Holladay Nuns Hold Annual ‘Carmelite Fair’ At Monastery

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Thousands of people gathered to celebrated an annual event in a normally quiet neighborhood in Holladay Sunday. The Carmelite Fair brings people of different faiths together for a good cause.

On a peaceful eight acres in Holladay, 12 women – ages 32 to 91 – live united in faith and purpose. Carmelite nuns live a cloistered life, away from the world – their vocation, their work, their calling from God, is prayer.

Mother Therese, who came to Utah 19 years ago, is now the Prioress.

“We receive phone calls and emails from people of different faiths asking us to pray for them and we are so honored to do that,” she said.

Like others of their order throughout the world, they must support themselves. Some have generous benefactors, but in Holladay, Utah, the sisters rely on community support. Once a year, they open their grounds and welcome visitors to the Carmelite Fair.

“For us, the nuns,” Mother Therese says, “the fair doesn’t only mean financial support, it also brings spiritual help, too.” She says to the Catholic diocese and beyond.

Volunteers from throughout the valley and beyond begin meeting every March, gathering donations from companies and individuals.

Even after decades, they find organizations that do not know about the nuns and their monastery but are often happy to participate.

“We’re blessed!” says Janet Van Gelder, chairwoman of the Donations Committee.

Just days before the fair, those gifts fill rooms at the monastery. Organizers say so many beyond the Catholic faith are generous with both their treasures and their time.

“It’s not about being one religion over another. We’re all in this together. It’s a complete family,” says Van Gelder.

For Van Gelder, it began just three years ago when another volunteer asked her if she would, “make a few phone calls for the sisters.” It was actually a hundred calls! She loved it and still enjoys the response she gets for the nuns.

As happens with many charitable causes, the volunteers come to know and love one another.

“It’s for the good of all mankind,” they say.

“We have volunteers from the east, west, north and south, and they are not always Catholic,” Mother Therese says.

Juan Diego Catholic High School students and Young Men and Young Women from the ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Holladay assist with the set-up of some 30 tents, chairs and tables.

The Judge Memorial High School football team does the clean-up.

“Through the generosity of our benefactors and volunteers, we are very happy to say that the fair (in the past) has been very successful. The Sisters and I just would like to say that we love the people in Utah and we pray for all of you, we’re here for all of you. God bless you,” says Mother Therese.

The food booths, and craft tents, tables and chairs in the shade were set up and ready for the big event. The monastery grounds were soon filled with the sounds of music and thousands of people sharing food and one another’s company, all to benefit the nuns.

The Carmelite Fair took place on Sunday, September 16th from 11am to 5 pm. Parking along Holladay Boulevard fills in early so there is a fair shuttle which stops at 4 locations in Holladay.  See the map, plus details of all of the coordinating events with this link: carmelslc.org