BUFFALO, N.Y. — After 103 years in North Buffalo, the Carmelite Nuns at the Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus shared a farewell to the area and announced plans to move to St. Augustine, Florida.
The nuns wrote a letter to the Buffalo community that said in part:
“When this monastery was built, this was a quiet area on the outskirts of the city. Now, however, we no longer have the silence and solitude which are requisite for a cloistered community.”
…
“Friends have offered to assist us in procuring a spacious property in the territory of the Diocese of Saint Augustine which would be an ideal location for our life of contemplative prayer, and we are confident that this is a blessing coming to us from the hand of Divine Providence.”
The neighborhood around the Carmelite Monastery was forced to say goodbye to the nuns that have been here their entire lives.
Pamela Jacobs grew up a few blocks away and said that before any big life event, she’d come visit the Carmelite Nuns.
“Anytime anything of stress or even happiness happened, we’d come to the Carmelites and get a prayer card, and we had faith it would change the course of things," Jacobs said.
Another resident, Ann Brighton, has lived in the neighborhood for 47 years and said these nuns were a breath of positivity.
“I love having them here,” Brighton said. “Because they’re busy praying all the time when I don’t pray all the time.”
Neither Jacobs nor Brighton ever expected the nuns to leave the building that’s been a staple in their community before either of them were born.
“It’s sort of like the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame,” Jacobs said. “It has always been there as a strength for us.”
“I feel sad they’re leaving, but I understand everything is shifting nowadays,” Brighton said.
Buffalo city councilman Joel Feroleto grew up just a few blocks from the monastery and shared that he is also sad to see the nuns plan their move to Florida.
He doesn’t know what will happen to the building when they leave but feels the community must be involved.
“I think it’s important that whoever does purchase the property has robust community engagement and talk to the neighbors,” Feroleto said. “Everybody is used to it being the church.”
The Diocese of Buffalo shared that they wish the nuns well, but declined to comment as the nuns are an “independent order from the diocese”
The Diocese of Saint Augustine also declined to comment when called Tuesday, only saying that there is “more details to work out.”
The monastery declined to speak on camera but said in their letter that:
“Words cannot express the profound gratitude we have in our hearts for all the love and generosity which the people of Buffalo have shown to our community for these many years!”
“I thank them, and I know they will pray for all of us no matter where they are,” Brighton said.
No timeline for the move has been announced yet.
A link to the full Farewell letter can be found at https://www.buffalocarmel.org/
