Here is a transcription of an interview with Fr. Daniel Mary, MCarm, Superior of the new and traditional Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel in Wyoming. I transcribed this from a portion of the EWTN show, "Life on the Rock."

Watch video on this excellent website: Traditional Vocations Blog. Just the other night they were on "EWTN Live" with Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Listen or download that interview here.

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Email Question: There has been a worldwide shortage of priests. Is there an even greater shortage of contemplatives and religious? Have you seen an increase in vocations in recent time? -John in NC.

Fr. Daniel Mary, Answer: Well I would say we're not experiencing a shortage in vocations. We actually have to be very selective who we take. Um, so I think it's, we get the vocations we deserve. You know if a community is not living its charism, then, yeah we wonder why communities or dioceses don't get the vocations. And I would say it's because young people aren't going to be inspired by a mediocre, worldly way of life. They want what's authentic. And I think when we give the youth something that's authentic, then you can't stop them. They're going to knock the door down.

Response from host, Fr. Mark Mary: You've had 600 applications, right?

Fr. Daniel Mary and Brother Simon Mary: Yeah, well not applications, 600 inquiries. I'd say we get about 5 phone calls a week and letters.

Fr. Mark Mary Response: The monastery you hope to build will hold like 30 monks, right?

Fr. Daniel Mary: Yes.

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Article on the monks

The monks' website

There are some bishops and priests in this country who are all gloom and doom when it comes to hope for the future of the Church, hope for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and belief in evangelization. Well there is a monastery of traditional Carmelite nuns in Nebraska and they are bursting at the seams. I tell ya, so often people of my generation and even younger don't want nonsense, which means they want all or nothing, and total honesty, total authenticity. Why waste your time with anything else?

These Carmelites--God bless them!--have so many girls wanting to enter that they have had to make a second foundation in Pennsylvania just the other day! Jesus Christ be praised! Keep praying for vocations!

Here is a video link to a news piece about it. Here is a link to the Carmel in Nebraska (not great but it gives you some info). Here is an article about the new monastery. This is a blog entry about the Nebraska monastery.

Most interesting to me, here are the comments of a father whose daughter is in the Nebraska Carmelite monastery [my clarificatios in italics and emphasis in bold]:

Our daughter is at Valparaiso, [Nebraska]. The scoop on this place is that it is overflowing with vocations, even with the Mass and all seven offices in Latin. Young people evidently are looking for authenticity, and here they surely have it.

There are something like 28 [actually now there are 33] women here, of whom only about ten are solemn professed. The novitiate is overflowing with postulants and novices. If someone leaves, her place is taken immediately.

Ordinarily a Carmelite convent is supposed to have only 21 nuns max, unless they are planning to launch a new foundation in the near future. That, in fact, is the plan, but Mother Theresa says she has to see more black veils first. The black veil is received at solemn profession.

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[This is the end of another comment in which he talks about having spoken to Mother Theresa from the Carmel:]

I forgot to ask how many nuns are going out to Pennsylvania, but whatever the
number is, obviously just as many spots are opening up for new vocations at
Valparaiso.

[There are so many girls wanting to enter at this traditional Carmel that whenever there's an opening someone is immediately available to take the opening. I can personally attest to this since I myself know a young woman who wants to join this group.]

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[Finally a young girl inquires of this father on the blog as to how to contact these nuns. Among other things, he responds:]

To give you an idea of this group, the monastery in Valparaiso has 18 young women in the novitiate!!! And more entering all the time. Entrances are scheduled for this month and September, that I know of.

My daughter is very happy there, and that seems to be the case with everyone whom we have met.

