El Carmelo Retreat House

El Carmelo GIFT SHOP re-opening Beginning Monday, March 1, 2021, the El Carmelo gift shop will be open: Mondays, 9:00 am 1:00 pm, and... Fridays, 9:00 am 1:00 pm. Required: face masks & social distancing (6 ft.)

Complimentary Virtual Retreat Just subscribe to the El Carmelo YouTube Channel and stay tuned to the channel for the next seven consecutive Sundays at 12 pm for the premier of the retreat Conference, then for a Livestream led Meditation at 8pm on the same Channel.

The Friars of El Carmelo are offering Advent Meditations, each Sunday, on their website.

Today the Carmelite Order celebrates the feast of Saint Albert of Trapani. This afternoon, we blessed a new statue of this glorious saint that is now enshrined on a side altar in our chapel at El Carmelo. We pray that he brings many graces of healing to all those who ask for his heavenly intercession. St. Albert was born in Trapani, Sicily in the thirteenth century. Having joined the Carmelites and been ordained a priest, he soon became famous for his preaching and miracles. ...He was provincial in Sicily in 1296, and died at Messina, probably in 1307, with a reputation for purity, prayer, and a deep love for Our Lady. Let us pray. Lord God, you made St. Albert of Trapani a model of purity and prayer, and a devoted servant of Our Lady. May we practice these same virtues and so be worthy always to share the banquet of your grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today the Carmelite Order celebrates Our Lady Mother of Divine Grace. May she intercede for you and your loved ones and obtain for you the graces you need.

Sixty eight years ago, the Western Province of Discalced Carmelites arrived on the property in Redlands that would later become known as El Carmelo Retreat House. Today, El Carmelo continues to be a spiritual oasis for so many who come seeking the peace and serenity that Christ gives. We sincerely thank and pray for all of you who have and continue to support us in our life and ministry. If you'd like to read more of the history of El Carmelo, here's a link: https://www.elcarmelo.org/history/

It was an honor and a joy to pray with all of you today! A blessed Pentecost to all of you!

We Carmelite friars of El Carmelo, invite all of you, our friends, to join us next Saturday May 30th for an online day retreat in preparation for the Solemnity of Pentecost. Please see the flyer below for details.

On May 13th,1917, three children in Fatima took their sheep out to graze. Suddenly, they saw a flash of lightning. Thinking that a thunderstorm was about to happen, the children began to hurry home. Then suddenly, they saw another flash of lightning, and on a little holm oak tree, Our Lady appeared dressed all in white, brighter than the sun and radiating an intense light. The children remained there in the light, astounded before the apparition. Our Blessed Mother said t...o them, Do not be afraid. I will do you no harm and announced that she was from heaven. Thus began the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. At that time, the world was suffering from many evils. Atheism and secularism were spreading and the world was at war. In Portugal, where Our Lady appeared, a number of Anti-Catholic laws had been passed. It was in those dark times of 1917 that Our Blessed Mother came into the world with light to dispel darkness. Now in the year 2020, godlessness and the persecution of Catholics are once more darkening our world. We too need Our Lady of Fatima to bring the light of heaven to dispel the darkness that threatens us. We turn to her in every trial, trusting in the words she spoke to the children at Fatima, My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge, and the way that will lead you to God.

We are so happy you could all join us in prayer for our Morning with Mary. Be assured that Our Blessed Mother smiled brightly upon each of you today and will continue to enfold you in her love and protection! Ave Maria!

Dear Friends of El Carmelo, In the Catholic Church, May is known as the Month of Mary and is a special time when Catholics all over the world shower Our Blessed Mother with a more fervent love and devotion. During Mary’s month, nature is at the height of its beauty with colorful flowers springing up everywhere with joy, as if vying for the privilege of adorning and crowning Our Lady’s images. We will miss having you here in person for our annual May Crowning of Our Blessed ...Mother. However, we would like to invite you to join us on this Facebook page on Saturday May 9 from 9:00-11:00 am for A Morning with Mary. We will have prayers, a conference, and finish with the traditional May crowning of Our Lady. No registration is needed. Simply go to this Facebook page at 9am on Saturday May 9th and together we will bestow the love and honor upon Our Blessed Mother that she so rightly deserves. Know for certain that she, the Mother of God and most loving of all mothers, will obtain for you and your loved ones an abundance of God’s graces.

Since ancient times, the Catholic Church celebrates Easter for 50 days, in a season that begins on Easter Sunday and lasts until the Feast of Pentecost. The 40 days of Lent are eclipsed by 50 days of Easter Light. This numerical symbolism awakens us to the consoling truth proclaimed by St. Paul, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us (Rom 8:18). Every trial we undergo in this life, even this current one, will only last for a time. The joy of sharing in Christ’s Resurrection will never end. Truly He is Risen! Alleluia!

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Wishing all of our friends of El Carmelo a Happy Easter full of the joy and peace that only our Risen Lord can give! You are all very much in our hearts and prayers!

View from El Carmelo Wednesday afternoon

Wednesday of Holy Week is traditionally called "Spy Wednesday." On this day, the Church recalls how Judas, secretly working for the enemy, was spying on Jesus, looking for an opportunity to hand him over (Mt 26:15-16). How different his life could have been had Judas chosen to be honest with Jesus and confessed to the Lord the evil he was involved in. And how different our lives can be, when we humbly acknowledge our sins and ask God for forgiveness. The account of ...Judas’ betrayal in Holy Week is an invitation to leave behind the works of evil and devote our lives to the works of love shown to us in Christ. Due to the present circumstances, not everyone is able to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but for the time being, all of us can make an honest examination of conscience and pray a sincere Act of Contrition. In doing so, the inner Judas is cast out, and God's Merciful Love is welcomed into our hearts. Act of Contrition O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.

Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass (Mt. 21, 5) So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on an ass's colt!" (Jn 12:13-15). Today we commemorate Christ's entry into Jerusalem as the Paschal Mystery unfolds. Today w...e acclaim Jesus with blessed palms that remind us of the palm branches that the inhabitants of Jerusalem waved and placed in the path of Jesus, when they acclaimed him as King and the one who came in the name of the Lord. Blessed palms proclaim our faith in Jesus as King of Heaven and Earth, but - above all - that we proclaim him as King of our hearts. Today we begin Holy Week, a time in which we are called to renew our faith and hope, more than ever in the present difficulties of our times. This week we accompany Jesus who is the source of our salvation and unite in prayer for the needs of all who suffer, always trusting is his love and mercy that never fail us. This Holy Week, may we prepare a place for him in our home and in our hearts. On a Palm Sunday, Saint Teresa of Avila experienced the love of Jesus and heard him say to her: "Daughter, I want my blood to be beneficial to you, and do not be afraid that My mercy will fail you; I shed it with many sufferings , and you enjoyed it with the great delight you are aware of. (Spiritual Testimonies 22) Despite difficulties and sufferings, we have confidence that his mercy never fails us. Let us prepare ourselves to live this Holy Week open to receive the saving love of God in our lives, the love that dispels all fear and darkness.