Discalced Carmelites of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Launceston Carmel was founded from Glen Osmond Adelaide in June 1948 at Longford, Tasmania. The community moved to the present monastery built in the hills of West Launceston in April 1975 at the request of the then Archbishop Guilford Young to be nearer the priests and people.
We live in strict papal enclosure as desired by St. Teresa and given by the Church. Our life is essentially one of prayer and sacrifice in solitude, for the sake of the Church and the world, supported by life in community. We wear the habit of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a sign of our consecration.
The centre of our day is the celebration of Holy Mass and the full Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours), using a combination of Latin and English. Following on from this vocal prayer and praise, we make two hours of contemplative prayer each day, a distinctive element of St Teresa’s charism. An hour of spiritual reading takes place alone in the cell each day, as well as private recitation of the rosary, while we pray together as a Community the Angelus three times a day. The eremitical roots of the Carmelite vocation are fostered by a 10 day retreat in the hermitage in the monastery enclosure grounds and a monthly day of recollection in the hermitage also. Each year the Community are nourished by an 8 day preached retreat.
We support ourselves by simple manual work including the making of vestments, church linens etc. and some printing. This with the ordinary work of housework, gardening, kitchen activities etc, occupies about 5 hours each day. We enjoy two hours of community recreation each day when we come together and support each other in simple joy and sisterly communion.
Contact:
Mother Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, OCD
Prioress
Carmelite Monastery
7 Cambridge Street,
Launceston 7250 Tasmania
Australia
+61 (03) 63313585
tascarmel1@gmail.com
https://launcestoncarmel.com
Professed Members: Contact for more information
Year Founded: 1948
Archdiocese: Hobart, Tasmania (Australia)
Worldwide: Every continent
Qualifications: Contact for more information
Formation: Contact for more information
Age range/limit: 20-40
Belated vocations? Yes. Late vocations are considered on an individual basis