Annual Carmelite Collection set for this weekend in Sioux City parishes

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
January 19, 2006

When a major illness or crisis situation arises, making a call out to the Carmelite Monastery is one of the first things that many Catholics in the Sioux City area do.

The Carmelite Monastery in Sioux City has been described as a powerhouse of prayer.

"The nuns live a cloistered life of sacrifice and prayer at the monastery," noted Mary Pierce, vice president of the Carmelite Guild Board. "The Carmel Board would like to give everyone in the Sioux City parishes a chance to say thank you to the sisters for the wonderful work they do in all aspects of their life."

Parishioners may extend their gratitude to the Carmelites by giving generously in the second collection which will be taken up at all Masses in the Sioux City parishes this weekend, Jan. 21 and 22.

Money raised in this collection is placed into the sisters' grocery fund. The Annual Carmelite Collection has been held the third weekend in January since 1999.

"Each month, a Sioux City parish takes turns in getting the groceries for the  Carmelites," noted Pierce, who added that they do the shopping on a weekly basis for the month. Six women from each parish volunteer to serve as parish representatives. Generally, two women will do the shopping together on a weekly basis.

Prior to the annual collection, when it was a parish's turn to buy the groceries, they would take up a collection in their own parish. The annual collection was established to simplify the process.

"The sisters make out a grocery list and whenever it's our turn to pick up the groceries, we call out there. On the phone, we go over the list and they tell us what they want," she said.

A charge account has been established at a local grocery store and then the bills are sent to Pierce.

She pointed out that the 10 nuns who live in the Carmelite monastery do not eat meat. Their grocery list contains a lot of fish, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, pasta and cheese. One of the more unusual items that was listed when Pierce had the grocery duty was apricot nectar.

For the women involved in this ministry, Pierce said there is great satisfaction because the nuns "do all this praying for us."

Along with purchasing groceries for the nuns, Pierce pointed out that members of the guild volunteer to take them to doctor and dentist appointments. That's the only time the Carmelites leave the monastery.

Carmel Guild memberships are available. This entitles members to a Mass offered once a month, prayers, Liturgy of the Hours each day and being remembered in the 36 novena Masses each year.

Cost of membership is $2 for a single or $5 for a family. Membership is renewable on a yearly basis. Membership forms will be on hand in the Sioux City churches this weekend.

Also available in the parishes this weekend will be Carmelite Peace cards. These cards may be purchased for 25 cents. The cards contain a prayer intention card that can be filled out and returned to the Carmelite Monastery with a donation for the prayerful remembrance of an individual or family. Then the card can be given to an individual or family on the occasion of the death of a loved one, another crisis situation or at a happy time such as an anniversary or birthday.

Each year the guild hosts a Carmelite Card Party and Luncheon. This event is usually held in April and proceeds from this function goes to the general fund, in order for the nuns to pay bills.

The nuns also have a business to raise money to help support themselves - distributing Communion bread and publishing some of the parish bulletins - but the work of the Carmel Guild Board greatly assists them.

The Carmelite Guild Board consists of Beth Tymkowicz of Immaculate Conception Parish, president; Pierce of St. Joseph Parish, vice president; Jean Ribando of Sacred Heart Parish, secretary and Diana Wrenn of Nativity Parish, treasurer.