THE CARMELITE NUNS STORY
The Carmelite Nuns are a group of religious women living a contemplative
life in community. Our life is one of prayer, seeking to know and to love
the Living God and to respond to his love by the gift of ourselves to him.
ST. TERESA - 1515-1582 - FOUNDRESS-REFORMER.
A glance at Teresa:
- Attractive, vivacious, concerned about her appearance and dress;
- Popular, with a gift for friendship
- Intelligent and a good understanding, but little formal education;
- Born at Avila in Spain, where at twenty years of age she entered the
Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation;
- Her gift for friendship was to find its culmination in Friendship With
Christ - which is her definition of prayer;
Led by her experience of God in prayer, she sought to restore the Primitive Rule of Carmel and thus established the Carmel of St. Joseph in Avila in 1562.
From this beginning, Teresa founded Carmels throughout Spain, and with
St. John of the Cross established her reform amongst the friars of Carmel.
The nuns and friars became known as the Discalced Carmelites.
Both St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross left a precious legacy to their
daughters and sons, and to the whole Church, in the example of their lives,
their close union with God and their extensive writings on our journey
to God in the ways of prayer.
From these beginnings, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns and Friars have spread across the world and have borne such notable fruits as St.Therese of Lisieux,
Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity and St. Edith Stein with the contribution
they have made to Christian and Carmelite spirituality and writings.
Mary, our model of prayer and listening to the Word in
our pilgrimage of faith.
MISSION AND MINISTRY
The characteristics of Carmelite spirituality:
- Friendship with Christ in prayer fostered by an hour of silent prayer
morning and evening, the daily celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours
and the Eucharist;
- The Prophetic tradition of Carmel taking inspiration from the Prophet
Elijah in his solitary life and zeal for the Living God;
- The person of Mary as she pondered the Word of God and responded to
it;
- The eremitical tradition combined with life in community;
- The practise of the Evangelical Counsels, that is, the vows of chastity,
poverty and obedience;
- The life of prayer becomes our apostolic service of the Church and
our sharing in her saving mission.
THE SPIRIT MOVING OVER THE WATERS - AUSTRALIA.
The Carmelite Nuns came to Australia in 1885 from the Carmel of Angouleme
in France to Dulwich Hill, Sydney. From here Carmel reached out around
Australia.
The Carmel of Tourcoing from France was established at Parkes in NSW in
1949.
These two Carmels, Parkes and Dulwich Hill, merged in 1987 establishing
a community at Varroville about fifty kms south-west of Sydney.
THE CARMEL OF MARY & JOSEPH, VARROVILLE.
Situated on a hilltop in a rural setting commanding a magnificent view
in almost every direction over the surrounding countryside of rolling hills
and bushland with the city of Campbelltown spread out beneath us a few
miles distant. We are gifted with a natural solitude, peace and beauty.
We have endeavoured to maintain, renew and inculturate our Teresian-Carmelite heritage in a genuinely Australian setting at the start of the 21st century
and the 3rd Millennium.
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FORMATION
This same spirit we endeavour to pass on to those candidates who join
us at Varroville. The formation process takes place in the monastery, instruction in appropriate subjects being given - scripture, liturgy, prayer, history and spirituality of the Order etc.
- There is the possibility of a preliminary three
month live-in before deciding to enter;
- Postulancy may last between 6-18 months;
- Novitiate covers 2 years;
- Temporary vows are for a minimum of 3 years before
making Solemn Vows.
VOCATION INFORMATION
The Prioress
Carmel of Mary & Joseph
St. Andrews Road
Varroville NSW 2565.
Telephone 02 9820 3048
Facsimile 02 9820 3711
Click here to contact the sisters by email. |
DISCALCED CARMELITE NUNS