The St. Teresa of the Andes OCDS Community

Community Life

Our Carmelite vocation is lived out in community.
Communities shall meet at least monthly allowing sufficient time for:
Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office; Mental prayer as a community; Formation; Socializing/Fellowship & Business Meeting.

(Washington Province Statutes)

The community photo was taken on May 10, 2025 at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Peabody, MA. We also renewed our “Easter Season” OCDS Promise during Mass.

2025

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we missed community photos in 2020-2022. May 13, 2023 was the final time that our community met at the Carmel of Danvers Monastery. The St. Teresa of the Andes OCDS community held our monthly meetings at the Carmelite monastery for 35 years. The Danvers Monastery closed its doors on June 7, 2023. Our community now meets at the Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Peabody, MA.

2023

On November 9th, our St. Teresa of the Andes Community (Danvers, MA) was blessed with a visit from Fr. Saverio Cannistrà while he was here in the States. Divine Providence arranged for him to be at the Danvers Carmelite Monastery (of nuns) on our annual "Ceremonies Day," and he was able to concelebrate the Mass with Fr. Len Copeland (Northeast Regional OCDS Assistant and our community's Spiritual Assistant). We had two individuals Clothed in the Brown Scapular and three people making First Promises. Here's a very historic group photo—we were all SO EXCITED that Father General could be with us on such a festive day!

2019

Every Secular Carmelite will strive to place the good of the community and fraternal charity above self-interest and will give the community meeting primacy of place in the ordering of his/her schedule. The desire and ability to attend community meetings are signs of an authentic vocation. There are no secular member Isolates in the Washington Province. (Washington Province Statutes)

2018

Participation in community life is an essential part of the Secular Carmelite’s vocation. The Secular will faithfully attend monthly meetings; share in the duties and responsibilities of the community as designated by the local council; and participate, in some way, in the Community Apostolate. (Washington Province Statutes)

December 2017 Community Photo.jpg

2017

Secular Carmelites are faithful members of the Catholic Church who are called by the Holy Spirit to “live in allegiance to Jesus Christ”. They seek evangelical perfection and union with God in the Order of the Teresian Carmel for his greater Glory and the good of his Church. In response to that call, members willingly submit to the “gentle yoke” of obligations and commitments contained in The Rule of St. Albert, our Constitutions and our Provincial Statutes. (Washington Province Statutes)

2016