Home Page for Carmelite Convent Darlington
Work
Books available
Crafts available
Cards available
Cards for Any Occasions
Mass Cards for death and bereavement
Rosaries and prayers
Mainly for Lent
St Therese
St Teresa of Jesus (Teresa of Avila)
Feast Day Cards
Jubilee Cards
Mass Cards for the Living
Notelets: Psalms
Notelets: Friendship
Thank you cards: Floral
Thank you cards: Religious
Thank you cards
St Therese Notelets
Thinking of you
Notelets: Peace
Notelets: Light
Birthday Cards
Ordination to the Diaconate
Clothing Day
Profession Day
Ordination Cards
Ordination Anniversaries
Sympathy
Get Well
Wedding Day
Wedding Anniversary
New Baby and Baptism
First Holy Communion
Confirmation
St Patrick
Questions and answers
Contact Information for Carmelite Convent
Links for Carmelite Convent
Guestbook
Mail Form
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How many nuns are in your community?
 At present there are 14 sisters.
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Why do you wear a brown habit?
Brown was one of the cheapest materials there were, when St Teresa started the reform.
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Do you take a vow of silence?
Carmelites don't take this vow, but some Poor Clare nuns do.
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How old is the youngest nun in your community?
 She's in her thirties.
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Don't you find being a nun boring?
On the whole there's too much happening to be bored. Prayer time can become very difficult and some people may call it boring, but if you just keep at it, in time it will yield fruit.
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Can nuns get married?
Nuns get married to the Lord. That does not mean women who have been married before cannot become nuns. Under certain circumstances they are admitted.
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Do you sing?
We sing parts of the Office and parts of Mass.
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Do you play instruments?
Anybody who is musical is encouraged to keep it up, but they are not forced to do so. The organ in chapel is played and other instruments if there are competent players.
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Do you have a garden?
 We have three and a half acres of land which includes the house, a pond, some hermitages, an orchard, and some areas for flowers and vegetables.
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Do you grow your own food?
We grow some vegetables and some fruit, but not nearly enough for our needs.
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Do you ever go out?
We go out for civic duties i.e. voting, for medical reasons, and we are allowed to go out for shopping when necessary.
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What do you do all day?
Our basic timetable:
5.30am - Rise
6.00-7.00 - Private Prayer
Breakfast
7.20am - Divine Office: Lauds (Morning Prayer)
8.00am - Mass & Thanksgiving
9.00am - Divine Office: Terce (1st Little Hour)
Work Time
11.15am - Divine Office: Sext (2nd Little Hour)
Lunch & dishes
12.00-1.00pm - Community Recreation
Divine office of None (3rd Little Hour) said privately.
1.00pm-2.00pm - Work Time
2.00pm - Spiritual Reading
3.00pm - Tea followed by Work
4.00pm - Private Prayer
5.00pm - Divine office: Vespers (Evening Prayer)
6.15pm - Supper & dishes
7.00pm - Free Recreation
7.30pm - Divine Office of Readings
8.00pm - Community Recreation
8.30pm - Divine Office: Compline (Night Prayer)
Retire
The above is not set in stone, there is a degree of flexibility.
Every evening there is some free time.
Every Wednesday there is free time instead of Community Recreation.
On Sundays, Solemnities and some Feast days there is no unnecessary work.
Work:
Domestic work: Cleaning, Cooking, Etc.
Administration: Accounts, Letters.
Computer/design: Greetings Cards and Book work
Other manual work: Making Scapulars (cutting, sewing, etc), making Rosaries.
In Recreation time the sisters enjoy various craft activities and games.
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Can anyone be a nun?
 A person would have to be female, free of family commitments and free of wedlock.
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Are there any age restrictions when joining?
People need to have have finished school and had some period of further studies or work.
We are open to accepting late vocations.
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Why are you enclosed?
The reason enclosure started was for protection. Now it's viewed as safeguard for our way of life; the protection of our silence and our solitude.
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What's inside the enclosure?
It's our house, our garden, our part of the chapel - where we live.
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Can people come in and look around the enclosure?
Not usually. Occasionally there will be an open day when people can come in a have a look, but that is very seldom.
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What are your bedrooms like?
Each Sister has her own bedroom, it has been that way from the early days of the Order. We refer to the bedrooms as cells. Simply furnished; no tv's and no carpets. There is a table, a chair, a bed, a wash basin and a place to keep extra clothes.
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Do you take vows for ever?
 Yes. We take vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. You can see Sr Mary Joseph renewing her vows on the celebration of her silver jubilee. She is the one on the left.
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Do you ever see your family or friends again?
Yes. Family and friends can come and visit, you can also write and receive letters.
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How do you become a nun?
When you feel called by the Lord and the call doesn't go away, it is time to contact a religious order/community. If they feel that you do have a call, they will allow you to join them.
As a postulant and novice you are still free to leave, but once final vows have been taken you are committed for life.
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Do you have a Mother Superior?
 Each Carmelite community has a Prioress who is the Mother Superior. They may not call her that, but that is her official title.
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Are you the same as other Carmelite communities?
Each community is autonomous which means we are all independent. The ties we have with each other are ones of friendship and belonging to the same Order. So no community is exactly the same as another one.
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What's special/unique about your community?
 Darlington is the oldest, English speaking Carmel in the world. The only one left of the ones that were founded on the continent during penal times.
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Can people come and stay with you for a while?
We have limited facilities, but can put up three or four people as guests or retreatants who wish a private/quiet retreat.
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What do you do for fun?
Some sisters like gardening, handiwork. Other sisters enjoy watching videos occasionally. We also have pets we enjoy caring for.
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