By Geoffrey Stumpo
For Proclaim!
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, commonly referred to as the Little Flower, was a Discalced Carmelite Catholic nun from France. Born in 1873, she entered the Carmelite cloister at only 15 years of age and passed away in 1897 at only 24 years old.
In her short life on earth, she helped inspire many of her fellow Nuns, and in the years since her passing has become well-known for her writings and for her “Little Way.”
In 1997, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II. She is considered by many “the greatest Saint of modern times” and is the patron Saint of missionaries, the sick, and florists.
Saint Thérèse highlights how cloistered nuns are not a myth or folk tale, but a real vocation lived by real people. Cloistered nuns are not a chapter of history relegated to the ancient past either. In fact, cloistered communities such as the Discalced Carmelites are not just alive but also thriving, including right here in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
The Carmelite Monastery of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux in Loretto was founded in 1927 and currently has 10 cloistered nuns including four newer members as well as two aspirants, Olivia Garcia and Alexis Jodon, who both intend to enter the community.
Their novitiate currently includes Sister Miriam Elise of the Visitation who is junior professed, Sister Agnes of Saint Joseph who is a novice, and Sister Katherine who is a postulant. Furthermore, on July 12, Sister Marie Therese of the Infant Jesus had the joy of making her Solemn Profession of Vows.
Recently, the Carmelites in Loretto hosted their annual Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Novena. The Novena, which always ends on Feast Day of Saint Thérèse, runs from September 23 to October 1 every year.
Through praying a Novena, the faithful dedicate nine days of prayer often for a specific intention or intentions. Every day of the Novena to Saint Thérèse includes Eucharistic Adoration, prayers asking for her intercession before God, and the celebration of Mass. On closing night, Roses are distributed in honor of “the Little Flower” Saint Thérèse by the local first communicants.
The Carmelites typically invite a Carmelite priest to celebrate the Novena; however, this year the guest priest had a last-minute surgery, so the nuns instead invited diocesan and religious priests from throughout the area including Bishop Mark; Father Aron Maghsoudi, Pastor of All Saints Parish in Boswell, Holy Family Parish in Hooversville, and Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish in Central City; and Father Stephen Mary Waruszewski, TOR, Director of Campus Ministry at Saint Francis University, among others.
Throughout the Novena, the faithful open themselves up to the fruits and graces of the spirit and listen to the inspiring words from the homilist, which typically includes spiritual wisdom from the writings and life of Saint Thérèse.
When asked what the average person can learn from Saint Thérèse, Mother John of the Cross, OCD, Mother Superior of the Carmelite Monastery in Loretto, responded:
“That God is our loving Father who has unconditional love for us. Becoming holy is not of performing great works or being the “perfect” person. No, it is a matter of love. If we believe that God loves us unconditionally, then we want to return our love wholeheartedly in total self-surrender. It is in humility that we can walk the path of childlike simplicity and have total trust and confidence in the God who loves us. Saint Therese shows us this in her Little Way. She is a beacon of light for our world.”
Mother John of the Cross went on to explain the essence of a cloistered vocation, particularly a vocation as a Carmelite nun by stating:
“The vocation of a Discalced Carmelite Nun is a call from God to a hidden life of prayer and sacrifice in imitation of Our Lady. Our desire is to love God above all things and to unite ourselves in a special way to the Church and its mystery–offering our prayers for the salvation of souls and especially to pray for priests. It is a simple, joyous life, uniting solitude and silence on the one hand with sisterly sharing of our ideals on the other.”
The women called to a cloistered life spend the rest of their lives in the cloister, and aside from very rare exceptions such as to see a specialist, they never leave the cloister, meaning they miss funerals, weddings, and baptisms of loved ones. Some cloistered communities such as the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Alabama even go as far as to have their own dental equipment on-site to help them stay cloistered.
It has been recognized by many that in a cloistered community, the nuns are not locked in from the outside, but rather that the nuns lock the door from the inside, locking out the world, so that they can be completely and solemnly dedicated to prayer.
The cloistered vocation is a calling of absolute trust in the Lord, as they depend entirely on the outside world for their needs. The process to become a cloistered nun often takes a decade or more of prayerful discernment, direction, and consideration.
Anyone who has ever had the privilege of talking to, meeting, or even just seeing a cloistered nun from a distance through the cast-iron grille of the cloister can testify that cloistered nuns are the most joyful and peaceful people on earth. The love of Christ reflects off them and illuminates their surroundings.
If you would like to donate to the Carmelite Monastery of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux in Loretto, or if a young woman is interested in joining their order, Mother John of the Cross encourages you to contact them through their website email, to write them a letter, or to even just stop by the cloister in Loretto.
We can be assured that the Sisters are always praying for us, so please pray for the Carmelite Nuns in Loretto, especially Sister Miriam Elise of the Visitation (junior professed), Sister Agnes of Saint Joseph (novice), Sister Katherine (postulant), Sister Marie Therese of the Infant Jesus (recently Solemnly Professed), and Olivia Garcia and Alexis Jodon (aspirants).
The nuns hope you will join them in prayer next year for their Novena to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux from September 23 through October 1, 2026!
[Photos: (Top) A large crowd fills Carmel on one of the nights of the 2025 Novena; (First inset) Sister Miriam Elise, Sister Katherine, and Sister Agnes; (Second inset) Faithful fill the chapel for the Novenva; (Third inset) Bishop Mark delivering a homily for one of the Novena Masses; (Fourth inset) Sister Marie Therese on the occasion of her Solemn Profession.]
