Why must we do Penance?

Why must we do Penance?

Once again it is the season of Lent, and we have again taken up the Christian warfare against sin in and around us. The true Christian always has the answer to the question, "Why do we suffer?" And closely related to that question, especially during Lent, is, "Why must we do penance?" The questions remain at the heart of many sorrowful, confused lives - and they are answered by the most sound, consoling responses, all rooted in the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Saints and the holy friends of God give us the key to understanding suffering.

In WEBSITE NEWS we look at the history behind and symbolism contained in the St. Benedict Medals. It is the only medal blessed by the Church with a special exorcism and is very powerful against the devil! Holy water is also a very powerful weapon against temptations, and we briefly discuss its significance, especially in light of the upcoming feast of Easter. Our Lenten newsletters also always contain suggestions for good Lenten spiritual reading.

A beautiful vest in honor of St. Joseph, complete with green velvet and intricate embroidery, is finally finished. We share some of the adventures with you in our COMMUNITY NEWS section, along with an important discovery we made for the Lenten Carmelite diet, fava beans! Read More….

The Law of Praying is the Law of Believing

The Law of Praying is the Law of Believing

The liturgy, as Saints and Doctors of the Church so often instruct, is the most fruitful source for individual spiritual life, personal prayer and progress in our union with God. This is vividly brought before us at this time of year, as we end the liturgical year and begin another. The liturgical texts of Advent bring before our minds and hearts the sentiments we should have as we prepare for the two-fold coming of Christ, both at Christmas and then again at the end of time: “The Lord shall come to save the nations, and the Lord shall make heard the glory of His voice in the joy of your heart.” (Isaias 30:30)

In WEBSITE NEWS we give suggestions for Christmas gifts, including many new books for children that have been added to our site.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share our joy with you at one of our Novice’s final profession and veiling. The ceremony of receiving the black veil is both a symbolic and moving one. Read More….

Remembrance of the Holy Souls

Remembrance of the Holy Souls

This SPECIAL EDITION of our newsletter is dedicate to the Poor Souls in Purgatory as the month of November will shortly be upon us. A custom here at the Chapel is to place the names of our deceased family members and other loved ones on the altar to be remembered at all of the Masses here during the entire month. We invite you to do the same!

If we knew we could still help those we love who have departed from this world, wouldn’t we want very much to do it? Learning more about this doctrine can up us help them, and we give several reading suggestions on this topic. Read More….

The 5th Centenary of St. Teresa of Avila

The 5th Centenary of St. Teresa of Avila

A few centuries ago, this feast day was instituted to celebrate the victory of one of the greatest Christian battles in history, the battle of Lepanto. This year also marks the 5th Centenary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila, a cause to celebrate for all Carmelites! St. Therese, and the Holy Angels and also remembered during this month of October.

In WEBSITE NEWS we’ve added two new chaplets to our website, the chaplet of St. Raphael (known as the healer and also “the matchmaker” and patron of those seeking a spouse) and the chaplet of St. Peregrine (patron saint of cancer sufferers).

In COMMUNITY NEWS we celebrate the final profession of one of our Sisters. Keeping up with canning and gardening is a challenge at this time of year! Read More….

The Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

The Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus

The Church dedicates this entire month of June to the Sacred Heart, encouraging her children to this devotion, which is, simply enough, devotion to the love of Our Savior, of which His Heart is the symbol. “My Son, give Me your heart,” God says to all souls (Proverbs 23:26). We visit the miracle of Lanciano, one of the most astounded and scientifically verified miracles of all time, where Our Lord showed us a cross-section of that Heart in the most Blessed Sacrament.

In WEBSITE NEWS we explain the features and improvements we incorporated into the new website which has finally launched.

COMMUNITY NEWS shares some of the stories and adventures we encountered creating the new site, as well as some other projects – completing our hermitage and keeping up with the gardens. Read More….

Advent and the Christmas Gift

Advent and the Christmas Gift

Advent once again, and we recall the beautiful lessons it teaches us - the preparation for the renewal of the First Coming of our Lord in hiddenness and mercy, and the preparation for His Second and Final Coming in judgment. In this Advent letter, we tell you about Stephene, a customer who became a friend and shared with us a Christmas poem she wrote about having a gift to give to Our Lord Himself on His birthday.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share are story of trying to stain some stores in freezing weather as well as preparations for Christmas. Read More….

Prayerful Remembrance of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Prayerful Remembrance of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

It is a prayerful month, as we answer the call of Holy Mother Church to pray for the Faithful Departed, “that they may be released from their sins,” as the Book of Machabees expresses it. Carmelites have ever been devoted to praying for the souls in Purgatory, as the history of the Order documents, especially from the time of our Holy Mother St. Teresa. “Marvelous is the mercy of God to have provided sinners with a Purgatory – a place of purification in unchangeable eternity; a robing room for those whose wedding garments are earth-soiled; a period when God Himself, jealous for the beauty of His bride, finishes the life-work which the negligent soul has left undone.” – Divine Crucible

In WEBSITE NEWS we are still constructing our new website, and with Advent coming soon, we recommend some good spiritual reading to help prepare for Christmas.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share with you pictures from the funeral and requiem vestment sets we just completed. The weeping willow design was based on an old vestment that we have. Read More….

Fires and Floods

Fires and Floods

The events of this long, difficult summer have kept us from writing a newsletter sooner! Our sincere thanks to all who have emailed and written with concern to ask about our safety during the June forest fires and the heavy rains and floods of September. Sadly, many who have not faith, question how a loving God could allow such devastation to take place. And even those who do have faith very often do not understand why we suffer. Why are we left to our loneliness and loss? Has God forgotten us, our troubles, our need? On the contrary, the God of heaven and earth - our sovereign, strong, living God - sends and permits trouble and sorrow for the very purpose of making us know our need and to draw us from the superficial things of life. "Suffering, when accepted in the right spirit, enhances the understanding: it reveals the secret nature of things and shows everything as it is.

In WEBSITE NEWS we are still working on the new website, and have added a woodcarved image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to our site. We decided to embroider the tiny scapulars for this image ourselves!

In COMMUNITY NEWS the Black Forest Fire only a few miles from us encouraged us to do some mitigation on our own property. We were able to have a procession to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Read More….

The Coming of the Holy Ghost

The Coming of the Holy Ghost

Let us remember what our holy Faith teaches us about this Person of the Holy Trinity, Whose name we use often in our prayers, but perhaps with little reflection. In the Nicene Creed, we proclaim, “And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life; Who proceeds from the Father and the Son; Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, Who spoke through the Prophets.” St. Augustine gloried in what the Holy Spirit is to the Church, saying that: “What the soul is to the body of man, the Holy Ghost is to the Body of Christ, which the Church is. What the soul does in all the members of one body, this the Holy Spirit does throughout the Church…” This indwelling of the Holy Spirit in souls is often forgotten or ignored—even by devout souls.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share pictures with you from our last vestment project, a solemn set for Pentecost with details embroidery. Read More….

A Prayerful Lent

A Prayerful Lent

Our letter to you during the holy season of Lent will be brief—and only to lend a little encouragement to persevere with prayerful peace in your Lenten observance. May that sorrow of our Savior break our hearts—and convert them, accomplishing all that the Lord wills in each of our souls. Read More….