Hilde Posted August 10, 2009 Posted August 10, 2009 Ah, that's cute. When I call from my work phone you'll get "Catholic church" if you look it up. I think that's kind of funny. So you'd be barefeet then?
InHisLove726 Posted August 10, 2009 Author Posted August 10, 2009 [quote name='Hilde' post='1945687' date='Aug 10 2009, 07:10 PM']Ah, that's cute. When I call from my work phone you'll get "Catholic church" if you look it up. I think that's kind of funny. So you'd be barefeet then?[/quote] Technically, "discalced" does mean "shoeless." When the order started out, the nuns made their own rope sandals (I don't know the actual name of the sandals; it starts with an "a") to reflect the austere life they desired to live. Leather shoes were of the rich, rope sandals for the poor of the streets. The orders that follow the 1990 Constitutions still wear the rope sandals (which look like espadrilles, only less fancy and without the heel), but most of the 1991 Constitution Carmels wear regular sandals, and sometimes regular shoes (for working in the garden or other tasks). Carmel has a very intriguing history.
InHisLove726 Posted August 11, 2009 Author Posted August 11, 2009 Well, I just got off the phone with the Sister (Sr. Corinne) after chatting about 30 minutes about the letter and just my vocation discernment in general. She asked me a few questions and I asked her a few too (about 3 or 4). At the beginning, I was just plain nervous (and told her so, while laughing ) but as time wore on, I became comfortable and was just happy to talk to her. At the end, she told me she would like to keep in contact with me and I could either call them, or write them a letter with questions and she'll call me if I'm more comfortable with that. Since I don't know their horarium, I'll probably do the latter. She was very nice. I'm so glad she called back. If I ever get a job, I hope I can go visit with them in person. I trust God will provide!
InHisLove726 Posted August 11, 2009 Author Posted August 11, 2009 After getting a positive response from San Antonio, I feel motivated to write other cloisters. I'm including these: [url="http://www.carmelitenuns.org/"]Ada (Parnell), MI[/url] [url="http://www.carmelitenunsstjoseph.org/Trav.htm"]Traverse City, MI[/url] Brooklyn, NY (no webpage) [url="http://www.carmelitenunsstjoseph.org/Phil.htm"]Philadelphia, PA[/url] [url="http://www.stormpages.com/mtcarmel/"]St. Louis, MO[/url] [url="http://users.erols.com/carmel-of-port-tobacco/"]Port Tobacco, MD[/url] I am still looking at other websites, and I'll probably write more. Does anyone know about the Louisville, KY Carmelites? Apparently, they have no website, but I saw their address on the OCD website. Do they have the traditional habit? Also, if anyone knows of any other Carmelite nuns that I failed to mention that have a solid prayer life, please let me know. God bless!
HisChild Posted August 11, 2009 Posted August 11, 2009 I'm wondering... if you got such a favorable response from the first Carmel, why are you writing more? Was it the first community you'd written ever? Do you have a good spiritual director that's helping you? When I started discerning religious life, my wonderful spiritual director told me, when she saw my list of those I wanted to write (I went through the Guide to Religious Ministries and just started marking away), "Sometimes when you chase too many rabbits, you catch none."
InHisLove726 Posted August 11, 2009 Author Posted August 11, 2009 [quote name='HisChild' post='1946109' date='Aug 11 2009, 11:12 AM']I'm wondering... if you got such a favorable response from the first Carmel, why are you writing more? Was it the first community you'd written ever? Do you have a good spiritual director that's helping you? When I started discerning religious life, my wonderful spiritual director told me, when she saw my list of those I wanted to write (I went through the Guide to Religious Ministries and just started marking away), "Sometimes when you chase too many rabbits, you catch none."[/quote] It's the first Carmel that I've written in a long time. I have no intention of applying anywhere right now and I just started communication with San Antonio. I want to look at my options before settling on just one. I've wanted to send a letter to Ada (Parnell) for a long time, but I never did for some odd reason. I think they are beautiful. Maybe I'll just send one to them and wait on the others.
HisChild Posted August 11, 2009 Posted August 11, 2009 I pray I didn't come across as criticizing. It was my own nosey curiosity. God reward you on your journey.
