Carmelites DCJ On Video

[shortnun]

[quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1113096' date='Nov 6 2006, 06:19 PM']
Regarding the Carmelites DCJ, I would like to know:

* What is the atmosphere like inside their convents? Every convent I've ever visited has quite a distinctive air about it. What distinguishes these Carmels from the rest?
[/quote]
I've only visited one of their convents in the US--and only for 36 hours at that! The convent I visited had a distinctive air in that they run a retirement home there. So the sisters are very attentive to the needs of those in their care. The residents (priests and laity) participate in the prayer life of the sisters as well, so I felt very connected and engergized visiting the chapel. (They also have a preschool on that same site, but I didn't have any experience of that.)

[quote]* How austere are the Carmels? For a while I was considering the [url="http://www.corpuschristicarmelites.org"]Corpus Christi Carmelites[/url], but their house in York came as a disappointment. It was just that - a house. Unless you were invited into the makeshift chapel, nothing could have told you that nuns live there. While this is perhaps a very superficial thing to judge a community by, I don't think I would cope in a place where there were comfy sofas and television sets. I'm weak and I easily stumble. I'd need some austerity in my surroundings to keep me on track.[/quote]
As I never really entered the cloister itself (just the sisters' chapel), I can't really say a lot. But it felt like a "home." It was clearly lived in, and clearly care for.

[quote]* To your knowledge, do these sisters do any work with mentally ill people? (As it was a mentally ill girl who inspired me to discern more actively, I feel that I am in her debt.)[/quote]
The Northern US Province has care for Alzheimer patients, and they also work with abused and abandoned children. But I have not read anything specifically stating "work with the mentally ill." That having been said, their apostolate does seem to change geographically.

[quote]* Do the sisters sew their own habits? (This may seem like a very trivial question, but I have a disability that means I can't manipulate my fingers very well. Sometimes I even need help with my shoelaces - sewing is not an option!)[/quote]
I'm going to see some of them later this week, though. You can PM some questions if you want me to ask them.

[the lords sheep]

My cousin (Sr. Mary Michael of Jesus Crucified) just made first vows with the DCJ Carmelites in St. Louis, MO (which is the one that runs the website you're looking at), so I'll do my best to answer the questions. I'll also send them to her if you'd like, or I could give you her address, I'm sure she'd write you back.
I myself have never really discerned there (because I don't feel called to the Carmel way of life), but I do love the Sisters.

Their convent in St. Louis is beautiful. The building is large, with the cloister on one side of the chapel and a nursing home on the other. Despite the fact that the nursing home side is large and busy, on the chapel side of everything is enveloped in a sense of peace and prayer. The chapel is rather large (the size of a small church), with a seperate back chapel behind the altar where the Sisters say the Divine Office. There is also a day-care on the property where some of the Sisters work.

The Sisters lead a relatively austere lifestyle. The individual Sisters (with a few exceptions) own no electronic devices beyond an alarm clock. They have a CD player and tv somewhere, but it's only used rarely and for very special recreations, and even then any movies are religious. The Sisters hold general silence during most meals and while working, unless speaking is necessary. I don't think they eat in between meals, and they do not eat meat on Wednesdays or Fridays (and maybe not Saturday, either... I'm not sure). Also, like most Carmels, their life is relatively structured.

I'm not sure if they work with the mentally ill, although I'm sure they have some Alzheimer's paitients...

I don't think my cousin sewed her own habit, but I could be wrong. I don't remember her telling me that she did, though...

All this being said, I am no expert. I encourage you to contact their St. Louis VD. She's a very holy woman and will put you on the right track to discernment, whether it is with them or not.
I'll pm you my cousin's address and the VD's contact info. I can also ask my cousin anything when I see her in 2 weeks, you'll just have to wait until then.

May God bless you as you continue to discern.

Peace in Christ,
Lauren

[zabbazooey]

ive discerned with them they are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[be_thou_my_vision]

[quote name='zabbazooey' post='1116660' date='Nov 10 2006, 02:22 AM']
ive discerned with them they are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Where have you been??? We haven't heard from you in forever!!!!

[zabbazooey]

hiding out

hehehe i'm in school to be a teacher

but yes the carmelites dcj are very awesome indeed.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

Thank you so much for all these replies!

Shortnun, when you see the sisters I would like you to ask the following, please:

1.) Would the sisters ever be likely to apply to a bishop for permission to form a community in England? My priest mentioned just the other day that the bishop of our diocese is desperate to have more religious here, and it would be like a sign from heaven if the Carmelites DCJ turned up on my doorstep! (Although it might possibly be too good to be true...)

2.) Do the sisters do any work with the mentally ill?

3.) Have they had many vocations from overseas? If you get the opportunity to talk to sisters who have left their home country to be a part of the community, please quiz them for me! :

Zabbazooey, I'd also be really grateful for any experiences you can share.

[shortnun]

[quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1117140' date='Nov 10 2006, 07:51 PM']
Shortnun, when you see the sisters I would like you to ask the following, please:

1.) Would the sisters ever be likely to apply to a bishop for permission to form a community in England? My priest mentioned just the other day that the bishop of our diocese is desperate to have more religious here, and it would be like a sign from heaven if the Carmelites DCJ turned up on my doorstep! (Although it might possibly be too good to be true...)

2.) Do the sisters do any work with the mentally ill?

3.) Have they had many vocations from overseas? If you get the opportunity to talk to sisters who have left their home country to be a part of the community, please quiz them for me! :
[/quote]
I'm so sorry. I saw them last (Thursday) night. However.... I can give it a go based on what we talked about:

1) They are an international community, as I'm sure you know. So with a Motherhouse already in Europe it seems encouraging that a house could potentially be formed there.

2) Still haven't gotten a straight "yes" or "no" on that one.

3) Their VD here in St. Louis was born in Vietnam. But I don't know if she specifically immigrated to the States b/c she wanted to enter Carmel.

Guess maybe that wasn't a big help....

[Guest Carmeliteatheart]

Hi Catholic Anonymous,
I could tell you a lot about this community, but I'll stick with letting you know that they absolutely do not deal with the mentally ill...and it happens to be a weak point in the community (they don't deal well with that issue in general). That's all I'll say about it. God bless your discernment.