The candidate should be a Catholic woman in reputable standing with the Church, who is able to obtain a reference from her parish priest or spiritual director. Certificates of baptism, confirmation and free status are also to be presented before entrance. Please contact the Prioress for more information.

‘See that the bounds of common sense are not exceeded, however,

for common sense is the guide of the virtues.’
~ Rule of St Albert

Is it possible to stay inside the enclosure for a little while to see what community life is really like?

What is involved in initial formation and how long does it take?

The purpose of formation is to bring candidates, who are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit and who respond with love to the gratuitous and loving call of the Lord, gradually to know and live the Discalced Carmelite Nuns' vocation. In order that the candidates may be prepared to consecrate their lives, they will undergo a long period of formation and trial. Its purpose is to enable them to have practical experience of our life and to interiorise its spirit while also giving the community a chance to evaluate their vocation, their attitudes and intentions.

This process of formation includes the aspirancy (before entrance, lasting one to two years), the postulancy period (again, one to two years), the novitiate proper (two years) and the time in temporary vows (at least five years, depending on the total duration). Overall, initial formation now takes a minimum of nine years but can be extended up to a maximum of twelve. This will, of course, depend on the individual candidate and the community involved.

During the aspirancy, the candidate gets to know the community and vice versa through a series of contacts and experiences inside and outside the monastery. The postulancy is the stage when the candidate makes the gradual transition from secular to contemplative monastic life in a more direct and concrete way within the enclosure. On entering the novitiate, the candidate is given the brown habit of the Order and a white veil and proceeds to live the full Carmelite life of prayer, work, study and community activities. She then comes to know its joys and demands, experiences them and begins to interiorise our spirit, all the while deepening her friendship with Christ and becoming more fully conformed to Him.

However, the candidate only becomes a full member of the Order when she makes her religious profession as a Carmelite. She then pledges herself by public vow to live according to the three evangelical counsels and is consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church.

Nowadays she makes her temporary profession initially for three years and then renews it annually until at least nine years of initial formation have been completed. If all goes well, after that time, the religious will be admitted to solemn profession and will make vows committing herself to live according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns for the rest of her life, now receiving a black veil.

'A soul united to Jesus is a living smile that radiates Him and gives Him.'

~ Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity

Is there opportunity for further study after this time?

Yes. Throughout the life of a Carmelite nun, formation is ongoing, as our relationship with Christ develops and is deepened through silence, solitude, prayer and the support of the community. Holy Mother Teresa always wanted to enrich and deepen her knowledge of God so that she could respond more generously to the gift of His presence and action in the soul. Following her example, and in response to the wishes of the Church and to its laws, the sisters pursue their own spiritual, doctrinal and practical formation for their entire lives. Ongoing formation is an indispensible means for constant personal and community renewal, enabling the Discalced Carmelite nuns to live their vocation and theological lives more fully and faithfully adapt the Teresian charism to the current day. As it also has the purpose of helping the community to grow in unity, formation is normally given to all the sisters within the confines of the monastery.