InHisLove726 Posted August 11, 2009 Author Posted August 11, 2009 [quote name='HisChild' post='1946364' date='Aug 11 2009, 04:38 PM']I pray I didn't come across as criticizing. It was my own nosey curiosity. God reward you on your journey.[/quote] Nope, you didn't. That was good advice. Sometimes we can be too overzealous in our discernment (I'm guilty of that more times than I can count). God bless you.
kavalamyself Posted August 11, 2009 Posted August 11, 2009 I always think it is good to learn and grow.
InHisLove726 Posted August 12, 2009 Author Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) After going back and reading some old posts on the phorum about discernment, I have decided I am going to wait to send out anymore letters. I am very happy about the San Antonio Carmel and I want to see what becomes of it. Edited August 12, 2009 by InHisLove726
In The Arms of The Lord Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 Praised be Jesus Christ! When I wrote to Mother at Buffalo Carmel Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus (The Monastery was dedicated to St. Therese as the words of her Canonization were being pronounced on May 17th 1925), I received back a personal letter from her and a booklet of their history, schedule, and pictures called "Love Can Do All". Though the booklet is old, the schedule that it talks about is still just about the same with only a few changes. What was really nice about it was they didn't just have a list of what they do and the times they do it, but they went into detail and there is some pictures of the Sisters doing some of what is on the schedule, and also pictures of the chores they do. When Mother gets your letter you will most likely get a booklet also, and in the letter she'll say to call her if you want to talk more about your vocation or to schedule a visit. I posted the schedule on here some time ago, here it is if your interested: 5:30 am: Rise 6:00 am- Recite Lauds (Divine Office) 6:15 am- Mental Prayer 7:15 am- Recite Terce 7:30 am- Sacrifice of the Mass Breakfast Work Assignments 11:00 Recite Sext and Litany of the Blessed Virgin Examen of Conscience 11:30 am- Dinner and washing of dishes 12:30 pm- Recreation 1:30 pm- Free time 2:00 pm- Recite None Spiritual Reading 3:00 pm- Divine Mercy Chaplet and Work Assignment 4:40 pm- Recite or Sing Vespers 5:00 pm- Mental Prayer 6:00 pm- Supper or Collation 7:00 pm- Recreation 8:00 pm- Compline and Rosary 8:20 pm- Free Time 9:30 pm- Matins 10:30 pm- Retire
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='In The Arms of The Lord' post='1948705' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:20 AM']Praised be Jesus Christ! When I wrote to Mother at Buffalo Carmel Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus (The Monastery was dedicated to St. Therese as the words of her Canonization were being pronounced on May 17th 1925), I received back a personal letter from her and a booklet of their history, schedule, and pictures called "Love Can Do All". Though the booklet is old, the schedule that it talks about is still just about the same with only a few changes. What was really nice about it was they didn't just have a list of what they do and the times they do it, but they went into detail and there is some pictures of the Sisters doing some of what is on the schedule, and also pictures of the chores they do. When Mother gets your letter you will most likely get a booklet also, and in the letter she'll say to call her if you want to talk more about your vocation or to schedule a visit. I posted the schedule on here some time ago, here it is if your interested: 5:30 am: Rise 6:00 am- Recite Lauds (Divine Office) 6:15 am- Mental Prayer 7:15 am- Recite Terce 7:30 am- Sacrifice of the Mass Breakfast Work Assignments 11:00 Recite Sext and Litany of the Blessed Virgin Examen of Conscience 11:30 am- Dinner and washing of dishes 12:30 pm- Recreation 1:30 pm- Free time 2:00 pm- Recite None Spiritual Reading 3:00 pm- Divine Mercy Chaplet and Work Assignment 4:40 pm- Recite or Sing Vespers 5:00 pm- Mental Prayer 6:00 pm- Supper or Collation 7:00 pm- Recreation 8:00 pm- Compline and Rosary 8:20 pm- Free Time 9:30 pm- Matins 10:30 pm- Retire[/quote] God bless you all who can endure (I do not mean this with a negative connotation) such a daily schedule!!!!!! I don't think I could.
