OUR COMMUNITY
Is 56:7
“ These I will bring to my holy mountain.
I will make them joyful
in my house of prayer.”
Originating from different countries, we all heard the following call: ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you” (Gn 12:1). We came to Jerusalem and entered this monastery of Carmel, which is a “house of prayer for all peoples”.
In the community we speak French (so as in all Carmels of Holy Land). We are currently 12, and some aspirants discern to enter too.
Our dean, Sister Marguerite-Marie, 98 years-old, entered the monastery in 1961. She is well known in Jerusalem, as she has been here for a long time. The youngest sister, Sister Anne, is 28 years old. She received the habit of Carmel on March,5th 2022.
A DAY WITH THE CARMELITES
PRAYER TIMES
Our life is centred on the encounter with Christ in prayer. This silent prayer holds a primordial place in Carmel. We devote two hours to it together, in choir; from 6 to 7 am, and 5 to 6 pm.
OFFICES
The daily Eucharist is "source and summit” of our days. We celebrate Holy Mass at 7:30 a.m. This communion with Christ supports us throughout the day in a continuous prayer.
The community prayer of "psalms, hymns and other praises" punctuates every hour of the day: Lauds at 7 a.m., Tierce after mass, Sext at 12 p.m., None at 1:45 p.m., Vespers at 6 p.m., Compline and Office of Readings at 8 p.m.
IN THE MEANTIME
Between these hours of prayer we are invited to: reading, two hours of work in the morning, and two more in the afternoon, meals, and community meeting times just after... And then... all that is unforeseen...
THE NOVICIATE
In the Community, the Novitiate welcomes and trains candidates to Carmelite life. Supported by the prioress and the mistress of novices, the young women let themselves be formed to a totally contemplative life.
Today, they are four in the Novitiate of the Carmel of Jerusalem. Learning fraternal life in community, they also learn on the Word of God, Liturgy and sacraments, History and Spirituality of Carmel, Theology, Patristic, etc.
The training time has multiple stages: aspirancy, postulate, novitiate, temporary profession. This lasts nine years. After this training, the sister will engage forever in the Community, pronouncing solemn vows. She is then able to carry, along with the community Chapter, the responsibility of the monastery and the specific mission of Carmel in the Church.
JOIN OUR PRAYER
MORNING PRAYER
Daily at 6:55 a.m.
EUCHARIST
Every day at 7:30 a.m.
EVENING PRAYER
Daily at 5:55 p.m.