We are blessed to be surrounded by many witnesses who have consecrated their whole lives to Jesus. There are both contemplative and apostolic orders of religious life:

In the Parish of Sacred Heart we have the beautiful Kew Carmelite Monastery, the home of contemplative nuns living by the primitive Rule for the Carmelites as it was incorporated by St Teresa of Avila in her Reform for the Discalced Carmelites. The calling to the Contemplative life is an invitation from God to follow a more constant and higher form of prayer and penance and practice of virtue which one lovingly fulfils through a daily fidelity to the observance of the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty. Thus the Carmelite religious is disposed to enter more deeply into the work and mystery of Christ’s life and redeeming sacrifice of love on Calvary. Click here for the Kew Carmelite Monastery website.

On Cotham Road you can also find the Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver, founded by Blessed Mary Theresa Ledòchowska. The special apostolate of this international congregation of religious sisters is to awaken a love for the missions in all hearts. Looking in faith at Jesus on the Cross and listening to His cry “I thirst” ( Jn 19:28 ) the Sisters are urged to cooperate with Him in the salvation of souls, as expressed in the motto of the Congregation: The most divine of divine things is to cooperate in the salvation of souls. We are blessed to have them as part of our parish and often participating in parish Masses and events. Click here to see their website and learn more.