A Brief History of Our Discalced Carmelite Nuns
Bishop Eugene Gerber had been praying for a contemplative order of nuns for the Diocese of Wichita. When the bishop of Gallup, New Mexico could no longer guarantee a chaplain to celebrate daily Mass, Bishop Thomas Olmsted invited the seven nuns to our diocese. They settled into a house on January 24, 2001, in rural Clearwater, enclosed as The Monastery of Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Unfortunately, the house and chapel flooded regularly with each heavy rain causing a mold problem unable to be remedied and consequent serious illness, requiring the relocation of the nuns to a safer and permanent place. Where We Are Now
Bishop Michael Jackels requested that our Carmelite Nuns build a monastery within five miles of the Spiritual Life Center in order to make it easier for retired priests to come celebrate daily Mass. To help the nuns with the purchase of the much higher-priced property in the northeast side of Wichita, Bishop Jackels gave them a one-time donation from the diocese which, along with the money they had saved from the sale of their property in Gallup, NM enabled them to purchase 40 acres and a modular home at 7445 N. Woodlawn (north of the Spiritual Life Center). Our nuns moved in November 2009, when Robl Construction completed this first phase. The 5,000 square foot greenhouse moved from Clearwater is being constructed. They are still in need of the Chapel, other portions of the monastery, and their enclosure wall. An estimated $400,000 is needed to complete this next phase of the monastery. What We Can Do to Help
Bishop Gerber said, “They ask hardly anything for themselves. They just depend on Divine Providence. Their presence is a strong witness. It’s a countercultural witness; it’s a religious witness, and beyond that, they’re praying and sacrificing for the Church, especially for the diocese they are in.”
Because so much of their time is dedicated to prayer, donations are gratefully accepted from all who wish to become benefactors of the monastery. Hemberger explained, “The Nuns are not tied to the diocese financially or by assignment.” In thanksgiving to God for the spiritual benefits our Nuns obtain for our Diocese, the “Friends of the Carmelite Nuns” wish to raise awareness for support and the necessary funds needed to build the next phase of the monastery. [For information to be involved with this group, contact Mary DeGraffenreid at (316) 721-2312 or en español, Martha Schweiger (316) 721-7732.]
