By Ana Rodriguez Soto - The Archdiocese of Miami
Mother Teresa of the Sacred Heart, current superior of the group of 11 cloistered Carmelites, proclaims the first reading at the 15th anniversary Mass, held Oct. 15 in the chapel of their future monastery, which is still under construction in Homestead.
In what will eventually be the cloistered section of the chapel, the Discalced Carmelite nuns take part in the Mass marking the 15th anniversary of their arrival in South Florida.
In what will eventually be the cloistered section of the chapel, the Discalced Carmelite nuns provide the music at the Mass marking the 15th anniversary of their arrival in South Florida.
Msgr. Tomas Marin and priests from nearby parishes concelebrate the Mass marking the 15th anniversary of the cloistered Carmelites arrival in South Florida. The Mass took place Oct. 15 in the chapel of their future monastery, which is still under construction in Homestead.
Two of the 11 cloistered Carmelite nuns pray during the Mass marking the 15th anniversary of their arrival.
Two of the 11 cloistered Carmelite nuns pray during the Mass marking the 15th anniversary of their arrival.
View of the exterior of the still under construction Monastery of the Holy Trinity, which will eventually house as many as 24 cloistered Carmelite nuns. Their current home is a former convent on the grounds of Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah.
View of the exterior of the still under construction Monastery of the Holy Trinity, which will eventually house as many as 24 cloistered Carmelite nuns. Their current home is a former convent on the grounds of Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah.
Photography: MONICA LAUZURIQUE | FC
HOMESTEAD | A lot of work remains to be done, but the Discalced Carmelite nuns were able to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their arrival in South Florida in the chapel of their future monastery.
Photographer: MONICA LAUZURIQUE | FC
Mother Teresa of the Sacred Heart, current superior of the group of 11 cloistered Carmelites, proclaims the first reading at the 15th anniversary Mass, held Oct. 15 in the chapel of their future monastery, which is still under construction in Homestead.
The cloistered community of 11 nuns have been living in the convent on the grounds of Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah. Brought to Miami in 2001 by Archbishop Emeritus John C. Favalora, the nuns’ sole mission is to pray for Miami’s people and its priests.
Msgr. Tomás Marín, who was archdiocesan chancellor when they arrived, was the main celebrant of the anniversary Mass Oct. 15. He celebrated it in the still-to-be-completed chapel of their Holy Trinity monastery, located at 29190 S.W. 209 Ave., Homestead.
The original group consisted of eight nuns from the cloister in Querétaro, Mexico. Two women have joined the community in South Florida, and another has professed simple vows. Five more women are in varying stages of discernment, which makes the nuns’ need for a larger monastery even more pressing.
The new building will house up to 24 nuns.
“We’re doing this as we raise funds,” said the current superior, Mother Teresa del Sagrado Corazón.
She explained that the monastery’s outer shell � cement-block exterior, roof, some doors and windows � have been built and installed but many things remain to be done, including plumbing, air conditioning and electricity in various parts of the building.
Construction has been divided into quarters in the hope that the nuns can move in before the monastery is totally finished.
“We’re about to finish the first quarter” of the building, Mother Teresa said. That includes the chapel where the 15th anniversary Mass was celebrated and the rooms where the nuns will live.
The second quarter of the building encompasses the kitchen and common areas. The third quarter includes the laundry. Once those are complete, the nuns hope to move in, she said.
Construction is continuing despite the fact that they owe $1 million to the general contractor. The land is paid for but Mother Teresa said it will take a total of $2.5 million “for our monastery to be debt-free.”
In the meantime, the nuns continue raising funds.
Contributions from other Carmelite convents across the U.S.A. have helped quite a bit, as did a recent marathon on the archdiocesan station, Radio Paz 830 AM, she said.
The community also has received permission to go out to parishes on weekends to sell their home-made religious artifacts and candied nuts � their sole source of support.
“We didn’t want to go out to the parishes but we have no other way to raise funds,” Mother Teresa said.
She does not despair, however. “Since this is the work of God,” she noted, “he’ll know when the time is right” for its completion.
TO HELP
Donations may be made via this website, http://mimonasterio.org/donaciones; or mailed to Madres Carmelitas Descalzas, 4525 W. Second Ave., Hialeah, FL 33012-4457.
