By Sister Meredith, O.C.D. “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” Before I came to faith in Jesus Christ, it seemed on the surface, I had it all together. I had a promising...
BE THE LIGHT that shines out brightly bringing and reflecting God’s love to others. How needed it is in our world today. Lord, Jesus, we love You, we trust in You, be our...
The Real “Stuff” of Holinessby Sister Mary Scholastica, O.C.D. In my book, time is an elusive thing. So is the memory. Both are hard to tangibly grasp. Both can seem restrictive. Neither is guaranteed. Both also offer a boatload of opportunity. Time and memory are two...
by Sister Isabelle, O.C.D. Lift high the Cross!!! There we can see what it looks like to love even unto death. There we can see what God is to the core – PURE LOVE. As we watch the firefighters work day and night to save our lives, we can see His love incarnate once...
By Sister Mary Louise, O.C.D. Back to school. Usually that phrase brings to mind a set of familiar routines and predictable procedures. For much of America and even the world, that is not the case this year. Whether you are heading back to in-person or distance...
By: Sister Mary Colombiere The devotion of the Brown Scapular originates in the history of Our Lady of Mount Carmel when Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock in the 1200s presenting to him the scapular and promised: “This is a privilege for you and your...
As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, our sisters share their remembrances of what their own mother’s taught them. We’d like to share their blessings with...
by: Sister Isabelle, O.C.D. On May 1st, about one week before Mother’s Day, our Archbishop Jose Gomez re-consecrated our country to Mary. With deep filial love he called to mind her promise at Fatima, that in the end, her Immaculate Heart will triumph. There she also...
by: Sister Isabelle, O.C.D. Has it crossed your mind that what we are experiencing these days is similar to what it was like to live during a World War? The “greatest” generation of those who lived through the Second World War has much to speak to us of the unity,...
What Kind of Rice Is That?!By Sister Mary Scholastica, O.C.D. I signed up to make creamy chicken soup with wild rice for our sisters’ Easter Sunday lunch. To show how clueless I am in the kitchen, I figured the rice comes in a box and the chicken comes already cooked...
By Sister Isabelle, OCD Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in YOU! These are the last words that our religious family says together each night as we kneel before Jesus in the Tabernacle. Kneeling with Mary at the foot of the Cross, with our arms outstretched...
Praying for priests is central to our vocation as Carmelites. On Holy Thursday, the day we commemorate the Institution of the Eucharist and of the Priesthood, we hold our priests in prayer in a special way. Praying with the words of St. Therese: “This is the...
By Sr. Isabelle “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy…Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:20- 22) Jesus is calling us to a deep level of courage as we walk with Him this...
My beloved child, May the peace of God dwell within your soul! How have you been, my child? It should always be easy to write to a mother. It is done spontaneously, understanding that everything will be well-received by a mother because the child empties his/her soul...
There are no words to adequately express the depth of appreciation in our hearts for our priests – “Alter Christus.” To be another Christ is “to lay down your life for your friends” – a total gift of selfless love in serving the flock of...
Heroism is all around us. We see and experience it every day. It becomes more evident during times of great challenge. At this time, we THANK in a very special way, ALL our first responders, including our own sisters who serve in healthcare. We applaud you. We are...
Yesterday I was on the phone with one of our dear friends who is wholeheartedly devoted to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. She is experiencing great loss at being unable to even make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament during these days of quarantine. After we spoke, my...
By: Sister Jeannine Marie, O.C.D. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” These words hold within them a depth of mystery one can hardly fathom. We all know that any celebration of Mary is first and foremost a celebration of her Son, Jesus. The feast of the Annunciation is...
Have you ever been in awe of how St. Paul and the early Christians could be singing songs of praise from prison (Acts 16:5)? Or how Daniel, after hearing that he was not to worship His God on pain of death, went to his home and facing Jerusalem, “…prayed, giving...
ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIAWe have had the blessing of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being celebrated at our Motherhouse. What a gift! What an interesting experience this has been. During one of our homilies by Father Donald Kinney, O.C.D., it was noted that this time may...
By: Sister Jeannine Marie, O.C.D. “Silence is golden, golden…” The lyrics of the popular song by the Four Seasons may not have had silence or solitude in mind but the small phase is still true. Silence is not just an absence of words, it is a preparation to open one’s...
By: Sister Jeannine Marie, O.C.D. Many of us are familiar with the classic film, The Quiet Man. John Wayne’s character evoked an inner strength and steady sureness that quickly appealed to the audience. These same qualities are seen in the greatest of quiet souls,...
By Sister Isabelle, O.C.D. This morning I found myself turning to St. Paul for consolation during these very challenging times. In his letter to the Romans, Paul encourages us saying: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” He even goes so...
By Sr. Jeannine Marie This Lent we are all facing more than the normal challenges of the season. Our everyday routine and the world as a whole seems to have come to a sudden stop. Naturally, this results in feelings of fear, confusion, and helplessness. Mother Luisita...
By: Sister Jeannine Marie, O.C.D. Every year on March 17 the world suddenly becomes – you’re right – Irish! The feast of Saint Patrick, the Parton Saint of Ireland, crosses all religious, ethnic and even age groups to join people together in celebration. In a real...
