How We Serve

“Whatever work is entrusted to us flows from and is part of our union with God.”
Constitutions of the Carmelite Sisters

4:55 am

From the moment we rise to the sound of bells and our Sister singing praise to God, to our walk from our cells to the Chapel for morning prayers, every moment is preparing us for the day, invoking the Lord and His Blessed Mother to guard us, journey with us, guide us, strengthen us, bless us, teach us.

4:55 am

From the moment we rise to the sound of bells and our Sister singing praise to God, to our walk from our cells to the Chapel for morning prayers, every moment is preparing us for the day, invoking the Lord and His Blessed Mother to guard us, journey with us, guide us, strengthen us, bless us, teach us.

Morning

Serving in the Apostolates

Morning

Serving in the Apostolates

Education

Retreats

Healthcare

Educating for Life With the Mind and Heart of Christ

Rooted in the Gospel, the Church and our Carmelite vocation, the Carmelite Sisters’ work in Catholic schools from California to Miami, Florida.  The gift of our religious vocation is a source of strength to carry out the mission given to us.

While meeting or exceeding the academic requirements of each diocese, our child care centers and Catholic schools strive to prepare students with the spiritual and personal development they need to become well-rounded individuals and active members of the faith community.  The Sisters, teachers and staff strive to create an environment of respect, love for those in need, and appreciation for God’s creation.

Elementary Schools

The Carmelite Sisters currently teach in six parochial schools from Miami to Califonia.  Our Lord has entrusted the Sisters with the work of passing on the faith through their work in Catholic schools as teachers and administrators.

Holy Innocents | Long Beach, CA
St. Philomena | Carson, CA
St. Theresa | Coral Gables, FL
Sts. Peter and Paul | Wheatridge, CO
Sacred Heart School | Palm Desert, CA

High Schools

Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School, an archdiocesan school located in the Kendall area of Miami, is administered and staffed by the Carmelite Sisters.  The Sisters are blessed to assist families in preparing students for college and beyond.

Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School | Miami, FL

At the Service of the Family for Life

It is the Carmelite Sisters’ great privilege to serve Christ through our beloved seniors with love and compassion.  They continue to courageously affirm and defend the beauty, the purpose, and the sacredness of all human life from conception to natural death.

Santa Teresita
Duarte

Santa Teresita was established in 1930 as a tuberculosis sanatorium for young women and girls. Today, Santa Teresita serves our cherished elders, offering a continuum of care that includes assisted living at Good Shepherd Cottage and Cristo Rey Cottage.

Marycrest Manor
Culver City

Marycrest Manor is a skilled nursing facility surrounded by spacious grounds and lovely gardens, overlooking a magnificent panoramic view of the Los Angeles area.  Our precious and loved elders receive the best of skilled nursing care in this serene and tranquil setting.

Fostering a Deeper Spiritual Life Among God’s People

Before her death, our foundress expressed her desire for a retreat apostolate. This beautiful work, which flows from our Carmelite charism of prayer, sacrifice, and union with God, promotes a deeper spiritual life among God’s people.  During time set aside for prayer and reflection, our retreatants experience the profound and unconditional love of God.

Sacred Heart Retreat House
Alhambra

The purpose of our retreats is to provide an opportunity for guests to have the silence, solitude and spiritual guidance they need in order to deepend their prayer life. We are committed to securing retreat masters who are loyal to the Church and treasure its magisterium.

Saint Joseph Campus
Alhambra

St. Joseph Campus provides a quality place where people of all ages and walks of life can draw closer to their faith. St. Joseph Campus also focuses on providing support for the daily challenges faced in today’s world through basic courses and programs, striving to spread the Good News and deepen knowledge of the Catholic faith.

Education

Educating for Life With the Mind and Heart of Christ

Rooted in the Gospel, the Church and our Carmelite vocation, the Carmelite Sisters’ work in Catholic schools from California to Miami, Florida.  The gift of our religious vocation is a source of strength to carry out the mission given to us.

While meeting or exceeding the academic requirements of each diocese, our child care centers and Catholic schools strive to prepare students with the spiritual and personal development they need to become well-rounded individuals and active members of the faith community.  The Sisters, teachers and staff strive to create an environment of respect, love for those in need, and appreciation for God’s creation.

