An invitation

The calling to the Contemplative life is an invitation from God to follow a more constant and higher form of prayer and penance and practice of virtue which one lovingly fulfils through a daily fidelity to the observance of the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty. Thus the Carmelite religious is disposed to enter more deeply into the work and mystery of Christ’s life and redeeming sacrifice of love on Calvary. Christ is to be born in the religious and born again, so that she will no longer live, but Christ will live in her and all that she undertakes in union with Him shall be sealed by the power of His Spirit which Luke IV describes: ”The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken, to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison, and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.” Thus the Carmelite will enter more fully into Christ’s salvific role as Redeemer of mankind through her participation in the divine life, coming to her from God through His Incarnate Word.

Work and Prayer

The religious work to support themselves by the labour of their hands so as not to be a burden on the local Church. The nuns’ many and diverse gifts of nature and intellect, art and application combine to undertake remunerative works which in no way intrude on the obligations of the contemplative life.
The nuns produce skin care products under the trade name ”Monastique”; liturgical vestments are made; illuminated certificates designed, painted and printed; also a wide assortment of cards for all occasions are designed and printed by the Sisters. The garden is kept under intensive cultivation producing necessary vegetables, fruits and a variety of flowers with which to adorn the Church.

Love the Greatest of All Works

Following the example and teachings of the great saints of Carmel: St. Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, St. Thérèse, St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity, the nuns in their contemplative prayer and community living try to manifest a great warmth of true and ardent friendship. The Carmelite’s vocation as St. Thérèse summed it up, “Is to be love in the heart of my Mother the Church!” This ardent love of God embraces all times, peoples and places and each religious is challenged by the thousand different sacrifices of daily living, to become another Christ, a person in whom the holy Trinity ‘loves to dwell, to act and to touch the lives’ of countless people. Hence, a very wide apostolate is carried on at the Monastery, primarily through the hidden life of prayer which is nourished daily by the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass and many times during the day when the Community unites in choir to sing the Divine Praises in the Public Liturgical Worship of the Church.
Offering Monastic hospitality to the many people who come burdened with diverse problems, is a special concern and an important aspect of the apostolate which takes many forms be it through counselling work in the Parlour, correspondence, or through the telephone which has become a veritable life line support system by night and day for many in need.

A Life’s Work and More

What could be more splendid than to praise God for all His goodness, beauty and love –to let oneself be transformed by His grace and power into “a living sacrifice of praise”.
The living out of the Carmelite vocation is a total gift of oneself in loving response to this invitation of Our Lord. While on earth He lived with God His Father and sought His will in simplicity and prayer, always referred all that He did to the Father, gave thanks and blessed Him and gave His life for all in the great mystery of the redemption. His challenge still resounds today,“Come follow Me”.