Photo: R. Massaro Lourdes, France (C)2019 Spirit Singing

Secular Carmelites throughout the world will be praying and fasting on Monday, July 15, in preparation for the solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16.  Secular Carmelites fast on the vigil of the major feasts of the Order.  

Although we are asked to fast on these special days of preparation, Carmelites are called to mortify and detach themselves from worldly pleasures often. Detachment helps us to be disposed for prayer, for as St. Teresa of Jesus tells us in her Way of Perfection, "Prayer and self-Indulgence do not go together.
(The Way of Perfection, 4:2)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

THE SCHOOL OF CARMEL

Allegiance to Jesus Christ through Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Photo: R. Massaro-Carmelite Monastery Lourdes, France

Many people wonder about the life of a Secular Carmelite and the obligations of this vocation. This new feature, "The School of Carmel," will provide commentary on the vocation of the Secular Carmelite.  Let's begin with a description of a Secular Carmelite from our Constitutions:


Secular Carmelites are faithful members of the Catholic Church who are called by the Holy Spirit to "live in allegiance to Jesus Christ." They seek evangelical perfection and union with God in the Order of the Teresian Carmel for his greater Glory and the good of his Church. In response to that call, members willingly submit to the "gentle yoke" (Mt, 12:30) of obligations and commitments contained in the Rule of St. Albert, our Constitutions and our Provincial Statutes.
From the Constitutions of the OCDS

*Faithful members of the Catholic Church
  The person seeking to become a Secular Carmelite must be in 
  good standing with the Catholic Church.

  Must be at least 18 years of age.

  Provide documentation of Catholic sacramental history.

  Living the Catholic faith for a minimum of 18 months after 
  Baptism before being eligible to enter Aspirancy.

  A person with marriage issues (divorced and remarried without a
  declaration of nullity, etc.) that have not been resolved by 
  a Catholic Tribunal may not proceed in formation. 

  A person who has made promises in another secular order, who
  has not been released from their promises, may not proceed in
  formation.

Obligations:

The Daily Obligations of a Secular Carmelite:
1/2 hour of mental prayer each day
Attend Mass daily if possible
Pray Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours
Daily devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Observe the Carmelite days of fast
Regular recourse to the Sacrament of Confession
Spiritual Reading
Wear the Brown Scapular

Formation:

The period of formation is approximately five years for one to make final promises.  The discernment process is a combined effort between the candidate and the council.  Even if the candidate wishes to become a Carmelite, the council may vote otherwise if they discern that Carmel may not be the right spiritual path for that person.

Candidates in Carmel must be interviewed by the council during each stage of their formation. The candidate will be questioned about his or her effort to fulfill the obligations. They will be asked about their faithfulness to prayer. They will also be asked to reveal any struggles or challenges they are facing. Also, the candidates are asked if they have the support of their family members. It is very important that family members support the vocation, because it is not the intention of the Order to cause strife or discord in the household because of the obligations. 

The candidate will be observed to see how they respond in obedience to the president and the council. The council represents the provincial delegate in the province. If a member is disobedient or disrespectful of the local authority, then, in essence, that person is being disobedient to the provincial delegate. 

Disobedience in just one member of a community can create a host of problems. Therefore, candidates should be carefully scrutinized that they understand what they are going to profess in regards to the promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  Just as in Catholic marriage, if a person makes a vow and doesn't understand what he is promising, it can make the marriage invalid, so, too, a person professing poverty, chastity and obedience when he doesn't understand what he is doing, may make that promise invalid. The council, and in particular, the formation director, have the serious responsibility of seeing that candidates are formed and understand the serious nature of the promises.

The Secular Carmelite vocation is an awesome gift of God in which a person is called to respond to the invitation of intimate friendship with God through quiet prayer on behalf of the Church.  Is God calling you to a deeper prayer life? Is God calling you to Carmel?

OCDS Communities in the Washington Province

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, ocds

Stained-Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Rule of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

The Rule: #16
The beatitudes are a plan of action for life and a way to enter into relationship with the world, neighbors and co-workers, families and friends. By promising to live the beatitudes in daily life, Secular Carmelites seek to give evangelical witness as members of the Church and the Order, and by this witness invite the world to follow Christ: 'The Way, the Truth and the Life" (Jn 14:6).

In the above excerpt from the Rule our Superiors instruct us to have a "plan of action" for life: the beatitudes. A plan of action takes study, preparation, discipline and commitment. How many people plan and prepare for their day spiritually before they leave the door and enter the world: the spiritual battlefield?  Our one opponent, Satan, seeks to destroy the progress we are trying to make as we grow in charity.  This plan of action is the "marching orders" from the King: Jesus Christ!  He has given a Rule for every human being to follow:

*How blest are the poor in spirit: the rein of God is theirs.
  The Carmelite is called to live a life of detachment-seeking to abide in that blessed state of soul where Christ is all we have and all that we need.

