Carmel of the Holy Family Cleveland Heights, OH
Our New Web-site is presently under construction. The following excerpt is a glimpse of our life.
Our Cleveland Carmel is the “granddaughter” of the Baltimore Carmel community, having been founded in 1923 by St. Louis Carmel which came directly from Baltimore. In 1951 our Cleveland community sent nuns to strengthen the Nairobi, Kenya Carmel and a year later founded the first English-speaking Carmel in Canada.
During our years in Cleveland, we have resided in several locations throughout the city. Most recently, we moved to our present location in Cleveland Heights on May 9, 2019.
How does the spirit of Carmel take shape here in Cleveland Heights? Within the daily rhythm of life, prayer, of course, gets prime time. It is prayer in diverse forms. Daily Mass is a festive celebration. One hour of quiet, solitary prayer in the morning and one in the evening hold a privileged position distinctive of St. Teresa’s reform. There is prayer together four times a day, when we sing and recite the Liturgy of the Hours. Its rich texts feed and form us through the Psalms, other passages of scripture, and the seasons of the liturgical year.
The atmosphere of prayer is meant to inspire all the activity of a Carmelite’s life- so much so that we tend to speak of prayer always in the singular: our life is one of prayer, not prayers. Prayer becomes an attitude, a reverent approach to all of life. It is being present to what I am doing, making choices directed to the one for whom I am living.
The work of our day may be connected with the maintenance of the monastery or its fine vegetable and flower gardens. It may involve correspondence with many people who seek and request prayers. Practical aspects of life such as cooking, bookkeeping, library updating, and archive retention are activities that our sisters are engaged in throughout the day. Care and attention are given to the planning of Liturgy in all forms. Each sister has the responsibility and privilege to lead the community in prayer for the Liturgy of Hours.
We are a community that fosters joyful, healthy, holistic living that includes on-going formation and education on many levels. Our daily schedule has built-in flexibility meant to honor both individual differences and our common calling.
As Saint Teresa was a woman of deep prayer in her time, so we seek to be contemporary Carmelites and persons of prayer, singing the Mercies of God.
We look forward to hearing from you. Come back to see our new website!
Contact Information:
Carmel of the Holy Family
2541 Arlington Rd.
Cleveland Heights OH 44118
Phone: (216) 321-6568
email: clevelandcarmelites@gmail.com