Foundation

The first community of Discalced Carmelite Nuns in the United States was founded in Baltimore in 1790. In 1863 the Baltimore Carmel founded another community in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1867, Louise Roman (born and raised in New Orleans), desiring to become a Discalced Carmelite Nun, entered the Carmel in St. Louis, Missouri because there was no Carmelite monastery in Louisiana at that time. Ten years later, thriving as a Carmelite nun in St. Louis Carmel, she was chosen to establish a Carmel in New Orleans and became its founder.

The original New Orleans monastery was founded in 1877 on Rampart Street, in the French Quarter. The Carmelite Nuns lived there for a number of decades. During those times when religious vocation was flowering, the New Orleans Carmel was able to make two foundations -- one in Lafayette, Louisiana, and another in Newport (now Barrington), Rhode Island.

With New Orleans Carmel's changing needs, there came a time when it was deemed necessary to find a more suitable location for the monastery. After a diligent and careful search, such a place was found in Covington, Louisiana, just north of New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain. Thus, in 1995 the New Orleans Carmel moved to the north shore and became the Covington Carmel.