Byzantine Discalced Carmelites

The Byzantine Discalced Carmelites [1] are a community of cloistered nuns of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church living committed to a life of prayer, according to the tradition and lifestyle of the Discalced Carmelites.

It was out of a desire for Christian reconciliation and inspired by Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council that the Byzantine Carmel was brought to life. Holy Annunciation Carmel's founding Sisters, Mother Marija of the Holy Spirit, Sister Marie Helen of the Cross and Sister Ann of the Trinity (d. 2001) offered their lives for the healing of the Body of Christ with the inauguration of the monastery on 23 February 1977. The Most Reverend Michael Dudick (1916–2007), the Bishop of the Ruthenians of Passaic, New Jersey, assumed the total burden of financial responsibility and assisted the community for years. Father Walter Ciszek, S.J. both guided the sisters in the establishment of this new foundation and introduced the community to Bishop Michael.

"Divine providence directed us to the Ruthenian people and their diocese of Passaic NJ, which stems from the Uzhgorod-Mukachevo eparchy in Transcarpathia (now Ukraine). At the time of founding Holy Annunciation, Communism was in full force and daily we prayed for "our suffering brethren" (behind the iron curtain). As Communism weakened and then collapsed (1989-1990) we received requests, even applications, from young women in Byzantine Slovakia and Carpathia who felt they had a Carmelite vocation. Several Byzantine rite girls came to us from Slovakia and Carpathia. We in turn promised, when feasible, that a foundation would be made in their homeland. This has been our endeavor since 1995, and in 2002 we sent Sisters there to begin the Monastery of St. Therese in Koritnyani, Transcarpathia." - Mother Marija

In 1999 the community, through an unusual chain of events accepted five young women of the South Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic Church as members. These sister comprise one third of the community and have greatly blessed Carmel by their presence. Bishop Dudick encouraged the assistance of sister Eastern Catholic Churches.

See also

• Carmelites
• Carmelite Rule of St. Albert
• Book of the First Monks
• Constitutions of the Carmelite Order
• Hermit
• Mary of Egypt
• Dialogues of the Carmelites

External links

• Carmelite Vocation
• Poetry of John of the Cross
• Discalced Carmelite Calendar and Saints
• Carmel's Heights - This CD album is an attempt to share with all some of Carmel's Saints - real persons of flesh and blood - who share with us in song their own spiritual experiences.
• Desert Mothers of Europe
• Sayings of the Desert Fathers
• Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
• Carmelite Hermits of the Trinity

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