Vocations
For Greater Things You Were Born
Your heart was made for love.
Vocation. God calls you to love. He draws your heart to Love, to Himself. He desires you to be fully alive, and in a word, to be a saint. How has the Lord shaped your heart to love?
“[Each precious soul] is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to Himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for…” (CCC #27)
“In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love”
– St. Therese of Lisieux
Has God made your heart for religious life?
“It is [The Holy Spirit] who shapes and molds the hearts of those who are called, configuring them to Christ, the chaste, poor and obedient One, and prompting them to make his mission their own.”
– Vita Consecrata 19
Meet Our Family
We exist to stand in the Presence of the Living God, and with Mary, to make known to the world the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
My Journey to Carmel
What Drew You?
I was drawn by the gaze of love I received from our Sisters and our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament upon entering the convent for my first Come and See retreat. My heart was filled with an inexpressible joy that still overflows to this day! Our beautiful Sisters, along with our patrimony of Carmelite saints have a way of making you feel known and loved in the depths of your soul!
- Sister Karolyn Rose, O.C.D.
"Be convinced of Jesus’ Love for YOU: relentless, personal, head-over-heels, to-death-and-beyond LOVE… for you. He loves you as He loves no one else and the more you are convinced of this and live in His love, the more you will know yourself and the beautiful gift He wants to make of your life. And if you aren’t yet fully convinced of His Love for you, don’t waste time worrying, just ask Him to show you and for the grace to receive, and He will give it."
- Sister Maria Augustine, O.C.D.
As with any calling from God it is the Holy Spirit who draws us. He had been doing so much work in my life, transforming me and sending me saints along the way (particularly Saint Therese and most importantly Our Lady). When I was finally ready, he introduced me to Carmel. I had a number of encounters with the Sisters before I came to visit Carmel, and in each encounter I was filled with the Holy Spirit. This was made known by His fruits of peace, joy, love that I experienced. When I finally decided to “Come and See” where this place was and what it entailed, it was as if our Lord was revealing to me the desires of my heart that I had been searching for all my life. Truly, I caught sight of His Sacred Heart and its streams of grace and mercy pulled me in.
- Sister Jacinta, O.C.D.
"Like Elijah, a Carmelite hears the voice of God in prayer and is impelled to go out with zeal to bring others to know, love and serve God. Constantly living in the Presence of God unfolds the depths of God’s love for me."
- Sister Vincent Marie, O.C.D.
Vocation Stories
Carmelite Spirituality
At the heart of Carmelite spirituality is intimate friendship with Christ. Moved by a deep desire for union with God, a Carmelite’s interior prayer flourishes into a life that is contemplative, prophetic and apostolic.
Our Charism
To stand in the presence of the living God, and with Mary, to make known to the world the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Our Formation Process
Formation is a process transformation as each sisters discovers her authentic self as she encounters our real and living God.
Our Religious Family
How do we live community life?
Joyful: Delighting in life as it is
Authentic: Possessing and expressing our real selves
Totally-Given: Trusting in Divine Providence
Family-Spirit: Sister among Sisters giving and receiving love
Our Service in the Church
From our own life of prayer that flows into our service of the whole person, we accompany others throughout all stages of life through education, retreats, and healthcare in their experience and encounter of the personal love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Our Foundress
In the face of darkness, our Mother Foundress unleashed hope in a time intense religious persecution. Learn more about her life, heroic virtue, and path to sainthood.
Rhythm of Life
“From the Rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.”
Psalm 113
“I sing night and day the love of the Master, He is so good.”
– St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, O.C.D.
We begin our day with chanting the Divine Office, silent meditation and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
“When I open the Gospels, I breathe the fragrance exalted by the life of Jesus, and I know which way to run.”
– St. Therese of Lisieux, O.C.D.
After breakfast, we go out as “apostles” and bring the love of the Sacred Heart to those we serve in our Education, Retreat and Healthcare apostolates.
“Strive to be an apostle. A single word said in the name of God can affect the salvation of a soul”
– Venerable Mother Maria Luisa Josefa of the Most Blessed Sacrament, O.C.D.
At midday, we gather in the Chapel to prayerfully reflect on the way God has moved in our life throughout the morning.
“My longing for truth, was a single prayer.”
– St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D.
Immediately following, we enjoy lunch together as Sisters, sharing about our day and building one another up in friendship. Then it’s back to the apostolate for the afternoon.
“When one loves, everything is joy.”
– St. Teresa of the Andes, O.C.D.
After a day of loving service we return to our Carmel for a time of solitude, preparing our hearts for Holy Hour which includes:
- The Rosary
- Silent Meditation
- The Divine Office
“Silence is precious; by keeping silence and knowing how to listen to God, the soul grows in wisdom and God teaches it what it cannot learn from men.”
– Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew, O.C.D.
Our Holy Hour is followed by dinner together. Which of course, means there’s clean-up.
“God is found among the pots and pans.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
After which, we delight in family time together and allow ourselves to be “re-created” as we talk, dance, play games, and work on crafts.
“In this house, all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
To close the day, we bring full hearts back to the Lord and pray Night Prayer together. After saying “goodnight” to Jesus we enter into a time of “Grand Silence” and prepare our hearts to receive him in the Eucharist the next morning.
“O guiding night, O night more lovely than the dawn.”
– St. John of the Cross, O.C.D.
“From the Rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.”
Psalm 113
“I sing night and day the love of the Master, He is so good.”
– St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, O.C.D.
