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Solemn Vocation Frontlines Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and In rm Newsletter Fall Winter 2020 EVERYTHING IS GRACE Profession Sister Helena of Mary O Carm Welcome to our Fall Winter issue of Vocation Frontlines It seems not too long ago that we shared with you the sun and fun of spring and summer news on the frontlines of vocation and formation world We nd ourselves nearing the end of 2020 and sadly for many in the world we are still caught up in the battle against COVID 19 Our vocation initiatives have been on hold because of the CDC and State guidelines and yet we have become adept in overcoming obstacles and meeting the needs with surprising creativity to meet the goals Just as things have been in the operations of our Homes so it is with Vocation and Formation work e good thing is that we are resilient people In the words of St John of the Cross Well and good if all things change O Lord provided we are rooted in you I do not think Saint John wrote this in the context of a pandemic but you get the idea Our vocation director has been limited physically as far as travelling but the work of reaching out to young women interested in religious life continues Virtual meetings via ZOOM phone calls emails and social media are now part of the vocation work bundle ey were so before but not to this extent Inquiries continue to come and Sr Mary is there to receive them Our Postulant Sr Katie Nicosia became a novice on August 15 expanding the number of novices into four We pray for more young women to hear God s invitation and join our Community in the service of the elderly in Carmel If you feel called to our Carmelite way of life and inspired to dedicate yourself to the care of the elderly contact us and we will be happy to journey with you in your discernment Vocation Director Sister Mary O Donovan O Carm Email SrMaryOD stmhcs org www carmelitesisters com 518 537 5000 Our three novices Sr Dolores Carmel Sr Sharon Rose and Sr Joanne erese left for their rst mission experience on October 5 ey have joined our Sisters at Garvey Manor Nursing Home in Altoona PA for six weeks to see and experience rst hand our mission and philosophy of care Prior to their departure each went home to see their families for a weeklong vacation in Los Angeles CA Middletown NY and Tampa Florida respectively On September 4 16 2020 our Congregation had its Chapter to elect a new Prioress General We gave them a day to remember and to thank them by organizing an Avila Fair Day You will see on the next pages how much fun that was Birthdays and Feast days were plentiful in the Novitiate during the months of July August and September We thank God for these occasions of graces and blessings ank you for journeying with us in the land of Carmel I hope that the pages of this newsletter will give you a glimpse of God s grace at work In the words of Saint erese of the Child Jesus Everything is Grace Study Classes Reception Day

Solemn Vocation Frontlines Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and In rm Newsletter Fall Winter 2020 EVERYTHING IS GRACE Profession Sister Helena of Mary O Carm Welcome to our Fall Winter issue of Vocation Frontlines It seems not too long ago that we shared with you the sun and fun of spring and summer news on the frontlines of vocation and formation world We nd ourselves nearing the end of 2020 and sadly for many in the world we are still caught up in the battle against COVID 19 Our vocation initiatives have been on hold because of the CDC and State guidelines and yet we have become adept in overcoming obstacles and meeting the needs with surprising creativity to meet the goals Just as things have been in the operations of our Homes so it is with Vocation and Formation work e good thing is that we are resilient people In the words of St John of the Cross Well and good if all things change O Lord provided we are rooted in you I do not think Saint John wrote this in the context of a pandemic but you get the idea Our vocation director has been limited physically as far as travelling but the work of reaching out to young women interested in religious life continues Virtual meetings via ZOOM phone calls emails and social media are now part of the vocation work bundle ey were so before but not to this extent Inquiries continue to come and Sr Mary is there to receive them Our Postulant Sr Katie Nicosia became a novice on August 15 expanding the number of novices into four We pray for more young women to hear God s invitation and join our Community in the service of the elderly in Carmel If you feel called to our Carmelite way of life and inspired to dedicate yourself to the care of the elderly contact us and we will be happy to journey with you in your discernment Vocation Director Sister Mary O Donovan O Carm Email SrMaryOD stmhcs org www carmelitesisters com 518 537 5000 Our three novices Sr Dolores Carmel Sr Sharon Rose and Sr Joanne erese left for their rst mission experience on October 5 ey have joined our Sisters at Garvey Manor Nursing Home in Altoona PA for six weeks to see and experience rst hand our mission and philosophy of care Prior to their departure each went home to see their families for a weeklong vacation in Los Angeles CA Middletown NY and Tampa Florida respectively On September 4 16 2020 our Congregation had its Chapter to elect a new Prioress General We gave them a day to remember and to thank them by organizing an Avila Fair Day You will see on the next pages how much fun that was Birthdays and Feast days were plentiful in the Novitiate during the months of July August and September We thank God for these occasions of graces and blessings ank you for journeying with us in the land of Carmel I hope that the pages of this newsletter will give you a glimpse of God s grace at work In the words of Saint erese of the Child Jesus Everything is Grace Study Classes Reception Day

