A special Mass marks Carmelites’ 200 years in Ross
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MORE THAN 700 people attended the bicentenary Mass at Mount Carmel Monastery in New Ross on Thursday.
Despite torrential rain and rolling thunder people from across the region descended on the monastery grounds at the top of Mary Street.
635 chairs were fully occupied with dozens more standing and everyone was touched by the honesty, simplicity and modesty of the celebration.
The Sisters were overjoyed to see so many people at the ceremony, the first to mark their presence in the town as no celebration was held in 1917 or in 1967 on the 100th and 150th anniversaries.
The Parish Folk Choir performed beautifully at the event. Mother Prioress, Sr. Anne and Carmelite Community wish to publicly thank the officials of New Ross Municipal Council, Eamonn Hore, Claude Clancy, Geraldine Tobin and Pat Laffan (ably assisted by his team of workers), Cllr Anthony Connick, Wexford Civil Defence, and the stewards from The Mens Shed and New Ross Rugby Club. Sr. Anne cut a cake to mark 200 years of Carmelite Presence in New Ross.
On the previous day the sisters celebrated the memory of 69 Carmelites who are buried in the two Mount Carmel Cemeteries.
The birth name and religious name of each nun was called out and a simple flower was placed in her memory.
For most of these women, their lives were lived in total anonymity hidden from the world in a life of selfless contemplative prayer.