Oklahoma City – Little Flower Parish

    The community of Discalced Carmelite Friars in Oklahoma City staffs the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Thérèse, popularly known as "Little Flower" parish, or "La Florecita." The friars minister primarily to the Hispanic community of Oklahoma City. They also serve as chaplains to the Carmelite Sisters of St. Thérèse, and oversee the free medical clinic that is located on the monastery grounds. The clinic is open to all persons who are otherwise unable to afford medical care, and is the only local clinic with a staff which speaks both Spanish and English. Through the generosity of St. Anthony's hospital, free lab exams are also available. This community of friars also welcomes Carmelite postulants, men who come to live with the community in order to learn about our way of life as they discern a possible vocation to the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

History:
In July of 1921, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert gave permission for the Carmelites
to found a mission in Oklahoma City to care for its Mexican population. On August 11, 1921, the Provincial Definitory of Aragon-Valencia (Spain) gave its permission. "On Sunday, the 4th of September, we started to say Mass for the first time in the basement of the cathedral for the Mexican people” recorded one of the first friars in his journal. Fathers Edward Soler, Boguslaus Jacazsek, Jose Vicente Guaita, and Jerome Castellet took possession of a wood frame house in the now 1100 block of South Walker St. “On the 14th of May 1922 at 8:00am, we said our first Mass in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission.”
In the spring of 1926, construction of a new monastery and church began under Fr. Raymond Gomez and these were dedicated on March 24, 1927. The "student wing" was added after our house of theology in Valencia was threatened by Communists in 1930, and students from Spain were sent to study here. Erected as a Priory in 1931 when students from Spain arrived, the community was then established as a parish in 1933, with Fr. Evarist V. Foix as the first pastor. When proponents of liturgical renewal threatened to remove the baroque altar carved by Mr. Svoboda, Fr. Louis Scagnelli had the church listed by the city of Oklahoma City for historical preservation in 1975. On June 1, 1990, under the pastoral direction of Fr. Jesús Sancho, the Little Flower Clínica, founded in the 1920's, was re-opened in the family house of Manuel Diaz, and began to offer free medical assistance to the medically needy.

Community:
Fr. Jenaro de la Cruz, O.C.D., Superior and Pastor
Fr. Henry Bourdeaux, Parochial Vicar
Fr. Luis Joaquín Castañeda, Vocation Director and Postulant Director

Address:
P.O. Box 1196
Oklahoma City, OK 73101-1196

Or

1125 S. Walker Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73109