Carmel In The United States

[Chiquitunga]

Hey guys, here's a book with a short history and pictures (B&W) of all the OCD Carmels in America up to 1990. It's pretty neat! I ordered it and it came in the mail a few weeks ago.

[center][url="http://imageshack.us"][img]http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/7030/carmelhistoryle9.jpg[/img][/url][/center]

There's also a simple flow chart of all the foundations, and where they came from. It was published by the Queen of Carmel Association in 1990. I believe it's out of print now, but I think you can still get it from the Eugene, OR Carmel as it's listed [url="http://www.ourgardenofcarmel.org/MariaReginaBookList.htm"]here[/url] for $5.

Otherwise you can definitely order it online from this [url="http://www.carmelite.org.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_CARMEL_IN_USA_43.html"]UK Carmelite bookstore[/url], where I got it.

[Chiquitunga]

I've been putting together this little photo page of different Carmels in America, and think I'm about finished with it. Most of the images are from this book - [url="http://picasaweb.google.com/ocdnuns"]http://picasaweb.google.com/ocdnuns[/url]

These are only some of the good ones I've heard of. I didn't scan in Georgetown (http://carmelitemonastery.com/) or Flemington (http://www.flemingtoncarmel.org/) as they already have sites.

On many of the pictures here, there are little relative comments below. You can add comments too, if you know any additional information about a place, if you have a google account.

I actually don't know very much about the Kensington, CA Carmel, only from the little article I found online. But I wanted to add them to the gallery.

I remember reading something online that the bishop from their diocese was praying for vocations. They have 6 nuns now. They are all mostly older. There are no novices or nuns in temporary vows to my knowledge.

The Carmel in Traverse City is praying for new vocations. I saw an ad of their's in the IRL meeting of 2006 booklet. There are 5 nuns there now, and at least one of them is younger.

Just thought I'd share this. Maybe I'll add a few more Carmels later. All of these are under the 1990 Constitutions, except Ada Parnell, and Denmark, just to inform you. God bless!

[Graciela]

Thanks, Chiquitunga for posting this info and for the pictures on the web page.

A good friend and I were discerning about religious life at the same time and we were really attracted to Carmel. Our jobs allowed travels, so whenever we got within visiting distance of a monaster of Disclaced Carmelite Nuns, we'd at least go check out the chapel, regardless of whether we could talk to someone or attend Mass. We used to have a two slightly irreverent categories: spooky Carmels and non-spooky Carmels. This had nothing to do with anything other than how dark the chapel was and how heavy the iron grilles were! But for us, if we felt they were "spooky" we were a little less inclined to feel that that was the Carmel for us. So far, I have not gotten struck by lighting, so I don't think the Good Lord or St Teresa minded our first impression categories!

The Pittsford NY and Buffalo NY monasteries were the first I ever visited. Since I'm a convert and was a relatively new Roman Catholic, encountering the turn and the black-draped grilles was a bit of a shock. Thank God for nuns at the turn or extern sisters who were very welcoming and sweet, or I might have run! When one of the nuns at PIttsford died, about 10 years ago, I went to the funeral. The Bishop granted permission for those who wished to come inside to the nun's chapel for the commendation of the body and to go out to the monastery cemetery for the burial. It was profoundly moving. (And since I was thinking about a very traditional Carmel, gave me a peek too at the inside of the house0 very plain, but not unwelcoming- and a palp[able sense of peace and silence).

I was in Berkeley CA for a summer class a coupld years ago and I stopped by the Kensington Carmel. They have no extern and so I spoke to sister at the turn. I think she said that they are 5 or 6 nuns, but I don't think anyone has entered in many years. Her advice about knowing which religious community was the one to which you're called: "you just know it when you find it" Gee, I was hoping for something more dramatic!

[Chiquitunga]

Hi Graciela! That's so funny about spooky Carmels and non-spooky Carmels! :lol:

Cool, you visited Pittsford, Buffalo, and Kensington! Thanks for adding your experience! I guess Buffalo would fall under the category of a "spooky Carmel." When somebody enters there, all the nuns are lined up in a dark hallway with candles! Then there's the Latin chant in choir O Gloriosa Virginum. It's so beautiful!