Elementary Schools

The Carmelite Sisters currently teach in six parochial schools from Miami to Califonia.  Our Lord has entrusted the Sisters with the work of passing on the faith through their work in Catholic schools as teachers and administrators.

Holy Innocents | Long Beach, CA
St. Philomena | Carson, CA
St. Theresa | Coral Gables, FL
Sts. Peter and Paul | Wheatridge, CO
Sacred Heart School | Palm Desert, CA

High Schools

Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School, an archdiocesan school located in the Kendall area of Miami, is administered and staffed by the Carmelite Sisters.  The Sisters are blessed to assist families in preparing students for college and beyond.

Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School | Miami, FL

Retreats

Fostering a Deeper Spiritual Life Among God’s People

Before her death, our foundress expressed her desire for a retreat apostolate. This beautiful work, which flows from our Carmelite charism of prayer, sacrifice, and union with God, promotes a deeper spiritual life among God’s people.  During time set aside for prayer and reflection, our retreatants experience the profound and unconditional love of God.

Sacred Heart Retreat House
Alhambra

The purpose of our retreats is to provide an opportunity for guests to have the silence, solitude and spiritual guidance they need in order to deepend their prayer life. We are committed to securing retreat masters who are loyal to the Church and treasure its magisterium.

Saint Joseph Campus
Alhambra

St. Joseph Campus provides a quality place where people of all ages and walks of life can draw closer to their faith. St. Joseph Campus also focuses on providing support for the daily challenges faced in today’s world through basic courses and programs, striving to spread the Good News and deepen knowledge of the Catholic faith.

Healthcare

At the Service of the Family for Life

It is the Carmelite Sisters’ great privilege to serve Christ through our beloved seniors with love and compassion.  They continue to courageously affirm and defend the beauty, the purpose, and the sacredness of all human life from conception to natural death.

Santa Teresita
Duarte

Santa Teresita was established in 1930 as a tuberculosis sanatorium for young women and girls.  Today, Santa Teresita serves our cherished elders, offering a continuum of care that includes assisted living and skilled nursing.  The newest addition to the campus, The Good Shepherd Cottage, opened in January 2013.

Marycrest Manor
Culver City

Marycrest Manor is a skilled nursing facility surrounded by spacious grounds and lovely gardens, overlooking a magnificent panoramic view of the Los Angeles area.  Our precious and loved elders receive the best of skilled nursing care in this serene and tranquil setting

There is no separation or compartmentalization between prayer and work.  Our prayer supports our work, and our work flows out and becomes an expression of our prayer.  By God’s loving providence, our community carries on Mother Luisita’s legacy through three apostolic works: Education, Retreat Work and Healthcare.  However, “our primary apostolate always remains the witness of our consecrated life” (Constitutions #85), of which prayer is the foundation.

There is no separation or compartmentalization between prayer and work.  Our prayer supports our work, and our work flows out and becomes an expression of our prayer.  By God’s loving providence, our community carries on Mother Luisita’s legacy through three apostolic works: Education, Retreat Work and Healthcare.  However, “our primary apostolate always remains the witness of our consecrated life” (Constitutions #85), of which prayer is the foundation.

“If our interior life is real, it will compel us to the service of others” (Constitutions #80). These words from our Constitutions express concretely how essential it is for us as Carmelites to foster the interior life. Our community schedule and structure reflect this right order. God first. Our examen prayer (prayed twice within the day) allows us to be intentionally attentive to His promptings and the movements of our hearts. This allows us to become clear as glass so that God can do His work through us for the good of others.

Noon

Praying the Examen Card

“If our interior life is real, it will compel us to the service of others” (Constitutions #80). These words from our Constitutions express concretely how essential it is for us as Carmelites to foster the interior life. Our community schedule and structure reflect this right order. God first. Our examen prayer (prayed twice within the day) allows us to be intentionally attentive to His promptings and the movements of our hearts. This allows us to become clear as glass so that God can do His work through us for the good of others.

Afternoon

Back to our Apostolates

Afternoon

Back to our Apostolates

Education

Retreats

Healthcare

Education

Education Philosophy of Service

The Carmelite Sisters’ apostolate of Catholic education, centered in Christ the Master Teacher, is rooted in the spirit of our Foundress, Mother Luisita.

