Our Carmelite Charism
From the Carmelite Constitutions (1995) #14: "To live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ and to serve him faithfully with a pure heart and a clear conscience": these words, inspired by St. Paul, are the basis for all the elements of our Charism; they are the foundation upon which St. Albert constructed our way of life. The particular Palestinian context in which the Order originated, and the approval bestowed by the Holy See at the various stages of the Order's historical evolution, gave new meaning and inspiration to the way of life set out in the Rule. Carmelites live their lives of allegiance to Christ through their commitment to seek the face of the living God (the contemplative dimension of life), fraternity, and service (diakonia) in the midst of the people.
Ministry
- The purpose of the Church is to spread the kingdom of Christ on earth so that all may share in that salvation brought about by the Cross. [80] (The Third Order Rule of Carmel)
- Since it is the proper calling of lay people to live in the world and in the midst of secular affairs, they are called upon by God to carry out this mission of the Church so that there is a Christian yeast in the temporal activities which they are deeply engaged in. [83] (The Third Order Rule of Carmel) Our lifestyle, which must be open and welcoming, invites us to share with others the communion of hearts and the experience of God which are lived within the community.(RIVC)
- Faithful to the Order’s spiritual heritage, we focus our work, in its various dimensions, on increasing the search for God, and we invite men and women of our time to the experience of contemplation, sharing with them the richness of our spiritual tradition.(126) Our life as a contemplative community becomes a credible witness to the possibility of encountering the Other and others through silence, openness and sincere communication.(127) (RIVC)
Community
- Sharing the Experience of God
- “True community is formed from the relationship each has, not with the others, but with God at the center of the community.” (John Welch, The Carmelite Way)
- Lay Carmelites commit themselves to co-operating with other members of the Carmelite family and with the whole Church so that it may realize its calling to be missionary in every circumstance and situation. [79] (The Rule for the Third Order of Carmel}
- Lay Carmelites have monthly meetings and formation classes.
- Lay Carmelites participate in an annual Day of Reflection and a weekend silent retreat.
Prayer
- ‘Prayer is life, it is not an oasis in the desert of life’, claimed Blessed Titus Brandsma. [67] John Paul II confirms that in Carmel ‘prayer becomes life and life flourishes in prayer.’ [68] (The Rule of the Third Order of Carmel)
- Following the charism of the Carmel Order, the Lay Carmelite lives a life of intense prayer. We do this through:
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- The Sacramental life - Eucharist
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- Liturgy of the Hours - Morning (Lauds), Evening (Vespers), and optionally, Night (Compline) prayers
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- Lectio Divina - Contemplative
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- Devotional prayers and practices of the Catholic Church - wearing the Scapular of our Lady of Mount Carmel, the rosary etc.
- “The challenge of Carmel is to seek God’s presence in prayer while living an active, busy life in the midst of the world.” (Provincial Statutes I, 3:1)
Watch a U-Tube video on an Introduction to Carmelite Spirituality:
