Teresian Carmelites dispatch first group to U.S.

The sisters have come in to replace School Sisters of Notre Dame, whose numbers at the school were declining.

Washington:  A group of four Teresian Carmelites from Kerala are quickly adjusting to their new life in the Diocese of Bismarck, N.D., helping out in the Catholic Indian Mission and teaching at St. Bernard Mission School in Fort Yates.

They are the first time members of their congregation have lived and served in the Western Hemisphere. Their order, founded in 1866, is based in Kerala.

"It's a great encouragement to the Catholic people that we're able to have religious women in the diocese who are active in the apostolate of Catholic school education," Bishop David D. Kagan of Bismarck told Catholic News Service.

The sisters have come in to replace School Sisters of Notre Dame, whose numbers at the school were declining. Father Biju Chitteth, a Keralite priest in western North Dakota, connected with the Mother Liza of the Congregation of Teresian Carmelites connected hem with Bishop Kagan.

St. Bernard Mission School, which was established more than 100 years ago and has always been staffed by religious sisters, strives to help its students "have better lives without taking away their identity," Benedictine Father Basil Atwell of the Church of St. Peter said.

Even though they speak English, the Teresian Carmelites have had to adapt to the people's Lakota dialect. But this language barrier has not hindered their effect on the students.

"(They are) a great example to the young people, especially the young women," Bishop Kagan said of the sisters.

He said young women have already requested to sit down and ask them about their life and customs.

"I'm very grateful to God and to the Teresian Carmelites for answering a rather urgent plea," Bishop Kagan said. "We were uncertain we would be able to have sisters (on such short notice)."

Source: catholicsentinel