My name is Br. John-Magdalene of Mary Immaculate. I was born in 1990 and entered Carmel in 2019.

My vocation story begins while attending CCD classes (called “faith formation” these days). I must have been around nine years old when a priest came in to talk to the class about the priesthood. A call to the priesthood left its mark on me that day. This imprint continued through the teasing of classmates and the deterring of relatives. Although my involvement with my faith beyond going to Mass every Sunday was rare growing up, this call to the priesthood always remained latent and would surface from time to time. I began to take the faith seriously after my sophomore year of college at the University of Central Florida. Over the years, my dad would slowly share with me some Catholic CDs but during my sophomore year he invited me to Catholic Prayer group conference. Their Christian witness left a big impact on me. Additionally, a Franciscan priest (Fr. Julio) attended the conference and I was able to talk with him about the faith and the priesthood. I then began making plans to graduate college early with an associate’s degree to discern the priesthood. I also prayed my first Rosary during this time and Mary helped put me on the path of freedom to fully live my faith. I spent a lot of that summer on “Catholic Answers” learning about the faith, the priesthood and religious orders. I gravitated towards religious orders because of my experience of community in college fraternity life. I took a year off of school to discern different communities and joined the Marians of the Immaculate Conception (MIC) at the end of the year. I loved the community and spent seven years there until coming to Carmel. The first perceptions of a Carmelite calling began though reading books. After having loved books on spirituality during the novitiate, I began reading St. Teresa of Avila’s Way of Perfection about a year into consecrated life. This book ignited a great fire in me. Besides her captivating personality, the content of her work is so rich. I then began to read almost exclusively Carmelite books for spiritual reading. As the years continued, so did a yearning to share the possibility of a deep, intimate prayer life with others.

I first met the Discalced Carmelites during a Holy Hour on Catholic University’s campus after having mistaken them for Franciscans! In meeting Fr. Thomas-Mary, O.C.D., I was introduced to Bl. Marie-Eugene’s major works and began seeing Fr. Marc Foley, O.C.D for spiritual direction. The former awoken this same fiery zeal as when I read St. Teresa’s works. The latter excited me greatly that I could talk with someone in depth about Carmelite spirituality. I began to look into a Carmelite vocation, and while I was excited that the Carmelite charism really seemed to fit me, I had no further clarity if this was the direction God wanted me to go. Over the years, my desires to share Carmelite spirituality grew stronger and I perceived in prayer that God was calling me to Carmel.

What I love about life at the monastery are the two hours of spending mental prayer with the Lord a day, the periods of silence to foster communion with God, and the fraternal sharing with my brothers.