Dear Friends, Family and Fellow Carmelites,
As November approaches and the changes in nature become more noticeable, we pause to remember in a special way all our loved ones and friends who have returned to the Father and await our return. We will be praying for all your departed loved ones throughout the month and in a special novena of Masses beginning on November 17th. We invite you to share with us the names of those you wish to remember. We are also mindful of all those who have died in the many natural disasters throughout the world this past year. Life is indeed a fragile thing! It is comforting to know that even at the end of the shortest life God is there to welcome us with open arms.
We have had our share in the unusual weather experienced all over the country. In June we went from parched and fire-cracker hot to wet and wild! We had severe storms with monster lightening strikes that knocked out electricity for large portions of Oklahoma City. Our new generator did not disappoint us as it was put to the test on several occasions. Oklahoma literally went ‘green’ this summer which is something rare and there was no water rationing. Due to the early stretch of dry days over 100 degrees, the vegetable gardens did not produce as well, but because of the below normal temperatures during July and August we are experiencing a bumper crop of colorful autumn leaves.
As we mentioned in our last newsletter, two lovely young women made their live-in with us this summer, Gabriela who is from Little Flower, our Carmelite Fathers’ parish here in Oklahoma City, and Eileen who is a senior at Franciscan College in Steubenville, OH and who hails from Minnesota. They not only brought the vibrancy of their youthful presence but also were a great help to us while they were here. Eileen plays the piano and guitar and we used these talents at the Vocation Camp in August. Gabriela has a deep grasp of the Carmelite vocation for someone her age. She turned twenty-one while she was here and now feels very old! They loved the Divine Office and Eileen purchased a set of breviaries after she left here.
We are very happy to report that Gabriela soon requested to enter our community as a postulant. The date of her Entrance or “Landing”, as we call it in Carmel, was October 13th. A number of her loving family members and very dear friends accompanied her to the monastery. The tears and big hugs of their farewells showed how much they love her and she is praying that some of them will follow her into Carmel. Please pray for her as she starts out on her spiritual journey and also for Eileen.
On July 4th the weather was wet and the fireworks were provided by Mother Nature. We had planned to play Bingo after supper and, as we were eating, the lights went out. After a 30 second pause in the dark, our trusty generator started up and our Bingo game was saved! As soon as the power is restored, the generator switches back to it. That night it took several hours for that to happen.
We celebrated Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the Sunday preceding the feast day to accommodate those who could not attend on the actual day. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran was our celebrant and he later joined us for dinner. He was happy to meet Gabriela and Eileen. We are very grateful to him for celebrating with us each year on our big feast day and also on Christmas Day. On the sixteenth Fr. Dan Letourneau, associate Pastor at our neighboring parish in Edmond, was our celebrant, a very vibrant one indeed. He is very generous in helping us out when one of our retired priests is unable to come.
Our retired priests have been a godsend to us. We owe so much to them and to all our priests, since it is through them that we receive boundless graces through the sacraments and Our Lord himself in the Eucharist. We owe them immense gratitude for their self-gift to God on our behalf. This Year of the Priesthood proclaimed by our Holy Father Pope Benedict spurs us on to pray even more for our priests, to affirm, love and support them.
In August we again participated in the Vocation Camp for girls. We weren’t able to have the camp in 2008 and thought we might have a small group. We ended up with 15 girls which we thought was great. Gabriela enjoyed going and reuniting with a few of the girls she met two years ago. Each Community had a display and Srs. Donna and Ruth Miriam were delighted to hear Eileen and Gabriela explaining how to make altar breads to the girls.
Also in August we enjoyed seeing more of our Carmelite Fathers. Fr. Juan Evangelista, newly ordained, came on the feast of the Transfiguration to celebrate Mass with us. On the 14th Fr. Bonaventure, who was in town for Secular Order matters, came for a long overdue visit and two days later Fr. Gregory, our Provincial, and Frs. Ralph, Luis Joaquin, and Juan joined us for a belated celebration of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Fr. Gregory returned the next day for Mass and a visit. It was especially good to see them all.
On September 17th Srs. Donna and Ruth Miriam flew to Steubenville for this year’s vocation fair, returning on the 19th. A full Carmelite contingent was present this time, with a Carmel from each of the three associations and a friar from each of the provinces in the U.S. Like last year, the Sisters represented our whole Association as well as our community. Eileen helped us a great deal by taking the bulk of display materials back with her in her car when she returned to school after her live-in, and by taking care of mailing them back after the fair. Srs. Donna and Ruth Miriam took the occasion to celebrate Eileen’s 21st birthday and gifted her with a nice assortment of quilling supplies. Srs. Maria and Agatha had introduced her and Gabriela to that art this past summer.
Srs. Maria and Agatha are really into quilling and are creating beautiful items. They made a variety of very attractive things for the Carnival at Little Flower parish this summer and Sr. Mary added a number of hot pepper plants and other pretty house plants. They enjoy helping our Fathers even in a small way.
In October, Srs. Donna, Ruth Miriam and Maria went to Redlands to participate in the Initial Formation Seminar for our Association of Mary, Queen of Carmel. Three years ago fires around LA kept the sky gray but this year the beauty of the area could be clearly seen and many Sisters spent their free moments gazing at the natural beauty surrounding them. The speaker for the Seminar was Fr. James McCaffrey, OCD, here from Ireland, and he used the Formation document for the Carmelite Nuns as a basis for his talks on Scripture and Carmel. The Sisters enjoyed him immensely and found the group discussions very enriching. The days seemed to evaporate, they passed so quickly. The Sisters also enjoyed meeting the new members of our Association. Our Carmels are becoming a microcosm of the numerous cultural traditions found in the U.S.: Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Haitian and Hispanic.
leaves3We would like to introduce you to two new members of our monastery family. They join our two kitties, Marty and Nicky, and our ten handsome laying hens. Santa Claus brought them as a gift for Sr. Donna who loves puppies. They are her stress busters. Samuel Elijah (on the right) and Suzanne Edith (on the left) are brother and sister and are now about 11 months old. (In the photo they are about 6 months old.) Sam and Suzy have grown into good sized Yorkies; Sam weighs about 15 lbs. and Suzy about 13. Their faces have now turned all gold. They are quite different in personality and have become a true delight with their antics.
Speaking of canines, we had an ‘animal rescue’ this fall. A young woman came to the door asking if we knew anyone who owned a medium sized white dog. She and her husband had rescued the dog from our culvert and had tried to call the owner but there was no response. The dog had the owner’s name and telephone number on its collar. We tried also and left a message. We kept the dog for several hours until the owner called and the 19 year old dog was returned to its very grateful and relieved master. It belonged to an older couple; they had been looking for their pet for two days.
With many happy memories of this past summer lingering in our minds and hearts, we look forward to a beautiful late fall season culminating in All Saints Day, the feast of Christ the King and Thanksgiving Day. And then on to a new liturgical year in Advent and Christmas!
We wish everyone all the joys and blessings of these beautiful days!