Our Convents
Mount Carmel Home, Corpus Christi Texas It was around 1945 that our Sisters at the Day Nursery in Corpus Christi began to consider the possibility of our establishing an additional foundation in the area -- a Home of the Aged. Bishop Emmanuel B Ledvina readily gave his consent, as well as a thousand dollars toward the purchase of land on South Alameda Street, for he saw a great need in the dioceses for this type of facility. During the next few years, many benefactors gave generously to the building fund and ground breaking took place on February 2, 1953.
Although slowly expanding, Corpus Christi was very small city when, in the Marian Year of 1954, Mt. Carmel Home was opened. The surrounding properties were mostly cotton field with small houses. The Catholic population was not very large since the majority of people were Baptists. Nevertheless, the 65 rooms in the beautiful Spanish Mission-type structure were quickly filled by elderly men and women of all denominations.
Mother M. Celilia was the first Superior of the Home. She and the Sisters faced many hardships as they had no real convent. During the rainy seasons , their quarters in the basement, where the temporary chapel was also located, were often flooded. While visiting the Home, Mother M Katharina, our Superior General at that time, wrote about the some of the conditions she encountered: "There are many difficulties, but the work is done with great love and the Sisters are happy. May this Home grow and blossom with God's blessing for the salvation of souls."
The Home did indeed grow! In 1965, with a helping hand from benefactors, a convent, a chapel and 27 additional rooms for the residents were built, and the existing kitchen and dining area were expanded. The following year on the Feast of St. Joseph. Bishop Thomas J. Drury officiated at the blessing ceremony, consisting of an afternoon Mass and reception.
Twice during the last 20 years, the convent of Mr. Carmel Home has served as the Novitiate for the Southwestern Province - form the early '70s until the early '80s and for a period in '88 and '89, after which time it was again moved back to the Provincial Motherhouse in La Mesa, California, where it was originally established in 1951.
Like all American cities, Corpus Christi has changed over the years as a result of the urbanization of rural life and the suburban movement. Its cotton field have been turned into shopping centers, office buildings, and apartment houses. The elderly, too have seen many changes. Today, those who apply for admission to our Home often felt left our of the automated and computerized world in which they find themselves. Furthermore, they experience loneliness living with an employed son or daughter whose spouse also works all day, or they become frustrated because of grand-children's modern attitudes and totally different lifestyle. Consequently, more aging persons are in residential care than every before. As our Home continues to provide a gracious living environment for our 92 residents, we are filled with wonder at the foresight of our Mother Foundress in handing down to us a work which is so urgently needed and so effectively apostolic in our contemporary times.
Little Flower Haven, La Mesa, California
Fifty-three years ago the Most Reverend Charles F Buddy bestowed on us the honor of being the first Sisters to be invited to work in the newly erected Diocese of San Diego. In August of 1938 dear Mother M. Francis and Mother M. Benedicta arrived in San Diego to look over the property which the Bishop offered them in the suburb of La Mesa. Shortly afterwards on the Feast of Our Holy Mother St. Teresa, three other Sisters arrived to help get the Little Flower Haven ready for occupancy. Until a section of the house was transformed into a convent, the Sisters stayed at a hospital in San Diego; consequently, they had to commute regularly by bus. There were other inconveniences in those early days, but the Sisters loved the place. "It is like paradise!" they declared. Nestled among the mountains, the Haven had a large avocado grove on the hill at the rear of the property, and a garden with a lovely variety of flowers and shrubbery as well as orange and lemon trees.
It was about a month after the death of our dear Mother Foundress, that the first Holy Mass was celebrated in the temporary chapel by Father Fortier on October 19, 1938. The following day, Sister M. Athanasia, Sister M. Liguoria and Sister M. Ursula came from San Antonio, Texas and, together with Sister M. Cecilia, formed the Haven's first little community. On November 1st, Mrs. Mary Stahl entered the Home and was delighted to be the first resident. The arrival of 18 more ladies a little later on filled the Home to capacity. In ten short weeks, a goal ardently desired became a dream miraculously fulfilled!