Birthdays Feast Days VOCATION WORK AMIDST A PANDEMIC Like the rest of the world Covid 19 has a ected my life and work and introduced a new reality As a Vocation Director I believe in the importance of relationships and that the human encounter and presence to discerners is by far the best way to interact Since the onslaught of the pandemic this has been impossible I miss this aspect of my work which I always found energizing and life giving Today as a Vocation Director I nd myself navigating a digital landscape As coordinator of the NRVC Hudson Valley Member Area I have met by zoom with members for meetings I have met with Discerners Virtually and arranged a Discernment Retreat by Zoom Members of the SALT Alumni have met virtually and will continue to meet virtually where we have scheduled festive service projects and A Christmas Variety show for our Residents ough we are experiencing physical distancing we are still connecting through social media and technology My life has become Virtual Virtual and virtually crazy at times trying to juggle dates and times suitable for College Students is pandemic has brought me face to face with experiencing loss of control loneliness vulnerability uncertainty of the future helplessness and tested my resilience It has indeed challenged my faith and provided a platform to consider the deeper questions about the meaning of life I have experienced liminal space where transformation has taken place spiritually Finally I nd myself relating to what Ann Hillman said in her book Awakening the energies of Love Transformation is something that wounds us and calls our very identity into question e challenge asks us to step right into the re ning re and let it burn away our old ideas about who we think we are ere is a phrase in scripture which says In the face of death choose life it does not mean hiding in a cave it means I invent new ways to do vocation work Meister Eckhart said To get at the core of God at His greatest one must rst get into the core of himself at his least e experience of the pandemic has certainly invited us to experience ourselves at our least It has called us to a conversion of mind heart and spirit We have been awakened from our slumber to a new felt sense of call and this is true of many discerners Contact Information Sr Mary O Donovan O Carm Email srmaryod stmhcs org Cell Phone 845 768 2303

Birthdays Feast Days VOCATION WORK AMIDST A PANDEMIC Like the rest of the world Covid 19 has a ected my life and work and introduced a new reality As a Vocation Director I believe in the importance of relationships and that the human encounter and presence to discerners is by far the best way to interact Since the onslaught of the pandemic this has been impossible I miss this aspect of my work which I always found energizing and life giving Today as a Vocation Director I nd myself navigating a digital landscape As coordinator of the NRVC Hudson Valley Member Area I have met by zoom with members for meetings I have met with Discerners Virtually and arranged a Discernment Retreat by Zoom Members of the SALT Alumni have met virtually and will continue to meet virtually where we have scheduled festive service projects and A Christmas Variety show for our Residents ough we are experiencing physical distancing we are still connecting through social media and technology My life has become Virtual Virtual and virtually crazy at times trying to juggle dates and times suitable for College Students is pandemic has brought me face to face with experiencing loss of control loneliness vulnerability uncertainty of the future helplessness and tested my resilience It has indeed challenged my faith and provided a platform to consider the deeper questions about the meaning of life I have experienced liminal space where transformation has taken place spiritually Finally I nd myself relating to what Ann Hillman said in her book Awakening the energies of Love Transformation is something that wounds us and calls our very identity into question e challenge asks us to step right into the re ning re and let it burn away our old ideas about who we think we are ere is a phrase in scripture which says In the face of death choose life it does not mean hiding in a cave it means I invent new ways to do vocation work Meister Eckhart said To get at the core of God at His greatest one must rst get into the core of himself at his least e experience of the pandemic has certainly invited us to experience ourselves at our least It has called us to a conversion of mind heart and spirit We have been awakened from our slumber to a new felt sense of call and this is true of many discerners Contact Information Sr Mary O Donovan O Carm Email srmaryod stmhcs org Cell Phone 845 768 2303

