In the 16th century St Teresa of Avila felt called by God to renew the Carmelite life. St Teresa’s call evolved over time as she grew in prayer and corresponded to God’s grace in her life. Prayer was and is the bedrock of her monasteries. The call is a daily gift of self to God in all the events of the day for the Church and the World.
Her intention was to form communities that should be entirely directed toward prayer and contemplation. To this day Carmelite communities are numerically small, approximately 13 sisters, these sisterly communities are founded on solitude, prayer and simplicity of life style.
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity has this to say:- …always love prayer ‘that does not mean imposing on oneself a lot of vocal prayers to be recited every day – rather it is our desire to raise up the soul toward God through all things. This establishes us in a kind of continual communion with the Holy Trinity simply by doing everything in God’s presence. And a soul united to Jesus is a ‘living smile’ radiating Him and giving Him to others.’