We had an extremely busy feast time here. My home parsih, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in East Harlem, the original Italian Mt. Carmel in the USA, and home to one of the 5 papally crowned Madonna's, celebrated its 124th annual Feast. After a relatively successful novena-believe me, unfortuately 50+ people is a crowd regularly, the masses, I do mean thousands of Haitians and Italians returned for the 15th and 16th. One the eve of the Feast we had a multi language rosary in English, French, Italian and Spanish, with Latin Gloria Patri's chanted by all. There were close to 4 or 500 hundred for this. This was followed by Tridentine form Marian Vespers, with multi language psalms and Latin antiphons, chapter, hymns, and orations. The crowd singing the traditional tones of the Magnificat was extremely moving. Then the Candlelight procession, followed by the Midnight Mass, Novus Ordo with Missa De Angelis Ordinary: The church was jammed over the fire limit. people sitting in the aisles, on the altar rail, on the altar rail step-I would guess something close to 900-1,000, absolutely singing the roof off!

I was back the next day to sing the Tridentine 9 Am Mass and give out scapulars, then the formal Novus Feast Mass at 10. Finally in the kitchen with the other workers until 3PM- we had a meal in between, but basically we all did whatever to keep the place going for the thousands of pilgrims. Still packed at 3 when I left, and I'm told until 8 in the evening.

After resting for an hour, I went to the Monastery of Carmelites in Brooklyn for their feast closing. I wanted to be in a place at which I had no responsiblity, and could just go to Mass. What a contrast from the wonderful bedlam at my Shrine Church!

An auxiliary Bishop said the Pontifical Mass in English with some Spanish. Instead of the few faithful who regularly go for services there the chapel-still the cleanest I've been in- was so overflowing, people stood in the hallway. The Sisters used the entire Cum Jubilio Latin settings for the Ordinary, and a solemn tone Salve Regina during their closing of the novena. The statue of our Lady was beautfiully painted, an extremely warm, real looking depiction of Mary, in a bank of flowers. Brooklyn appears to be doing something right. They have a novice, and received a postulant last Feast of our Ladyof Fatima. That is good solid progress for such a young group of sisters- I don't think the oldest is 50 yet, with the others 20's and 30's. One of the younger ones, I believe the current turn Sister, celebrates her profession anniversary this Sunday on the 20th of July. I was informed that they have received some iinquiries. The community was presented with a special blessing from His Holiness Pope Benedict. The sisters laughed deligtfully, when the bishop said he was a bishop and they were such a young foundation and already were known to the Pope, and he never received a blessing! Congratulations to Mother Maria Luz and the community for a beautiful Feast Mass.

Speaking of Congratualtions, my dear friend, Sister Maria of the Holy Spirit celebrated her 45th anniversary as a Carmelite at St. Helen's Carmel near Liverpool England this Feastday. Sister was professsed at the old Brooklyn Carmel and transfered to England when they closed. They ae blessed with a loving community there and a dear prioress. Perhaps the dearth of vocations is ending for English communities. There have been several inquiries to St. Helen's recently, some from PM'ers. Such a group of sisters should prosper. Let's keep them in prayers and a special one for Sister Maria's anniveresary. I hope discerners continue to contact St. Helen's and Mother Teresa of St. Paul. It's a beautiful monastery of 1990 constitution nuns.

Antoniette

How lovely! Thank you for this story!

Yes, thank you so much for sharing! How wonderfully you honored Our Lady on her great feastday, at both your parish dedicated to her and the Discalced Carmelite Nuns nearby.

I know of that sister celebrating the Anniversary of her Solemn Profession on the Feast of St. Elijah the Prophet tomorrow (or St. Elias as they usually spell it) There sure are a lot of Carmelite feastdays in July with the Martyrs of Compiegne the other day, and St. Teresa of the Andes. It's always great to hear your little updates on the Carmels in Brooklyn and St. Helen's, UK. Thank you! God bless!