Monks

The Carmelite Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel are a monastic or cloistered Roman Catholic community.

In the solitude and silence of their monasteries, the Carmelite monks seek to perpetuate the charism of the Blessed Virgin Mary by living the word of God day and night.

The Carmelite Monks are the only monastery of contemplative, cloistered monks within the family of Carmel. Their life is characterized by prayer and contemplation. This community of Carmelite hermits live a hidden life of silence and prayer and separation from the world for the good of the Church.

The friars (brothers) are the oldest continually-surviving branch of the Carmelite Family. The very first Carmelites were hermits living on Mount Carmel. There were always solitary hermits or communities of monks on Mount Carmel. The Order was created and given their rules by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, St Albert Avigadro. This became known as the Carmelite Rule of St Albert.

The Carmelite monks live in accordance to the primitive Carmelite Rule and the ancient monastic observance of Carmelite men and are devoted to Mary and serve God through prayer, community and fraternity. The Carmelites also keep alive the ancient eremitical custom of permitting the monks to take walks during recreation through the woods and countryside within the monastery.

Inspired by the life and spirit of Prophet Elijah, the purpose of Carmelite life is precise - it is a life of prayer and sacrifice for the sanctification of priests and the salvation of souls.

Like the 13th-century hermits, the Carmelite monks are dedicated to a life of solitude.