The Hidden Heart of Denver: Carmelite Sisters Radiate the Love of the Trinity
- Rocio Madera
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
From their convent at the St. John Paul II Center, the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity live a hidden life of prayer and service — reminding the Archdiocese of Denver that God’s love is always present.
Founded in 1986 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, the community of the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Holy Trinity arrived in Colorado in 2017 with the mission of establishing a house dedicated to constant prayer and Eucharistic Adoration.
Alongside their life of prayer, the Carmelites strive to live the Gospel through works of mercy, including visits to nursing homes, support for houses for priests and religious, retreat centers, evangelization centers and spiritual and material aid to those most in need.
A miraculous call
For Mother Elvira Esparza Guerrero, local superior of the Denver community, following her call to religious life has been nothing short of a miracle. Raised in a non-practicing Catholic family, she had always been curious about God and faith, but as a married woman with children. She had never desired to become a religious sister.
“But God’s ways are different from our own,” Mother Elvira told Denver Catholic.
At 20, she met two sisters from the community and was invited to attend a perpetual profession ceremony. Moved by the sisters’ joy, she accepted an invitation to participate in a retreat — even though she was engaged to be married.
After three days of prayer and the grace of the Holy Spirit, on a Good Friday before Christ on the Cross, she decided to say “yes” to the Lord.
“I was crying, looking at him and telling him no — I couldn’t follow him. But at one point, as I kept looking, I felt great peace and joy. Then I said, ‘Alright, I’ll follow you because I want to love you, and then I want to make you known to those who don’t love you. But give me your strength and your grace, because I don’t know you.’”
Her decision wasn’t easy. Her family opposed it, and her parents even turned their backs on her. Still, she chose to dedicate her life to the Lord and entered the convent of the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity in Aguascalientes.
Years later, her prayerful perseverance bore fruit: her family gradually accepted her vocation, and her father even experienced a conversion that brought him closer to God.
This past April, Mother Elvira celebrated 32 years of consecrated life — years filled with blessings and graces that have strengthened her journey toward God.
“For me, it feels like just a month, because when you’re happy, time flies,” she said.
A Trinitarian charism
The Carmelites’ charism is Trinitarian — centered on the living presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the soul of every person.
“Our main mission,” Mother Elvira explained, “is to become aware of the indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity in our souls, so that we can radiate that message of love to others.”
This charism is expressed first through prayer — abiding in relationship with the Trinity — and then through service to others. In the Archdiocese of Denver, the Carmelites serve at Prophet Elijah House for retired priests, collaborate with Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and support the pastoral work of Holy Trinity Center.
(Photos provided)
Through their life of prayer and service, they seek to remind the world of God’s unconditional love and constant presence as the source of forgiveness and mercy.
“Our first mission in every apostolate entrusted to us is prayer — that union with God that allows us truly to serve and be present to the people we accompany,” said Mother Elvira.
Their daily rhythm revolves around Eucharistic Adoration, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., as a living expression of their desire to “help build the Kingdom of God.”
Their prayerful presence has become a visible sign in Denver. The community also holds all-night Adoration every first Friday of the month.
“We’re here for the needs and intentions of all the people of Denver, especially to support the archbishop, the priests and all those serving in this archdiocese,” she said.
In this way, their Trinitarian mission is made concrete in their constant prayer, especially in Adoration, where God's love is made manifest to his people.
The sisters rarely leave the convent, except for essentials such as grocery shopping, medical visits or community-related errands. They occasionally participate in vocational promotion and offer monthly retreats for young people in the archdiocese.
Mother Elvira explained that, in all that the sisters do, “our goal is to help people know that God loves us and is with us — through a smile, a greeting or, more than anything, simply by showing his love to those around us.”
In so doing, the sisters seek to incarnate God's love for those they encounter along the way, even through the smallest, daily activities.
The challenge of the call
When asked about the challenges the Church faces today, Mother Elvira immediately pointed to the global shortage of vocations. Yet she also noted that their community has been blessed with new vocations.
“Thanks be to God, he has blessed us with new vocations. This year, six young women entered our institute, and last year four,” she said, referring to those currently in formation at the motherhouse in Aguascalientes.
“Young people today are being swept away by the world’s false currents. Many desire consecrated life, but they’re afraid — afraid to fail or to give up the little they have. They don’t allow themselves to be filled with the love God has for them, because the world keeps them confused,” she continued.
To those young people who fear discerning God's call for their lives, she offered encouragement to trust in God.
“Don’t be afraid of what God is calling you to. Trust in our Heavenly Father, who is the Father who gives the vocation to follow his beloved Son, guided by the Holy Spirit," she exhorted. "Abandon yourselves to his will and don’t be afraid to follow the path he sets before you — because it’s worth it. It’s worth following God on any path.”
She added that the journey toward holiness always includes difficulty.
“There’s uncertainty in everything — in marriage, in consecrated life. Every life involves suffering because we’re all seeking holiness. And where there’s no suffering, there’s no holiness. I don’t mean you have to suffer to be holy, but you must know how to face life’s trials to reach the destiny God has prepared for us,” Mother Elvira said.
Having once faced rejection from her parents, Mother Elvira also urged parents to remember that their children belong to God and to nurture faith and vocation in their children from an early age.
“You shouldn’t be possessive with your children,” she said. “Raise them to lead them to God — to give them a life with a religious foundation, with culture and with everything they’ll need to face what life brings.”
Building a new motherhouse
With their mission of sharing their Trinitarian message and serving the most vulnerable, the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity have launched a campaign to build a new motherhouse in Aguascalientes.
(Photos provided)
“We urgently need a house for our elderly and infirm sisters in Aguascalientes,” Mother Elvira said.
Currently, the sisters live on the upper floor of the nursing home where they have served for decades — an arrangement that makes it difficult for elderly or disabled sisters to move around.
“It’s not ideal for someone with physical limitations — they need more accessible spaces and facilities to meet their basic needs,” she explained.
The new building, which will be constructed next to the nursing home, will include an infirmary, bedrooms and accessible areas for the sisters with physical challenges.
“We need $5 million to build it,” she said. “Our community here in Denver is working to raise funds to send to Mexico. Our elderly sisters have already worked so hard; they've given their lives in service to the Church. We want to give them a home.”
The Carmelite Sisters are asking for the support of Denver’s faithful to help reach their goal and begin construction of the new motherhouse — a place that has borne so many spiritual fruits and that will allow the sisters to continue to serve in their communities, including within the Archdiocese of Denver.
To conclude, Mother Elvira offered a reflection for all Christians: “For every Christian, every child of God — if we don’t give our lives to God, what are we living for? What is our mission?”
To support the Carmelite Sisters, visit archden.org/give/donate-carmelite-sisters or contact Edlin Alvarado at edlin.alvarado@archden.org or 303-715-3209.
