History of Mount Carmel Center

On August 23, 1940, Dallas Bishop Joseph Lynch granted permission for the Discalced Carmelites of our province to open a seminary in Dallas. The property was purchased in 1946 and construction began in 1948 when Fr. Sebastian Valles was elected Provincial. The first Mass was celebrated on July 20, 1950 by Fr. Andrew Palmero in the presence of Fr. Michael Okuroski, Br. Victor Kopycinski, and the high school seminarians. Formal dedication was on Sunday, September 3, 1950. Canonical erection was given by the Sacred Congregation for Religious on March 31, 1951 and then by our General Definitory on April 6, 1951.

The Diocese of Dallas leased the property for the school years 1962-66 while the Diocese built Holy Trinity Seminary. Mount Carmel Center then served as an inter-provincial college seminary from 1966-72.

In June 1974 Fathers Sam Anthony Morello and Mary Philip Wurth repurposed the facility and opened it as Mount Carmel Center, an informal institute of spirituality and retreat house.

Today Mount Carmel Center continues to provide retreats and workshops for the spiritual well-being of the Christian Catholic community of Dallas. We carry forward the faith, courage, and dedication of those who have gone before us in the service of the Church serving within the charism of the Discalced Carmelite Friars.

May the Glorious St. Joseph, Protector of the Order, bless us with the spiritual and temporal means to carry out the mission begun by these determined and faith-filled men.