance[/url] On the daughter Carmels link, you'll find the Mother foundress of Lake Elmo. They say that each Carmel has a unique spirit according to the spirit of the Mother foundress.

You'll see a good example in these pictures of the way these Carmels wear the veil - slightly out and under the scapulars. The hispanic Carmels have the veil under the scapulars, but more often also wear the long veil over this one (that falls on the back - like you'd see in pictures of Poor Clares) - not a great difference - just something I'm noting here. :j

I like both traditions really. The hispanic tradition is very beautiful and inspiring to me. But so is the starkness of the French/Euro - US Carmels.

[Chiquitunga]

Also, for the Carmelite Order, there are 2 official Orders - the original order of Carmel - Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, that sign after their names, O.Carm. And then the reform of this order of St. Teresa of Avila - The Discalced Carmelites, O.C.D.

If you search on the [url="http://religiouslife.com/"]IRL site[/url], under Carmel for women's communities - you'll find a couple Carmels of the Ancient Observance. All communities associated with the IRL are good communities.

Then there are the many other communities of Carmelites, mostly active, that may be connected in some way with the O.Carm.s or OCDs (I do not know) but they are their own communities/congregations.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Margaret Clare

[HeavenlyCalling]

Well, I am [u]deffinatly[/u] going to have to write to the Carmilites in Buffalo, since they come so highly reccommeded.! : If you are one of the posters who gave them such glowing reports, can you awnser a few quick questions?
1. Who would I adress a letter to?
2. Do they have an age limit or other qualifications for entering ( I always like to know about these)
3. How many sisters are there?

Thanks so much and God Bless you all!

[zunshynn]

I visited the Carmelites in San Francisco awhile back, and they were wonderful and orthodox. I would totally recommend them... they're lovely women. They have a grille, full habit, traditional Carmelite horarium... the works. They do not have a website, but you can check out pictures of their church at [url="http://www.jnelson.com/Church%20Installs/carmelite_monastery.htm"]this website.[/url]

Their address is
Mother Elizabeth
The Carmel of Cristo Rey
721 Parker Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118

The thread I made about my visit to their monastery is [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=48964&hl=Carmel"]here.[/url]. And their foundation in Nebraska, the Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph sounds awesome too. They chant the office in Latin and have the indult tridentine mass by the FSSP.

[veritas99]

My roommate was with the Carmelities in Denmark Wisconsin for 2 and half years. She loved her time there and peaks very highly of the community. They are getting many vocations right now and are growing. I'm not of their info but I believe it is in the Green Bay Diocese and might be worth looking up.

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='HeavenlyCalling' post='1090684' date='Oct 13 2006, 02:35 PM']
Well, I am [u]deffinatly[/u] going to have to write to the Carmilites in Buffalo, since they come so highly reccommeded.! : If you are one of the posters who gave them such glowing reports, can you awnser a few quick questions?
1. Who would I adress a letter to?
2. Do they have an age limit or other qualifications for entering ( I always like to know about these)
3. How many sisters are there?

Thanks so much and God Bless you all!
[/quote]


1. Mother Myriam of Jesus, O.C.D.
2. I think 17/18ish
3. I'm not sure how large they are now. 21's the limit in Carmel - they may be close to that, but definitely write them


God bless you !!!