July 25, 2008

Archdiocese thanks Carmelites for 75 years of prayer

Carmelite sisters of the former Monastery of the Resurrection in Indianapolis pose with a proclamation from Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein after a Mass of Thanksgiving on July 16 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral. They are, from left, Sisters Marcia Malone, Rachel Salute, Ruth Boyle, Jean Alice McGoff, Rita Howard, Anna Mary Larkin, Helen Wang, Elizabeth Meluch and Teresa Boersig. (Photo courtesy Denis Ryan Kelly Jr.)

Carmelite sisters of the former Monastery of the Resurrection in Indianapolis pose with a proclamation from Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein after a Mass of Thanksgiving on July 16 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral. They are, from left, Sisters Marcia Malone, Rachel Salute, Ruth Boyle, Jean Alice McGoff, Rita Howard, Anna Mary Larkin, Helen Wang, Elizabeth Meluch and Teresa Boersig. (Photo courtesy Denis Ryan Kelly Jr.)

By Mary Ann Wyand

“Living prayers.”

Nine Carmelite sisters of the former Monastery of the Resurrection in Indianapolis have dedicated their lives to contemplative prayer, Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general, explained in his homily on July 16, and by their years of faithful devotion to God have become “living prayers.”

Msgr. Schaedel paid tribute to the members of the Indianapolis Carmel, who moved to Oldenburg on June 30, during a Mass of Thanksgiving on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. (Also: Read Carmelite Sister Jean Alice McGoff’s remarks and comments by several priests)

Last spring, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis purchased the Carmelites’ 17-acre monastery property for use as the Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary after the nuns decided to move to a smaller, cloistered home in Theresa Hall at the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg.

On behalf of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein—who is recuperating after completing several months of successful cancer treatments—Msgr. Schaedel presented a proclamation to the Carmelite sisters in gratitude for their seven-and-a-half decades of prayerful presence at the monastery on Cold Spring Road near Marian College in Indianapolis.

Archbishop Buechlein’s proclamation read, in part, “Your constant praise of God through 75 years of prayer in Indianapolis has been a sign to all of the union of God with the world. May your life of prayer and contemplation in your new home in Oldenburg bring everyone in the archdiocese closer to Christ. May God bless you!”

In his homily, Msgr. Schaedel noted that, “For over 75 years at the Monastery of the Resurrection, the Carmelite sisters prayed in silence, with humility, never asking for anything in return, and with detachment from whatever might distract them. Now they will continue [their contemplative prayer and cloistered lifestyle] not far away in Oldenburg.”

It’s appropriate that the Carmelite sisters have moved to the campus of the motherhouse of the Franciscan sisters, the vicar general said, because St. Francis of Assisi was described as “a living prayer” and was known for living in the present moment without concern for the past or anxiety about the future.

“In reading about the history of the Monastery of the Resurrection and the life of [Carmelite] Sister Miriam Elder, one of the leaders of the community for a number of years,” Msgr. Schaedel said, “toward the end of her life, Sister Miriam said she was weary … and could no longer say the prayers. But I wonder if she realized finally, toward the end, that she was meant to be a living prayer, not just a woman who says prayers.”

For more than three-quarters of a century, he added, “this has been the gift to us of the Carmelite sisters on Cold Spring Road—living prayers, not just women who pray. It’s the gift they intend to continue giving, and for that we are very grateful.”

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of 2,600 titles that honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, he explained, throughout the world.

“We gather to celebrate Our Lady,” Msgr. Schaedel said, “and we gather to celebrate the ladies who make Carmel—[which means] God’s garden—a real place. … Carmel is more than a mountain in Israel or a monastery on Cold Spring Road or a new monastic home in Oldenburg. Carmel must be in our hearts. We all must have our personal Carmel—the garden of God—that only grows through prayer in silence, humility and detachment.”

Follow Mary, who prays with us and for us, the vicar general said, and “will lead us to the eternal Carmel, the perfect garden of God, which is our destiny.”

Carmelite Sister Jean Alice McGoff, prioress, offered her community’s thanks after accepting the proclamation.

“It is a great joy for me and my community to have gathered with you this evening in the mother church of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis,” Sister Jean Alice said before thanking Archbishop Buechlein and Msgr. Schaedel, “who has supported the transition of our monastery into a seminary since it first emerged as a possibility.”

Quoting St. Teresa of Avila, their refoundress, Sister Jean Alice said, “In the name of my sisters, I repeat these words: ‘The mercies of the Lord we will sing forever.’ ”

Before the special feast day liturgy, Carmelite Sister Teresa Boersig said the sisters are busy settling into their new cloistered home on two floors of Theresa Hall. On most days, they attend Mass in the motherhouse chapel and share meals with the Franciscan sisters.

“We have lovely living quarters,” Sister Teresa said. “They’re very private so we have our own routine. We had our first Mass as a community in our prayer room last Sunday. Father Bernard McAniff, a Jesuit from Brebeuf [Preparatory School in Indianapolis], stopped by on his way back from Cincinnati.

“Everything is very nice there,” Sister Teresa explained. “The sisters all eat together [in the Franciscans’ dining room]. We usually mix in with the [Franciscan] sisters. Today we sat as a community, and they presented us with flowers and we had a lovely meal for our feast day. They’ve been very gracious and very welcoming. … It’s been very pleasant for us … being among friends. The grounds are beautiful, and very conducive to prayer.”

(The sisters’ new mailing address is P.O. Box 260, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. Their telephone number is 812-932-2075 and their e-mail address is indycarmelites@yahoo.com.)

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