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Carmel Of Erie, Pa - Loves 'mature' Vocations!

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

By St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi
in Catholic Vocation Station

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St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

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Hi I'm new here and this is my first post! I saw on the "Nottinghill" thread that a member thought she was too old at 59 to be a contemplative nun, well if you feel like you have a vocation to Carmel, PLEASE! do call and visit the Carmelite nuns in Erie, PA!

Website is http://www.eriercd.org/carmelites.asp and their IRL page is http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/401.

Photo album of the monastery, nuns from their website and other sources and the last 53 are from my visit of where I stayed, their chapel and the areas of the monastery I could access. and of my visit with them: https://picasaweb.google.com/114029496744629826527/CarmeliteNunsOfEriePA


****They LOVE - as they call us - "mature" vocations - not older or belated but mature! But, as most if not all orders, they can't take women with bad physical or mental health. Check out what their IRL page says, [b][i]"[font="Verdana"][size="2"]God calls precisely when He calls—Vocations blossom according to God’s perfect timing. Some sisters have been called in the midst of successful professional careers, as were the first Apostles.[/size][/font]"[/i][/b] Of course they want and will take young women, but they have no age bias or subscribe to the age related myths of many other orders.****

They are a fantastic group of nuns! They are a 1990 Carmel, traditional. They asked me to spread the word on them. They recently have a website, maybe from earlier this year. They have no email so you must 'snail mail' them or call. They want some exposure but do not want to use the internet as in blogs or fancy continually updated websites as they focus on their hidden life in union with God as Carmelites, so I promised I would word-of-mouth them and post on forums.

Here is some of what I learned on my recent visit to them. Please excuse this long post but I want any and all possible Carmelite vocation discerners - of all ages! - to know about them!:
-----------------------------

The turn sister gave me the keys to lock the gift shop, the front door, the front public chapel door and the sacristy door every night at 5 pm and every morning at 5:25 am. I felt like an extern nun - sort of!

I have been calling and speaking with the Carmelite nuns of Erie, PA since early this year and finally was able to visit them recently this past month as I live one state over from them it was pretty easy drive. I was praying and feeling this Carmel was for me and when I visited and was overwhelmingly accepted it was! I hope to enter soon. I so love them and them me that if I could they would have taken me in then! They are incredible! The turn and phone sister is so delightful, funny, full of joy and life! God is so good to pick such a wonderful home for me!

This Carmel LOVES "mature vocations"! They are a 1990 Carmel, strict, austere but the nuns are full of love and joy and life. I am in my mid-late 50's and one of the nuns, who is now the sub-prioress, entered in her early 50's, was a widow and has 5-7 kids (forget which!) and grandkids so they don't believe the nonsense about older vocations (married, divorced, kids or not) not right for orders like Carmel or don't persevere. This nun, as well as many others, are proof of that! If you have the vocation, God gives the graces to live the life for life!

Their IRL page says: [i]"God calls precisely when He calls—Vocations blossom according to God’s perfect timing. Some sisters have been called in the midst of successful professional careers, as were the first Apostles."[/i]

They DO mean this. I have visited other monasteries (Carmels and others) who SAY they consider older and often they don't or seem to not be serious about it. Of course, a no or many no's are God's guidance to a person of where He DOESN'T want them too! But they are a beautiful community. They asked me to spread the word of them. Their website is only new since earlier this year.

They accept women practically up to any age as long as there is good health. If anyone is interested for more info - won't fit in this post as it 's so long, please message me and I can email them it.

They can't (as many orders can't) take women with health problems like COPD, bipolar and others that are progressive or hard to manage and/or expensive problems. They have had women with these inquire but they are not opposed to such a problem like myself, who has a semi-bum knee from a sport injury where I can't kneel on it so they go around it with prayer stools, standing, choir stall or when even your cell for mental prayer as some sisters have various knee problems. This is a minor physical concern but all inquirers are seriously considered and with good health (doesn't have to be excellent health) - along with a Carmelite vocation of course! - is what is needed. Many sisters use the choir stalls, prayer stools as they have problems too - one sister had a knee replacement surgery a while back.

When I was there, their chapel was more beautiful than the pictures on their website and other places that I've seen it. It's beautiful and very simple. They have the Stations of the Cross on the side walls but no statues. So I thought they were saving to buy some or something until Mother Emmanuel told me that when they were founded in the 1950s, the current bishop, Bishop Gannon, made the Mother Prioress/Foundress promise that they would not put statues in the chapel as he wanted it to be a "sanctuary" and all the focus on God/Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. The only Christmas decoration they had in the chapel was the Advent Wreath. Mother Emmanuel talked how the Spanish Carmels usually do a lot of decorating - as in the ones we know - which is nice but not for the French Carmels - at least for most of them. I didn't ask if they have a Christmas tree in their rec room or something.

