Dear family members, friends, and benefactors,

Greetings from Lake Elmo!

In this season of Advent, we are preparing for the gift of God’s Son at Christmas by continuing to “give thanks!” There is no better way to repay God for his gifts than to offer him a sacrifice of thanksgiving. This is what the Church does in every celebration of the Eucharist. By giving thanks, we also prepare ourselves for future gifts coming from the hand of God. Our community continues to offer thanks to God for his many blessings in this year, and we want to share with you some of what we have received. We would like to present you all with a bit of community news and a couple of additions to our articles on Carmelite spirituality.

In this Post you will find:

The Final Profession of Vows of Br. Charles of Mary Star of the Sea.
Light for the Way, Love for the Wayfaring: “One Human Thought”
Prayer Corner - Elijah, Prophet of Carmel - “Is it You?”

We are grateful for you and for your support. May God bless you all abundantly in this grace-filled time. May this Advent be a moment of prayerful quiet, which makes ready your hearts and homes for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

In Him,

The Carmelite Hermits

Community News

Br. Charles Makes Final Profession of Vows

1 November 2025 | Feast of All Saints

As mentioned in our last e-newsletter, Br. Charles of Mary Star of the Sea made his solemn profession of vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity in our community at a Mass within the chapel of the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Divine Province in Lake Elmo, Minnesota on November 1st, the feast of All Saints. It was a day long in the making.

Br. Charles is from a family of four, growing up in a little town by the name of Charlotte, Michigan. He grew up with a particular interest in the sciences, eventually earning a degree in biochemistry, biotechnology and molecular biology from Michigan State University. Brother would go on to work for Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company. His career as a research scientist would last for fourteen years, involving drug discovery projects in the department of cardiovascular medicine and enteroendocrine diseases.

Little did he know that the Blessed Virgin Mary would begin to reveal herself to him, along with a vocation to Carmel, when attending a concert of a favorite alternative rock artist which featured songs from their cover album at the time: Mary, Star of the Sea. Br. Charles took note of the album title and asked quizzically of a friend, accompanying him to the music event: "Do you think they mean Jesus' Mary?"

One day in the spring of 2008, life began to change for this career scientist with a viewing of the movie Jesus of Nazareth. Brother's attention was seized during a scene in which Jesus spoke the following:

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ But he replied, ‘I do not want to.’ Yet afterward he regretted it and went. And the man came to his second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; and yet he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” (Mt 21:28-31)

The natural question for Brother Charles at this time in his life was, "how was I doing the Father's will?" With this statement from the Lord's mouth, he began to take his Catholic faith more seriously. Mass that Easter Sunday was a new beginning for this future Carmelite. It is noteworthy that Mary Star of the Sea made her appearance again in brother's life. The closest parish to his residence, at the time, was dedicated to our Lady under this title. And he thought: "there she is again!" The doors to a new kind of life opened to brother as the Church doors of the parish church of Mary Star of the Sea opened to him on that Easter Sunday morning.

In this period, Brother Charles began to study his Catholic faith and read for the first time: Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese. Although initially hesitant about reading a biography about a nun, brother was "hooked" as he puts it. Now he most enjoys reading the lives and writings of the saints. Brother is an avid reader and entertains the community at recreation with his vivid anecdotes about the saints. These holy men and women have had a real impact on his life, leading him ultimately to life here in the hermitage.

Br. Charles Receives a Blessing from Fr. John Mary, the Prior of the Hermitage During the Rite of Profession

After this Easter grace, Brother would go onto to develop his own life of personal prayer, the Rosary becoming a favorite devotion. The routine of daily Mass, spiritual reading, hours of adoration spent in front of the Eucharist, and other moments of personal prayer replaced his former occupations. He didn't know it, but he was getting ready for the steady routine of a Carmelite Day. Our days in the hermitage are punctuated by liturgical worship at Mass and the hours of the Divine Office, along with prayer, work, and reading - all being moments included in the ebb and flow of life in a small religious community. Ultimately, it was the peace experienced in front of the tabernacle where Jesus is truly present that brother experienced the first tug on his heart towards monastic life - a life where he could sit at the feet of Jesus, choosing the better part.

