Hermits

[Starets]

Looks like they've taken it offline. I still have it in pdf format though

[Mary Veronica]

I'm actually presently discerning the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in CHester, NJ (http://carmelites.info/hermits/index.htm). They are pontifical and are in union with the Carmel Order. I've previously discerned with the Poor Clare Colettines (chicagopoorclares.org) and the Discalced Carmelites (holynamecarmel.org), but I still find the eremitical life very compelling. the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel offer a 3 month live-in before any formal entrance into the life. I've asked them all kinds of questions and have gotten simple answers to my liking , (cuz I carry a Montfort spirituality which calls for radical simplicity in the love of Jesus and Mary).

if anyone else out there feels drawn to the eremitical life, just BLESS THE LORD !!! always first bless the LORD! then everything else will peacefully fall into it's rightful place . and be happy, you are truly blessed, because Our Holy Mother Church treasures the eremitical vocation because it calls for a impenetrable and salvific intimacy with GOD! just like st. Joseph and our beautiful MOther Mary, and St. John the Beloved, and St. Mary Magdalene....ahhh Blessed be GOD!

[Macies]

Yes, there is something quite beautiful about the life.

[Orans]

[quote name='Mary Veronica' date='31 August 2009 - 01:26 PM' timestamp='1251743192' post='1958907']
I'm actually presently discerning the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in CHester, NJ [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/detective.gif[/img] (http://carmelites.info/hermits/index.htm). They are pontifical and are in union with the Carmel Order. I've previously discerned with the Poor Clare Colettines (chicagopoorclares.org) and the Discalced Carmelites (holynamecarmel.org), but I still find the eremitical life very compelling. the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel offer a 3 month live-in before any formal entrance into the life. I've asked them all kinds of questions and have gotten simple answers to my liking [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_roll.gif[/img] , (cuz I carry a Montfort spirituality which calls for radical simplicity in the love of Jesus and Mary).[/quote]


Could you share a little about their life? How do they live the solitude? How much common life do they have? Are they many in the community? Do they have individual hermitages? ... and whatever you may want to share.

The hermit vocation is very beautiful even though it is not easy. I'll be praying for your discernment.

Peace

[kavalamyself]

I have thought about it. I guess I am kind of a hermit now....

[elizabeth09]

Thought about for a year, and I look at one communite.


carmelite sisters of the divine heart of jesus
http://www.carmelitedcj.org/
http://www.carmelitedcj.org/retreats.asp

[Mary Veronica]

[quote name='Orans' date='31 August 2009 - 08:15 PM' timestamp='1251764140' post='1959113']
Could you share a little about their life? How do they live the solitude? How much common life do they have? Are they many in the community? Do they have individual hermitages? ... and whatever you may want to share.

The hermit vocation is very beautiful even though it is not easy. I'll be praying for your discernment.

Peace
[/quote]

yes, they have individual hermitages, they have seven. They pray, eat, work, in solitude. there's only 3 nuns presently in the foundation. here's there website hermitsofourladyofmountcarmel.org I would like to share more... But I think I can convey more personally to anyone who feels even the slightest desire to the life. besides I don't know where to begin

[HisChild]

I've seen their website before. They sound lovely. I wish they'd update their site, though!

[Indwelling Trinity]

Thr carmelites of chester come under the O. Carms and their vows are solemn. They are a samll communtity about five hermits.

Mother Mary of Jesus Joseph is Foundress and prioress. I have found her to Be very Kind snd loving but she does stress the psycholgical aspects of the life to a great degree. She is very selective of whom she accepts. Origianlly the land they posess was givnto them by Father Romano of the Hermits of Bethlehem in Chester which are directly down the road from them. Unless you heve almost spoteless pyscholigicl help, you may find it hard to enter.

I think to some extent this is wise, however i think there should be a balance between God;s healing love and psychology as many come with previous baggage in this current day society. Never the less i have personally seen those with severe psychological problems overcome them with medication in a deep humility and acceptance of their brokenness they have only to become truly integrated religious, even in the eremitic hermit Life style .

Whether Mother is open to that is another question.
How great is God's mercy and love!

However it can't hurt to write if you are discerning them

How ever all in all they are truly a very beautiful community.

Tenderly,

Indwelling Trinity

Edited September 26, 2009 by Indwelling Trinity

[Orans]

[quote name='Indwelling Trinity' date='26 September 2009 - 03:09 PM' timestamp='1253992197' post='1973036']
Thr carmelites of chester come under the O. Carms and their vows are solemn. They are a samll communtity about five hermits.

Mother Mary of Jesus Joseph is Foundress and prioress. I have found her to Be very Kind snd loving but she does stress the psycholgical aspects of the life to a great degree. She is very selective of whom she accepts. Origianlly the land they posess was givnto them by Father Romano of the Hermits of Bethlehem in Chester which are directly down the road from them. Unless you heve almost spoteless pyscholigicl help, you may find it hard to enter.

I think to some extent this is wise, however i think there should be a balance between God;s healing love and psychology as many come with previous baggage in this current day society. Never the less i have personally seen those with severe psychological problems overcome them with medication in a deep humility and acceptance of their brokenness they have only to become truly integrated religious, even in the eremitic hermit Life style .

Whether Mother is open to that is another question.
[/quote]

As a hermit I believe that solitude and silence bring to the surface all and every psychological issue the person has, whether known, or unconscious, or buried. When there is no entertainment and no one around to blame for our problems we cannot keep on avoiding facing issues -the reality of our brokenness. And this is very much part of the journey, indeed.

