Advent and the Angelus

Advent and the Angelus

"Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come to save us!" This urgent plea, taken from Psalm 79, is the constant prayer of this season of Advent and its liturgy. Although in our days, the ringing of the Angelus bell throughout each day is not as common as in past ages, what better way is there than to meditate on the coming of the Redeemer in this prayer.

In WEBSITE NEWS we give gift suggestions.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we celebrated the first profession of another of novices. 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….

Coming of the Holy Spirit

Coming of the Holy Spirit

United with Our Lady and the Apostles, “steadfast in prayer” with them (Acts 1), we await the coming of the Holy Spirit once again upon earth on Pentecost. We must fervently prepare ourselves for Pentecost, so that the coming of the Holy Spirit will be renewed in us in all its plenitude.

In WEBSITE NEWS we recommend some books about the Holy Spirit as well as sacramental to encourage this devotion.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share with you the happy news of our novice’s final profession and veiling ceremonies. There is a special and significance attached to the black veil worn by religious. Read More….

Christmas in Lent

Christmas in Lent

Let us offer a few reflections about the season of Lent. Our favorite words from the opening of the Holy Forty Days still ring in our ears and hearts: "Be converted to Me with all your heart!" The beautiful phrase finds its echo in the "great commandment" of charity: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind and with all thy strength." We have just recently celebrated two great feast days, the Feast of St. Joseph and the Feast of the Assumption. Both days contain beautiful and important lessons!

In WEBSITE NEWS we give suggestions for good Lenten reading.

Text In COMMUNITY NEWS we have been completing to large vestment sets, our first to be fully digitized and embroidered by the Sisters right here in the Monastery. The first set, complete with cope, was for Ash Wednesday, the second Solemn set is for Christmas. The Novices are also preparing for the taking of their vows this coming year. Read More….

A Christian Advent and Christmas

A Christian Advent and Christmas

Secular society, and its heavily commercial influence, pulls people into a worldly, month-long party with pretty much constant revelry and merry-making. Let us attend, then, to the words of our Divine Master Himself, who cautioned those He loves: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overburdened with self-indulgence and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly, as a snare. For come it will upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth. Watch, then, praying at all times…” (Luke 21:34-36)

In WEBSITE NEWS we give several ideas for valuable gifts of Faith.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we share details from the two sisters clothing ceremonies and we also made special banner for the feast of Christ the King. Read More….

Our Guardian Angels

Our Guardian Angels

Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels, and we remember some of the important functions of these, our greatest friends. As Carmelites, we have a special devotion to them.

In WEBSITE NEWS we prepare for Advent with Advent wreaths and Advent calendars.

COMMUNITY NEWS shares news of another clothing ceremony, “Carmelite engineering,” and the special ceremony of our renewal of vows. Read More….

Mediatrix of all Graces

Mediatrix of all Graces

Let us always give our hearts devotedly to honoring our Mother and Queen, and in a special way during this month. For she is the faithful guide of our souls, saying to her children, “I will never leave you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”

In COMMUNITY NEWS one of the Sisters made her final profession of vows and received the black veil. It was a moving ceremony, and we are happy to share the details with you. Read More….

Lenten Devotions and St. Joseph

Lenten Devotions and St. Joseph

We break our customary silence during this season of Lent at the request of many of you for some bit of news, and especially a little spiritual “uplift”! Lent is like a retreat and, for all the faithful, a season of reflection and prayerful examination of conscience. It is also just a few days before the feast of beloved St. Joseph, or as Our Holy Mother St. Teresa called him, “The Glorious St. Joseph.”

In WEBSITE NEWS we give gift suggestions for upcoming First Communions.

In COMMUNITY NEWS we are preparing for the final profession of one of our novices and working on vestments. 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….