Countdown To Entering Carmel

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Thanks for the information Sr. Mary Catharine!

 

Can you give us some examples?

 

Gracian

 

Opening boxes, tightening screws, cutting twine in the garden, opening bottles.
 

[ChristinaTherese]

Opening boxes, tightening screws, cutting twine in the garden, opening bottles.

I felt so strange not having my knife with me for a week and a half because I was traveling.... It's good for everything. But if you play with throwing it into the air and drop it enough times (yes, with the blade closed, I'm not that foolish), the casing might just start to break....

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Thank you all so dearly for your prayers and kind words. I am happy that I can share my joy with you all! This vocation isn't just for me it is for so many others. This is certainly part of the beauty of this grace.

Optional to bring a few personal books such as the Holy Bible, the Imitation of Christ, and the works of Our Holy Mother Saint Teresa, Our Holy Father Saint John of the Cross and Saint Therese. It isn't necessary to bring books because they will be provided there but I plan on bringing my Bible. All the items make up my Christmas list and have been given to my parents. I told them I'll act surprised! :nun:

 

That's what I did too, and Deo gratias my mom got my a few of my items. :) So excited for you!!!

[graciandelamadrededios]

Opening boxes, tightening screws, cutting twine in the garden, opening bottles.
 

 

Thank you, Sr. Mary Catherine!

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

Thank you all for your continued prayers and kind words. :)

 

 

Merry Christmas!!! Thank you Veni for sharing that encouraging quote from St. Teresa Benedicta! :pray:

 

 

Perhaps they are celebrating like this! :harp: (Portuguese subtitles there :j)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEabOMQJxhs

 

It sounds like maybe the movie didn't arrive yet... aww. They said it would on the 24th, but if not, that's okay. It will come soon enough :like:  The thing I love especially about how we celebrate Christmas as Catholics is that with Christmas day, Christmas has only just begun!   :nun2:

 

CHIQUI, I RECEIVED YOUR PACKAGE TODAY! :) :heart: Thank you so much dear friend. I will be watching it this coming week as I continue in anticipation for my entrance. Its still a Christmas gift!

 

I was thinking the same wonderful thing these past couple of days; that Christmas has really just begun! I was reading some more of "The Way of Divine Love" (a great book about the life of Sister Josefa Menendez for those who haven't read it yet.) It happened that what I had read last night was from our Blessed Mother that was very touching and it had fit in with some of my meditation on the birth of Our Lord and how His way was set to the Cross from the moment of His birth. While this time is filled with celebration and joy that it is so important to keep our eyes on the cross so that we don't let ourselves lose this treasure. Our Blessed Mother did this most perfectly.

 

Here is the part from the book: "From childhood I knew of divine things and the hopes centered in the coming of the Messiah. So when the Angel declared the mystery of the Incarnation to me, and I found myself chosen as the Mother of the Redeemer of mankind, though my heart adhered to the divine will with entire submission, it was drowned in a sea of bitterness and woe. For I knew all that this tender and heavenly Child was destined to endure, and Simeon's prophecy only confirmed the anguish of my Mother's heart.

 

Can you, then, imagine how I felt while contemplating My Son's charms, His heavenly countenance, His hands and feet which I knew were to be so cruelly ill-treated?

 

I kissed those little hands, and felt my lips already stained with the Precious Blood that one day would gush from their wounds. I kissed His feet, and already saw them nailed to the Cross. And as I carefully tended His hair, I pictured it all clotted with Blood and entangled in the cruel thorns.

 

And when at Nazareth, He first ventured on a few steps, hastening with outstretched arms to meet me, my teas fell as I pictured them extended on the Cross on which He was to die.

 

When He reached boyhood, He was so divinely beautiful that none could contemplate Him unmoved ... yet in my heart, the heart of a mother, the sword was turned at the thought of the tortures that were to be inflicted on Him, of which I felt beforehand the savage recoil."

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

21 MORE DAYS! Only three weeks until my entrance. How I am so anxious to get there. I had such a wonderful week with my family and will be visiting some of my relatives New Years day. I have been reading a lot more of the booklet, "The History of the Carmel of Buffalo: Love Can Do All." Mostly reading the part about the day of a Carmelite and looking at the pictures. Anything I can find to help my anticipation! :) Here is a very similar picture of the entrance while the Sisters will be singing "O Gloriosa Virginum." I am also happy and thankful that I can share my joy!

 

 

Pictures of some of the statues in the Buffalo Carmel Chapel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the view of the Main Altar. This was from when they had a painting restoration done:

 

 

 

 

[SilentJoy]

Oh, how beautiful!!