Solemn Vocation Frontlines Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and In rm Newsletter Fall Winter 2020 EVERYTHING IS GRACE Profession Sister Helena of Mary O Carm Welcome to our Fall Winter issue of Vocation Frontlines It seems not too long ago that we shared with you the sun and fun of spring and summer news on the frontlines of vocation and formation world We nd ourselves nearing the end of 2020 and sadly for many in the world we are still caught up in the battle against COVID 19 Our vocation initiatives have been on hold because of the CDC and State guidelines and yet we have become adept in overcoming obstacles and meeting the needs with surprising creativity to meet the goals Just as things have been in the operations of our Homes so it is with Vocation and Formation work e good thing is that we are resilient people In the words of St John of the Cross Well and good if all things change O Lord provided we are rooted in you I do not think Saint John wrote this in the context of a pandemic but you get the idea Our vocation director has been limited physically as far as travelling but the work of reaching out to young women interested in religious life continues Virtual meetings via ZOOM phone calls emails and social media are now part of the vocation work bundle ey were so before but not to this extent Inquiries continue to come and Sr Mary is there to receive them Our Postulant Sr Katie Nicosia became a novice on August 15 expanding the number of novices into four We pray for more young women to hear God s invitation and join our Community in the service of the elderly in Carmel If you feel called to our Carmelite way of life and inspired to dedicate yourself to the care of the elderly contact us and we will be happy to journey with you in your discernment Vocation Director Sister Mary O Donovan O Carm Email SrMaryOD stmhcs org www carmelitesisters com 518 537 5000 Our three novices Sr Dolores Carmel Sr Sharon Rose and Sr Joanne erese left for their rst mission experience on October 5 ey have joined our Sisters at Garvey Manor Nursing Home in Altoona PA for six weeks to see and experience rst hand our mission and philosophy of care Prior to their departure each went home to see their families for a weeklong vacation in Los Angeles CA Middletown NY and Tampa Florida respectively On September 4 16 2020 our Congregation had its Chapter to elect a new Prioress General We gave them a day to remember and to thank them by organizing an Avila Fair Day You will see on the next pages how much fun that was Birthdays and Feast days were plentiful in the Novitiate during the months of July August and September We thank God for these occasions of graces and blessings ank you for journeying with us in the land of Carmel I hope that the pages of this newsletter will give you a glimpse of God s grace at work In the words of Saint erese of the Child Jesus Everything is Grace Study Classes Reception Day

Birthdays Feast Days VOCATION WORK AMIDST A PANDEMIC Like the rest of the world Covid 19 has a ected my life and work and introduced a new reality As a Vocation Director I believe in the importance of relationships and that the human encounter and presence to discerners is by far the best way to interact Since the onslaught of the pandemic this has been impossible I miss this aspect of my work which I always found energizing and life giving Today as a Vocation Director I nd myself navigating a digital landscape As coordinator of the NRVC Hudson Valley Member Area I have met by zoom with members for meetings I have met with Discerners Virtually and arranged a Discernment Retreat by Zoom Members of the SALT Alumni have met virtually and will continue to meet virtually where we have scheduled festive service projects and A Christmas Variety show for our Residents ough we are experiencing physical distancing we are still connecting through social media and technology My life has become Virtual Virtual and virtually crazy at times trying to juggle dates and times suitable for College Students is pandemic has brought me face to face with experiencing loss of control loneliness vulnerability uncertainty of the future helplessness and tested my resilience It has indeed challenged my faith and provided a platform to consider the deeper questions about the meaning of life I have experienced liminal space where transformation has taken place spiritually Finally I nd myself relating to what Ann Hillman said in her book Awakening the energies of Love Transformation is something that wounds us and calls our very identity into question e challenge asks us to step right into the re ning re and let it burn away our old ideas about who we think we are ere is a phrase in scripture which says In the face of death choose life it does not mean hiding in a cave it means I invent new ways to do vocation work Meister Eckhart said To get at the core of God at His greatest one must rst get into the core of himself at his least e experience of the pandemic has certainly invited us to experience ourselves at our least It has called us to a conversion of mind heart and spirit We have been awakened from our slumber to a new felt sense of call and this is true of many discerners Contact Information Sr Mary O Donovan O Carm Email srmaryod stmhcs org Cell Phone 845 768 2303