We begin our day with chanting the Divine Office, silent meditation and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
“When I open the Gospels, I breathe the fragrance exalted by the life of Jesus, and I know which way to run.”
– St. Therese of Lisieux, O.C.D.
After breakfast, we go out as “apostles” and bring the love of the Sacred Heart to those we serve in our Education, Retreat and Healthcare apostolates.
“Strive to be an apostle. A single word said in the name of God can affect the salvation of a soul”
– Venerable Mother Maria Luisa Josefa of the Most Blessed Sacrament, O.C.D.
After breakfast, we go out as “apostles” and bring the love of the Sacred Heart to those we serve in our Education, Retreat and Healthcare apostolates.
“Strive to be an apostle. A single word said in the name of God can affect the salvation of a soul”
– Venerable Mother Maria Luisa Josefa of the Most Blessed Sacrament, O.C.D.
After breakfast, we go out as “apostles” and bring the love of the Sacred Heart to those we serve in our Education, Retreat and Healthcare apostolates.
“Strive to be an apostle. A single word said in the name of God can affect the salvation of a soul”
– Venerable Mother Maria Luisa Josefa of the Most Blessed Sacrament, O.C.D.
At midday, we gather in the Chapel to prayerfully reflect on the way God has moved in our life throughout the morning.
“My longing for truth, was a single prayer.”
– St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D.
Immediately following, we enjoy lunch together as Sisters, sharing about our day and building one another up in friendship. Then it’s back to the apostolate for the afternoon.
“When one loves, everything is joy.”
– St. Teresa of the Andes, O.C.D.
After a day of loving service we return to our Carmel for a time of solitude, preparing our hearts for Holy Hour which includes:
- The Rosary
- Silent Meditation
- The Divine Office
“Silence is precious; by keeping silence and knowing how to listen to God, the soul grows in wisdom and God teaches it what it cannot learn from men.”
– Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew, O.C.D.
After a day of loving service we return to our Carmel for a time of solitude, preparing our hearts for Holy Hour which includes:
- The Rosary
- Silent Meditation
- The Divine Office
“Silence is precious; by keeping silence and knowing how to listen to God, the soul grows in wisdom and God teaches it what it cannot learn from men.”
– Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew, O.C.D.
After a day of loving service we return to our Carmel for a time of solitude, preparing our hearts for Holy Hour which includes:
- The Rosary
- Silent Meditation
- The Divine Office
“Silence is precious; by keeping silence and knowing how to listen to God, the soul grows in wisdom and God teaches it what it cannot learn from men.”
– Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew, O.C.D.
Our Holy Hour is followed by dinner together. Which of course, means there’s clean-up.
“God is found among the pots and pans.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
After which, we delight in family time together and allow ourselves to be “re-created” as we talk, dance, play games, and work on crafts.
“In this house, all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
After which, we delight in family time together and allow ourselves to be “re-created” as we talk, dance, play games, and work on crafts.
“In this house, all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
After which, we delight in family time together and allow ourselves to be “re-created” as we talk, dance, play games, and work on crafts.
“In this house, all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.”
– St. Teresa of Avila, O.C.D.
To close the day, we bring full hearts back to the Lord and pray Night Prayer together. After saying “goodnight” to Jesus we enter into a time of “Grand Silence” and prepare our hearts to receive him in the Eucharist the next morning.
“O guiding night, O night more lovely than the dawn.”
– St. John of the Cross, O.C.D.
Open wide the doors to your heart.
You are not alone in this journey of discernment. Discernment is a process of discovering the Lord’s calling for YOU in the innermost part of your heart. This process usually entails prayer and reflection, trusting in the Lord, and making a choice to move in a certain direction with bold faith. The key is an open and trusting heart, to perceive where the Lord is calling you. Three things are necessary to hear His call: inner quiet, inner freedom, and inner strength.
The Sisters are here to accompany you on this journey, especially through prayer. Below are some resources to help you on this journey.
There are many opportunities to spend time with our religious family. We invite you to join us for…
“Asking such questions also means searching for Someone who can neither deceive nor be deceived, and who therefore can offer a certainty so solid that we can live for it and, if need be, even die for it. Dear young people, the happiness you are seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: It is Jesus of Nazareth, hidden in the Eucharist. Only He gives the fullness of life…”
– Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer can truly change your life. Directing our mind and heart to the Lord and setting aside some quality time with Jesus in prayer and reflection is crucial to hearing and perceiving where He may be calling you. Have you asked Him, “Lord, what do you desire of me?”
Tips on cultivating a heart to hear his call:
- Make time for daily silent prayer
- Visit the Blessed Sacrament and spend time in Adoration
- Go often to the Sacraments, especially Mass and Confession
- Pray with the Scriptures (the Gospels manifest the Heart of God)
- Seek a Spiritual Director
“What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ, and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And without the love of Jesus, everything else is useless.”
–Pope Saint John Paul II
Discernment is a meeting point of prayer and action. This is where we can be ready and open for the Holy Spirit to inspire and move us in a certain direction. We can pray, “Lord, grant me the wisdom to know Your will and the courage to pursue it.”
At times, it doesn’t have to be big steps – small, faithful steps towards His Will, He takes us by the hand and leads us. Other times, the Holy Spirit will supply the grace for us to make a bigger jump, and rest assured He’ll be there waiting with open arms.
Stay in Touch!
“Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality, or joy. On the contrary you will become what the Father had in mind when He created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self.”
– Pope Francis