Carmelite wisdom to encourage & inspire
"The Holy Spirit knew the Virgin Mary in advance, for he taught her the rich lessons of prayer," says Père Jacques de Jésus. “The Holy Spirit inflamed Mary’s heart and swept her up into the bosom of the triune God.”
Reading time: 1 minute, 228 words
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For many years, St. Louis Martin participated in the annual pilgrimage to Chartres that was held at the end of May. Here we read his letter to Pauline, begging Carmelite prayers for the pilgrimage.
Reading time: 1 minute, 160 words
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity lived to see the beatification of the Martyrs of Compiègne. Their story inspired her before she entered the monastery and now she was able to celebrate with her community.
Reading time: 1 minute, 248 words
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“At the feet of Mary, I found life again” is the recurring theme in this meditation by St. Mary of Jesus Crucified. “You who say that I’m an orphan, see: I have a Mother in the heights of heaven.”
Reading time: 2 minutes, 320 words
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We recall the death of Venerable Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament on 26 May 1648. Her devotion to the "Little King of Grace" and his statue in the Carmel of Beaune inspired her unshakeable trust in the Infant Jesus.
Reading time: 1 minute, 133 words
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The year 1587 was decisive in the spiritual life of St Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi. On 17 September the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Saint and assured her that she had never offended God.
Reading time: 2 minutes, 414 words
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St Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi was half a century younger than St Teresa, yet Mary Magdalen was drawn to the same love of poverty. Read about her 1587 call to wear a patched habit and remove her shoes.
As we all know, the bland words “attributed to…” should always be treated with caution. When seen on a label in a gallery, these words often actually mean “…there’s a story about this work, but we don’t know if we can believe it…”The same problem applies, sadly, to a work “attributed to” Margaret Rope – […]... Continue Reading →
When the Discalced Carmelite friar Hyacinthe Loyson broke away from the Order in 1869, his friend Hermann Cohen wasted no time in writing to Loyson. The Servant of God pleaded for Loyson to return.
Reading time: 2 minutes, 334 words
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St Teresa's youngest brother Agustín de Ahumada left with the Spanish armada on 24 May 1546, bound for Peru. Here Teresa writes to her brother Lorenzo: "I am very concerned about Agustín... I pray a great deal for him."
Reading time: 3 minutes, 652 words
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Born in Florence in 1566, Saint Mary Magdalen of the Incarnate Word de’ Pazzi had a religious upbringing and entered the monastery of the Carmelite nuns there. She led a hidden life of prayer and self-denial, praying particularly for the renewal of the Church and encouraging the sisters in holiness. Her life was marked by many extraordinary graces. She died in 1607.
Reading time: 11 minutes, 2122 words
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St. Raphael Kalinowski notes that as our culture rushes headlong to embrace technology, we can find a sure support in the midst of confusion: "devotion to the Most Holy Virgin" as we seek "the one thing necessary for salvation."
Reading time: 1 minute, 173 words
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On 23 March 1575 St Teresa of Avila made a private vow of obedience to Father Jerónimo Gracián: "not to hide any fault or sin" and to do all that he might tell her. She admits that in the beginning, "keeping this promise was hard for her."
Reading time: 2 minutes, 293 words
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Bishop Silvio José Báez teaches us how the Virgin Mary is a tender mother to all of us, just as she was a tender mother to Jesus. Let these words from the bishop inspire you to love her more!
Reading time: 1 minute, 167 words
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Love was a frequent theme in the life of St Joachina de Vedruna. In these sayings of the saint, one can see why she urged her Sisters on to practice "love, love, and more love, that never says, 'that's enough'."
Reading time: 1 minute, 96 words
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Père Jacques de Jésus describes the awesome mystery of Holy Communion: "When you receive him, you are like the Virgin Mary during the months she carried her child. You truly carry Christ within you."
Reading time: 2 minutes, 294 words
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St John of the Cross describes the inauguration of the friars' new foundation in Córdoba, Spain: “All the streets were beautifully decorated [....] This took place on the Sunday after Ascension Thursday.”
Reading time: 1 minute, 256 words
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Joachina was born in Barcelona in 1783. She married Theodore de Mas in 1799 and bore him nine children before being widowed in 1816. Then in 1826, she was prompted by God's Spirit to found the Congregation of Carmelite Sisters of Charity, which spread throughout Catalonia, establishing houses for the care of the sick and the education of children, especially the poor. She was greatly drawn to contemplating the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Her spiritual life was marked by prayer, mortification, detachment, humility, and love. She died at Vich in 1854.
Reading time: 3 minutes, 573 words
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St. Titus Brandsma took great pride in his Carmelite vocation, but never out of vainglory. To him, it was an immense privilege to be called a "Brother of the Virgin Mary."
Reading time: 1 minute, 266 words
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Père Jacques de Jésus reminds us of the purpose of prayer and the master teacher of prayer, the Holy Spirit. “Christ himself specifies who is the teacher for this difficult, but necessary instruction.”
Reading time: 1 minute, 111 words
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Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices. ~ St. Teresa of Avila
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