There is absolutely NO sighting of the sisters by the public at all - not at the turn or choir - only in the parlor for visits. Or when I was there, they had to let a plumber into the enclosure but then you heard a bell ring to warn the other sisters of outsiders and they were to hide. In the choir, I was in the seat on the far right (the choir on the left side of the chapel) in the front row and I could only see a bit of the front part of the choir by the grille and some of the right side of the chapel - a plant and the statue of St. Teresa of Avila. You saw a bit of the sisters for communion and the wine and then their backs as they walked away from the priest and only for a short time. At the front door is a turn and a small "window", maybe 1 foot long, half a foot wide?, with a curtain and then some kind of barrier behind that so you can't see in but only hear the turn sister.

[b] One day, I was shocked speechless when Fr. John Trigilio from EWTN[/b] and Catholic Answers walked in to assist at this mass! He has a web page/blog at [url="http://www.trigilio.com/"]http://www.trigilio.com/[/url] - this blog talks about his mom who was also mentioned as being ill at this mass too. He is so nice!

They were in their Black Fast that is from the Triumph of the Cross in Sept to Easter. So they agreed to let me eat when and what they did - for good experience!

As they only have 4 sisters in Erie. For help, they had 2 sisters from the ******* Carmel to help out! I was wondering who they were at the first mass as 2 nuns had the Spanish veils. I was told later they had help from this Carmel for a while. They are there temporarily and will leave soon. But what is very surprising is when they first came or before they came, Erie was told by them that they are "austere/strict" (I think this Carmel are 1991s). Well, an Erie nun told me that when they arrived, these 2 sisters asked if they had certain movies to watch - movies that Erie would never watch for anything! In fact, the Erie Carmel rarely watches movies at rec and they've only seen a few that include St. Teresa of the Andes and St. Teresa of Avila. These were real secular movies these other nuns watch in *****! So much for being "austere"! How strange! Sr. *** was like "sorry, none of that here!" ha! I was really surprised at this but happy they don't indulge in secular activities.

They asked me to spread the word as they do not have email and don't want to get into the web and blogs and all that as they cherish their hidden life and keep such secular things to a minimum. They have a computer but it's for bill paying and computer projects for work, their Christmas cards, etc.

The parlor grill has a grille with a folding wooden louver doors that closes when the parlor is empty. In the choir there is the grille, a heavy curtain and a wooden type louvers/doors.

The sisters have it made! In the house beside their property is a home for retired priests and behind them is a seminary so they have lots of priests to pick from! But they have 2 priests assigned as chaplains/confessors. I met one, Fr. Nick Grau, who did some masses and he is SO holy, reverent and gives the best homilies I've heard in a long time!

Erie is to get a new bishop soon. They are to petition the new bishop with the request for a tabernacle in their choir. The present bishop wouldn't allow it but they had a good canon lawyer look into it and it is totally legal and acceptable. They want the doors and curtain closed over the choir grille for mental prayer times, Divine Office and other times but when these ARE closed, they can't see the tabernacle! As the chapel is open from 6:30 am to 5 pm, they get people in and out during the day so they can't leave the curtain and doors open over the grille.

Their chapel seats 60 people and they have at least that every day for the weekday mass and up to 60 or more on Saturdays as there is no local church that has a daily mass on Saturday, just that 5 pm vigil mass for Sunday and then about that many for Sunday. I have never seen such a full monastic chapel when visiting nuns!

Everyday they have: the 2 hours of mental prayer, chant the 7 Divine Office hours, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, community rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet, prayers to St. Joseph, St. T of Avila, Novena to the Infant of Prague and other prayers or at choice for the nuns to prayer at 3 pm - "self-penance prayers". There were more prayers but they were hard to hear at times. They also say 3 Glory Be's at times. They also say daily the Stations of the Cross. They do the discipline - didn't get to hear Sr. M tell me the when, where, etc as just then someone came into the front by the turn where we were speaking behind that little covered window.

The monastery is on 11 acres and directly across the street is another 40 acres they own to help preserve their hidden, quiet life. They bought the property a while back so no one can build stores, malls, houses, businesses, etc that would create noise, more traffic, etc.

They have a small gift store to the right of the front door: rosaries, books, cards, medals, statues, etc. In this room is a parlor grille and turn that they do not use. They have a bigger parlor beyond the gift shop - as this shop was originally a smaller parlor you have to get to this bigger parlor by walking thru the smaller one that's now their gift shop. This big parlor also has a turn to the left of the grille to give the sisters items

I can make a list of all the books I have and they will pick what to bring - when I enter, please God! They have a ton of benefactors that bring them donations of food and services all day! They have a dentist that gives them FREE dental care! I guess that is easy for 4 nuns but hard if they went up to 21!

