ABOUT US
carmelite order, the source of our congregation
SISTERS OF MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL
SISTERS OF MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL AS A BRANCH OF CARMELITES
HISTORY:
“It is its mission, according to the will of God, to heed and preserve the glory of God.” (cf. Hymn of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
We Sisters of Mary of Mount Carmel are a branch of the Carmelite Order. Mount Carmel is a mountain in Palestine to which pilgrims withdrew in the 12th century AD. They strove to live in the presence of God like the prophet Elijah and called themselves ”Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel”. St. Albert of Jerusalem wrote their first Rule (1206-1214).
When the Saracens invaded Palestine, these hermits were driven out of the country and came to Europe, where they were accepted as mendicant friars.
In the 16th century St. Teresa of Avila founded the Teresian branch of the Carmelite Order. She and St. John of the Cross deepened the spirituality of the Carmelite Order through their lives and their teachings.
Rooted in this tradition, we, Sisters of Mary of Mount Carmel, draw from the same sources.
It began with the surrender of one woman called Maria Boeck. Inspired by the Carmelite spirituality she had the longing of a life in community and started together with some other few women a life of prayer. On February 26, 1861, Maria Boeck made in Linz- Austria, her first profession of vows taking the name of Sr. Theresia of St. Joseph. Our congregation was born. In following years other Austrian women joined the Linz community. They called themselves “Sisters of the Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel”.
With the 100 – year celebration in 1961, we change the name of the congregation to “Sisters of Mary of Mount Carmel”.
In 1885 the congregation was officially approved by the civil and Church authorities and in 1906 affiliated by decree to the Carmelite Order as a Regular Third Order.
Based on the way of life of the Carmelite nuns, the first sisters earned their living by sewing.
Bishop Rudigier, bishop of Linz/Austria, encouraged the sisters to be attentive to the needs of the time and directed them towards social ministries.
The sisters then started to take care of young women who at that industrial time moved from the country side to town looking for jobs.
In 1903, the sisters opened a vocational school in Erla by St. Valentine – Austria. Knowledge, practical skills and assistance in the development of one’s personality are central up to day.
The era of industrialization reached deep into the family structure. Everywhere child -care institutions emerged and our sisters devoted themselves to the service of the small one.
But the sisters did not limit their ministries to education. They would serve wherever there was need. Home nursing was at that time a great demand in the cities. Then again it was through the call of a sister, Sr. Raphaela, miraculous healed from an illness, that the congregation extended its ministry 1911 among the sick through the healing method and preventive medicine developed by Fr. Kneipp which combines the effect of water with medicinal plants. Fr. Kneipp, priest and naturopath created such a visionary concept of life that the person, his/her lifestyle habits and his/her natural environment are inextricably considered to be a balanced unit. “Nature has provided us generously with everything we need to remain in good health.”(Fr. Sebastian Kneipp)
The congregation spread fast and in 1920, the Sisters were called to serve in Bavaria/Germany. In 1940, the Bavaria region became a province.
In 2002 the congregation spread to Uganda.
SPIRITUALITY, CHARISM AND WORK OF THE CONGREGATION:
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5)
As Sisters of Mary of Mount Carmel we choose to be guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are God-seeking people journeying in faith, hope, and love, which free us to become one with God and grace. (St. John of the Cross)
We know we are called by Jesus Christ to be “with HIM” (cf. Mk 3:13) and to live in friendship with HIM. (St. Teresa of Ávila) In life following the evangelical counsels – consecrated chastity, poverty, and obedience – we allow ourselves to internalize the way of life of Jesus.
The living relationship with Christ forms our sisterly community and enables us to treat others as brothers and sisters.
Living in the Present Moment requires silent: external and internal “silence” interrupts our mental preoccupation and allows us an inner openness and receptivity through which God can communicate with us.
Rooted in the Biblical Tradition, we follow the example of the prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel who lived constantly in the presence of God, zealously working for the true and only God.
Contemplating Mary we aim to lead simple lives, remaining open and available to God’s will. “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn 2:5)
Our name “Sisters of Mary of Mount Carmel” reminds us of Mary, our sister in faith. She teaches us how to focus on Jesus, living our lives in a trusting spiritual relationship with our hidden yet present God.
The Carmelite tradition opens further avenues to Mary:
· “Queen and Grace of Carmel” – reveals to us her grandeur and beauty
· “Our Lady of Mount Carmel” – ensures us that she will accompany us on our journey
· “Mother of Carmel” – grants us her security and protection
Following the example of our order’s saints St. Teresa of Ávila, St. John of the Cross, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, we strive to live a contemplative life in which prayer, work, and life in sisterly community are combined.
PROPHET ELIJAH
He is the source and origin of our order. for the first brothers, admired him, and lived the same way he lived ; that is at mount carmel.
we are the third among the carmelite order
OUR SPIRITUALITY
To live with God and from God. Teresa of Jesus lived totally from the presence of God. Her model was Jesus himself, who lived in a trustful and lovely relationship to His father which helped Him to give Himself to the people. Her experience that God is lovingly present in her life, that He is the one who lives in heart, opened for her a new visibility of the faith. For Teresa; activity, being in service to the People, contemplation and that inner prayer as a personal relationship with God who became a human being, belong unseparately together. John of the Cross also followed his longing to be in an ever deeper relationship with God through all sufferings and through many Crosses. He was convinced, that every human being, in his/her whole life, has a longing for a union with God who is so beloved and familiar, which begins in Baptism and can only be fulfilled in end by God. Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross and the saints of our order, have lived before us a spiritual life which was totally oriented towards the holy gospel. We want also to organize ourselves before God after their good example and give the holy Gospel a face through our life.
