A Religious Order Sharing the Secular Charism

On this feast day of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart, I am reminded of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.  Their website states: ‘Rooted in the spirit of Carmel, we accompany others in their personal encounter of the healing and transformative love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus through education, retreats and healthcare.’  I learn this about the foundress of their Order, Mother Luisita, from their website:  ‘She was born María Luisa de la Peña y Navarro on June 21 1866 in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, the third (and first surviving) of fourteen children. Although she felt drawn to the religious life, at the age of fifteen, in obedience to her parents, she married Pascual Rojas, a prominent physician twice her age. Their life together was happy. They built the little Hospital of the Sacred Heart to serve those less fortunate. After fourteen years of married life, María Luisa was left a widow in 1896.  Eight years later María Luisa entered the Cloistered Carmelites and became immersed in the spirituality of Carmel. After seven months she was asked by the archbishop to return to her work at the hospital which needed her guidance. Along with the hospital, she opened a school and orphanage. The archbishop told her that she would have to join an existing religious congregation. She joined the Sister Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. Four years later the archbishop asked her to return as she was needed at the hospital and with the children. More women joined her. This time the archbishop suggested that she found a religious congregation; the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart (Hermanas Carmelitas del Sagrado Corazón, also called Carmelitas de Tijuana) were established on February 2, 1921. Mother Luisita's charism for the new Carmelite branch she founded was to unite the spirit of Carmel with the active apostolate’. This sounds just like our charism!

Intercessions

Pope Leo as he undergoes an operation for cancer

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K, Elena

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (in recovery)

Illness:  Katy Keeling, Noreen

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly