Prayer
Prayer is at the heart of Carmel: communion with God, participation in the liturgy and intercession for the Church, priests, the conversion of sinners and the intentions entrusted to the community.
LIFE IN CARMEL
A Life Given to Prayer
Prayer · Silence · Work · Sacrifice · A hidden life offered for the Church and the world
THE HEART OF CARMEL
A House of Prayer
The life of the Cloistered Carmel is centred on contemplation and prayer. Within the enclosure, the Sisters seek to live in the presence of God through the liturgy, personal prayer, silence, work and self-giving. Their contemplative life is understood as a service offered for the Church and for the needs of the world.
THE CARMELITE RHYTHM
Four ways of living the call
The life of Carmel is woven from prayer and ordinary faithfulness.
Silence
Silence creates an atmosphere in which the Sisters can listen, contemplate and remain attentive to God. The source describes the use of minimal speech and sign language during periods of the day.
Work
Carmelite life includes ordinary work: washing, cleaning, gardening, cooking, stitching and other responsibilities needed for community life. Work is part of the rhythm of a life offered to God.
Sacrifice
Penance and self-giving belong to the Carmelite vocation. The Sisters seek to accept the demands of a hidden life with faith, offering their sacrifices in union with Christ.
INTERCESSION
Prayer for the Church and the World
The Carmel of the Sacred Heart understands its contemplative life as an intercession for others. The source specifically names prayer for the welfare of the Church, priests, the conversion of sinners and the needs of people who entrust their intentions to the Carmel.
PRAYER AND WORK
The Ordinary Work of Carmel
Prayer does not separate the Sisters from ordinary responsibilities. The source describes household work, gardening, cooking and stitching as part of community life. It also records the preparation of sacramental bread, liturgical vestments and scapulars, along with cultivation of vegetables and plantation crops.
THE HIDDEN LIFE
A Hidden Life, A Wider Prayer
The cloister is hidden from ordinary public life, but the intention of Carmel reaches far beyond its walls. In prayer, silence, work and sacrifice, the Sisters seek to place the needs of the Church and the world before God.
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