Vocations
“For greater things you were born.”
Venerable Mother Luisita
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 religous 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?
Sister Juana Teresa, O.C.D.
One of the first things that drew me to my Religious Family was our Mother Foundress, Mother Luisita. When my Spiritual Director at the time recommended that I visit the Carmelite Sisters, I “googled” them and the first thing that came up was Mother Luisita’s picture. I remember being struck by the peacefulness and joy on her face. Although I couldn’t describe it then, or even be fully aware of what was happening in my heart, I felt I needed to know more about her and her way of life.
Sister Teresa Christine, O.C.D.
I first met the Sisters in 2011. They were the first Sisters I had ever seen. I was struck by their joy, and by how they spoke of Jesus as if he were standing next to them. I also noticed how all the Sisters I met were so different from each other… yet each seemed so totally herself. I wasn’t interested in discerning a vocation at that time, until the Lord spoke to me in prayer and invited me to open my heart to religious life. Once I began to discern, it became clear to me pretty quickly that the Lord was really calling me to follow Him in this way. But it’s a daily surrender.
Sister Magdalene Grace, O.C.D.
When I was discerning which communities, I began by going to my parish and looking through the brochures they had on religious life. That is where I came across our brochure that had a picture of the Carmelite sisters and a monstrance with the heading, “In Love with Jesus Christ, so are we!” I was immediately drawn by their Carmelite spirituality and devotion to our Lord in the holy Eucharist.
Sister Marie Carmen, O.C.D.
Devotion to our Blessed Mother. I wanted to enter a religious community where Mary was daily and profoundly honored and loved and a part of every aspect of their life. When I visited for the first time, I felt her presence very strongly and could sense that the sisters had a personal relationship with her and loved her very much. Then, when I found out that Carmel is known as “Mary’s Order,” I was sold.
Sister Juana Teresa, O.C.D.
One of the first things that drew me to my Religious Family was our Mother Foundress, Mother Luisita. When my Spiritual Director at the time recommended that I visit the Carmelite Sisters, I “googled” them and the first thing that came up was Mother Luisita’s picture. I remember being struck by the peacefulness and joy on her face. Although I couldn’t describe it then, or even be fully aware of what was happening in my heart, I felt I needed to know more about her and her way of life.
As I read her biography, I automatically felt drawn to her, as if I already knew her. On a practical level, she was born in a town not far from where I was born in Mexico, but as I read more about her life, her great confidence in God really struck me. She lived during the time when Mexico was under religious persecution and when being a Catholic could cost you your life, especially if you were a priest or a religious; and yet here was Mother Maria Luisa Josefa, founding a Community of Sisters in the midst of it! What courage, I thought, but more than anything, what love she must have had for Our Lord that she was willing to risk everything so that He would be loved and served.
The witness of her yes to God’s will, her faith, her trust, and her love for God alone really inspired me. At that time in my life, I could not name it, but now I recognize it as the gifts Our Lord had given her to serve His Church in a particular way and bring about His Kingdom. Now I have the greatest blessing of sharing in her charism and to be one of her daughters. Although she lived over 85 years ago, there is something timeless about her. She is a great example to us of saying yes to Our Lord at all times, and as she always said, “Be what we are supposed to be, a Saint!”
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 of transformation as each sister 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.
For Love Alone
For Love Alone is a 16-minute film on the vocation to women’s religious life. The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) commissioned this film to be produced by Grassroots Films, the acclaimed producers of the film on the priesthood, Fishers of Men. This film, completed for the Year of Consecrated Life, aims to share the beauty and depth of the vocation to the religious life.
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
Want help walking your journey? Stay in Touch!
“O my God, walk with me along the next stretch of road. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes, a new prospect will open before me and I shall meet it with peace.”
– St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D.