The Carmelite Story …
We do not
know exactly when the forbears of the Order of Carmelites first
came to Mount Carmel: it was around the year 1200 AD. They settled
in a small valley on the western slope of the mountain, near a
spring known since antiquity as the "spring of Elijah".
The Carmelites shared many of the spiritual aspirations of the hermits and pilgrims in the Holy Land at the time of the Crusades: the commitment to poverty and simplicity of lifestyle, their desire for spiritual freedom, their intimacy with the Scriptures and their longing to hear the Word of God in the quiet of solitude, the central place given to love, their wish to build a brotherhood in which they could learn to see Jesus in each other.
These values continue to inspire Carmelite life today.
The Carmelite travels the most demanding journey of all … the journey inwards into one’s own heart.
As Prophetic Contemplatives
…Carmelites find inspiration in the persons of Elijah, prophet of Mount Carmel, and Mary, the first disciple of the Lord.
Like them, Carmelites create an open space in themselves in order to recognise God, and so embark on the most demanding of all journeys, the journey into one’s own heart. As prophets they are called to share this experience of God with all people.
In Ministry …
Carmelites work in
many and varied ways … Welcoming people to participate in
their life and spirituality…
Through Our Life Together…Carmelites are called to share their commitment to Christ within a community.
They live a common life — sharing their time, their income,
their wisdom, their talents, their prayer. The way of poverty,
chastity and obedience offer great freedom to live life fully.
Discernment is experiencing with understanding and commitment
the presence and guidance of God in my whole life….
Ernest Larkin, O.Carm
