HOME

Greetings from Father Mario

Dear Members of the Mother Angeline Society,

Peace be with you as we make our way through the summer of 2025. As members of the Mother Angeline Society, you are valuable to us, and your prayerful and financial support of the Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Venerable Mary Angeline Teresa, O.Carm. is of fundamental importance to the entire process. You and your intentions are remembered in two Masses each month and in the daily prayers of the Carmelite Sisters. We depend on you to help us in making Mother Angeline better known within the Church community so that more people can come to know about Mother’s life, virtues, and heavenly aid.

I recently had occasion to read over some of Mother Angeline’s letters to her Sisters, one of her favorite ways not just to inform, but also to form and educate her Sisters in their living of their Carmelite vocations. The Congregation was young, only fifty-five years old at the time of Mother’s death and given the fact that many Orders and Congregations are hundreds of years old, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged & Infirm, who will mark their Centenary in 2029, were still in a state of development while Mother was alive. She had certain themes she returned to regularly, e.g., faithfulness to vows and community life, the centrality of a life of prayer, the fruits of which would then be demonstrated in the apostolate for the Aged, Marian devotion and, finally, the need for vocations. Praying for vocations. Working for vocations. Giving good example and support to young vocations. The need for vocations so that the ministry could thrive. Nearly every letter, without exception, brought up this topic, and encouraged each Sister to do her part in promoting vocations.

The entire Carmelite Order, the Sisters included, daily work zealously to promote vocations as there seems in our culture a real hesitation for young people to take up such callings. Yet, we need to recall that the most basic level of having a vocation is a belief that God has a loving and good plan for each of us, and it is part of growing up, of maturing, to discover what that is and not let other voices drown out God’s voice. God most certainly has not stopped speaking to the human heart and soul. However, because there are so many voices in our world and so many ways for the voices to get to us through ordinary human interactions and the advance of the means of social media, it can be harder to listen for and respond to God’s gentle yet persistent voice. Were Mother still with us, appropriately, she would still be writing and speaking about vocations for vocation talk is future talk. We need to believe in our future to be good vocations promoters and pass that belief on. Further, if anything, we can help others to listen more deeply to the stirrings of their hearts and minds, encouraging them to listen and respond to the loving voice of God within, and not to be afraid to say yes to what God asks. Mother Angeline was a woman of courage, not afraid to say yes to God. Can we model that courage for those who search for their vocations as well?

Thank you for your ongoing financial and spiritual support of the mission of the Mother Angeline Society that seeks to make the Venerable better known, and to advance her Cause in the Church. The life and legacy of Mother Angeline continues to nourish and strengthen the work of the Carmelite Sisters in their various homes and builds up the Church. Each day we ask her for help and prayers and trust her to accompany us in our daily pursuits. God bless you and may Our Lady watch over you always.

Avila On Hudson

Very Reverend Mario Esposito, O.Carm.

Vice Postulator

RECENT POSTS