*Blest too are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled.
  A life of prayer and contemplation bring self-knowledge, the painful truth of how we have sinned against God and neighbor. This knowledge should bring us to repentance of heart so that we have true sorrow for sin. Each day we must make the choice of turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel.

*Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.
  The Carmelite is called to walk this earth in humility. St. Teresa is very stern when it comes to people (Carmelites) seeking to steal the honor and glory that belongs to God alone-seeking honor among people, by looking for affirmation and compliments and seeking credit for one's virtues.

*Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill. 
  In today's society, it seems difficult to find a soul that is truly desperate for God. Of course, we cannot discern someone's interior life, but how many people speak as if they were hungry and thirsty for God?  The person who is seeking the "Bread of Life and the "Living Water" is a rare creature, indeed. This person is the "voice crying out in the desert" of our wicked and depraved society.  His voice is drowned out by the world telling us to eat and drink and be merry!  Being faithful to prayer makes us desire the bread of holiness. Prayer with the Beloved, the Living Water, quenches our spiritual thirst.

*Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.
  When we began this discussion on the Rule, we mentioned that these beatitudes are "plan of action." The Carmelite, by being faithful to prayer, creates an interior dwelling place for the Living God. When we go out into the world we take this most Merciful Savior with us. He is the bread of mercy that we offer to others. Mercy is not conditional, we do not dole it out when we feel like it.  A merciful person, is a blessed person. He is a person in a holy state of being-"not far from the reign of God."  This is the heart of all the beatitudes.  If you possess mercy, you will not find it hard to live a life of beatitude.

*Blest are the single-hearted for they shall see God.
   Carmelites are called to quiet prayer on behalf of the Church.  Many things distract us and keep us from our purpose and mission.  St. Teresa teaches us that self-indulgence and prayer do not go together. When we get "comfortable," when we start giving in to every whim of the body, little room is left for the difficult discipline of prayer. Our mind rebels, our body rebels, and our spirit rebels. We lose our focus of "God alone."  The heart that is divided is not in a blessed state of union that we are seeking as Carmelites.  This 
spiritual affliction reflects in our daily lives. We say one thing and do another. We profess to be merciful, but are far from it. We profess to be peacemakers, but within, we are far from it.  When Jesus saw Nathaniel, he said, "...There is no guile in him."  God is calling us to purity of heart, a state of being in which our thought, words, and actions are in a spiritual marriage pleasing to God.

*Blest too the peacemakers; they shall be called sons of God.
  Being a peacemaker requires great effort and the daily dying to our ego. Whether at work, home, or in the marketplace we have many opportunities to foster peace.  We can be peaceful people by the words we choose. We can be peacemakers by the tone of voice we choose. We can be peacemakers by having a peaceful countenance. True peace emanates from the heart. True peacemakers are known by their very presence.  Peace is not a matter of  an absence of conflict. It's the way we approach difficult situations; keeping charity in mind, keeping mercy in mind, keeping humility in mind. 

*Blest are the persecuted for holiness' sake; the reign of God is theirs.
How many of us are really persecuted for our faith?  Perhaps people don't agree with our chosen lifestyle: praying, attending Mass daily, performing works of charity. But these are things we can suffer and offer up.  Many people in our day are truly persecuted for their faith. Their churches are burned, the Gospel is burned, priests are silenced and imprisoned and martyred. Let us pray for all those who are persecuted and killed for the sake of the Gospel. 

*Blest are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me... 
If you've ever been given a tongue-lashing because you were a Christian, well, you've suffered a little. Perhaps it was from a member of your own family!  Some Christians, some Carmelites, are insulted by the ones who claim to love them, simply because they want to live a godly life. Think of the person who goes to work faithfully each day and suffers the ridicule and comments from others because they know they are Catholic. Day after day they have to endure the comments. Think of the religious, the priest or nun who is falsely accused of some awful crime by someone who hates the Church. They are removed from ministry, they are falsely imprisoned...these are the martyrs of today.

Let us pray for each other, that we take our plan of action, the Beatitudes, seriously each day.  If we are faithful to prayer, they will become a part of us and flow from the heart-the heart of God dwelling within us.



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF OUR HOLY MOTHER

ST. TERESA OF JESUS

ANNUAL CLOTHING AND PROFESSION MASS 

SECULAR CARMELITES AKRON, OHIO

COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Stained Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Rule of the Secular Carmelites

Photo: R.Massaro(C)2013SpiritSinging

Just a few short days ago all of the members of the Catholic Church who were present for Mass at the Easter vigil or at Mass on Easter Sunday renewed their baptismal promises. It is fitting then, that the Order of Carmel asks each of its members to renew their promises during the Easter season.

Our Rule states:

Article 12:

By the promise made to the community in the presence of the Superior of the Order or his Delegate, the person becomes a full member of the Secular Order. By this commitment members strive to acquire the necessary training to know the reasons, the content and purpose of the evangelical lifestyle they are undertaking. The promise heightens and enriches the baptismal commitment in the Secular Carmelites. This includes those called to married life, both as spouses and as parents. This promise is renewed once a year at Easter time.


