I have been praying about my vocation to Carmel for a long while now, and last Easter I began to feel a tug towards the monastery at Golders Green - in spite of my good knowledge of and relationship with another Carmel, whose sisters had offered to allow me to live with them for a few weeks. Then I heard that the monastery at Golders Green was closing down and its sisters dispersing, so I felt disillusioned, believing that I must not have understood God correctly.

It turned out that they were moving out of London, not dispersing.

And they have moved into my neighbourhood.

Literally. They are fifteen minutes away in the car. (Had they stayed in their old location, I would have had a four-hour journey to reach them.)

Last weekend I went on a retreat for Advent, given by a Carmelite friar. One of the nuns was there. (It was the twelfth anniversary of her solemn profession, and she had been permitted to leave the enclosure to attend the retreat in celebration of that.) I was stunned, as you don't normally see Carmelite nuns on the loose.

She wrote down the telephone number of the monastery on a bit of paper plate and told me to get in touch two days later. But for some reason I was too nervous to ring, and so the paper plate is sitting on my desk staring at me as I type. Now I'm going down with a cold, and I don't want to ring up sounding as though I have a cheese grater stuck in my throat. (Well, that's the excuse.) But as God seems to have been pretty pointed in His insistence that I should contact these ladies, please pray for me as I try to do so.

Here is their website.

Indeed, you must call her soon. I mean, the Lord has been gracioius enough to move them close to you, to have a nun at a Mass you attended outside the cloister and you actually spoke to her and got their number. I mean, talk about a personal invitation from the Lord!!!
Nothing can be gained by being shy. Get on that phone, raspy voice and all. You will regret it forever if you dont and it gets harder not easier.

I think you should contact them too, CA. I'll PM you some throat sweets

WOW! What a grace! OK prayers for you at Mass this morning.

You've got my prayers!
How exciting!

Thank you for the prayers. I was told that Tuesday is the best day to ring, so I will call then.

Glad to hear that you will call... He works is mysterious ways, doesn't He? You will be in my prayers.
Jaimie

... and just in case we haven't been clear enough

CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL

The Holy Spirit is giving you a powerful nudge - more like a full-body shove - get on that phone! I'll pray for you!

And do tell us what happens next! How wonderful for you!!! God is so great!!!!

Wow, this is wonderful, CA! I will definitely keep you in prayer

Great story... do keep us posted!

Update please...

Yes, come one, tell us! Have you phoned yet? If not, we're collectively ordering you (great opportunity to practice obedience and self-mortification )

Oh yes! How did it go?

Are those Nuns in Lancashire? I'm still useless at English geography and I haven't looked very hard. :-) I'd like to visit while I'm here if they're close enough.

They look lovely though!