Anna and the Carmelitas
27th January 2009
Hi Dear !!!
How are you today? I really hope that all good for you.
My name is Anna. I'm from Russia, the city is Saint-Petersburg.
I'm 24 years old a single woman. Never married and have no children.
I really hope that you will read my letter with interest.
I want to develop our relations with You. I hope that you will answer to my
letter and we will have good time together. Please, answer to me as soon as you can.
My personal e-mail address: *********@gmail.com
Yours new friend Anna
P.S. I sent my photo. I hope that you like it. Please, answer to me with
your photo too. Bye....
Dear Anna,
Blessed be the Virgin! I am so very glad you wrote. I was just telling one of the sisters the other day that posting ads in the newspapers wasn't going to get many replies - well, look at us now, I said, we haven't had a single reply yet from a young lady interested in becoming a nun! And our Holy Father in the Vatican just a few weeks from visiting us, so much preparing needing to be done, and us being completely overwhelmed with preparations for his visit, without any help from an able body under the age of 50. If you saw the size of the tables that we'll have to move, you would understand! So thank you my dear Anna. Thank you very much for writing and showing an interest in joining the Convent of the Carmelitas.
Everyone knows me as Sister Jasmine. I will be in charge of sending you more information on the proceedures of joining the convent, the papers needed to be completed before you leave Saint Petersburg (VISAs, passports and so forth - I do hope you have a passport?) I have to confess I'm glad to know you are not married and don't have any children; it's always easier to adapt to our life here at the convent when we are not too attached to family members. And thank you for sending me your photo - I like it very much! I showed it to Sister Deloris, who runs our little choir, and she said you looked like a natural born singer. Was she right? Would you enjoy joining the choir when you arrive here? I have to say that you look very pretty in that photo; you remind me very much of Sister Magdalene, who sadly is no longer with us - she eloped with one of the local lads! But I'll tell you more about that when you get here.
Please find attached a photo of myself with the Virgin - full of grace! We keep her in the refectory. I find the expression on her face so calming. I look to her when I feel overwhelmed with all the preparations for the Holy Father's visit.
Anyway, I'm sorry if I babbled a little in this first e-mail. The Mother Superior keeps telling me to watch my mouth because I talk too much... that's probably 100 Hail Marys I'll do tonight, kneeling on the cobcorns, before I go to bed.
I really look forward to meeting you! Please write to me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE letting me know which dates you are available to fly so I can start arranging your flight tickets.
God bless, full of grace,
Sister Jasmine Carvalho
😂 full of grace!
Oh my Gosh, I got that exact same email. haha! This is good Ollie. Could become a satirical script for a comedic film.