About 100 clergy, sisters and brothers religious, and laypeople joined Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Friday, July 26 for a Eucharistic liturgy of thanksgiving, as two religious orders prepare to leave the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Beacon.

The Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Beacon and the Redemptoristine Nuns of New York, who have shared the Dutchess County monastery since 2013, will leave in August for separate destinations, due to small numbers and healthcare concerns. The monastery will remain the property of the Archdiocese of New York.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” said Cardinal Dolan at the beginning of his homily. “I say that because whenever we come to a time of transition, or change, or moving on, we are tempted to think, ‘Where is the permanence? Where is the solidity? Where is the rock?’ And of course, it’s always Jesus, the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” 

“Our beloved Carmelites and Redemptoristines, you realize how much we love you, how much we cherish you, how grateful, how very grateful we are for your witness and your charism of consecrated, contemplative life. We need you very much,” Cardinal Dolan said. “No matter where you are, that love and that admiration and that appreciation goes with you.”

“We go forth fortified in your love and your friendship,” said Sister Marjorie Robinson, OC, prioress of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Beacon, to Cardinal Dolan in closing remarks at the end of Mass. “So many of you have shared feast day after feast day with us. You have shared this beautiful space of Hiddenbrooke with us – neighbors, parishioners, other religious, the priests who have served us – it is a real family affair today. We are grateful to everyone for being here with us, and as we have been saying, you go with us in our hearts because our way of life is in our hearts, it does not end with a building or a place.”

Sister Moira Quinn, prioress of the Redemptoristines in New York, expressed mixed emotions about the day and the upcoming move. “It’s bittersweet. But we’re moving ahead, and we’re anxious and looking forward to living with the Dominicans. It will be different, a big transition. But they are faith-filled women, and as everyone is aging, everyone gets more contemplative, so we feel it’s going to be a good fit with them.” The Redemptristines, known colloquially as “the red nuns” for the color of their habits, will relocate with the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill.

Cardinal Dolan served as the Mass’s chief celebrant. Among the attendees were Sister Joan Curtin, C.N.D., Archdiocese of New York vicar for religious, and Sister Teresita Morse, R.J.M., also of the Vicariate for Religious.

The Carmelite Monastery was formerly the mother house of the Ursuline Sisters of the Eastern Province, now based in New Rochelle.