Visit to Carmel Notting Hill – Saturday 04th October 25

Beautiful Fuchsias at The Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity, Notting Hill,

The Carmelites welcome Allen Hall

The welcome was as warm and gracious as you would expect from the Carmelites, at The Monastery established in 1878 by five French and two English sisters is part of an interesting part of Notting Hill, a section of London that really is still very Catholic, with a primary school, a church within a stones throw of the Monastery itself.

As we sat in the pews of the chapel, we could only marvel at the sheer beauty, which was without doubt was created for the glory of God.

During the address after mass we were reminded by one of the present community of the huge sacrifices for the faith that the nuns had willingly made during the French Revolution. The Martyrs of Compiègne were the 16 members of the Carmel of Compiegne, France: 11 Discalced Carmelite nuns, three lay sisters, and two externs (or tertiaries). They were executed by the guillotine towards the end of the Reign of Terror, at what is now the Place de La Nation in Paris on 17 July 1794, and are venerated as Martyrs. Ten days after their cruel execution, Maximilien Robespierre, himself was executed, ending the Reign of Terror. Their story of true love of Our Lord has inspired a novel and a motion picture, a television movie, and an opera, Dialogues of the Carmelites, written by French composer Francis Poulenc.

Time at Mass and prayers with the Carmelite sisters was indeed a very spiritual time. Whilst the sisters, as an enclosed order, were unable to join us or be seen from the pews they looked on from their own cloisters at the side of the alter and could clearly be heard reciting prayers and singing.

Praying the Rosary for our October intentions

After mass the opportunity to prayer and speak with our Carmelite sisters was totally inspirational, their genuine warmth, positivity and openness was a true reflection of their vocation, a life dedicated to the service of Our Lord and his Holy Mother.

The Carmelite sisters trashed every stereo type and vision that we have of nuns, We were given a rare opportunity to speak with the sisters in a separated parlour. The sisters were eager to talk about their daily lives, their work and the positivity that they have moving forward, within the whole order. The information was given in the most relaxed and friendly manner as if we had been friends for years. Likewise they were interested in our own stories, which dioceses, which orders and our plans as we go through seminary. They were so engaging and knew various clergy that were familiar to us all. The conversation flowed freely but underlying everything was their devotion, to prayer and ultimately to God, They all displayed the most amazing positivity and happiness and it was a pleasure to be in their presence.