Our Lady of Mount Carmel


The story Our Lady of Mount Carmel and her order had the following reasons:

The little cloud that rose out of the sea, like a man's hand, which foreboded to Elijah (who was on the top of Carmel) abundance of rain, was a type of the Virgin Mary, her prerogatives, her humility, and her exaltations. St. Bernard says that her humility is typified by the smallness of the cloud. Which is not bigger than a man's hand; her prerogatives are typified by the abundant rain, which refreshed the earth, and gave new life to man and beast; her exaltation is typified by the spread of the cloud, which covered the whole heavens.The first and principal church built on Mount Carmel was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. And if often a home takes the name of its owner, than certainly, Our Lady should be called by the name of the place where her honor dwells. Without doubt Elijah, who was a prophet, foresaw the coming of Mary and of Christ, and informed his disciples of the mystery. Even the Druids had an altar "to the parturiant Virgin."

For these "cogent" reasons the order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been founded, and many miracles have testified that God has pleasure therein. (Ref. Guer, Vies des Saints pp 375-285)