We are consecrated religious in the Catholic Church and members of a Congregation founded by Venerable Mary Angeline Teresa, dedicated to the service and care of the aged and infirm, in the spirit and tradition of the Carmelite Order.

We follow the values and example of our Foundress, Mother Mary Angeline Teresa, who established the Congregation in 1929. At that time, the concept of person-centered care, that is, individualized care that seeks to determine the needs and preferences of each resident and plan his or her care accordingly, was unheard of.  In the current age, person-centered is fast becoming the standard of care.  Mother Angeline was far ahead of her time in believing that the elderly should be respected as individuals and treated with kindness and compassion. She strove for a homelike model of care and adopted a model that would “strive to satisfy the personal, social and spiritual needs of each resident.”

We are women who share a vision that love makes a difference in the world. We are diverse in age, background and training, but are united in our belief that life is precious, from the moment of conception to its natural end. Life is full of memories pieced together to form God’s handwoven tapestry. Our story is tied to the story of all men and women at the autumn of life – their joys and sorrows, their pains and consolations, their love of family, their hopes and dreams, their search for God and their finding Him. Our life is about holding the hand of an aged person and giving meaning to their life. It is about being a mother, a sister, a daughter and a friend to someone who is another’s mother, father, sister, brother, friend or loved one.

The Avila Institute of Gerontology (AIG) was established in 1988 as the education arm of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. Mother Angeline believed “…the objective of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm has always been to meet the needs of the elderly according to the times.” In the face of change and growing complexity of care for the elderly, Mother Angeline understood the need for a committed, well-trained staff. AIG’s mission is to provide compassionate, faith-based education while remaining in the forefront of current gerontology research.