ACMM Parish Workers Ministry of Our Lady of the Cloister

Our History

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Here we will tell the story of the beginnings of our apostolate and how we became what we are today.

The ACMM Ministry of Our Lady of the Cloister was founded as the Society of Our Lady of the Cloister in October 1988 by three young ladies looking for support while discerning contemplative vocations.  They met at a retreat in Tennessee; decided to keep in touch with each other; and were determined to educate the world about the beauty of the cloistered life.  How?  Vocational literature from monasteries faithful to the Holy Father were placed in their local churches' racks.
 
How effective was this?  One monastery received three inquiries; another received five.
 
Spiritual directors began referring their charges to us.  At one time, the discerners list numbered twelve, encompassing several states.  The contemplative discerners often knew of others traveling the same path, and asked us to contact them to offer them our support.
 
Coincidentally, three of these discerners who met together on a regular basis have persevered in their vocations.  Two are now perpetually professed as a Discalced Carmelite and a Dominican, respectively.  The third made profession as a Benedictine diocesan hermitess.  One of the society's original three foundresses persevered to perpetual profession as a Carmelite Nun of the Ancient Observance. 
 
The motto "Do not rouse my love until it please to wake," from the Song of Songs, was adapted by the other two as a testimony of faith--God would admit them to their chosen monasteries (Poor Clare Colettine and Visitation, respectively) in His own time.
 
In the meantime, after a conference with her bishop, the late Anthony J. O'Connell, Gemma started developing the way of life for the Nuns of Our Lady of the Cloister (Cloisterites) in the privacy of her own home, while researching resources for the comatose and their families.  She also made notes for a pro-life charism dedicated to the Holy Innocents. 
 
Then the two SOLC founders still in the world proved to have married vocations.
 
In 1990, Gemma received verbal approval of the SOLC lay association statutes from Bishop O'Connell.  The statutes very simply stated that the SOLC was an association of vocational discerners and supporters who applied themselves to promoting the cloistered vocations any way they could--primarily through literature distribution.  St. Rita of Cascia and St. Therese the Little Flower were patrons.  The seat of leadership would be wherever Gemma was domiciled, and she retained the rights to change the statutes and name whenever necessary, according to times and places, as encouraged by the Second Vatican Council.  The renewal of extinct and foundation of new charisms was also included in the statutes.  The bishop suggested that the vocations for the three charisms she had proposed to him would come from those who came to the SOLC for discernment support. 
 
Gemma has persevered with this apostolate for over thirty years.  In the past, she has sent out packages of vocation literature for approximately 40 monasteries to destinations given to her through prayer and discernment.  Catholic churches in the most popular tourist sites in the U.S. have been the usual recipients, along with Catholic schools.  Even if these brochures do not get into the hands of prospective vocations, awareness of the contemplative life has been raised. 
 
We now maintain a website which is meant to be a clearinghouse of information on the cloisters.  Packages of literature are still mailed--for a small fee to cover postage--to those who request them.  Aside from supporting cloistered vocations, we also support founders of emerging charisms, and provide other discernment support services as needs present themselves.  We currently support delayed vocations (those over 30); Latin Mass adherent vocations; and virgin males desirous of consecration similar to that of the females.  Gemma has received inspirations for charisms which would accept these classes of discerners.  Those charisms are now ministries in our new congregation, the Association of Charity of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (ACMM). 
 
Many ask about the turnover rate for the cloistered life.  Ever since we started this apostolate in earnest, the number of inquiries has risen, as well as retention.  One monastery which had suffered from no vocations for two decades has had two to make perpetual profession within the last five years.
 
Gemma's proposed Cloisterites will begin as ACMM Ministers of Our Lady of the Cloister.
 
As per the late Bishop O'Connell's request for lay involvement in the charisms, the ministries have their own third orders. Among them are the Secular Stella Maris Contemplatives (Lay Cloisterites); Dr. St. Gianna's Assistants for Life (DGAL); Lay Gilbertines; Holy Family Parish Associates; Kateri Associates (KATS); and the Marian Society for the United Kingdom.
 

From "Our Lady of Good Success--Prophesies for Our Times" by Marian Therese Horvat, PhD:
 
The Importance of Monasteries and Convents
 
Our Lady then explained the significance of the ampulla carried by the Archangel Raphael and the exquisite perfume it emitted.  The glass vessel represented the faithful cloisters and monasteries; the purity and chastity that exist there "is the exquisite aroma that perfumes the fortunate countries that possess monasteries and convents.  They purify the air polluted by those in the world delivered over to the most shameful vices and passions. . .
 
Woe to the world should it lack monasteries and convents!  Men do not comprehend their importance, for, if they understood, they would do all in their power to multiply them, because in them can be found the remedy for all physical and moral evils. . .
 
No one on the face of the earth is aware whence comes the salvation of souls, the conversion of great sinners, the end of great scourges, the fertility of the land, the end of pestilence and wars and the harmony between nations.  All this is due to the prayers that rise up from monasteries and convents".

Our Lady of the Cloister, pray for us!

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"Do not rouse my love until it please to wake."  (Song of Songs)