When His Grace Archbishop Dominic Vendargon was ordained Bishop of Kuala Lumpur in 1955, he envisioned establishing a monastery of contemplative nuns who would become a spiritual powerhouse of prayer for the Archdiocese. His long-cherished dream was finally realised twenty-six years later. Following a retreat on the missionary spirit of Carmel preached by Fr. Pierluigi, OCD, the Carmelite nuns in Singapore were inspired with renewed zeal to establish a foundation in West Malaysia. Working closely with Archbishop Vendargon, they began laying the foundations for what would become the first Carmelite monastery in Peninsular Malaysia.
 

The journey, however, was far from easy. The Singapore monastery could spare only five Chapter Nuns, fewer than the number required by the Carmelite Constitutions. An exception was granted by the Father General, Fr. Philip Sainz de Baranda, on the condition that the new foundation would have daily Mass, a promise readily given by Archbishop Vendargon.
 

The nuns also faced the challenge of finding a suitable site. After one proposed location proved unsuitable, they chose an abandoned school building within the compound of the Church of St. Aloysius Gonzaga in Mantin, which required extensive renovation, including the demolition of a termite-infested wooden structure and the construction of a new concrete building.
 

The months leading to the foundation were marked by many sacrifices. The nuns travelled frequently between Singapore and Mantin to supervise the construction, becoming familiar faces at the Seremban railway and bus stations, the nearest transport hub to the monastery. Enduring unreliable train and bus services, they depended greatly on the generosity of local volunteers who transported them to and from the construction site, often late at night or in the early hours of the morning. At the same time, they overcame visa difficulties, human misunderstandings, and a lack of support at the grassroots level.
 

On 15 October 1982, the fourth centenary of the death of St. Teresa of Jesus, the foundation of the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph was established. The first Mass was concelebrated by Fr. John Hsiong, Parish Priest of the Church of the Visitation, Seremban, together with three other priests. Two days later, Archbishop Vendargon presided over the solemn inauguration of the monastery with twelve concelebrating priests. Following a Eucharistic procession from the nearby Church of St. Aloysius Gonzaga to the monastery chapel, he proclaimed the papal enclosure, locked the grille of the choir, and entrusted the key to Mother Catherine, marking the official beginning of Carmelite contemplative life in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.
 

As vocations steadily increased over the next twenty-five years, the community outgrew its monastery in Mantin. To accommodate its growing numbers, the nuns relocated to a newly built monastery in Seremban on 20 July 2007, where they continue their hidden life of prayer and sacrifice for the Church and the world.

Daily Mass (Monday to Saturday): 7.30 am (English), excluding Sunday.
 

For more information regarding the Carmelite nuns of Seremban: https://carmelite-seremban.org
 

For vocation enquiries, please email: carmelvocations@carmelite-seremban.org

 

Postal address: 

Carmelite Monastery

P.T. 8061

Kampung Pasir, Jalan Rasah

Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.