Posted on 08/25/2009 8:30:25 AM PDT by Pyro7480
An overflow crowd of more than 500 people gathered at the Elysburg Monastery Monday as the bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg blessed the facility's reopened chapel.
The most important people of the day, however - the 11 Discalced Carmelite nuns from Nebraska who moved into the Elysburg facility in April - were never seen by the public....
Following the 2 1/2-hour Mass, the bishop, the Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades, conducted the private "enclosure" ceremony. The diocese said he moved through the building, blessing each room, then locking the door to the sisters' portion of the monastery.
While they could not be seen, the nuns participated in the Mass, and their melodious voices could be heard from behind black grills along the sides of the chapel, a position they will take for daily Masses, too....
Some had to sit on chairs on the lawn outside the chapel. They were still able to hear the Mass, which was entirely in Latin except for Rhoades' homily.
The monastery had come to be a symbol of religion in the greater Elysburg area, but when a group of Carmelite nuns who had been there since 1961 decided to move to Danville in January 2008, many worried the facility would be sold and lose its religious significance.
The new group's presence has erased that fear....
[Bishop] Rhoades began his homily by talking about the first Carmelite convent, which opened in Avila, Spain, on Aug. 24, 1562.
"We are gathered on this same date 447 years later to celebrate the continual flourishing of the contemplative cloistered life according to the holy reform of Saint Teresa of Jesus ... Teresa...renewed the Carmelite tradition, fostering the desire to live more perfectly in solitude with God, imitating the first Fathers, hermits of Mount Carmel," Rhoades said....
(Excerpt) Read more at republicanherald.com ...
Again, I am going to plug the sisters' address, as the previous mentioned their need for donations. Please be generous!
Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, 430 Monastery Road, Elysburg, 17824
A few other excerpts from the article:
The ceremony was a major religious event, and included members of religious orders from Nebraska to New York. Sisters from Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Carmelites from Danville and Harrisburg, Franciscan Brothers of the Renewal from Bronx, N.Y., Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity from Mahanoy City, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter from Elmhurst and many other religious followers were present....
The Mass began with members of the Cardinal Mindszenty Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus honor guard leading the processional of priests, altar boys and the bishop. Many of the women in the crowd wore black or white lace veils.
The new altar in the chapel, which was obtained from St. Casimir's Church in Mahanoy City, was consecrated and "dressed."
He [Bishop Rhoades] expressed appreciation in having a second Carmelite community within the diocese.
"I cannot adequately express in words the joy and gratitude I feel as bishop with the establishment of this new Carmel, under the beautiful title of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We are incredibly blessed in our diocese to now have two communities of Discalced Carmelite nuns."
That said, you had the correct reaction to them, unlike so many poor souls who, to this day, whine about how the nuns were mean to them.
JMJ
That’s really good news. Sometimes I wish I could be cloistered. Often I wish that. Guess I better be careful what I wish for.
Do not use potty language - or references to potty language - on the Religion Forum.
My apologies. I did not think that a reference to something unknowlingly said by a child in grade school decades ago would be a problem. Maybe it was my tag line which I have now altered. No matter, I’ll say two hail marys and send the nuns another check...
Very good.
The Council I belonged to, K f C Bishop Schott 628 Council, from Mt Carmel were regular contributors to the Nuns’ hospitality until the 1970s. We also used the adjacent grounds for summer picnics.
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