Such an impressive beginning, generated by the Sisters' untiring efforts, brought forth over the years many more accomplishments. Within a year, on October 3, 1939, a new building with a chapel was dedicated, raising the population of the Home to 38; in 1950 the west wing was added, increasing the number of residents to 95; and by 1955 the Chaplain's new residence was completed.
In 1958 the old original buildings of the Little Flower Haven were torn down to make room for the east wing which accommodated 20 more people, and for a new convent with living quarters for Postulants and Novices. For in 1951, La Mesa had become the Provincial Motherhouse of the Southwestern Province and a Novitiate was canonically established. The 25th Anniversary of the Home took place in 1963 and Bishop Buddy presided over the celebration. A few years later the present chapel, which is as beautiful as it is large, was dedicated on July 2, 1966. Everyone was aware of the absence of Bishop Buddy who had died a few months earlier; yet, no one doubted that he looked down from heaven on the joyful gathering.
During the next two decades, the Little Flower Haven continued to be a hive of apostolic activity. On October 1, 1988 the Home observed its 50th Anniversary. The Eucharistic Celebration took place outdoors in the garden which has increased in acreage over the years and is still a veritable paradise. Today the Home has 80 elderly residents, to whom the Sisters provide the dedicated service that was started by those who have left them this legacy of love.
Carmelite Sisters
of the
Divine Heart of Jesus
Southwest Province
Motherhouse
Sittard, Netherlands
Mount Carmel Home
Corpus Christi, Texas
Little Flower Haven
La Mesa, California
Carmelite
Learning Center
San Antonio, Texas
Carmelite Learning Center, San Antonio, Texas
It was in the eastern part of the city that Foundress made the second foundation for poor children in San Antonio, Texas. She was requested to establish a St. Joseph's Home for Boys, in July of 1918, by Father John Muehlsiepen, the Redemptorist. Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. The priest obtained the necessary permission of the Reverend John W. Shaw, Bishop of San Antonio who, four years earlier, had invited Mother to open the Home on San Saba Street. These Sisters moved into the dwelling which Father Muehlpiepen had found for them in his parish - but only after a period of waiting. Until the place was available for their use, they stayed with our Sisters on San Saba Street.
Once settled in their small frame house, at, 2006, Nebraska Street, these Sisters busied themselves caring for the children and doing mission work as well. It was not long before the growing ' number of boys being admitted to the Home warranted plans for expansion. In 1924 with the approval of Bishop Arthur Drossaerts, and with the funds the Sisters themselves had solicited, a two-story red brick building was erected.
The change from residential care to day' care was started in the fall of 1942, at the request of Archbishop Robert E. Lucey, with the opening of a Day Nursery. Both boys and girls, ages two to four years, were admitted. The following year the age range was extended to six years. The population of the resident children dwindled to about 20. In 1965 when institutional placement was being fazed out by Child Welfare Departments, a complete transition took place and the Day Nursery was soon overcrowded.
Construction was again necessary. Ground breaking took place on August 15, 1965, and dedication on December 11, 1966. Auxiliary Bishop Steven Leven officiated at both ceremonies. The beautiful new edifice, which replaced the small frame house and the two-story red brick building, provided a chapel and convent for the Sisters, and a large Day Care and Kindergarten facility for 120 children.
Reflecting on the history of our Home, we realize that many things have changed over the years: day care has superseded residential care; new buildings have replaced old ones; other Sisters have filled the positions of those transferred; Nebraska Street has been changed to Martin Luther King Drive. But one thing that has not changed at the Carmelite Center and Day Nursery is the quality of care given by our Sisters. Through the decades, they have focused on helping the whole child to develop by instilling Christian values, by filling the classroom with warmth and enthusiasm for learning, and by seeing the positive and unveiling the good in each child.
