On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the community of Carmelite nuns in Wahpeton, North Dakota and their friends and benefactors gathered to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of their Carmel of Mary monastery. The actual date of the foundation is November 1—the Feast of All Saints. Among those attending were a number of Lay Carmelites as well as school children who lectured, sang, and served at the altar.

The celebration took place at St. John’s Church in Wahpeton with Bishop John T. Folda of the Diocese of Fargo celebrating. The church was full with over 150 adults and 80 students from the parish school attending. Cake and ice cream were served afterwards. During the reception, the sisters sang a newly composed hymn for their 70th anniversary invoking Mary as the Flower of Carmel, Sweet Prairie Rose, Resplendent Virgin and Hope of All Carmelites.

In his homily, Bishop Folda spoke about the original 7 founding sisters—courageous pioneers he called them—and their willingness to leave their monastery in Allentown, Pennsylvania to start something new in the wilds of North Dakota. He also spoke of the many blessings the diocese and State of North Dakota have received through the prayers of the sisters. He said, “The sisters pray not only for us but with us, lifting our needs to God.”

He also spoke about the community, “continually living a life of prayer and intercessions, being a sign of God’s presence among us, because they live in the presence of God, and inspire others to do so.” He expressed great gratitude for the presence of the Carmelites in the diocese.

In 1953, Archbishop (later Cardinal) Aloisius Muench and Bishop Leo Dworschak, the auxiliary bishop, desired to have a special tribute to Our Blessed Mother for the forthcoming Marian Year of 1954. The answer came "out of the blue!”

Patrick Flood, a professor at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, knew that the Carmelite Nuns in Allentown, Pennsylvania were searching for a suitable place to make a new foundation. He received an appeal for the Indian Missions in North Dakota and decided to pursue the possibility.

Flood wrote to the bishops and asked if they would be interested in having a Carmelite Monastery in their diocese. With great delight they saw God's providential answer to their desire for a fitting tribute to Our Lady. A flurry of communications went between the bishops and the Carmelite superiors in Allentown. Permission for the foundation were granted by the Holy See at the canonization of Pope Pius X in May 1954.

On October 31, 1954, seven nuns, with Mother Mary Rose as prioress, set out for North Dakota. On November 1, Bishop Dworschak offered the first Mass for the Community in the old St. Francis Hospital owned by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN. The Carmel of Mary was founded in Mary’s honor in her Marian Year.

The bishops also desired to have a public Marian shrine on the grounds in front of the monastery. Pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Prairies began in 1957 and have continued every August since then.

As candidates arrived, we outgrew the temporary monastery. Construction of the new monastery begin on land 6.5 miles (10.46 km) northwest of Wahpeton. The nuns moved in on October 24, 1964.

As part of the anniversary year celebrations although not driven by the anniversary, the nuns are building an infirmary wing so that the other sisters can be taken care of at home. Sr. Madonna said, “We had need for an infirmary wing in mind before the anniversary celebration but the two events coincided perfectly.”

Closing out the celebration, the prioress, Mother Madonna of the Assumption Morales, wrote, “We are so deeply grateful to all our friends and benefactors who have "journeyed" with us by your bountiful support in every possible way. God bless you, each and everyone! You are daily in our grateful prayers.”

Guests received a poppyseed loaf cake and biscotti baked with love the Carmelite Hermits in Christoval, Texas and tied with a gold bow. They also received a Carmel of Mary booklet and the children received a little nun carved out of wood.

(Pictures courtesy of the Carmel of Mary Carmelite Monastery and William J. Harry, O. Carm.)