Though it is true that most people can overcome their psychological limitations, it takes time and effort on their part and often on the part of the community -when this happens in relgious life. And if this essential discipline is not taken care of we know well that communities, especially cloistered communities, can be very dysfunctional.

I don't know this particular community of hermit Sisters, but I understand that this may be more important for them to the point of looking at the psychological aspect more closely than other bigger and more "busy" communities (even if contemplatives) do.

[ruso]

[quote name='Laudem Gloriae' date='16 July 2009 - 07:07 AM' timestamp='1247717269' post='1921282']
Before entering the Sheffield Carmel, nunsense stayed with the Hermits of Bethlehem and looked into the Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She posted at the threads below - and probably others - these are what I found. If you are looking at these type of orders.

Here are some past PM threads on the Sisters of Bethlehem, Hermits of Bethlehem and the Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - sisters.


[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=56995&hl=hermits"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...&hl=hermits[/url]

[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=77990&hl=hermits"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...&hl=hermits[/url]

Hermits of Bethlehem:

A Way of Desert Spirituality: The Plan of Life of the Hermits of Bethlehem, Chester, New Jersey, by Fr. Romano founder of the Hermits of Bethlehem at
[url="http://www.amazon.com/Way-Desert-Spirituality-Hermits-Bethlehem/dp/0818908211"]http://www.amazon.com/Way-Desert-Spiritual...m/dp/0818908211[/url]

[url="http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=1424"]http://www.patersondiocese.org/page.cfm?Web_ID=1424[/url]



Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - sisters:

[url="http://www.hermitsofourladyofmountcarmel.org/index.htm"]http://www.hermitsofourladyofmountcarmel.org/index.htm[/url]
[/quote]
The Sisters of Bethlehem are many vocations in Europe, his charisma is going up.

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=55470&view=&hl=lerma&fromsearch=1

[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6bQneoc8R7U/R9G82ju6I8I/AAAAAAAAAT0/PJGnaW8nzM8/s400/DSC00059.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.marianistas.org/comunidad/attachments/monjas_de_belen_sijena.jpg[/img]

[alleros]

For Benedict, it was "Do as I say" not " Do as I did"....

quote name='Staretz' date='18 July 2009 - 12:56 PM' timestamp='1247939818' post='1923779']
I like St. Benedict's assumption (not that I am biased or anything), that a hermit is one who leaves a community after a long period of testing in a community and is therefore fully armed for the battles that he will face. After all, when you are alone with God you are also alone with yourself, and that can be a scarier prospect than you might think. "Single combat" with the world, the flesh, and the devil is not to be taken up lightly.

A certain Grimlaicus wrote a "Rule for Solitaries", which I wrote about in this forum [url="http://http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=85294&mode=threaded&pid=1664284"]here[/url]. The link to the actual rule is [url="http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/athornto/grimlaicusweb.htm"]this one[/url]

I hasve taken that page, reformatted it a bit in InDesign, and imported made it a PDF file. if anyone wants it, PM me with an email address to send it to!
[/quote]

[GraceUk]

I must say it would never appeal to me. But it is good that we are all different. I saw a programme a long time ago about an Irish hermit. A lady who lived in a caravan and was recognised as a hermit by her bishop. So I expect there is a difference between hermits who live as part of a community and hermits who go it alone as it were and are not part of a community. But all through the ages there have been hermits. They must get very close to God.

[alleros]

That would have been Irene Gibson?

That is a story. She was the first woman in Ireland to take hermit Canon 603 Vows and she was not in the caravan for long.

She raised 20,000 sterling from the irish folk and built the complex you will see here.

But then she, as she put it "had the scales removed from her eyes," turned against the Catholic Church and set up this idea.

[url="http://www.catholic-church.org/hermitage/"]http://www.catholic-church.org/hermitage/[/url]

Thus incurrring a great deal of hostility from those who had actually built the place as well as given their money, and isolating herself; She went on Irish TV twice about it all.

The venture failed; the only person there was herself, which is why all the photos are taken from the back. Only her..

She then put it up for sale, but could not let go when an offer was made.

Now, it is literally falling down and she left there some three years ago; saying she was not a hermit and could not live alone.

Her interviews are still online.

The Solitary life - and I speak from decades of experience - is a rare one and needs balance. Not from the psycholgical aspect some raise, which is surely true for each person , but from a practical viewpoint.

As the world darkens it has more appeal.

[quote name='GraceUk' date='26 October 2009 - 09:41 AM' timestamp='1256568101' post='1991483']
I must say it would never appeal to me. But it is good that we are all different. I saw a programme a long time ago about an Irish hermit. A lady who lived in a caravan and was recognised as a hermit by her bishop. So I expect there is a difference between hermits who live as part of a community and hermits who go it alone as it were and are not part of a community. But all through the ages there have been hermits. They must get very close to God.
[/quote]

[GraceUk]

That sounds as if it could have been the same person. The name Irene rings a bell but it was years ago. I didn't realise she had gone against the church. And I am sure the Irish people who had supported her wouldn't have been pleased with that. It's not really too clear from the website that the order is not in communion with the church as it were. We don't seem to get too much of this breakaway from the church here in the UK where I live. In fact I've not heard of it. Doesn't mean to say it hasn't happened. It's quite sad really. In fact a few church of England vicars and now a Bishop are wanting to join the Catholic church. And that seems to be causing a bit of trouble. Sorry to digress from the topic.