A Blessed Christmas & A Grace-filled New Year 2015!

Prayerful greetings from all the Sisters!

“He came as a LIGHT to illumine the darkness.
To those who receive HIM, He brought light and peace:

peace with the Father in heaven,
peace with everyone who, like them,
are children of light — a deep interior peace of heart.
The Child in the manger extends His little hands,

and His smiles seems to be saying
what would come forth later from the lips of the Man:

“Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy burdened.”

         
              - St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

OPENING OF 5th CENTENARY OF OHM St TERESA of AVILA

Procession with the relic of La Madre and her Centenary Candle

The concelebrants

The choir

Father Provincial as main celebrant assisted by Rev. Jan Goyvaerts, deacon of the Troostbasilica

Sr. Maria of Brugge playing the violin during Offertory and Holy Communion

Secular Members of the Carmelite Family

The Carmelite Nuns and brothers, with Fr. Piet Hoornaert, superior of Gent community

A BLESSED ADVENT TO ALL!

With Mary, we await in joyful expectation for the coming of Our Lord!

decoration in our Troostbasilica

Advent house

CENTENARY PRAYER - St. Teresa of Avila

ST. TERESA OF AVILA
1515-1582

   First woman doctor of the Church

Reformer and Foundress of the
Discalced Carmelite Order

CENTENARY PRAYER
translated by Fr. John Sullivan, OCD

(Novena days 6-14 October; Feast 15 October)

“ Loving Father, you grant us the grace
of celebrating this feast of St. Teresa.

You offer us the example of her life,
the help of her intercession,

and the share in her destiny
that we might be inspired
by the joyful witness of her actions
and follow resolutely
the way she has shown us.

A way of humility and truth,

of poverty and joy,
of obedience and freedom,
of self-sacrifice and mutual love,

of prayer and commitment,

a way of perfection.

This way is none other than your own Son,
Jesus Christ,
the One Who was crucified for us,

the One who rose from the dead,
the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one goes to the Father except through Him,
the only way of salvation,

our Way and nourishment,

our Companion as we walk,

our True Friend.

Grant to us, O Lord, through St. Teresa
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
that we might know how to follow her teaching
and, like her, enjoy true life in your house,

the home of us all.
AMEN

                            

Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus - feast of the novitiate!

October 1; Feast of St. Therese,  is the feast of the novitiate.
Sr. Marie Paul Thérèse here reads her retreat account.
She renewed her temporary vows after the Holy Mass. Loving congratulations, dear Sister!

Bookmarks with texts from St. Therese given to the Sisters.

Every year, the community is invited to the novitiate on this day
for a simple paraliturgy in honor of Little Therese.
This year took on another significance because Sr. Paul Therese bade goodbye
 from the novitiate to move on to her next phase of formation in the community.

After 5 years in the novitiate dormitory, Sr Paul Therese now transfers to the community dormitory. We accompanied her in procession to her new room, while singing the Litany of Our Blessed Mother,  to begin the  Rosary month.

In her new room (In Carmel we call it "our cell").
Our Mother welcomed her to the community with short exhortation related to her retreat account.

Links to the virtual choir of Carmelites

For the opening of the 500 year of the birth of our holy Mother, St. Teresa of Avila, a virtual choir of Carmelite nuns from different parts of the world has been created and now available at You Tube:
Virtual Choir of Carmelites : NADA te TURBE

It has received very positive reactions from those who have seen it, including young people! They may not directly understand the lyrics because it is in Spanish: "Nada te Turbe" but the music and the concept as a whole speak so strongly to the viewers.

Here is also a second virtual choir composed of Carmelite nuns, friars and OCDS (secular order of Carmelites): SALVE REGINA

Enjoy watching them and share with your families and friends.

Prayer to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Novena (7-15 July; 16 July Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel)

O most beautiful Flower of Mt. Carmel
Fruitful Vine, Splendour of Heaven.
Blessed Mother of the Sonf of God,
Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity,
O Star of the Sea, help me and show me
herein you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Queen of Heaven and Earth,
I humbly beseech your from the bottom of my heart,
to succour me in this necessity:
there are none that can withstand your power.

O show me herein you are my Mother,
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x)

EASTER

The Lord is risen, alleluia!!!

We wish you a blessed and joyous Easter! 

Decoration in our recreation room by our junior-professed novice, Sr. Marie Paul Therese

Community photo taken on Easter Sunday with our new Sisters.

Our Mother prepared Easter eggs for the Sisters with rosary bracelet inside.

 

Our new Sisters from the Carmel of St. Niklaas

 Sr. Marie Vianney (L) and Sr. Godewende (R)

 Singing together the Salve Regina before the image of Our Lady of Consolarion upon their arrival.

On 3 April 2014, we welcomed with joy to our community Sr. Marie Vianney and Sr; Godewende from the Carmel of St. Niklaas, which was officially closed on 27 March 2014. Another sister from the same Carmel, Sr. Marie Joséé, who opted to stay  in WZC Coleta, a home for the Elderly in Ghent, asked conventuality in the Carmel of Vilvoorde. So, officially we are 12 Sisters in the community as of  April 2014. May God and Mother Mary grant them a smooth integration into their new community. Our warmest welcome, dear Sisters!

Funeral of Sr. Maria Augustina of the Trinity

Twenty minutes before the Mass the Sisters aligned themselves in row behind the coffin. Everyone who came in sprinkled her remains with holy water.

Rev. Fr. Paul De Bois, OCD, the community confessor, was the main celebrant, assisted by our permanent deacon, Rev. Jan Goyvaerts

Fr. Paul gave a very beautiful homily, not failing to mention the typical smile of our dear Sr.Augustina, which she wore till the end.

Father incensed the altar and the remains.

The choir which led the singing of the Requiem Mass.

The concelebrating priests, one of whom was an Orthodox priest.

Singing of Marian Hymn at the end of the Mass facing the image of Our Blessed Mother.

Going to the cemetery

Vilvoorde Cemetery

Final blessings

Community graveyard

May our dearest Sr. Augustina rest in eternal peace in the loving embrace of her Holy Trinity!

Sr. Maria Augustina of the Trinity

Our dearest Sr. Maria Augustina went home to God peacefully on the evening of March 9, 2014, strengthened by the Sacrament and surrounded by the loving prayers of her Sisters.

A Prayer Vigil will be held on March 12, at 16:30 pm, in the Troostbasilica. The Funeral Mass will take place on March 13, at 11:00 o'clock AM, to be presided by the community confessor, Rev. Fr. Paul De Bois, OCD.

We recommend to your holy prayer our dearest Sister just as she prays for you, where she is now enjoying eternal rest in the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father.