Discalced Carmelite Sister Martha Tahlmeedah of Jesus the Master sees prayer as deeply personal.
“Prayer means I am spending time with Christ, who wants to be with me more than anyone else, to tell him all my secrets, and listen to all the secrets he wants to tell me — to do everything with him,” said Sister Tahlmeedah, a member of the Discalced Carmelites in Morris-town.
Every day, Sister Tahlmeedah spends hours in silent prayer at their home, the Monastery of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. The Paterson Diocese encourages all faithful to get closer to Jesus in their own holy quiet — in silent prayer and retreat in the coming months by visiting local shrines, monasteries, and hermitages — like the Discalced Carmelites’ monastery.
By visiting these sites, Catholics can participate in the Church-wide Year of Prayer 2024 before it ends in December. Pilgrims can find hope, love, and peace, and deepen their relationship with Jesus. Many offer Masses, holy hours, adoration, confession, and retreats. Some sites might have relics of their patron saint.
Visitors can find peace, even in a city, at the Diocesan Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic, a site dedicated to a recent saint that displays many beautiful religious images. They can visit rural locations, such as St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton and the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hermitage in Chester, which offers a simple spirituality.
Pilgrims can pray for their concerns and loved ones, bringing their mix of joy, gratitude, worry, and brokenness before the Lord. They also can pray for the world, diocese, and Universal Church and immerse themselves in an intimate relationship with Jesus.
The Year of Prayer concludes in December, preparing the Church for the opening of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will open the Jubilee Year in the diocese with a 3 p.m. Mass on Dec. 29 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. Pope Francis will officially open the Jubilee Year for the Universal Church in Rome that day.
In the papal bull of indiction for the Holy Year, Pope Francis prays that, during the Year, “the light of Christian hope might illumine every man and woman, as a message of God’s love addressed to all,” and that “the Church might bear faithful witness to this message in every part of the world,” according to the National Catholic Register.
The Holy Father officially opened the Year of Prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Jan. 21.
“Today we begin the Year of Prayer; that is, a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world,” the pontiff said.
Several Discalced Carmelites shared their silent prayer experiences with the diocese for the Year of Prayer. They included Sister Martha Tahlmeedah and Sister Mariyam Shahar of the Savior.
“Prayer allows me to discover who Jesus is — what he has done for me and how I return ‘love for love’ to him. It is a chance for me to stop and to gaze at the one who is hungry for my love and tell him, ‘I love you’ — and for him to go on loving,” Sister Shahar said.
Following is a listing of many of the shrines, monasteries, and hermitages in the Paterson Diocese and contact information for them.
Devotional sites in diocese available for visits during Year of Prayer
The following is a list of some of the hermitages, monasteries, and shrines in the Paterson Diocese. The faithful are encouraged to visit them for silent prayer and retreat with Jesus during the final months of the Universal Church’s Year of Prayer 2024. Many offer Masses, holy hours, adoration, confession, and retreats.
Hermitages
Bethlehem Hermitage
Operated by the Hermits of Bethlehem
82 Pleasant Hill Rd., Chester
908-879-7059
https://www.bethlehemhermitage.com/home.html
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hermitage
Operated by the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
80 Pleasant Hill Rd., Chester
908-879-4990
Email: hermitsofcarmel@gmail.com
https://www.ocarm.org/en/carmelites-around-the-world/carmelite-hermits
Monasteries
Holy Face Monastery
Operated by the Sylvestrine Congregation of the Order of St. Benedict
1697 State Rt. 3, Clifton
973-778-1177
Email: holyfaceosb@gmail.com
https://holyfacemonastery.com
Monastery of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
Operated by the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
189 Madison Ave., Morristown
Phone 973-538-0816
Email: https://www.carmelnj.org/contact
https://www.carmelnj.org
St. Mary’s Abbey
Operated by the Benedictine monks
230 Mendham Rd., Morristown
973-538-3235
Email prompt on website home page
https://saintmarysabbey.org
St. Paul’s Abbey
Operated by the Benedictine monks
289 U.S. Highway 206 S., Newton
973-383-2470
Email: https://www.newtonosb.org/contact
https://www.newtonosb.org
Shrines
Our Lady of Lourdes grotto shrine at St. Peter the Apostle Parish
179 Baldwin Rd., Parsippany
973-334-2090
Shrine to St. Therese, the Little Flower
Administered by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (OLMC)
54 Rock Lane, Boonton
Carol Bsarany: 973-271-9252
https://sainttheresashrine.com/
Sanctuary of Mary/Shrine of St. Justin
Operated by the Society of the Divine Vocations
252 Wantage Ave., Branchville
973-875-7625
Email: tomkuttikkatt0120@gmail.com
https://sanctuaryofmary.org
Diocesan Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish
6 Wall Street, Passaic
(973) 473-1578
https://holyrosarypassaic.org
Our Lady of Victories Parish/Shrine of St. Jude
169 Broadway (corner of Paterson St. and Memorial Dr.), Paterson
(973) 279-0487
Email: olvjude@gmail.com
https://olvjude.org
St. Anthony Shrine for the Sick/St. Bonaventure Parish
174 Ramsey St., Paterson
973-279-1016
https://stbonspaterson.org
Shrine of St. Joseph
Operated by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity
1050 Long Hill Rd., Stirling (Long Hill Township)
Phone: 908-647-0208
Email: religious@stshrine.org
https://www.shrineofsaintjoseph.com
— MICHAEL WOJCIK