[Graciela]

Believe it or not, Buffalo wasn't a spooky Carmel to me. I found the Shrine of St Therese very inviting and the extern sisters were SOOO welcoming. And I would visit their chapel to pray often when I was in grad school in Buffalo. I still feel some nostalgia for it at times, but I don't think that that's where God is leading me. But Dallas- that was a spooky Carmel!

I went to a solemn profession at Buffalo- two nuns were making solemn vows and the music was indeed beautiful. You could not see a thing, of course, with the grilles and the nun's choir being at a 90-degree angle to the public church. I have been to one other Discalced Carmelite solemn profession in a community that is part of the St Joseph Association and is quite careful about enclosure, wears the full habits, etc but I think took the 1991 Constitutions. So they did avail themselves of the opportunity for the prioress, novice mistress and the nun making profession to come into the sanctuary for the vows and the veilling part of the Mass, so every one could see. Actually, there is (or used to be) a provision in the official rites that allowed this in cloistered communities- as a means to edify the faithful and encourage vocations.

[Chiquitunga]

Yeah, the extern sisters definitely make a difference in welcoming people! Iron Mountain has two very nice ones too!

Cool, you visited Dallas! I never heard much about them. Their monastery looks beautiful from the outisde, and really tucked away and hidden.

[center][url="http://imageshack.us"][img]http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3967/dallascarmelgn1.jpg[/img][/url][/center]


That's so neat, how many Carmels you've visited!

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

I have a number of images from the Des Plaines Carmel from materials they gave to me when I visited. If you would like to add those to the collection, I would be happy to send them to you (unless you already have them!).

[Graciela]

Chiquitunga's comment made me wonder how many US Carmels I have visited over the years- and it's a good memory test.
Many of these visits were just a stop in to the chapel. I had work that required travel, so over time, these are the ones I got close to geographically.

Fasten your seat belts!
NY:Saranac Lake (before it closed and merged), Buffalo, Rochester (Pittsford), Schenectady (I can't spell it, but they are now merged with Pittsford)
NJ: Morristown
PA: Erie, Loretto, Latrobe
OH: Cleveland
MD: Port Tobacco, Baltimore
KY: Louisville
IL: Des Plaines
LA: Covington, Lafayette
NM: Sante Fe
CA: Carmel-by-the-Sea, Kensington, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego
MI: Clinton Township
MO: St Louis
MN: Lake Elmo
NV: Reno
TX: Arlington, San Antonion, Dallas

Also the OCarm monasteries in Hudson, WI and Coopersburg PA and Lisieux and Montmartre Carmels when I was in France on vacation.

I've seen at least the architectural differences between the 1990-1991 constitutions and among the different associations. And they are striking differences. One renovated chapel was so modern that if you didn't know it was a chapel, you might have thought it was a community auditorium.

My favorite view from a Carmel is the one in Carmel by the Sea, but I love that St Louis has perpetual adoration (not the norm for Carmels).


Pax et bonum-
Graciela

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='FutureNunJMJ' post='1265288' date='May 5 2007, 02:38 PM']I have a number of images from the Des Plaines Carmel from materials they gave to me when I visited. If you would like to add those to the collection, I would be happy to send them to you (unless you already have them!).[/quote] Hi! Thanks! Well, I have the booklet from them "Welcome to Carmel" and then a couple other things, like a card in memory of Mother Mary Catherine of the Mother of God, OCD. Maybe I will scan them in.

I have some other things from Iron Mountain too, but didn't have time to scan them in yet. I actually started this photo page when a friend wanted to see the Valpariaso Carmel of JMJ's booklet, which is beautiful! After that, I just started scanning in a few Carmels from the Carmel in the US book, that I've heard are very good.

If you do have some other pictures from Des Plaines you could send them to me. But either way, no problem. God bless!

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Graciela' post='1265377' date='May 5 2007, 04:56 PM']Fasten your seat belts!
NY:Saranac Lake (before it closed and merged), Buffalo, Rochester (Pittsford), Schenectady (I can't spell it, but they are now merged with Pittsford)
NJ: Morristown
PA: Erie, Loretto, Latrobe
OH: Cleveland
MD: Port Tobacco, Baltimore
KY: Louisville
IL: Des Plaines
LA: Covington, Lafayette
NM: Sante Fe
CA: Carmel-by-the-Sea, Kensington, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego
MI: Clinton Township
MO: St Louis
MN: Lake Elmo
NV: Reno
TX: Arlington, San Antonion, Dallas

Also the OCarm monasteries in Hudson, WI and Coopersburg PA and Lisieux and Montmartre Carmels when I was in France on vacation.[/quote]

Whoa, that's a lot of Carmels!! I've been to Des Plaines, St. Louis, Iron Mountain, Buffalo & Schenectady, before they went to Pittsford. Then I spoke to Mother Rose at Lake Elmo on the phone.

