Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Fairfield, United States

What it is

A young community of Discalced Carmelite nuns of traditional observance near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, founded when their previous monastery ran out of room for new vocations. They are building a stone monastery by hand-craft methods on farmland at Fairfield.

What it needs

The nuns are building a complete monastery in traditional stone masonry and timber framing, meant to last for centuries. Work began in 2013 and is about one fifth complete; the oratory, dedicated in 2024, serves as a temporary chapel while the permanent church is built, and the plans also include a refectory, a novitiate (groundbreaking in autumn 2025) and quarters for the professed nuns.

Before you act. The budget is very large and the timetable open-ended. In 2019 the project was estimated at $12 million, with $4 million raised, so the figure has grown greatly as the design matured.

Sources

EWTN News: Carmelite sisters building a monastery to last a thousand years in Pennsylvania (1 September 2026)
InfoVaticana: A monastery for a thousand years (6 September 2026)
Fairfield Carmelites: Donate
Fairfield Carmelites: A New Monastery
Catholic World Report: In Pennsylvania, Carmelites plan a 'micro village' according to St. Teresa's vision (8 April 2019)

Last checked 9 November 2026. Responsible body: Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Fairfield (501(c)(3), EIN 82-5141419).

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