Members should prepare to renew their promises with prayer and reflection and thanksgiving.  It is also a good time to start this "new year' with an examination of conscience to see where we have failed to live up to our promises and the living out of the beatitudes in our daily lives.

It's good to celebrate the anniversary of our promises.  Do you remember the date of your promise?  This should be as important as remembering  and celebrating our baptismal date. If one is married, the wedding anniversary date should be remembered with joy and thanksgiving with the intention of trying to be more faithful to the vows more than ever.  Remember, when we made our Carmelite promises it was a spiritual marriage to the order and to our local community. We took on a new name (religious title) and made a commitment to the community that we would strive to help each other achieve union with God, just as husbands and wives make this commitment to help each other reach heaven.

Here are some questions for discernment:

*Have I been faithful to mental prayer?
*Have I been faithful to the obligations of the Secular Carmelite?
*Do I fast on the designated vigils of the Carmelite Saints?
*Have I missed meetings out of laziness?
*Do I foster fraternal charity within the community?
*Do I know the names of the members in my community?
*Do I pray for the members of my community on a daily basis?
*Do I pray for the superiors of the order on a daily basis?
*Do I pray for the deceased members of the order?
*Do I pray for the Carmelite missions?
*Do I pray for the priest I have spiritually adopted for the year?
*What is the date of my temporary profession? My final profession? My Carmelite vow?
*What is my religious title?
*What is my active apostolate?    Am I faithful to it?

These are just a few questions we can ask ourselves.  For Carmelites, we know that our main obligation is mental prayer.  If we are not praying, if we are not being faithful to the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours, we must strive to begin again. Remember, even our Holy Mother, St. Teresa gave up prayer for about 2 years.  She said this was one of the greatest mistakes of her life.  She tells us over and over again to never give up prayer.

Here is the promise formula. It's good to read it over while meditating to prepare to renew the promise/vow.


I, _________________, inspired by the Holy Spirit, in response to God's call, sincerely promise to the Superiors of the Order of the Teresian Carmel and to you my brothers and sisters, to tend toward evangelical perfection in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, obedience, and of the Beatitudes, according to the Constitutions of the Secular Order of the Discalced Carmelites, for three years (or the rest of my life). I confidently entrust this, my promise, to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel.


Let us pray for each other!



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

Spiritual LIfe Dictionary

Today's Term:

Evangelical Counsels

Are voluntary poverty, perpetual chastity and entire obedience. Their observance is not necessary to salvation; they are a rule of perfection put forward to be voluntarily taken up by those who find in themselves the vocation to do so. They are not perfection itself, but instruments for its attainment, for maintaining and strengthening love of God and one's neighbor. ( A Catholic Dictionary By Donald Attwater)

From the Catechism: No. 915

Christ proposes the evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every disciple. The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by the Church, that characterizes the life consecrated to God.

The Secular Carmelite professes chastity, poverty, and obedience according to his state of life. The profession of chastity in no way takes away from the duties of the married. It is a call to live a chaste life in one's state of life.

The Secular Carmelite professes poverty, he does not necessarily have to give up all his worldly possessions. It is a call to live a life free of attachments to material things and a call to be a witness to the heavenly Kingdom in our materialistic world.

The Secular Carmelite professes obedience to the Superiors of the Order, and to the local Council who represent them.

It takes six years for one to discern his call to Carmel and realize if he is truly called to live the evangelical counsels in community and to make the commitment permanent by a public profession of promises.

General information on the obligations of a Secular Carmelite

The official website of the Secular Order of Carmel in Washington, D.C.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

___________________

General Information on Secular Carmelites

The Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (Sometimes referred to as the Third Order) is open to all Catholics, married or single, in good-standing with the Catholic Church.

Secular Carmelites are called to witness in the world the charism of contemplative prayer.

The Obligations of a Secular Carmelite:

*1/2 Hour of mental prayer in an atmosphere of solitude and silence

*Pray morning & evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours

*Attend mass daily if possible

*Observe daily devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

*Have a great esteem for the Sacrament of Reconciliation

*Attend a monthly formation meeting with the community

A typical monthly meeting format:

*Morning or Evening Prayer in common-depending on the time the community meets.

*Short information meeting

*Whole community formation of the Carmelite saints, Rule, etc.

*Small group formation-Preparation for promises

*Break-Sharing with the community

Our community meets on the first Sunday of each month. Our meetings are from 1-4pm.

We also keep in touch with each other in between meetings through an online private Yahoo group.

Carmelite Saints (not a complete list):

St. Elijah

St. John of the Cross

St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

St. Teresa of Jesus (Andes)

St. Teresa Margaret Redi

St. Therese of Lisieux

St. Raphael Kalinowski

Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity

Official website for the Discalced Secular Carmelites Washington Province

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

__________________