While I was there, I offered my help so Sr. M. let me help her in the Christmas cards to all the Carmels and benefactors and friends. Pasting in inserts like Hallmark cards have (the paper inside with the writing on it instead of the card if you know what I mean), putting on the return labels and the labels with the Carmels and other people's names on it and then the stamps and then stuff the envelopes and lick them shut! I was glad to help as Sr. M did not know when she'd ever get to them! So much work for only 4 nuns - 2 more with those **** but they are leaving soon.

Where I stayed, I had my own room with bed dresser, desk, chair, mirror, big stuffed arm chair and hassock (ottoman, whatever you 2 want to call it!), 2 high windows, a night stand, alarm clock and several lights - a lamp on the night stand, the desk, ceiling light and a lamp stand with a circular table attached. Then I had my own living room: small table with 3 chairs, arm chair, desk, mirror, another table/small desk with a picture of Our Lady of Fatima on it and a TV and VHR - not hooked up at the time - if so, for the visitor to see a few movies or EWTN. Then I had a small kitchen: sink, microwave oven, coffee maker, cabinets with food, fridge with food, etc. Then I had a bathroom with a shower, toilet, sink, etc. I also had a room with a washer and dryer for my use! Never had that anywhere and in other places had to do with trying to not get my clothes dirty or washing undies and such in the sink!

On Monday, 12/5, I was called to the parlor and told that I was unanimously accepted! I was overjoyed and not to surprised as by what the 3 council sisters told me at the grille the past several days, it sounded like they were all for me even then! They truly would have had me enter right then if I didn't have this bloody house!

Their Daily Horarium - not complete but it was fine for what I needed:

5:25 am Rise
5:45 Angelus, Matins
6:00 Lauds
6:20-7:20 Mental Prayer
7:20 Terce
7:30–8:00 Work, make beds, clean cell, etc.
8:00 Mass, Thanksgiving
9:00 Breakfast
9:30-11:45 Sext, Exam of Conscious, recreation
12:00 pm Angelus
12:15 Dinner, dishes
2:00 None, Litany of BVM, saint prayers
2:20 Spiritual reading, rest
3:00 Self-penance prayers - at sisters choice (Divine Mercy, etc)
3:10-4:30 Work
4:40 Vespers
5:00-6:00 Mental prayer
6:00 Angelus
6:10 Collation/supper, dishes
7:15 Recreation
8:30 Compline, rosary, night blessing

GREAT SILENCE

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Mary's Margaret

Mary's Margaret

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First, welcome to Vocation Station.
Thank you for this wonderful introduction. I noticed on their website that they do in fact have email - perhaps it's a new addition.
Unfortunately, neither of the other two links (the IRL and your photos) worked for me.

I take it your entrance date depends on selling your house, so I will pray it moves quickly. Please keep us updated: we LOVE "entrance countdowns"!!

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Lisa

Lisa

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Here's the irl link, we'll see if it works: [url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/401"]http://db.religiousl...irl.nsf/org/401[/url]

I don't have time to look at the pictures at the moment, but later today! Can't wait!

Edited by Lisa
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Mary's Margaret

Mary's Margaret

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Thanks, Lisa. Your irl reposting worked.

Has anyone gained access to the following link?...

[url="https://picasaweb.google.com/114029496744629826527/CarmeliteNunsOfEriePA"]https://picasaweb.go...iteNunsOfEriePA[/url]

If so, would you mind reposting the link as Lisa did for the IRL I'd love to see the pictures.
Thanks in advance.

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Feankie

Feankie

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Welcome, welcome, welcome from one of the (ahem) "Older women" on VS. I'm very much married and have grandchildren, but I almost entered when I was younger and single. God obviously had different plans for me!

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St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

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[quote name='Mary's Margaret' timestamp='1323881324' post='2351194']
Thanks, Lisa. Your irl reposting worked.

Has anyone gained access to the following link?...

[url="https://picasaweb.google.com/114029496744629826527/CarmeliteNunsOfEriePA"]https://picasaweb.go...iteNunsOfEriePA[/url]

If so, would you mind reposting the link as Lisa did for the IRL I'd love to see the pictures.
Thanks in advance.
[/quote]

Try it again: [url="https://picasaweb.google.com/114029496744629826527/CarmeliteNunsOfEriePA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLqFycq-t5fgcA"]https://picasaweb.go...gCLqFycq-t5fgcA[/url]
Sorry, I forgot to make the photo album public that's why it wasn't working!

There are 4 nuns now as they have had several deaths over the past few years.

Thanks for all your warm welcomes!

Edited by St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi
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