Dear brothers and sisters in Carmel, We are pleased to announce the election of Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD, as Provincial of the Province of Saint Thérèse. Many of you already know and love Fr. Stephen from his excellent talks and classes. Fr. Stephen has been very supportive of the Carmelite Seculars, serving as spiritual director, retreat master, and speaker.
Father Stephen was born and raised in San Antonio, TX in (as he puts it) the last century. One of four siblings, he is the son of Juan Sánchez and Teresa Martínez de Sánchez.
Fr. Stephen was accepted into the Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Therese in San Antonio in February of 1983. He made his Solemn Profession of Vows in 1989. His Priestly Ordination was in 1992 at the Basilica and National Shrine of St. Therese and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, in San Antonio, TX.
Fr. Stephen earned a B.A. in psychology with a minor in philosophy from St. Mary’s University in 1987, and earned Master of Divinity from the Oblate School of Theology in 1992, both in San Antonio. He completed an intensive academic year course (1992-1993) in the Spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross in Avila, Spain at the “Centro Internacional de Avila” (currently known as CITES).
Fr. Stephen has served the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St. Therese as Vocations Director from 1993 to 1996 and as Superior of Marylake from 1996 to 2002. He has also served in various administrative positions and is currently serving the Order as
Superior of the Mt. Carmel Center in Dallas, TX since 2002. http://www.mountcarmelcenter.org/
Fr. Stephen has been involved for several years in the formation program for the Permanent Diaconate program of the Diocese of Dallas and also serves as adjunct Spiritual Director for Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas. Please welcome Fr. Stephen as our new Provincial. Keep him in your prayers and know that you are in his.
Blessings to you,
The Provincial Council of the Oklahoma OCDS