Visit to the Carmelite Monastery in Montreal

I couldn’t find directions to the site of the Montreal apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary from 1998 to 2006. However, as described in previous posts, I had discovered the visionary was a Carmelite nun and that there was only one Carmelite monastery in Montreal.

By telephoning the monastery, I learned that mass is conducted every day at 8:00 AM except on Sunday when it’s at 10:00 AM.

And that’s where I went this morning. As the web site says, the monastery is situated in an industrialized part of Montreal. It is at 351 Ave. du Carmel. I also learned that it is not far from the Rosemount Metro Station.

Stone walls surround the monastery. A lovely stone church surrounded, by beautiful, serene grounds holds the small sanctuary which only contains 14 small pews–seven on each side of a central aisle.

Because I did not know that the cloistered nuns would be out of view to the left of the altar, I did not think to sit at the front, right of the pews so I could get a glimpse of them. Perhaps, one of the nuns is the one who saw the apparitions and heard Mary’s messages.

Although I could not understand the French service, I enjoyed basking in the atmosphere even though the man sitting beside me suffered with a bad case of morning breath and occasionally burped or coughed. I reminded myself that if this was the extent of my suffering I had to be a very fortunate person.

Every once in a while, a pitch pipe would sound and the invisible nuns on the left would softly sing, a capella, a short hymn. The people in the pews would join them.

I feel happy that I had the privilege of being in the vicinity of the visionary who had personally experienced Mary (probably) and that I sat in the place that Mary had visited. I say “probably” because I did not talk to anyone to receive verification but have merely made assumptions.

OK, I admit it, I felt lacking in courage even though I prayed for strength. I did take photographs of the church from the outside though. I loved being in a church that honors a woman and a mother.

There was one nun in the sanctuary with us. She wore the brown scapular of the Carmelite order. This is a garment made out of brown cloth. It was originally given to St. Simon Stock of the Order of Mount Carmel by Mary in apparition form in 1251 in England. The scapular is the symbol of the Carmelites. Lay people can also wear a version of it. Mary said that whoever was wearing the scapular upon their death would be saved from purgatory.

There’s more information on the history of the Scapular and the Rosary, Mary’s prayer and beads at this link:

http://www.prayrosary.com/rosaryscapular/history.php3

Copyright 2008 Carol Chapman All Rights Reserved