Mount Carmel Bluffs Senior Living in a Sacred Place

by Tracey Rush

Remember the first time you visited the Julien Dubuque Monument or the Fourth Street Elevator on Fenlon, looked at that amazing view of the Mississippi River, and thought, “If only I could wake up every morning and see this?” That is now possible with the completion of Phase 2 of Mount Carmel Bluffs, the last stage of a $90-million building project that began in 2018.

Yes, this is the same Mount Carmel where the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary live. And now you can live there, too, but you do not need to be Catholic or take vows. You see, when the Catholics joined forces with the Presbyterians and combined their love for God, their missions of service, and their desire to help the aging population, beautiful things happened: Mount Carmel Bluffs.

Presbyterian Homes and Services (PHS) is a non-profit organization that specializes in housing, care, and services options for aging adults. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, PHS has almost 50 senior living communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Partnering with PHS provided the Mount Carmel Sisters to age in place and make better use of their 108 acres of farmland that they could no longer cultivate.

According to Angie Connolly, the Director of Communications at Mount Carmel, “The shared ministry with PHS is a natural choice because their mission aligns with that of the BVMs. The BVM mission, formally expressed as ‘freeing ourselves and helping others to be free in God’s steadfast love,’ meshes well with the mission of PHS: ‘To honor God by enriching the lives and touching the hearts of older adults.’ PHS’ core values dovetail nicely with the BVM core values of freedom, education, charity, and justice.”

Phase 1 of this massive undertaking was completed in 2022 with the help of Conlon Construction. It included a new 162,000 square foot building that provides skilled nursing, memory care, and improved living services for the Sisters. Sister Alice Caulfeld, BVM, is one of 140 Sisters living in the new “enriched living” housing. She says, “I’m happy to be able to live here. The staff is excellent in all departments.” A recent state inspection found no deficiencies in the new facilities, a rare rating for a first inspection.

Phase 2 is where you come in. Or move in. Deconstruction of two of the existing buildings on the campus made room for a new building that has 116 senior living apartments, a cafe, a market, a barbershop and beauty parlor, a good-sized library that holds almost as many books as our house (I am married to a librarian), chapels, and private and restaurant-style dining rooms. It will also include the Roberta Kuhn Center which hosts all sorts of enrichment classes for seniors, including art, foreign language, history, writing, and yoga.

There are a variety of apartment sizes to choose from: 1-bedrooms range from 788 – 1031 square feet and includes a small deck; or you can get a 1-bedroom from 10821145 square feet that come with a sunroom (remember that river view I mentioned?). You can even get a 1-bedroom with a den that is 1180 square feet. Two-bedrooms with a deck come in 1282-1356 square feet; add the sunroom and you have 1356 square feet or add a den to make it 1503 square feet. All units include a kitchen, living room – dining room area, 1-2 bathrooms, and its own laundry room. Floor plans for every option are available on the website: Preshomes.org/our-communities/mount-carmel-bluffs under “independent living.”

The monthly rent for these apartments ranges anywhere from $2,485 - $5155. The cost includes a lot of free amenities, such as utilities, telephone service, basic cable tv service, open public Wi-Fi, and indoor and outdoor maintenance. Residents may also participate in any of the wellness programs, spiritual care services, group fitness classes, aquatic classes, volunteer opportunities, and pastoral care at no additional cost. There are three chapels available for use by residents: the large chapel in the Motherhouse, as well as smaller ones in both the skilled living and memory care areas for private prayer and meditation. What does come at an addition cost are any other services for which you need assistance, i.e. if you need a little help taking your diabetes medication, washing your hair, or doing your laundry. There is a Functional Assessment and Service Plan available on their website under

“resident documents,” so you can see upfront what your level of care will cost now and/or in the future.

When asked, Sr. Alice had a difficult time choosing her favorite thing about living at Mount Carmel Bluffs since there are so many advantages. She finally decided the community at Mount Carmel is the best thing. “I love being with the other people. There are a lot of activities, and the activities staff is the best in the world!” according to Sr. Alice. “You can choose what you want to do and make your own life.”

For the first time since 1889, the BVM Sisters are sharing this beautiful environment by inviting seniors to choose Mount Carmel Bluffs as their home too. New residents, regardless of gender or faith, will start moving in February. “There’s a lot of excitement around here!” says Sr. Alice regarding opening their doors to the public. “I am blessed to live here. I highly recommend it!”