62nd Annual Outdoor Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
During the Novena you may visit our Podcast page to listen into the Novena and view photos.
Please pray the Novena Prayer daily with the Carmelite Nuns even if you are not able to attend our Annual Outdoor Novena. Let us keep the special intention of vocations to the holy priesthood and consecrated religious life, especially to Carmel, Our Lady's Order.
Dear Child of Mary and Friend of Carmel,
It is our joy to invite you to join us during all or part of this year's upcoming Solemn Novena honoring Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In doing so, we recall and share with you the words of the great Holy Father John Paull II, which he spoke during the homily given at the Angelus on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in the year 2000. They inspire us as much today, perhaps even more, as they did when he first spoke them:
"...My thoughts turn today to Mount Carmel, praised in the Bible for its beauty. We are, in fact, celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. On that mountain, located in Israel near Haifa, the holy prophet Elijah strenuously defended the integrity and purity of the chosen people's faith in the living God. On that same mountain some hermits gathered in the 12th century after Christ and dedicated themselves to contemplation and penance. The Carmelite Order arose from their spiritual experience.
Walking with the Blessed Virgin, the model of complete fidelity to the Lord, we will fear no obstacles or difficulties. Supported by her motherly intercession, like Elijah we will be able to fulfill our vocation as authentic "prophets" of the Gospel in our time.
May Our Lady of Mount Carmel, whom we call upon today with special devotion, help us tirelessly climb towards the summit of the mountain of holiness; may she help us love nothing more than Christ, who reveals to the world the mystery of divine love and true human dignity... I would also like to extend a cordial wish to all Carmelite men and women, as well as to the associations inspired by this charism. I invoke constant divine assistance on the entire Carmelite family, as I urge all its members to seek and love God, who first loved us, above all things and to strive in every circumstance to foster the values of the contemplative life, from which love of neighbor flows and is urged on for the salvation of the world and the building up of the Church."
The Novena Speaker will be the Rector of the Carmelite House of Studies in Mount Angel, Oregon - Father Christopher LaRocca, OCD. The theme for the 2010 Novena is "Ascending to the Heights of Mt. Carmel with Mary, Queen and Beauty of Mt. Carmel"
Celebrants and Choirs for the novena are the following:
| Saturday, July 10 | Msgr. Patrick K. Hambrough, Pastor, St. Mark Parish | St. Mark Parish Choir |
| Sunday, July 11 | Fr. Matthew Barnard, Assoc. Pastor, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish | Filipino-American Friendship Choir |
| Monday, July 12 | Fr. Timothy Elliot, Pastor, St. Gianna Parish | St. Gianna Parish Choir |
| Tuesday, July 13 | Fr. Timothy Noelker, Assoc. Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Valley Park | Carmelite Sisters of Divine Heart of Jesus Choir |
| Wednesday, July 14 | Fr. Anthony Yates, Assoc. Pastor, St. Simon the Apostle Parish | Choir Boys |
| Thursday, July 15 | Fr. Joseph Weber, pastor, St. Justin, Martyr Parish | St. John the Baptist Parish Choir |
| Friday, July 16 - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel | Fr. Christopher LaRocca, OCD, Rector, Carmelite House of Studies, Mt. Angel | Crux Ave Ensemble Choir |
| Saturday, July 17 | Fr. Brian Hecktor, Assoc. Pastor, Ascension Parish, Chesterfield | Eyes of the Heart Choir |
| Sunday, July 18 | Msgr. Timothey Cronin, Rector, Cardinal Glennon College Semeinary | St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Brentwood Choir |
