Tag: Carmelite Motto

“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….

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….