Those members of the church who are called by the Lord to Carmel must be 18 years old, and if married, validly married in the Church. Then, they can apply for membership in the Discalced Carmelite Secular Order.
After an initial period of preparation a person is admitted to a two year period of formation in preparation for Temporary Promises of obedience, poverty and chastity.
After three years of additional formation, one can make Definitive Promises, i.e., for life.
These periods of formation are times of vocational discernment both on the part of the candidate and on the part of the community.
The Promises are one’s commitment to tend toward evangelical perfection in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, obedience, and the Beatitudes, according to the teachings of St Teresa of Jesus and St John of the Cross.
The promise of obedience applies only to matter specified in the O.C.D.S Constitutions The promise of chastity demands being chaste according to one’s state in life, i.e., married or single. The promise of poverty is simply to live in a spirit of poverty, to trust in God and not in material possessions.
Do you have questions?
Do you want to explore the possibility that you may be called to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites?
We welcome you to contact us for more information.
Blessed Virgin Mary & St Joseph Community, Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS), Concord, NH
ConcordOCDS.org
No comments:
Post a Comment