For over a century the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus have served residents of Southeastern Wisconsin. Today the Sisters announced a new chapter in their ministry, the formation of the Carmelite Ministry of St. Teresa (CMST). The CMST is a women’s family style residential center offering live in support and programming to adult women with disabilities. The residential center will offer sixteen apartment style homes, community center, cafeteria and classroom space. The Formation and Enrichment Center (FEC) will provide programming to residents and the community at large.
Sr. Immaculata, Provincial, says local service providers indicated a substantial gap in services within the disabled community. Specifically programming on nights and weekends is very limited. Further there is no housing dedicated to women with special needs in Southeastern Wisconsin.
The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus is a religious congregation with headquarters in Europe and Regional Provinces in the United States. The sisters have opened their doors to provide a home for the poor, originally with orphanages that served thousands of individuals in a family-like atmosphere. In more current times they have served other needy populations, such as the sick and elderly, and mothers and children who need services and care.
The Sisters have served the poor in Wauwatosa Wisconsin for more than 100 years. After many years of service to young delinquent boys at the Carmelite Home for Boys in Wauwatosa Wisconsin, the Sisters have closed that Treatment Center. As a response to the changing landscape for affordable living spaces and programs for this needy population, the Sisters are creating a new Ministry to adult women with Developmental Disabilities who are independent and ambulatory.