Little Rock - Marylake Monastery

    Nestled within a vast pine forest just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, and overlooking a spring-fed lake, Marylake Monastery serves as the novitiate house of our Province of St. Thérèse. Here, men seeking to become members of the Discalced Carmelites undergo a year of intense prayer, discernment and training in the Carmelite life. Our community of friars is dedicated to the formation of these young religious, as well as to ministry to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Little Rock, the Secular Carmelites, and the Missionaries of Charity. Our priests also offer the service of sacramental ministry to many parishes around the state of Arkansas. In addition, our provincial archives, the records and historical documents of our province, are located at Marylake. Our provincial cemetery, where all the friars of our province are buried, is likewise situated on the grounds of Marylake.

History:
During the Provincialate of Fr. Evarist Foix, on December 22, 1951, the wife of L.G. LeTorneau agreed to sell what was known as "Pine Lake Camp" to the Carmelite Friars. Br. Victor Kopycinski soon moved to the property to ready it for the arrival of a community of friars. Fr. Felix DaPrato was elected Prior; he offered the first Mass there May 4, 1952. The novices came from San Antonio on May 15; Carmelite observance began May 16, then the feast of St. Simon Stock, with Bishop Albert Fletcher celebrating the community Mass. This Bishop formally dedicated the chapel on July 25. After an "Open House" of 3 days, he blessed the monastery and imposed the cloister on Sunday, July 27, 1952. Bishop Fletcher dedicated the provincial cemetery October 26, 1966.

Community:
Fr. Ralph Reyes, O.C.D., Superior
Fr. Raphael Kitz, O.C.D., Novice Director
Fr. Joseph Nielson, O.C.D.
Fr. John Michael Payne, O.C.D., Provincial Archivist and
Provincial Delegate to the Secular Order
Br. Bernard Joseph O'Neill, O.C.D.

Address:
5151 Marylake Drive
Little Rock, AR 72206