I keep discovering unfamiliar Orders out there in the wider world which aim to combine Teresa's contemplative ideal with apostolic works. Here is the description given of themselves by the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Los Angeles:
'We are women in love with the Gospel, called together by God to a communal life of prayer and service. Our life and zeal are drawn from the prayer that fills our days, standing in the Presence of the Living God. Contemplative prayer is both the goal of our lives and the source of all our works. Called to a life of total consecration to God through vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, we respond to God’s invitation to live a life of radical discipleship.
Faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, our life is structured according to the ancient tradition of the Discalced Carmelite Order, which imitates the prayer life of Mary, our Lady of Mount Carmel. The love we experience in God’s presence impels us to serve, making known to the world the personal love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our charism, which blends the contemplative nature of Carmel with active apostolic works in service of the Church, is the unwavering bedrock of our life. This unique charism was a gift of the Holy Spirit to our foundress, Mother Luisita, whose cause for beatification is well underway. Since our founding in 1921, our Sisters have served the Church through our apostolic works of education, spiritual retreats, and healthcare.'
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