The Carmelite Institute of North America

The Carmelite Institute of North America The is the official page of The Carmelite Institute of North America. For more information, please check our website: www.carmeliteinstitute.net

Our mission is to promote the following of Jesus Christ through studies in the Carmelite tradition and to make this tradition available to all interested in a spiritual life

Young Adult Weekend RetreatOctober 9-11, 2026Holy Hill, WisconsinBasilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christi...
03/21/2026

Young Adult Weekend Retreat
October 9-11, 2026
Holy Hill, Wisconsin

Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians
1525 Carmel Rd, Hubertus, WI 53033, United States

Friday, October 9, 2026 - Sunday, October 11, 2026

PRE-REGISTRATION

Space is limited. Pre-register for guaranteed lowest price.
No payment required to pre-register.
https://carmeliteinstitute.net/young-adults-retreat/

03/18/2026

St. Joseph, Principal Protector of the Order
19 March Solemnity

The Carmelites' Promotion of Devotion to St. Joseph

From the 17th century to the present day, there have been countless Carmelite churches and monasteries dedicated to St. Joseph. The credit for this widespread devotion is due above all to St. Teresa of Jesus, whose fervent words are well known:

“I took the glorious St. Joseph as my advocate and patron ... I saw clearly that his help was always greater than what I could have hoped for ... If my word could carry weight, I would gladly dwell at length on recounting in detail the graces that this glorious Saint has bestowed upon me and others... People of prayer must be especially devoted to him, for I do not know how one can think of the Queen of Angels and all she suffered with the Child Jesus, without thanking St. Joseph, who was such a great help to them. Whoever has no teacher from whom to learn how to pray should take this glorious Saint as a guide and will not go wrong. May it please the Lord that I have not erred in venturing to speak of him” (Life, VI, 6,7,8).

St. Teresa identified with this typically Carmelite devotion, living it both through word and example. Feeling so moved by such an exalted love of predilection, she did everything possible to spread his veneration, and of the 17 houses she founded as many as 12 were dedicated to Saint Joseph.

Among her writings, she left the following: “Although you have many holy intercessors, be especially devoted to St. Joseph, who has great influence with God.”

Consequently, in the Teresian Carmel, a profound orientation towards Joseph developed.

The teachings of St. Teresa are reflected in the work on St. Joseph by Jerónimo Gracián and, after him, many other authors of the Reform as well. The preachers of the 17th century, following in the footsteps of Teresa of Avila, were often apostles and promoters of devotion to St. Joseph. Subsequently, there was a vast output of writings intended to illustrate the life and “glories” of Saint Joseph, and to develop a theological framework for them.

St. Joseph as father, protector, patron, and guardian of our Lord Jesus is the subject of the spiritual experiences of numerous glorious and luminous figures, of whom it is practically impossible to provide a list here in CITOC. But we select one: Thérèse of Lisieux who was also a devotee of the Holy Patriarch, fully understood Teresa’s spirit:

“I prayed also to St. Joseph to watch over me; ever since my childhood I had a devotion to him that blended with my love for Our Lady ... I was so well protected that it seemed impossible to me to be afraid” (Ms. A, 158).

In the OCARM branch of the Order, there are already 15th-century writings focusing on the figure of St. Joseph, such as those by the theologian Andrea Horuken in 1451 and the magnificent poems by Mantovano in Fastorum libri XII and in Parthenice I. In the 16th–18th centuries, there was no shortage of notable preachers and writers with a Josephine orientation. Raffaele “the Bavarian,” who published a History of St. Joseph in Naples in 1723, had a significant influence on devotion to the saint in the modern era within the convents and monasteries of the OCARMs.

Read more at ocarm.org

English: https://t.ly/3do19
Italian: https://t.ly/r--mB
Spanish: https://tinyurl.com/2sw4nkvw

To keep up with the latest news about the Carmelite Order, you can subscribe to CITOC's digital newsletter at the following link: https://ocarm.info/subscribe/citoc.html

To subscribe to the newsletter and receive Lectio Divina each month, you can visit the webpage: https://ocarm.org/it/subscribe

To see the publications and the latest releases of Edizioni Carmelitane, the publishing house of the Order, you can visit the website: https://edizionicarmelitane.org/

ST. JOSEPH NOVENA - JOURNEY WITH ST. JOSEPHPlease join us for a St. Joseph Novena by praying this Novena(March 10 throug...
03/05/2026

ST. JOSEPH NOVENA - JOURNEY WITH ST. JOSEPH
Please join us for a St. Joseph Novena by praying this Novena
(March 10 through March 19) and listening to reflections by
Fr. Christopher LaRocca, OCD, including a final reflection on the
Feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 2026.
www.carmeliteinstitute.net/novena-to-st-joseph/

ST. JOSEPH NOVENA - JOURNEY WITH ST. JOSEPHPlease join us for a St. Joseph Novena by praying this Novena(March 10 throug...
03/05/2026

ST. JOSEPH NOVENA - JOURNEY WITH ST. JOSEPH

Please join us for a St. Joseph Novena by praying this Novena
(March 10 through March 19) and listening to reflections by
Fr. Christopher LaRocca, OCD, including a final reflection on the
Feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 2026.
www.carmeliteinstiute.net/novena-to-st-joseph/

02/09/2026

In this episode of Behind the Shield, we speak with Fr. Quinn Conners, O.Carm., about his Carmelite Journey and his life in ministry as a Carmelite.Intro 0:0...

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS NOVENAPlease join us in praying this Novena (December 5 - December 13) and listening to reflection...
11/30/2025

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS NOVENA

Please join us in praying this Novena (December 5 - December 13) and listening to reflections by Fr. Christopher LaRocca, OCD, including a final reflection on the
Feast of St. John of the Cross December 14, 2025

https://carmeliteinstitute.net/john-of-the-cross-novena/

The Carmelite Institute of North America will be participating in this fundraising event and your response on this day, ...
11/12/2025

The Carmelite Institute of North America will be participating in this fundraising event and your response on this day, no matter how small, WILL HAVE GREAT IMPACT on the mission and work of the Carmelite Institute of North America.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, please donate
via our website at
https://carmeliteinstitute.net/giving-tuesday/
Together, Let's Climb the Mountain to our
Giving Tuesday Fundraising Goal of $10,000!

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Whitefriars Hall, 1600 Webster Street, NE
Washington D.C., DC
20017

Telephone

+12029223636

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