With great joy and happiness, I announce to VS that a fellow member, "Sponsa Christi" has been visiting (and is still there) the Sheffield Carmel in the UK ( http://www.kirkedge.org.uk/index.html ) and as she is an American and came from the US, they voted on whether to accept her or not. As of yesterday they did! At first her entrance date was Sept. 8th, Our Lady's Birthday (which I posted in another thread), but I received an email from her today and now it will be September 3rd. Please keep her in your prayers!
I am hoping like mad to visit them myself on September 30th for a week to discern with them. Please pray for me to do so!
Sponsa Christi (Ellen), is 42 yrs old and like myself, is looking for a true, traditional, 1990s Carmel - which Sheffield is. Here is a bit on the 1990 Constitutions taken from Sheffield's site link:
"THE DISCALCED CARMELITE NUNS OF THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF THE ORDER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL SHEFFIELD follow the Constitutions of 1581 accommodated to Vatican Council II and to current canonical laws according to to the norms given by His Holiness John Paul II on 15th. October 1984. Promulgated by him on 8th. December 1990, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
The Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield, was founded in 1911 from the Carmel of Notting Hill, London, by the Prioress, Mother Mary of Jesus - Madeleine Dupont.
This Carmel brought the Constitutions of Alcala (1581) from the Carmel of the Rue d' Enfer, Paris, France, which had been founded from the Carmel of San Jose of Avila, Spain in 1604. We united with the Carmel of Avila in petitioning the Holy See for the updated Constitutions of Avila 1581. These were promulgated in 1990 by Pope John Paul II.
Saint Teresa wrote her Constitutions in 1581. Her Constitutions together with the Rule have been the Law governing the Discalced Carmelite Nuns from their beginning and which Saint Teresa, on her death bed, left as a heritage to them. She declared that the observance of the Rule and Constitutions was enough to canonize them. Saint Teresa renewed the spirit of Carmel by her own ardent desires, enriched it with her holy life and mystical experiences, and clarified it by her writing in a way which cannot be surpassed.
With Saint John of the Cross, the Church has honoured Saint Teresa with the title of Doctor of the Church. To preserve and transmit this type of consecrated life and its doctrine is our privilege and duty.
From the Introduction to the Constitutions - 1990"
Here are some parts from the emails Ellen wrote me the last few days - as this Carmel doesn't allow the nuns internet access - only the Mother Prioress has for vocation communications - YAH!
"Mary, feel free to tell our other fellow PM discerner friends that I have been accepted and will be entering. I don't mind anyone else knowing, certainly, and I know I can use the prayers and to show women our age that entering a real, traditional and strict Carmel is possible! Here they realize God calls at all ages!
I've been meeting with Mother and the other community members for the past several days and last night Mother told me that the community all met together and voted to accept me for entrance! The entrance date is now set for September 8- the Birth of Our Lady!! Isn't that great?!!
Mother told me that you wrote and said that you will be coming on 30 September. You must have finally gotten the money together for the ticket, right? That's fantastic! You will love the sisters here. They are so genuine, and this Carmel lives the authentic Teresian reform. I am very impressed. They gave me a copy of the 1990 Constitutions to read. I wish I had read them earlier. They really emphasize adhering to Holy Mother Saint Teresa's ways. Mother and the community are very much looking forward to meeting you.
Today, they gave me my religious name. Already! It's going to be Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross!!!!!!! Can you believe it? I know that you were fond of this name, too. I hope you don't mind. I knew that when Fr. Nota, a friend of hers, attended my confirmation and said that she would play a big role in my life, he really meant it. I'm convinced now. Wow! Apparently, they will use the name as soon as I enter.
Maybe I will get to see you when you come visit-- from the other side of the double grille.
Godspeed on your journey to Carmel! I hope I can hear from you again before I go in!
The entrance date has finally been set on September 3rd. Mother wanted to make it sooner. By the way, they do wear the hemp sandals, and postulants wear a cape and a veil. They still do the discipline, and kiss the floor, among other penances. They have a lot of the lovely old traditions!"
