The Carmelite Monastery is one of San Diego's best kept secrets. You can glimpse it high on the chaparral-covered hill above Interstate 8 as you drive eastbound, between the 805 and the 15. As you look up from the freeway, you see an imposing white stucco curving wall enclosing a tree-shrouded Spanish style mansion. That's it!
The Monastery is home to a group of cloistered sisters [I do not use the word "Nuns"]. They are garbed in an unfortunate brown dress in a fabric the color of mud. If only their order could switch to gray! Because of their cloistered status, there is no interaction with the sisters.
There is a church on the property, with a tall, white-washed tower standing guard. Inside, the pews are made up of individual wood chairs, each with a separate kneeler, just as you might find in France or Italy. There is a calming simplicity to the interior, the bare walls around you without a lot of embellishment.
The rear gardens of the Carmelite Monastery are completely private and sadly, cannot be accessed by mere mortals. However, there is what the sisters call a "liturgy" on Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m.; and on Sunday, at 4:00 p.m.
About once a month, I like to visit on Sunday afternoon for the 4:00 p.m. liturgy, which consists of a beginning of vespers chanting [difficult to follow---be sure to pick up the printed reading book when you enter] and thereafter a "regular" Mass, presided over by a visiting priest.
During Mass, the Sisters are seated behind wrought iron gates [flung open during Mass] to the right of the altar, so that they cannot be seen [although there are opportunities to see the sisters from time to time, which is how I was able to describe their drab brown garb]. The chanting, singing and readings are done by the Sisters, whose voices are amplified by a microphone.
After Mass, which is never crowded, it is a pleasure to stroll in the Monastery's front garden [which is accessible to the public]. Here, you will find hedge-trimmed walkways, a gurgling fountain, roses, gardenias and lilacs. I understand the beautiful grounds are tended by volunteers from the San Diego Fire Department---apparently one of the firefighters has a sister who is a resident at the Monastery. I was thinking of inquiring if the Fire Department would consider an additional volunteer so that I could experience those secret rear gardens hidden by high walls from prying eyes. read more