Before embracing this call, and prior to his entrance into the Carmelite Hermitage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Br. Charles would spend two and a half years as a missionary in Vietnam working for the Salesians, teaching English to the priests, brothers, and the children under their care. It was during an excursion in these years that he would find Mary Star of the Sea waiting for him. Brother went on a field trip with a class of the Salesian Brothers stopping at a shrine dedicated to the Mother of God. The shrine was located in a little park by the beach named “Đức Mẹ, Sao Biển.” He wondered at the name of the place not knowing the meaning of the words in Vietnamese. One of the Salesian brothers translated the name of the beach Shrine for him. The Vietnamese translates as: Mary, Star of the Sea! Br. Charles thought: "she is still following me!" Brother's time as a missionary would finally come to an end. At this point, he began his discernment to religious life in earnest. Coming back to the United States, his first vocation visit was to our monastery here in Lake Elmo. Here is how he describes his initial stay with our community:

Br. Charles & Fr. Michael Creagan, Pastor of St. Michael’s in Stillwater, MN

"After arriving back home, the first contemplative religious community I visited was the Carmelite Hermits of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. During my initial stay I experienced the presence of God in all aspects of the life; work, prayer, reading and recreation. The silence, simplicity and prayerfulness of the environment was a perfect fit. It felt like the missing piece of a puzzle was snapping snugly into place."

Mary Star of the Sea would appear again for brother, showing her presence in Carmel. He was struck by a Latin hymn that we sing in community after each one of the daytime hours of the Divine Office, entitled the Flos Carmeli. Not knowing the Latin he looked for the English translation and he found these words: "Flower of Carmel, \ Tall vine blossom laden; \ Splendor of heaven, \ Child-bearing yet maiden. \ None equals thee. \ Mother so tender, \ Who no man didst know, \ On Carmel's children \ Thy favors bestow. \ Star of the Sea." Hearing Mary's call and finding safe harbor here at the Hermitage, Brother would enter Carmel in 2020.

Entrance day is more familiarly known among Carmelites as landing day. Mary Star of the Sea helped brother to land in a place he now knows as home. He would eventually receive the habit of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. With this moment, he began a new life and to signify the change took a new name: Br. Charles of Mary Star of the Sea. Brother is named after St. Charles de Foucauld, one of his many saintly heroes whom he seeks to imitate in his own life. His title reflects the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary which he has enjoyed along the way of faith’s journey. She is the Star of the Sea who has guided him and still leads as he follows her Son Jesus, the poor, obedient, and chaste Christ.

On November 1st, All Saints Day, Br. Charles made his solemn profession of vows - a full member of the Order of Carmel, a brother among brothers in our little hermitage here in Lake Elmo. Pray for him as he continues his journey with Jesus and Mary Star of the Sea. He is praying for you!

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Light for the Way, Love for the Wayfaring

“One human thought”

In this article, with the help of St. John of the Cross, we are now going to take the time to examine our thoughts and ask what is the true worth of all our thinking? St. John of the Cross has much to say about human thought. He highly prizes this activity. In fact, human thought is so precious in his mind, that he explains that it belongs to God alone. This teacher on the mystical life will instruct us on how to fix our thoughts on God continually. If you want to know more about what you are thinking and what it means to God, please take the time to read what the mystical doctor of Carmel has to say.

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Prayer Corner

Elijah, Prophet of Carmel

“Is it You?”

Issues are coming to a head for Israel. Elijah is ready to confront all the people. The king is not happy to see the prophet, Elijah. Ahab thinks that Elijah is nothing more than a disturber of the peace. Yet, the reader knows that he is much more than that and is God’s instrument, a herald of new times. Elijah will eventually end the drought and bring about a new season of grace for Israel with the miraculous return of the rains. For now, the present mission of the Prophet of Carmel is to issue a summons to King Ahab and his kingdom, calling them to a spiritual contest on the heights of Mount Carmel. The Lord God will enter into a contest with Baal. It is time for God’s people to choose sides. See how this summons turns out for Ahab and Israel.