An article in the Catholic Weekly by Debbie Cramsie (March 6, 2021)
Not long after the Carmelite sisters arrived in the drought affected central west, so did the much-needed rain.
Both Catholics and non-Catholics alike have embraced the arrival of the contemplative order to the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes and can only attribute the apparent “miracles” to some form of divine intervention.
And it’s not just the so-called acts of God that have been welcomed to the Diocese, but also vocations to the Order.
Since their arrival two years ago, three women have entered the Carmelite Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph bringing their number to seven, and now need to extend their modest five-bedroom farmhouse to cater for young women wanting to enter.
According to the Order, if they had more room they wouldn’t have too much trouble filling it. At a time when the Census reveals a marked decline in Christian belief and with millennials addicted to connecting with each other via technology, it shouldn’t be that young women are choosing to embark on a life secure from the outside world……