The Marylake Carmelite Monastery is a monastery for men seeking to become members of the Discalced Carmelites, a Catholic mendicant order.
History
edit
The area was first the Shrine Country Club of Little Rock, built in 1926.[1] After the failure of the country club, the infamous Dr. John R. Brinkley set up shop in what he declared was "The World's Most Beautiful Hospital."[2][3]
On December 22, 1951, the wife of L. G. LeTorneau agreed to sell what was then known as "Pine Lake Camp" to the Carmelite Friars. Br. Victor Kopycinski then moved to the building to prepare it for the arrival of a community of friars. Friar Felix DaPrato was elected Prior and offered the first Mass there on May 4, 1952. The chapel was dedicated on July 25 of the same year by Bishop Albert Fletcher, and after an "open house" of three days, he blessed the monastery and imposed the cloister on Sunday, July 27, 1952. The Marylake Cemetery was dedicated on October 26, 1966.
Today it is still used as a monastery for the Carmelite Brothers. Men wanting to become members undergo a year of intense prayer and training of Carmelite life at the monastery.[4]
Location
editThe monastery is located 15 miles south of Little Rock, Arkansas at 5151 Marylake Drive.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Mabelvale High School, The Infamous Doctor Brinkley". Rrmerritt.com. 2006-07-03. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ Page 10
- ^ Whayne, Jeannie M. (January 2000). Arkansas biography: a collection of ... - Google Books. ISBN 9781557285874. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ "Caremlite Friars of OK". Carmelitesok.org. Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ "Marylake Monastery". Dolr.org. Archived from the original on May 27, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-09.