Flower of Carmel
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Flower of Carmel is a community of Secular Discalced Carmelites nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina in the Asheville area. We are part of the Washington Province which was established by German Discalced friars who came from Bavaria and settled at Holy Hill, Wisconsin in 1906. Our province is under the Patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also the Patroness of the United States of America. The first Discalced Carmelite nuns came from Holland in 1790 and established the first monastery of nuns in the United States at Port Tobacco, Maryland, later moving to Baltimore in 1831. From the Baltimore Carmel, nuns were sent to make foundations in St. Louis in 1863, Boston in 1890, Brooklyn in 1907, Seattle in 1908, Bettendorf in 1911, Wheeling in 1913, and New York in 1920 (a Carmel important to our history).

Elizabeth Pantas, OCDS, our founder, came to the Asheville area from Connecticut in 1989 as an Isolate who had received her formation from Sr. Michael Ann Cladek, OCD, then Prioress of the New York Carmel  now located in Beacon, New York. Fr. Brian Hennigan, OCD, Provincial Delegate for the OCDS, received Elizabeth’s Definitive Promise in 1979 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Elizabeth served as Formation Director for Nancy Stroh, OCDS, then an Isolate in Connecticut, now President of Our Mother of Sorrows Community in Stamford, Connecticut. Elizabeth is married with two adult children. Her husband has always encouraged and supported her Carmelite vocation. 

Elizabeth longed to pass on the treasure she had received from the New York Carmel, specifically from her mentor Sr. Michael Ann, who told her: “when Our Lord wants something from you, it will be upon you and you won’t have to go about looking for it”. And so it was. For in 1994, Elizabeth went to a Day of Recollection in Asheville, the presenter of which was Fr. Kevin Culligan, OCD. It was there that Fr. Kevin introduced Elizabeth to Betsy Vandermeer who was an isolate in formation with Ruby Alexander, OCDS, of Chicago, Illinois, Formation Director for Isolated Members in the Washington Province. Subsequently Elizabeth became Betsy’s Formation Director. Betsy made her Temporary Promise in 1996, and her Definitive Promise in 1999 at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church in Asheville with her Deacon husband delegated to receive her Promise both times. Betsy and her husband had emigrated from Holland early on and had four children (one is in heaven), going on to adopt eight more “to make an even dozen!” as Betsy says. 

In 1999, Monsignor John McSweeney, Pastor of the Basilica of St. Lawrence, connected Barbara McLean with Elizabeth. Barbara was an isolate in formation with Sandra Malkovsky, OCDS of Raleigh, North Carolina. Since 1997, Sandra had been Formation Director for Isolates in the southeastern states of the Washington Province. Barbara is married with 3 adult children. She continued her formation with Sandra, but began meeting with Elizabeth and Betsy. She later went on to make her Definitive Promise in 2001 and her Vows in 2002 at Avila Retreat Center in Durham, North Carolina as a member of Flower of Carmel Community.

We are grateful for the generous support and guidance given to our study group by Isolate Formation Director Sandra Malkovsky, OCDS as we navigated our way toward becoming a Recognized Group able to admit new members.

In 2000, a year of Jubilee, Chris Grier, married and the mother of five adult children, and a good friend of Elizabeth, began coming to meetings. Also in 2000, Cynthia Blum was connected with Elizabeth by Joan Van Hammond, O.Carm.  Cynthia is married with six young sons whom she home schools. On November 1, 2000, Solemnity of All Saints, Fr. Theodore Centala, OCD, Provincial Delegate for the OCDS, visited our Asheville group for the first time and celebrated a Mass of Profession at the Basilica of St. Lawrence. Elizabeth made her Vows and Chris and Cynthia received the Scapular at this time. Mary Rose Pearl, OCDS from the St. Joseph Community in Cape Cod, Massachusetts was present, having recently begun visiting in September. She had moved to Rutherfordton, North Carolina and was told about our group by her Community’s President. Mary is a widow with two adult daughters. On May 7, 2001, Mary was accepted and transferred to Flower of Carmel Community. She went on to make her Definitive Promise in November, 2001 at Avila Retreat Center in Durham, NC. 

In November, 2000 we began to make an annual retreat at the Avila Retreat Center in Durham, North Carolina at the gracious invitation of the St. Teresa of Jesus Community in Raleigh, North Carolina. This community was founded by Sandra Malkovsky, OCDS, in the mid-1980’s. The Retreat Master was Michael Walsh, OCDS, always warmly welcoming. 

In 2001, our group of six began a discernment process to choose a name for our growing community. The Holy Spirit inspired Cynthia Blum with the name “Flower of Carmel”, a name we all embraced. Thus, in July, 2001, our Patroness became Our Lady, Flower of Carmel. Soon after, we joyfully discovered that both branches of the Carmelite Order had dedicated 2001 to Mary, Flower of Carmel. 

In August, 2001, Bill and Ella Reid, both OCDS, moved to Candler, North Carolina from the Washington, DC area and, directed to our group by Fr. Ted (Centala) OCD, began visiting. Bill and Ella have two adult children. Bill made his Definitive Promise in 1997 and his Vows in 1998 in St. Joseph Community in Washington, DC. Ella was a member of the St. Joseph Community in Port Tobacco, Maryland, making her Definitive Promise in 1997. Ella was accepted and transferred into Flower of Carmel Community in November, 2002. Bill was accepted and transferred into Flower of Carmel on December 14, 2002, the Solemnity of St. John of the Cross.