Here are a couple articles on Morristown: [url="http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=1918"]http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=1918[/url] & [url="http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=2050"]http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=2050[/url]

And then here's one on vows taken at Erie: [url="http://www.eriercd.org/FL011407.htm"]http://www.eriercd.org/FL011407.htm[/url]

How was the OCarm. Carmel at Coopersburg (Allentown)? I've heard they found the body of their Mother Foundress, Mother Therese of Jesus, intact - [url="http://www.spiritdaily.org/Sign_Wonders/Mothertherese.htm"]http://www.spiritdaily.org/Sign_Wonders/Mothertherese.htm[/url]

Do you know, is Sr. Mary Elizabeth there, or has she died?

The group statue they have on their site, they also have at Buffalo, and at Iron Mountain in the cloister, from seeing their booklet. It's a beautiful statue! ( [url="http://carmelitenuns.net/"]http://carmelitenuns.net/[/url] )

[remaoung]

Alabado sea Jesus Cristo!

[Chiquitunga]

I guess Buffalo would fall under the category of a "spooky Carmel." When somebody enters there, all the nuns are lined up in a dark hallway with candles! Then there's the Latin chant in choir O Gloriosa Virginum. It's so beautiful!

Hey guys, there's a beautiful little clip from the Teresa de los Andes movie, of her entrance into Carmel - http://www.teresadelosandes.org/anglais/a_video_teresa.php - Clip # 5

They chant this hymn also. :saint:

[jkaands]

One interesting thing to notice among the various links is that some of these novices making profession are not young! (I exclude the jubilarian, of course). I thought that when nunsense entered Wolverhampton, at age 55, that this was really a departure, but maybe not!

[Chiquitunga]

One interesting thing to notice among the various links is that some of these novices making profession are not young! (I exclude the jubilarian, of course). I thought that when nunsense entered Wolverhampton, at age 55, that this was really a departure, but maybe not!

As is always - "whenever He calls" as Mother at Iron Mountain Carmel says. St. Teresa of the Andes entered at 19 and died within 11 months. She was allowed to make her Solemn Profession just before her death. :saint:

http://www.record-eagle.com/2004/jun/27nun.htm

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?view...4b2eef71147a666

[jkaands]

Chiquitunga's comment made me wonder how many US Carmels I have visited over the years- and it's a good memory test.
Many of these visits were just a stop in to the chapel. I had work that required travel, so over time, these are the ones I got close to geographically.

Fasten your seat belts!
NY:Saranac Lake (before it closed and merged), Buffalo, Rochester (Pittsford), Schenectady (I can't spell it, but they are now merged with Pittsford)
NJ: Morristown
PA: Erie, Loretto, Latrobe
OH: Cleveland
MD: Port Tobacco, Baltimore
KY: Louisville
IL: Des Plaines
LA: Covington, Lafayette
NM: Sante Fe
CA: Carmel-by-the-Sea, Kensington, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego
MI: Clinton Township
MO: St Louis
MN: Lake Elmo
NV: Reno
TX: Arlington, San Antonion, Dallas

Also the OCarm monasteries in Hudson, WI and Coopersburg PA and Lisieux and Montmartre Carmels when I was in France on vacation.

I've seen at least the architectural differences between the 1990-1991 constitutions and among the different associations. And they are striking differences. One renovated chapel was so modern that if you didn't know it was a chapel, you might have thought it was a community auditorium.

My favorite view from a Carmel is the one in Carmel by the Sea, but I love that St Louis has perpetual adoration (not the norm for Carmels).
Pax et bonum-
Graciela

Graciela,

Did you ever visit any of the other Carmels in the CCA, (besides Reno and Saranac) such as

Eldridge, IA, Indianapolis, Elysburg PA, Beacon NY, Concord NH, Barrington RI, Roxsbury MA, or Savannah?