St. Louis, Missouri ~ Carmel of St. Joseph

We are the Carmel of Saint Joseph in St. Louis, Missouri. Carmel takes its name from Mount Carmel in Palestine, and means “a garden”. In the Old Testament, God spoke to the Israelites (Jer. 2:7), “I have led you into the land of Carmel, that you might eat of its fruit and its finest produce” We Carmelites see this as an invitation to share an intimate friendship with Christ.

If you visit our monastery, you will feel the calm and peace of Mount Carmel – a mystical space for God alone, where prayer rises up to God continuously. Our Carmel is privileged to have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament everyday from 6:30 a.m. until 8:15 p.m. every day. The beauty of the Chapel and the grounds makes our Carmel a “beautiful and serene garden” conducive to a life of contemplation and prayer.

The Order of Carmel has a rich history of dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel; we wear the Carmelite habit as a sign of our consecration to her. Like Mary, who pondered in her heart the greatness of God, we strive live in imitation of her, so much so that we can truly say, “Carmel is all Mary’s”.

Our lives are made up of prayer, work and a joyful sharing together. However, we are not oblivious to the needs of the Church and the world. Carmelites know that it is only through the blazing fire of God’s love, that souls are saved and that the peace of Christ will reign in our world. That is the purpose of our existence. Only holiness of life has the power to transform the world. We invite you, young people to let yourselves be transformed by God’s Love, and spread this Love by your lives.