Anyone know of any smaller & more traditional Carmels or Monasteries of Benedictine Nuns in England,
Ireland or the USA that might be open to older vocations? I am in contact w/Colwich but thinking there might
be somplace else that I am not aware of....Websites wold be great....

the page for OCD nuns in England, Scotland and Wales is here, and in Ireland is here.

These give links to all the Discalced Carmelite Nuns who have web pages.

Benedictines is a bit more complicated, as there doesn't seem to be a central site for all the Benedictine houses - this one only links to monasteries in the English Congregation, so it doesn't list places like St Cecilia's, Ryde (Solesmes Congregation), or Turvey Abbey (Olivetans).

It is worth noting that most UK and Irish monasteries and convents don't seem to have the age limits that US ones do.

Here is a link that will show just about all of the Benedictine and Carmelite communities that have websites in the US. You would really have to pick through them because I can garauntee that not all of the communities listed are conservative communities.

http://www.consecrated-life.org/congregation_links.htm

edited b/c i forgot to put up the link

http://www.osb-international.info/atlas.php

The above link lists pretty much every Benedictine entity. And it has pretty maps. Have fun

this monastery is open to older vocations, at least that's what I've heard.

www.carmelslc.org

The Carmel of Salt Lake City (www.carmelslc.org) is a 1991 Constitution Carmel and I know HolyHearts is looking for 1990 Constitution Carmels. Also I wrote them about 3-4 years ago (I didn't know they were 1991) when I was 44-45 and they had said "no" because of my age being over their upper age limit.

But often I've found that some orders do change their minds a while later about ages - whether they change their policy or it's a new prioress who will consider older. Also I think it's Our Lord's way of telling you one or more monasteries are not for you! I've had a friend write the same Carmel (or another order) just after I did and this order who would say "no" to my age but say "yes" consider m friend who is the same age! And this is us both just asking if they would take our age and not any other information. So God's hand is in it to at times I think!

Hi HolyHearts! Well, since you're really looking for Carmels under the 1990s, maybe I'll just list here for you all the ones in the US and UK, with the best links I can find, in case you might have overlooked one, which can easily happen.

US

Alexandria, SD
Brooklyn, NY
Buffalo, NY
Clearwater, KS
Dallas, TX
Des Plaines, IL
Erie, PA
Flemington, NJ
Georgetown, CA
Iron Mountain, MI
Jefferson City, MO
Kensington, CA
Lake Elmo, MN
Littleton, CO
Louisville, KY
Mobile, AL
Pittsford, NY
Traverse City, MI
Valparaiso, NE

UK

St. Helens
Sheffield

There aren't any Carmels under the 1990s in Ireland, but the Carmel in Loughrea, Co. Galway, I believe is very good. They have a few sisters from the Philippines there. Then the Tyburn Benedictines are in Co. Cork.

And just a side note, but on the IRL site, it has an email down for Iron Mountain and Clearwater, which both don't have email. For Iron Mountain, their old chaplain used to check email for them. Also for Traverse City, their caretakers check their email, and print out anything they receive for them. Traverse City is a small community, so you might want to inquire there. Mobile, AL is also, which I know nothing about - I wonder how they are doing, and especially if the Hurricane Katrina has affected them in anyway .. Of the others, I know Brooklyn only has 7 now, including one novice and postulant, and I remember you said you are from Brazil, and they speak some Spanish there, as 3 of the sisters I believe are from the Dominican Republic. Also, Kensington is a small community.

Being from Brazil, I wonder if you might inquire into Carmels in Spain too. There are several under the 1990s there, including the first Discalced Carmel founded by St. Teresa, St. Joseph's in Avila, and the one she originally entered, the Incarnation, just outside the city of Avila, which was refounded by St. Maravillas. If I spoke Spanish fluently, I believe I would seriously consider there, especially the Incarnation. I know of a young woman from the US who entered there several years ago.

Here's the addresses of all the Carmels in Spain. The ones under the 1990s have a little asterisk next to their name, though this may not be 100% accurate, as on their old site, where a /C indicated the 1990s, they missed a couple in US. Also, you might want to check for others in Latin America. And if you might remember, there was a thread here about the Carmel in Quito, Ecuador, making a foundation in the US, most probably under the 1990s, and without age limits, I believe it said. So you may want to write Reverend Mother there.

I hope this helps some. I will keep your discernment in my prayers. God bless you!

P.S. The address of the Quito Carmel planning to make a foundation in the US (as there are two in Quito)

Carmelitas Descalzas
Carmen Alto
Calle Garcia Moreno, 599
Quito
Tel. ( 02) 2282320

And a page with some pictures, Carmen Alto

I am a US citizen & was born in NYC....We speak Portuguese here in Brazil.
The Morristown Carmel was 1991 but switched to 1990 a few years back. A
lot of the Nuns there are from Poland....We had somewhere around 7 or 8
1990 Brazilian Carmels but there are now only 2 or 3 b/c the others changed
over to 1991. I was very fond of one Carmel (1991) but found out that they
prayed in tongues & were into Prayer Group Meetings together with the Laity.
They also had no grill in their Chapel & people began to come into the Sanctuary
wave & throw kisses to the Nuns & start to talk to them My fondness ended there....
I think both Quito Carmels are 1991...Also, if I recall correctly, when I looked
at the Mexican addresses, I found no 1990 Carmels. I found one in Portugal that
is 1990....My problem is the mail problems here in Brazil. I really gave up on
snail mail. It take a letter of mine 4 - 6 weeks to reach a given destination, IF/it gets there! Also, I am a belated vocation to the Contemplative life. I was in an active
congregation for many years. Thats how I wound up here in Brazil to start.
Thanks to everyone for all your help. I will go digging into all the sites you all gave
me above...God bless!

Okay, we're already PMing each other about Carmel and everything but I just thought I'd say out here too, please excuse me for my ignorance


Thanks so much for mentioning this! I have been wondering about them.