We read this article from the Regina Angelorum newsletter of the nuns of Our Lady of the Angels Poor Clare Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama (EWTN) awhile back and thought it was relevant to our current situation here in the Diocese of Camden. The [anonymous] sister who wrote the article seeks to address empty, worldly, directionless "values." Here in the Diocese of Camden have heard countless arguments from the Galante Administration regarding change. They have spewed psychobabble pertaining to the alleged difficulty that we, the laity have coping with change. This kind of patronizing dribble is without merit because it fails to address the purpose of the change and merely holds up "change" as having inherent value. This type of rhetoric attempts to put the Catholic faithful on the defensive, as if they had to prove their ability to healthily cope with change by accepting the destruction of their parishes. The question remains, is the change we are expected to embrace a change toward the Good, toward God's Will, toward God Himself? What are we supposed to be changing to?

Here is the article:

We live in a culture where it has become popular to promote incomplete ideas. Choice, change and even love are raised high as banners harkening to more elevated paths. But without truth these are paths most notable for their lack of destination. Such emotionally-charged words certainly do refererence authentic aspirations in human nature, but when raised as an empty battle cry they are most unhelpful in indicating the direction of the charge.

The value of a choice is determined by what is chosen. Change is only good when what something is changed to is preferable to what it is changed from. And even love derives its beauty from what is loved. When St. Bernadette was asked what a sinner is, she replied that a sinner is someone who loves evil. It is possible to love evil, just as it is possible to choose evil and possible to change into an evil person.

Many years ago I awoke one morning, shaken by a very vivid dream. It was a dream about two Kingdoms, ruled by two very different Masters. What I remember most clearly about this dream was the conviction that I had upon waking that it would be infinitely better to be a dog in Heaven than to be the highest underling of the devil inhell. These are very different Masters.

As Catholics we do not believe that good and evil are equal forces. We do not believe that God has a real rival in the devil. God is sovereign and even the evil He permits will serve His goodness in the end. Yet, for each of us the choice between good and evil is a real one, and which we choose to love will determine not only where we will go at the end of our life but what we weill BE. Those choices are determining us even now.

We tend to view the consequences of our choices as something external to ourselves, reward or punishment, praise or blame, success or failure. It is true that our choices do have ramifications in the world around us, but we too easily forget that they also have an effect on the world within us. Our choices change us. They cooperate in making us who we are.

If I lie, I become a liar. If I steal, I become a thief. If I rejoice in ean-spirited actions, I become a mean-spirited person. To be sure, it is possible to free ourselves from sinful choices, precisely by repenting of them, but unti we do that they are a force in deterining who we are. We can deform our own characters by embracing evil and neglecting to seek the good. The potential that we have for being beautiful, shining reflections of the God Who created us can go eternally unfulfilled.

This reality is not dependent on anyone's opinion or perception. We aren't good because we are praised. we aren't good because we can convince people that we are good. We are only good to the degree that we love the good, serve the good, choose the good. Whether these choices are hidden or manifest, they make us what we are.

"The issue now is clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side." (the last words of G.K. Chesterton)

Today at 11:30am mass we were privileged to have a visiting priest named Fr. Marty Smith, OSA. It seems that he may become a regular fixture at St. Mary's and unless I miss my guess, parishioners will not be disappointed. Fr. Smith kindly introduced himself as an Augustinian who currently resides at the Augustinian monastery at Villanova University. He has been ordained a priest for 32 years now. Our area, of course, is accustomed to the Augustinians due to the proximity of St. Augustine's Prep. For example, at my own grandfather's funeral, an Augustinian priest, to our great surprise, showed up to say the mass at Sacred Heart since he so fondly remembered my grandfather. I was so moved by that gesture, I won't ever forget it.

Anyway, Fr. Smith gave an excellent but simple sermon about weathering life's storms and how we should always ask ourselves whether or not we are asking for God's intercession or whether we are depending upon ourselves to make it through. Since it was Father's Day today, Fr. Smith offered a special prayer for the fathers at mass which granted a plenary indulgence! Apparently the privilege of offering this indulgence was granted to Augustinians many years ago when one of them did a "favor" for the pope. I was unfortunately unable to find any further information on this online, so I can't share with you anything other than that.

So, welcome to Fr. Marty Smith. We hope to see you often!