Category: Carmelite Spirituality

Practice of the Presence of God

Practice of the Presence of God

The practice of the presence of God, remaining always in God’s presence, is a beautiful practice that will aid us in our spiritual life and help us prepare for the feast of Christmas. Brother Lawrence, a humble Carmelite Lay-brother, was a mast of this method of prayer. “Although he passed his life in retirement, still there is nobody in any state of life who cannot draw great profit from learning about his conduct. He will teach persons engaged in the world to address themselves to God, to ask His grace for doing their duty, even while they are performing their business.” – Practice of the Presence of God

In WEBSITE NEWS we look forward to Christmas, remembering that so many of the Christmas customs we have spring from our Catholic Faith and have deep Christian symbolism. We especially look at the custom of having a Nativity set and the history behind the Christmas tree and Christmas ornaments. We have also expanded our offering of Liturgical music.

Christmas preparations are busy in Carmel, and we document just a few of them in our COMMUNITY NEWS. Read More….

“With Zeal I Have Been Zealous for the Lord God of Hosts”

“With Zeal I Have Been Zealous for the Lord God of Hosts”

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we remember briefly the history of this ancient devotion. The Feast of St. Elias is also this month. Why is it his quote, “with zeal I have been zealous for the Lord God of Hosts,” the motto of Carmel? What exactly is zeal? Have we lost the meaning of this important virtue in our days, where passion and fervor for one’s belief is looked upon as fanaticism? We trace this characteristic of Carmel throughout the Order’s history, starting with St. Elias and ending with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, who in her all-consuming passion for the glory God became “Patron of the Missions,” despite being a cloistered Carmelite Nun: “How long do you halt between two sides? If the Lord be God, follow him.” (3 Kings 18:21).

In WEBSITE NEWS we have added resin statues to our selection of statues, a more economical option than the wood-carved ones. In honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel we also study the history and meaning behind the brown scapular, an extension of our habit!

In COMMUNITY NEWS we give an update on the new puppy in Carmel, who (it seems) has captured the hearts of our readers! Vestment work, gardening, and battling infestations of wasps and hornets…we have been keeping busy in Carmel! Read More….

Defending God

Defending God

“In our time more than ever before, the greatest asset of those disposed toward evil is the cowardice and weakness of good men, and all the vigor of Satan's reign is due to the easygoing weakness of Catholics.” – St. Pius X As we see the world marching on its obstinate path away from God, we take heart in the example of souls who did believe, did hope and indeed loved! And were instruments of good and grace to transform the world, not only in their own time, but in centuries to come. These were the souls who found strength in understanding deeply their own weakness - and God's mighty strength. St. Teresa and St. Therese are two familiar names, but we also remember Blessed Nuno Alvarez, who was a knight become Carmelite, and St. Joan of Arc, who battled for the reign of Christ the King.

During this month of the rosary, in WEBSITE NEWS we remember other types of prayer beads called Chaplets.

These past few months have been full of projects – maintenance projects, landscaping projects, repair projects – and in COMMUNITY NEWS we share pictures of just a few of them. We also answer a question asked by many of our readers, “what are Carmelite recreations like?” Read More….

St. Therese As She Was

St. Therese As She Was

As September draws to a close, Carmelites all over the world recall with fraternal love and admiration the generous life and holy death of St. Therese of Lisieux, "The Little Flower". But as we know and have remarked in a past newsletter, St. Therese can be misunderstood. The Way of Spiritual Childhood, as she called her "Little Way," has often been mistaken to mean childishness. Another misinterpretation of St. Therese has tried to place her in the defiant age of the mid-twentieth century, and has thus construed odd notions about what she wrote and said about herself. We do our best to describe St. Therese as she was and what really defined her spirituality.

In WEBSITE NEWS we recommend some excellent books on St. Therese.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we have been keeping busy with canning and autumn gardening, as well as vestment repairs. Read More….

Lent in Secret

Lent in Secret

But before Carmel's yet deeper retreat from the world during these Holy Forty Days, we pass onto you a few lessons the Church offers her children to guide them through this time. "No Lent," the St. Andrew Missal instructs, "is worthy of the name without a personal effort of self-reformation, of leading a life more in accordance with God's commands and an attempt by some kind of voluntary self-denial to make reparation for past negligence.

A wonderful Carmelite Saint who faithfully followed the Savior's example in mortification was St. Teresa Margaret of the Divine Heart.

In WEBSITE NEWS we have expanded our cord rosary options.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we continue our Liturgical sewing work. We also comment on St. Teresa’s words: “God save us from sad-faced saints!” Read More….

The Rosary and The Carmelite Shield

The Rosary and The Carmelite Shield

This is the month of the Holy Rosary: “The Most Holy Virgin, in these last times in which we live, has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Holy Rosary. She has given this efficacy to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all, spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world, or of the religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations, that cannot be solved by the Rosary.” – Sister Lucia

We also answer a longstanding and good question some of our friends and readers have had—and that is about the meaning of the Carmelite Shield.

In WEBSITE NEWS the new calendar is available, and we also recommend some good spiritual reading about St. Therese.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we celebrated another first profession for one of our novices. We have also been busy growing vegetables and doing some small landscape projects. Read More….

St. John of the Cross

St. John of the Cross

One of the special saints celebrated during these days is our own holy Father, St. John of the Cross. We know he enjoys a perfectly miserable reputation among many Catholics: gloomy, strict, distant, and cold. Let us see if we can dispel at least a few of the mistaken notions and fears about this great Saint, who was essentially a very gentle person, yet very intense.

In WEBSITE NEWS we share ideas for Christmas gifts, including some new music selections. Also of interest is the biography of St. Theophane Venard, a favorite Saint of Saint of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we have been busy preparing for a bake sale and finishing the St. Catherine vestment. Read More….

Our Lady of the Rosary

Our Lady of the Rosary

October celebrates and honors in a special way Our Blessed Mother under this title—and the prayer and sacramental we call the rosary. We share with you thoughts from a special talk we received on the Feast Day about the words in the final prayer of the rosary “imitate what they contain (the mysteries of the rosary), and obtain what they promise.”

In WEBSITE NEWS we share with you details and photographs about how we make our rosaries.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we strive to fulfill St. Teresa’s request that the Carmelite life be dedicated to prayer and sacrifice, especially for priests, as we celebrate her feast day. Read More….

The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Greetings to you all as we celebrate Carmel’s great Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This feast is not only for Carmelites, but is beloved by all of Mary’s children, since so many of them wear her Scapular. “Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel indicates a strong call to the interior life…” – Divine Intimacy

In WEBSITE NEWS we have added Third Order Ceremonial Scapulars to our site.

We share some stories of the community in COMMUNITY NEWS - vestment projects, fresh produce from the local markets, and friendly teasing amongst the Sisters. Read More….

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

On November 9th, Carmelites celebrated the centenary of the holy death in 1906 of a saintly, young Sister who loved God ardently and most fruitfully, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Divine Indwelling in the soul was the hallmark of her life and led her to give her life to God in Carmel.

In WEBSITE NEWS we were found to find some “spiritual” Christmas ornaments that reflect the true meaning of Christmas. We have also added Christmas books to our site.

In COMMUNITY NEWS our new postulants have settled in well and learn new things every day. We also talk about the Carmelite custom of chanting the Salve Regina every Saturday. Read More….