InHisLove726 Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='In The Arms of The Lord' post='1948705' date='Aug 14 2009, 10:20 AM']Praised be Jesus Christ! When I wrote to Mother at Buffalo Carmel Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus (The Monastery was dedicated to St. Therese as the words of her Canonization were being pronounced on May 17th 1925), I received back a personal letter from her and a booklet of their history, schedule, and pictures called "Love Can Do All". Though the booklet is old, the schedule that it talks about is still just about the same with only a few changes. What was really nice about it was they didn't just have a list of what they do and the times they do it, but they went into detail and there is some pictures of the Sisters doing some of what is on the schedule, and also pictures of the chores they do. When Mother gets your letter you will most likely get a booklet also, and in the letter she'll say to call her if you want to talk more about your vocation or to schedule a visit. I posted the schedule on here some time ago, here it is if your interested: 5:30 am: Rise 6:00 am- Recite Lauds (Divine Office) 6:15 am- Mental Prayer 7:15 am- Recite Terce 7:30 am- Sacrifice of the Mass Breakfast Work Assignments 11:00 Recite Sext and Litany of the Blessed Virgin Examen of Conscience 11:30 am- Dinner and washing of dishes 12:30 pm- Recreation 1:30 pm- Free time 2:00 pm- Recite None Spiritual Reading 3:00 pm- Divine Mercy Chaplet and Work Assignment 4:40 pm- Recite or Sing Vespers 5:00 pm- Mental Prayer 6:00 pm- Supper or Collation 7:00 pm- Recreation 8:00 pm- Compline and Rosary 8:20 pm- Free Time 9:30 pm- Matins 10:30 pm- Retire[/quote] They say the Matins? I thought only the Poor Clares did that. That is a nice schedule, but it would take some getting used to being up 17 hours a day. I know that most places that do that have siesta time so the nuns can rest for an hour. At Buffalo, they only have 30 minutes. That doesn't mean that I won't check it out. I just thought it was interesting. Thank you for posting this. God bless!
she_who_is_not Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 I tend to like the tighter schedule for nuns. It brings home the concept of "spiritual motherhood" to me. Staying up later or rising in the middle of the night reflects the demands of a natural mother. Just as a natural mother will stay up to tend to the needs of her family or rise to feed or comfort a child in the night, a spiritual mother will accordingly tend to the needs of her spiritual children.
InHisLove726 Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 I got a very nice letter from Mother Mary Elizabeth at the Carmel in Clinton Township, MI. I let my mom read it, and she agrees that it's a very positive response. She even smiled after reading it. Mother would like me to keep contact with them and if I want to write using email, she said I could. I just like the personality of the regular letter, but I may consider it, to save them money in stamps. She would like to hear more about my background and what I learned after reading [i]Story of a Soul[/i] last year. She also helped me feel better about my initial apprehension to the cloister by helping me understand that that happens to the best of them, and that she was glad I had started working through my fears and understood that it was a life of pure peace and joy. I'm looking forward to writing her again. She seems like a very nice Prioress. I'm very happy to hear from her again since last year. I hope I've matured since then. God bless!
InHisLove726 Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='she_who_is_not' post='1948897' date='Aug 14 2009, 03:43 PM']I tend to like the tighter schedule for nuns. It brings home the concept of "spiritual motherhood" to me. Staying up later or rising in the middle of the night reflects the demands of a natural mother. Just as a natural mother will stay up to tend to the needs of her family or rise to feed or comfort a child in the night, a spiritual mother will accordingly tend to the needs of her spiritual children.[/quote] That's a beautiful reflection. That reminds me of what Clare said in [i]Clare and Francis[/i]: [quote]A mother can't go where her children go. She stays home and prays for them.[/quote]
agnes88 Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 [quote name='TeresaBenedicta' post='1948734' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:31 AM']God bless you all who can endure (I do not mean this with a negative connotation) such a daily schedule!!!!!! I don't think I could.[/quote]I was thinking about how amazing the schedule looked! I would love to live days like that! It's great how different we all are.
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 [quote name='agnes88' post='1949229' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:21 PM']I was thinking about how amazing the schedule looked! I would love to live days like that! It's great how different we all are. [/quote] I know, right?! I think I would enjoy a schedule such as that for a retreat- a week or a month long retreat.
HisChild Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 That's very similar to the schedule I had... although I didn't have 2 recreations. One is probably in common and one not. But I'd love to have a schedule like that again!
VeniteAdoremus Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 [quote name='InHisLove726' post='1948849' date='Aug 14 2009, 09:37 PM']They say the Matins? I thought only the Poor Clares did that. [/quote] Wait. There are cloistered communities that [i]don't[/i] say Matins? I know that some (some!) apostolic communities don't. (Mine do.) But cloistered?
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