During less than a decade of service in Mexico, our friars have attracted enough young men interested in our way of life to open a house of studies in Tlalpan in southern Mexico City. Since 1995, Carmelite friars have lived and worked in Torreón, Coahuela, meeting the needs of the people in Transfiguration Parish. The city of Torreón, in north-central Mexico, is less than 100 years old. "The population is young, attitudes are young" as a result, says Fr. Tom Jordan, one of four Carmelite friars who began the mission in Mexico. Because it sits close to the U.S. border -- less than 250 miles from Laredo, Texas -- the city attracts a variety of industries. The parish has 14 chapels throughout the region to serve the 30,000 people of the area. Each chapel has a range of services, including catechesis, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation. The parish is important for building a sense of community and prayer among the people. As young men expressed interest in joining the Carmelite way of life, the province needed to find a suitable place to build the Carmelite community. Because opportunities for higher education are limited in Torreón, the eight young men interested in the Carmelite way of life are now in a house of studies in Mexico City. From this base, they are 20 minutes away from a certified school of philosophy. They are also close to the Intercongregational Institute of Theology and Formation in Mexico where they study theology. The house in Mexico City, Casa del Carmen, is also a place where the students have an opportunity to live with experienced Carmelites in a community structure. Three professed friars live and work with the young men to help them through their studies and to grow in understanding of the Carmelite life. This year, half the students in Mexico will go to Lima, Peru for their novitiate year with other Carmelites in formation. Read more about our service in Latin America.