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Carmelite Charism
“With zeal, have I been most zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts.”
~ 1 Kings 19:10
As enclosed Carmelite nuns, we form part of the larger order of Carmel and look to St Teresa of Avila as our foundress. At the heart of our charism is the daily practice of contemplative prayer, nourished and nurtured by a rich liturgical life and a deep desire to be in union with God, who we know is the only one who can truly fulfil the human heart. To that end, we take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and follow a rule of life known as the Carmelite Rule, which was written by St Albert in the early thirteenth century and given to the first hermits of Mount Carmel.
This aspect of our life of intense prayer in silence and solitude is balanced by the fact that we also live in community, which enables us to put our faith and love into practice by serving our sisters.
In this deep spiritual journey, we take Mary, Our Saviour's Blessed Mother, as our model and guide, following in her footsteps as we ponder God’s Word in our hearts.
The spiritual roots of our Order lie deep in the Old Testament with the stories of the prophet Elijah who confronted the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel, showing himself zealous and courageous for the Lord of Hosts. It is the same Elijah who spoke of himself as always standing in the presence of God, and who heard the 'still, small voice' of the Lord as he hid in the cave in the desert of Sinai.
Carmel has always cherished its desert roots, the desert where God awaits us so that he may speak to our hearts in the silence.
“Prayer is essentially God’s work. Our part is to give time, do our best to keep attention, surrender ourselves as best we can.”
~ Ruth Burrows
A Rich Heritage
The Discalced Carmelite Order is rich in its heritage of saints among whom we find three Doctors of the Church: St Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, and St Thérèse of Lisieux, the “Little Flower”.
The Foundress of the Discalced Carmelite Order
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) initiated a reform of Carmelite life by returning it to its eremitic origins, emphasising its commitment to poverty and simplicity of life and, above all, its focus on contemplation and prayer lived in community.
Living in Spain during the period of the Reformation in Europe, St Teresa founded sixteen monasteries of nuns dedicated to these aims. She also founded the male branch of the Reform. After her death the Teresian, or ‘Discalced’, Carmelites became a separate order and rapidly spread throughout the world.
A great mystic, St Teresa stands out in the Church above all as a spiritual guide and teacher. In this she is accompanied by her contemporary St John of the Cross. Together, through their charism and writings, these two saints articulated the spirituality with which the Discalced Carmelite Order continues to be associated today.
“Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging.”
St John of the Cross
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a younger contemporary of St Teresa of Avila and one of the first two friars to join her Reform. He helped her greatly in her work and is regarded as the Father of our Order.
His poetry and his prose works, particularly his Noche Oscura, earned him the title of ‘the Mystical Doctor’. His poems are regarded as among the greatest works of Spanish literature.
“In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.”
St Thérèse of Lisieux
In modern times, the Carmelite who has undoubtedly had the greatest influence is St Thérèse of Lisieux. Her discovery of a "little way" of confidence and love, as described in her Story of a Soul, has not only made her one of the most popular saints today but has also exercised a hidden influence over all subsequent spiritual doctrine.
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
St Elizabeth of the Trinity
St Elizabeth, a near contemporary of St Thérèse, is another Carmelite nun who has contributed to our spiritual heritage. From an early age she became aware of the reality of God's living presence within her and, in her many letters from Carmel to friends and relatives, she drew attention to the New Testament foundations of this truth, encouraging everyone she knew to remain peacefully attentive to this presence in the situations of their daily lives. "Let yourself be loved," she insisted.
“It seems to me that I have found my heaven on earth, because my heaven is you, my God, and you are in my soul. You in me, and I in you – may this be my motto.”
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein]
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] (1891-1942) was a remarkable woman who, after a long and difficult interior struggle, converted to Christianity from Judaism. A philosopher by profession, she became a Carmelite after reading and being influenced by St Teresa of Avila's Life. As a Carmelite she not only applied her great intellectual gifts to the study of Carmelite spirituality but personally gave witness to a life of deep prayer and self-surrender.
The outbreak of the Second World War put her at personal risk because of her Jewish origins and she died in Auschwitz, a witness to her faith and on behalf of her people. She has become an icon of sanctity amidst the difficulties and demands of the modern world, and was made a patron of Europe by Pope John Paul II.
“Those who join the Carmelite Order are not lost to their near and dear ones, but have been won for them, because it is our vocation to intercede to God for everyone.”
“Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
~ Luke 2:19
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
From its origins in the Holy Land the Order of Mount Carmel has been dedicated to the patronage of Our Lady and she continues to play a vital part in the spiritual lives and liturgy of Carmelites today. Into her hands we commend the many people who turn to us asking for our prayers and for spiritual support in their need.
The historical association of our Order with the physical site of Mount Carmel, and the many references to Carmel in the Bible, mean that Carmelites are uniquely linked to a place rather than to an individual founder. It was in this place that the original group of hermits received the Rule to which we continue to pledge ourselves today.
In Luke's Gospel, Mary is portrayed as the perfect disciple of Jesus, one who listened with all her heart to the Word of God, offering Him the most profound receptivity. As Carmelites we long for faith like hers.
An exemplar of humility, Mary's silence allows her to ponder the Lord's words at the deepest level. When she does speak, she anticipates the injunction in our Rule: 'Make a balance, then, each of you, to weigh your words in'. There is also blessed solitude about Mary, even as she lived within the Holy Family and then the nascent Church.
Solitude and community, silence and speech, belong to Carmel. We choose them freely and willingly as part of our way of life and service, as the background to our private and public prayer and our daily reading. We seek to resemble Mary, who laid up the words of the Lord in her heart and mulled over them in her mind.
With Mary we learn to listen and to 'do whatever [Jesus] tells you'. She is our mother, our sister, our friend and guide on this journey of Love.
