J
Jennifer_G
Guest
Can anyone tell me about the St. Teresa Association of Camelites?
Do you mean the Order of Discalced Carmelites, sometimes referred to as ‘Teresian’ Carmelites, or Carmelites of the Teresian Reform?Can anyone tell me about the St. Teresa Association of Camelites?
That’s the one I’m asking about.Or perhaps the St Teresa Association of Discalced Monasteries:
carmelnuns.com/Association/AboutTheAssociation.html
Or maybe something else altogether?![]()
These are the convents which chose their constitutions in 1990 and who are under direct jurisdiction of the pope, rather than of the friars, as is the case of those which follow the constitutions of 1991.That’s the one I’m asking about.

So, what does that mean? (I have no idea what it means by being under the jurisdiction of the pope vs the friars and what the constitutions say).These are the convents which chose their constitutions in 1990 and who are under direct jurisdiction of the pope, rather than of the friars, as is the case of those which follow the constitutions of 1991.
HTH
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I hope I’m not just telling you what you already know, but:So, what does that mean? (I have no idea what it means by being under the jurisdiction of the pope vs the friars and what the constitutions say).
All of those Carmels in the St. Teresa Association are of the 1991 Constitutions, which means they are all under the jurisdiction of the friars.These are the convents which chose their constitutions in 1990 and who are under direct jurisdiction of the pope, rather than of the friars, as is the case of those which follow the constitutions of 1991.
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Carmels in the St. Teresa Assocation are actually under the friars and follow the 1991 Constitution, however to better understand the constitutions and assocations and their differences it might be of interest to you to read this.So, what does that mean? (I have no idea what it means by being under the jurisdiction of the pope vs the friars and what the constitutions say).
Wow! That was quite informative! So, I guess to sum it up, the ones that follow the 1990 constitution are more likely to be traditional than the 1991 constitution. I wonder if Terre Haute and Port Tobacco Carmels (1991) are traditional (are they?). I do see that they wear habits… The closest Carmelite monastary to me (I used to ride past - nearby, rather - it when I had a job in the area), Baltimore Carmel, seems more liberal though.Carmels in the St. Teresa Assocation are actually under the friars and follow the 1991 Constitution, however to better understand the constitutions and assocations and their differences it might be of interest to you to read this.
Yeah, they do tend to be more traditional…Wow! That was quite informative! So, I guess to sum it up, the ones that follow the 1990 constitution are more likely to be traditional than the 1991 constitution. I wonder if Terre Haute and Port Tobacco Carmels (1991) are traditional (are they?). I do see that they wear habits… The closest Carmelite monastary to me (I used to ride past - nearby, rather - it when I had a job in the area), Baltimore Carmel, seems more liberal though.![]()
Morristown (NJ) and Flemington (NJ) would both only be three hours away from you.… The closest Carmelite monastary to me (I used to ride past - nearby, rather - it when I had a job in the area), Baltimore Carmel, seems more liberal though.![]()
I looked at a website for the CCA, and was surprised to see Boston on it! They all wear habits from what I saw in the pictures. Does anyone have any experience with them? I was really interested in contacting them, and I sent an email a few days ago.Yeah, they do tend to be more traditional…
Pope John Paul II validated both the 1990 and 1991 Constitution and said, “Both texts, equally approved by the Church, are a faithful interpretation of the Teresian Carmelite charism."
I guess it is all a matter of where God is calling you.
As concerns the habits… you’ll find a good deal of 1991 Carmels still wear the habit (or some modified form of it), whether one would consider them of a more traditional way of life or not. Baltimore is part of the Carmelite Communities Associated, which are of a extremely more “progressive” mind.
I don’t have any experience with Terre Haute or Port Tobacco, but I have heard good things about both. I’ve heard especially a good deal about Terre Haute. Margaret Clare, author of the original on the link I posted, wrote elsewhere that she had been told by Des Plaines (1990 Carmel and “a daughter foundation” of Terre Haute) that they were close to Terre Haute and Terre Haute was a very good Carmel.
Port Tobacco has individual hermitages which is very different and nice.
There are some women over on www.phatmass.com who have had correspondence and visited each and spoke some about it. You might want to get an account there and search “Terre Haute” and “Port Tobacco” in the search bar. Numerous threads will come up where both are mentioned.
This is a nice little page to visit too with mostly pictures of 1990 Carmels. There are some more traditional 1991s amongst them.
picasaweb.google.com/ocdnuns
I don’t know anything about them.I looked at a website for the CCA, and was surprised to see Boston on it! They all wear habits from what I saw in the pictures. Does anyone have any experience with them? I was really interested in contacting them, and I sent an email a few days ago.![]()
Their monastery reminds me of St. Therese’s monastery very much. I love the architecture. They have a very informative website, too.I don’t know anything about them.
What a beautiful monastery though! Beautiful stain-glass.
The assocation is generally not of a traditional mind… but each Carmel is unique…
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