Two great devotions characterized the spiritual life of Bishop McCloskey: a great love for the Blessed Sacrament, and from infancy an extraordinary devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which in later years was centered on Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. His meditations on the life of the Little Flower of Lisieux made the good Bishop realize how the Order of Carmel, although essentially contemplative, was none the less apostolic and missionary. At the sight of the immense field of apostolate that lay before him and of more than a million souls confided to his episcopal care, the zealous Bishop turned his eyes towards the bright Carmelite star to learn from her the power of prayer and immolation in the salvation of souls and the help contemplative Orders bring to the Church, to Priests and missionaries. Praying before the tabernacle, the Bishop decided to establish a monastery of Discalced Carmelite Nuns in his diocese, and with unshakeable energy, he set himself to the fulfillment of his project.

 

Many were the difficulties met by the good Bishop for its realization. But with his childlike trust and confidence in Our Lady, he finally succeeded and had the consolation of seeing his longed-for dream realized when in November, 1923, a group of Carmelite Nuns landed in Iloilo. Eventually, he became the first Carmelite tertiary in the Philippines.

 

See also:

Foundation

French Foundresses