  •  In that spirit we create a joyful family atmosphere in our schools which fosters a genuine love for learning.
  •  Emphasizing the formation of the whole person, we promote excellence through a rich liberal arts education.
  • In collaboration with families, we form students with a truly Catholic worldview that develops love for truth, virtue, and respect for the dignity of every person.
  • Students personally encounter Christ through prayer, academics, and relationships, thus learning to vibrantly live their Catholic faith.

Retreats

Retreat Philosophy of Service

Our apostolate of spiritual retreats is rooted in the Carmelite tradition of prayer and was the expressed desire of Mother Luisita, our Foundress, who sought to foster the spiritual life of each person she encountered. As Carmelites, special emphasis is also given in support of the priesthood.

Centered in Christ, faithful to the magisterium of the Catholic Church, expressed through Marian hospitality, we provide a peaceful oasis in which all are invited to discover and deepen a personal relationship with God. The foundation of the retreat experience is participation in the Church’s liturgical and sacramental life. In all we do, the dignity of the human person is supported, holiness of family life is nurtured, and souls are refreshed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

    Healthcare

    Healthcare Philosophy of Service

    The Carmelite Sisters’ apostolate of healthcare is rooted in Mother Luisita’s tireless service to the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable. Imbued with the deeply held truth that every life is sacred, our service is guided by the ethical and moral principles of the Catholic Church. We honor the dignity of every person as a unique creation made in the image and likeness of God.

    As Christ encountered and healed the sick, He calls us to accompany individuals and their families during challenging or difficult times of life. With respect and genuine love, our service is carried out in a family atmosphere that is joyful, compassionate, and filled with life-giving creativity. Through our life of prayer, together with professional excellence, our service promotes healing in sickness, patience in infirmity, and hope in the final hours of life.

      4:45 pm

      Holy Hour

      “As a means of fostering our intimacy with Christ, the Liturgy of the Hours and daily prayer – both private and communal – are indispensable” (Constitutions #66).  As we come before our Lord, knowing the Lord is delighting in each of us as the unique gift we are and loving Him as only we each can, the communal aspect of this time of prayer is a source of growth in unity and charity as Sisters in Carmel.

      4:45 pm

      Holy Hour

      “As a means of fostering our intimacy with Christ, the Liturgy of the Hours and daily prayer – both private and communal – are indispensable” (Constitutions #66).  As we come before our Lord, knowing the Lord is delighting in each of us as the unique gift we are and loving Him as only we each can, the communal aspect of this time of prayer is a source of growth in unity and charity as Sisters in Carmel.

      Evening

      Recreation

      Evening

      Recreation

      Our family spirit is truly an identifying mark of any Carmelite Sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.  It is lived and expressed uniquely in our life journey together.  Community life is an essential element of religious life.  And in our Carmels, this comes together into a beautiful collage of common prayer, shared apostolates, truly knowing and loving each Sister as she is, times of recreation and renewal.  We truly enjoy just being with each other.  Recreation is an integral part of our way of life.  Delighting in life as it is with the sister next to me.

      Our family spirit is truly an identifying mark of any Carmelite Sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.  It is lived and expressed uniquely in our life journey together.  Community life is an essential element of religious life.  And in our Carmels, this comes together into a beautiful collage of common prayer, shared apostolates, truly knowing and loving each Sister as she is, times of recreation and renewal.  We truly enjoy just being with each other.  Recreation is an integral part of our way of life.  Delighting in life as it is with the sister next to me.

      Night

      Grand Silence

      Sisters kneeling at altar

      After night prayer together, we enter into what we call “grand silence”.  The purpose of this time is to prepare our hearts for Holy Mass the following morning, to reflect on the readings for the coming day, to reflect upon the completed day.  The exterior environment helps foster the interior one and this time of quiet allows each Sister to enter into the silence of her heart where God alone dwells.

      Night

      Grand Silence

      Sisters kneeling at altar

      After night prayer together, we enter into what we call “grand silence”.  The purpose of this time is to prepare our hearts for Holy Mass the following morning, to reflect on the readings for the coming day, to reflect upon the completed day.  The exterior environment helps foster the interior one and this time of quiet allows each Sister to enter into the silence of her heart where God alone dwells.