Dysart Carmel

‘That hunger which our Father Saint Elijah had for the honour of his God…so as to draw souls to praise God…This is what I want us to strive for, my sisters, and let us desire and be occupied in prayer not for the sake of our enjoyment but so as to have this strength to serve.’
Saint Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle,VII:4

‘In this house…all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.’
Saint Teresa of Avila, Way of Perfection, ch.4

‘Whoever lives in the presence of so good a friend and excellent a leader, who went ahead of us to be the first to suffer, can endure all things. The Lord helps us, strengthens us, and never fails; He is a true friend. And I see clearly, and I saw afterward, that God desires that if we are to please Him and receive His great favours, we must do so through the most sacred humanity of Christ, in whom He takes His delight. Many, many times have I perceived this truth through experience…This Lord of ours is the one through whom all blessings come to us. He will teach us these things. In beholding His life, we find that He is the best example. What more do we desire than to have such a good friend at our side, who will not abandon us in our labours and tribulations, as friends in the world do? Blessed are those who truly love Him and always keep Him at their side!’ Saint Teresa of Avila, Life ch.22.

‘Never will I forget the impression the sea made upon me; I couldn’t take my eyes off it since its majesty, the roaring of its waves, everything spoke to my soul of God’s grandeur and power….I made the resolution never to wander far from the glance of Jesus in order to travel peacefully toward the eternal shore!’
Saint Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, ch.2