Episcopal Carmel of St. Teresa Monastery

Welcome to Carmel        May you know much joy!

The Episcopal Carmel of Saint Teresa is a contemplative community for women in the Episcopal Church.

Welcome to our web site. The traditional Carmelite greeting is, “May you know much joy”…and I hope that this will convey the joy that we find in our life of prayer, solitude, and community.

Some of us have been called to be Nuns, to live apart, quiet lives, totally given to prayer.

Our Holy Mother Teresa of Avila defined prayer as, “Spending time frequently with the One we know loves us”….and  as Carmelite Nuns we are privileged  to spend our whole lives in an environment where we are gifted with silence , a regular schedule of private and corporate prayer, as well as work. 

Into this space we bring the needs of those who daily ask for our prayers. We carry them in our hearts as we go about the routine tasks of life. We carry their needs with us into the all embracing love of God; the One we love with all our hearts, minds and strength.

Some of us have been called to live as Carmelites “in the world”:  to be Oblates, people of prayer, fully committed to the Carmelite Ideal as taught by Teresa and John of the Cross and fully members of Episcopal Carmel. 

I am sometimes asked, “How do I know if I am being called to be a Carmelite…Nun or Oblate. Everyone’s call is individual but perhaps there are some common indicators of a Carmelite vocation. Here are a few questions to ask yourself.  

Are you deeply in love with God?  

·         Do you long to give yourself totally to God by living a life of prayer and self denial on behalf of the world and the Church?

·         Are you willing to embrace community life with all its joys and struggles?

·         For Nuns; are you free from financial and family obligations?

·         Do you believe that you are physically and mentally able to live the Carmelite life?

Sometimes the only way to know is to try…. Jesus said to his disciples, “Come and see”.  The best way to begin is with that first step. …the invitation of God to “Come and see”.

 Feel free to e-mail us with questions or prayer requests or to arrange a time to meet by phone. We are growing and I know God is calling a few more people to join us.  We are already praying for them and waiting to learn who they are!

God bless you and thank you for your interest in Episcopal Carmel of Saint Teresa.

Sister Teresa Irene OCD

Prioress

Episcopal Carmel of Saint Teresa