[Julie de Sales]

How is the Liturgy of the monastery? Do the sisters use the Gregorian chant? Or Latin? Just curious :)

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

How is the Liturgy of the monastery? Do the sisters use the Gregorian chant? Or Latin? Just curious :)

 

 

Hello Julie de Sales :wave:

 

They have the Novus Ordo Mass with Gregorian Chant and the Divine Office is all chanted in Latin. I must say it is beautiful and reverent. I was given a Breviary to go to the Chapel and pray along with the Sisters and it was just great. I enjoyed listening to the Sisters and to pray along with them really felt as if I were a part of the community already. I was there the week for the feast of all Carmelite Saints and all Carmelite Souls. That was really special. I had recreation with the community on that feast day; all Carmelite Saints. Now I'm off topic from your question! Don't mind me, I can just keep going on in my excitement. :) I remember talking to Reverend Mother a few weeks ago and she was saying how the month will go by fast and it is half gone already. There is much anticipation but I think before I know it I will be in the car on the way there. My parents and I will be leaving Friday to get there the day before and it is most likely that I will be able to enter after Holy Mass Saturday morning.

[Freedom]

Experiencing Holy Envy...

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

Experiencing Holy Envy...

 

What is so beautiful as I learn more about this vocation is how much it is for others and not for myself. The more the Carmelite is forgetful of herself, the more she will be a true Carmelite! :) This goes along perfectly with the imitation of Our Blessed Mother. The more I realize the joy of this calling, the more I desire this joy for others. Its not just the joy of having this vocation, but the yes said and acceptance of what Our Lord asks, and this joy is for all of us. If only everyone knew that at each moment He is asking us to greater intimacy with Himself were we are at this moment in whichever vocation we have or where we are in our state in life.

 

Here is a beautiful quote from a Carmelite book I have called, "Perfect Intimacy." There is no name of who this is from, but some of it sounds familiar from a quote I heard from St. Teresa of the Andes: "From today on, I not only offer my life but also my death the way it is most pleasing to You. I am yours, do unto me whatever is Your holy Will. I will receive it with pleasure, whether it be the abandonment of Calvary or the paradise of Nazareth. Furthermore, if You want, give me sufferings, the cross, humiliations. May I be trod underfoot as a punishment for my own pride as well as that of others. Do whatever You like. I am Yours, do unto me according to Your holy Will."

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

JM+JT

 

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

18 days left! I have really enjoyed posting about my vocation and starting this countdown so that others could share in my joy. After some consideration I know that it is best that instead of spending the free time I have on the internet, that it is better to spend this time in greater spiritual preparation and to have as little distractions during this time before my entrance. I want to give Him my complete attention now as much as I am able. So I will not be posting or visiting here after this post. I wanted to post this especially for those that have been visiting this thread for updates so you don't have to wonder what happened! But also for those who have been praying for me and who have posted their promises of prayers and advice. I have appreciated it so much and I humbly ask for your continued prayers. I will be praying for you also and for those discerning their vocation that you soon enough find where Our Lord has made a place for you, and for those who are living their vocations that you continue to do so faithfully. I have enjoyed visiting Vocation Station as it is so nice to find others who have this love for Our Lord to seek to give their complete selves to Him and to find those supportive of religious vocations.

 

I am in great thankfulness and anticipation for my entrance into Carmel to fulfill God's Will in the time I will be here in this world. As the priest who has been helping me told me recently, "perhaps longevity is wrongly placed as a goal in religious life...whereas making reparation for sin, making up for our own faults and past life, praying for the well being of the Church and even sacrificing our life for Her ought to be our goal...which may allow an earlier and much happier death and entrance into heaven. I think this is why so many of the Carmelite Saints died young!" I don't think I have a preference but to love Him as much as one could and to keep giving myself so that it is only Him within me is greatly desirable. Please say a prayer for safe travels for when my parents and I head to Buffalo. It is about a 7 hour drive and we are praying for good road conditions and no snow storms and also for when my parents travel back on Saturday. Thank you so much! :)

 

Perhaps in the near future when I have my Clothing (hopeful and confident thinking) Chiqui can post an update as I believe she will know about it. :)

 

May God reward you all and again, thank you for your prayers as I know they have helped me to be where I am now.

 

In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

VJAM

 

[Jennifer]

I can understand your wish to spend time preparing for your entrance  and send my best wishes and many prayers to you and your family at this time.

 

God Bless You.  :pray: :pray: :pray:

 

[Golden Years]

Let's all remember to pray for VJAM and her family today for safe travels to Buffalo and that all goes smoothly for her entrance tomorrow.  Also and especially remember to pray for her family in the days and months ahead, that the pain of their sacrifice will not be too great and that the Lord will greatly bless them for supporting her vocation. 

[SilentJoy]

Yes! Prayers for VeniJesuAmorMi, that she and her family will have courage, joy and peace now and in the days ahead.