One of the greatest blessings of being a Carmelite Sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles is the gift of community life within this religious family. I remember when visiting our community before I entered that the way the Sisters interacted with one another made a strong impression on me. They seemed to live together with a sense of joy, simplicity, and authenticity I found very refreshing.
Having lived in community for ten years now, I have found this to be true. Certainly community life is not perfect. There are a lot of ups and downs on the journey. We are comprised of an array of different personalities, temperaments, and backgrounds. Amidst all this, the Holy Spirit can bring us together through the particular charism that has been bequeathed to us through our Carmelite heritage and our beloved foundress, Venerable Mother Luisita. Striving for unity of mind and heart we pray that “Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith; that [we], rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” (Ephesians 17-19).
In my sisters, I have found companions on the way of pilgrimage toward our heavenly homeland. They challenge me, support me, make me laugh, cry with me…they simply live life with me. I am grateful to God for the gift of my vocation and for the gift of this particular religious family to which I have been called.