Our meetings were held in the home of Betsy Vandermeer in Weaverville, North Carolina up until May, 2002 when we began meeting at Elizabeth’s home in Fairview, North Carolina. 

In Lent, 2002, Fr. Ted (Centala) OCD, at the invitation of Cynthia Blum spoke about the Discalced Carmelite Order at St. Barnabas Church in Arden, NC. It was through this that Our Lord drew Rosemary Kingsley to our community. Rosemary is the wife of the Deacon at St. Barnabas and they have 3 adult children. Rosemary’s father, now deceased, had been a member of the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites in Buffalo, New York. 

For our celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in July, 2002, we invited our friend Sandra Malkovsky to give a conference, and with us, bid farewell to Barbara McLean who was moving to Florida. Barbara later was accepted and transferred to Our Lady of Victory Community in Tampa, Florida. 

In November, 2002, Fr. Regis Jordan, OCD, our new Provincial Delegate visited us for the first time. On this visit a Council of two, Betsy Vandermeer, OCDS and Mary Pearl, OCDS, was selected to support Elizabeth Pantas, OCDS as President and Formation Director. Also on this visit, at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, Cynthia Blum and Chris Grier made their Temporary Promise, Rosemary  Kingsley received the Scapular, and Mary Pearl, OCDS made her Vows. 

In June, 2003, the first Constitutions for the OCDS were definitively approved by the Holy See. Fr. Luis Arostegui, OCD, General of the Order stated: “This is an exciting time in the history of the Secular Order, a time for strengthening the bonds that exist within the Order. May all our efforts be for the Glory of God and for the Church”.  Flower of Carmel has been privileged to become a Recognized Group during this special period. Now the Friars, Nuns and Seculars go by the Ancient Rule of St. Albert, each having its own Constitutions. 

In November, 2003, Chris Grier left the Order. Though she felt her prayer life was deepened due to her association with Carmel, she did not ultimately feel called to the Order itself.

In the spirit of our new Constitutions, Flower of Carmel began, in Advent, 2003, an apostolate of prayer for the priests in the Asheville Vicariate. In March, 2005, the Community hosted a gathering of representatives from our neighboring communities in Columbia, South Carolina, Knoxville, Tennessee, Raleigh, North Carolina and Roanoke, Virginia to listen to and share our experiences on the topic of OCDS Apostolate. 

In December, 2003, at our celebration of the Solemnity of St. John of the Cross, Carolyn Hoover, from Brevard, North Carolina began visiting. Carolyn is a young widow with one daughter. Carolyn received her Scapular in November, 2004 at Avila Retreat Center in Durham, NC. Also, at this time Rosemary Kingsley made her Temporary Promise. 

In June, 2004, Mary Ann Poli, a single woman and Youth Minister at St. Barnabas, began visiting our community. Mary Ann was encouraged to pursue her interest in Carmel by Rosemary Kingsley. In February, 2005, Mary Ann received the Scapular at Mass in Elizabeth’s home with celebrant Fr. Kevin Culligan, OCD during a Lenten Day of Recollection.

 Jim and Loretta Potts, a married couple, began visiting in September, 2004. They have four adult children. In October, 2005, Jim and Loretta received the Scapular and Cynthia Blum, OCDS made her Definitive Promise at Avila Retreat Center in Durham, NC. 

In May, 2005, Ella Reid, OCDS was chosen to be our new President and Elizabeth Pantas, OCDS remained OCDS remained as Director of Formation. Betsy Vandermeer, OCDS and Mary Pearl, OCDS remained on the Council. Cynthia Blum, OCDS was chosen as Secretary and Rosemary Kingsley, OCDS as Treasurer.

Flower of Carmel has been blessed with an intense desire for collegiality inherited from the Beacon Carmel. This has been a major building block for creating community. At the time of the Definitive Promise, each member is given an empty cross on which he or she is to join Christ daily, after the tradition of the nuns. We are grateful for the continuing prayer support of the Carmel of the Incarnation, Beacon, New York. 

In Lent 2006, a Day of Recollection was given to Flower of Carmel by Fr. Anthony Haglof, OCD, the community's first Spiritual Assistant. Fr. Anthony is currently Prior of the Christ-on-the-Mountain Monastery, the Carmelite Desert, in Hinton, West Virginia.

We deeply appreciate each of those mentioned above who have nurtured and encouraged our foundation.

To detail the rich and unique gifts each member of "flower" (as we sometimes call ourselves) brings to this garden of Carmel would be another story in itself.

May Our Lord continue to bless our community with new vocations to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. And, may our roots run deep in the mountain soil so that long after we have gone home to God, others will carry on the charism and mission of Flower of Carmel Community in Western North Carolina "for the glory of God and for the Church".

In October 2007, this Flower of Carmel  website featuring an online Subject Index of the Carmel Clarion was published. Elizabeth Pantas' husband created the website for us, with the input and guidance of our community.