In the 1920s during the revolution and
religious persecution in Mexico, Mother Luisita established schools, hospitals, and orphanages despite being scrutinized by the government. "As the fictional women in
The Handmaid’s Tale are forced to wear their garb, the real religious women of Mexico were threatened with death for wearing theirs." The very persecution which sought to destroy her work only spread it to another land when Mother Luisita and two companions entered the United States (incognito) as religious refugees on June 24, 1927, the feast of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. They established roots in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The community has grown since its beginnings with 3 sisters in 1927. Today, the Carmelite Sisters of Los Angeles has grown to 143 professed sisters. ==Apostolic work==