is not my task to present theories or principles of Carmelite spirituality or theology of the Church on the role of the laity. This has already been done by lecturers who have spoken before me and the 1st International Congress of Rome in 1996. The purpose of my paper is to present some practical aspects of these principles, and propose possibilities for a new vision of the Secular Order, so that this perspective will then express also in the form of legislation for the OCDS.
I'd like to begin by quoting our Holy Mother, Teresa of Jesus, and an Anglican priest, very devoted to the spirituality of Teresa and John of the Cross. In its seventh
Duties Santa Teresa writes: "This is the purpose of prayer, my daughters, this tends to the spiritual marriage: to produce works and works" (7M 4.6).
Truman Dicken, Anglican priest, wrote a book in 1967 whose purpose it is stated in the preface. He wrote that he wanted this book, entitled "The Crucible of Love," a synthesis of the spirituality of Teresa and John of the Cross, but that was not just a theoretical dissertation more on the spiritual life, but a practical contribution to the "most urgent problems of our times: to teach people to pray."
Keep in mind these thoughts: S. Teresa stated that the purpose of prayer is that good works are born, Truman Dicken says that the most pressing issue is to teach everyone to pray.
PROPOSALS FOR A REVISION OF THE "RULE OF LIFE"
Teresa's charisma in the "Rule of Life"
Some preliminary notes for clarification: It 's necessary to recognize that the charism of Teresa you live in three distinct ways of life. What are they? The way of life of the monks, nuns and laity, who for their involvement in the Church form a single Order, known as the Discalced Carmelites. The charisma Teresiano is therefore one, distinguished by the style of life which is lived by each of its branches.
The vocation of the friars is contemplative, mendicant and apostolic. Beggar because the brothers are forced to live in communities that are part of a province, but are not obliged to stay in a convent specifically. Can be moved within a Province or in another, for several reasons. Then why are exercising their apostolic ministry in the service of the Church. The monks who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are required to exercise their sacramental ministry and to preach the Word.
The vocation of contemplative nuns, monastic and cloistered, and cloister from exercising their ministry. Their style of monastic life as you commit to a lifetime in a single monastery. Are not transferred elsewhere except in rare cases, or make a new foundation. Are enclosed as they are obliged by the law of the Church to observe papal enclosure. The specific apostolate of the nuns is in the service of prayer for the Church.
contemplative vocation of the secular, secular, and apostolic. E 'in the secular world are called to live in their own family or community in the state of celibacy, and is called to community with other lay people who the same Carmelite vocation. E 'apostolic, as emphasized by the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II, in documents and Apostolicam Actuositatem Christifideles Laity. Called to be a Carmelite deepens and directs the call to personal holiness in a way that holiness is the means to exercise an apostolic service in the world.
nuns, monks and lay all have a common vocation: the effort in personal sanctification through the charismatic tradition of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. This personal sanctification is converted into a source of graces and gifts for the Church, the basis of apostolic service. The apostolic ministry is the result of personal sanctification. Without this, the efforts of monks, nuns and seculars are frustrated. What we have in common is the lifestyle in which there is such a sanctification. A possible identification of the charism of Teresa could be the following: Inspired by the life and teachings of St. Teresa of Avila, seek God's face to serve the Church and the world.
E 'need to distinguish clearly between contemplation and monastery.
A common mistake is to think that the Carmelite nuns are true because they are in seclusion, while the rest of us do our best to imitate them, although in a less strict. This is not true. Teresa's charism is ecclesial. Teresa, John and Therese Doctors of the Church is universal because their teachings are for the universal Church, and are not limited to the cloistered world. The nuns are not imitation friars or secular, are not imitation friars or nuns of the secular and the secular are not imitation either of the brothers or nuns. The grace of our vocation is to be a Carmelite / a, in any way. In
wider with the purpose of making this distinction, I would venture to say that most people who close themselves up in the cloister are still waiting for the grace of contemplation, and that the vast majority do not live in cloistered contemplatives. All Carmelites in any form of life vocational status, are called to "meditate on the Lord's law day and night." It 's a liability imposed by our charisma, but the most important thing is that it comes from the responsibility of our inner calling. I would say that the need to "meditate day and night on the law of the Lord" is what drew us to Caramel. The cloistered nuns is a requirement imposed by the Church to protect their way of life in which the nuns refine their response to God's call.
God has a purpose when we called to this vocation.
The writings of St. Teresa and other Carmelite authors confirm that God has a purpose when we called in this meditation. And God intended us to distract ourselves, taking us beyond our intentions. In the discernment of a vocation in the Church and Order, we are always faced with two questions, one must answer. The first is "why you want to be a Carmelite?" Each of us, monks, nuns and secular, has its own answer. The second question is "why God wants me to be a Carmelite?" The answer comes from understanding the teachings of the Church in the different states of life of the baptized. Applying this to the vocation of the secular identity of the laity in the Church and understanding the Order in place of the layperson in this religious family must be clear. The answer to the second question is neither personal nor individual, but institutional in the sense that it comes from outside. The answer is Order. The second application, and the answer, purify and refine our personal motivations to make them conform to the will of God 'a process that lasts a lifetime.
The call of the Church. With the intention
god better be able to read the charism of Teresa in the context of the needs of the Church and the world in the twenty-first century, I think that would help to mention the call of the Church as expressed by the Synod of the Laity and the post-synodal document Christifideles Laity . There are three specific texts that can help us.
The first is a definition of "charisma". "Extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly, a usefulness of the Church, ordered as they are building up the church, for the good of mankind and the needs of the world" (CL 24). If our vocation as Carmelites is a true charism of the Holy Spirit and the Church is and recognize it as such, then we can ask how in practice our charism can be used to "build the Church, the welfare of mankind and needs of the world. " And we express our answer to this question in our legislation.
The second text is a reference to that specific group of legally identified as secular and religious communities. "In recent days the phenomenon of lay people associating among themselves has taken on a character of particular variety and vitality. If ever in the history of the church lay associations represented something of a constant line, as evidenced by far the various confraternities, third orders and the various associations, but it has received a special impetus in modern times they have seen the birth and spread of numerous group forms: associations, groups, communities, movements. We can talk about a new era of group of lay faithful. In fact, along with traditional, and sometimes from their very roots, movements and associations have sprouted new features and with specific purposes: such is the richness and versatility of resources that the Holy Spirit nourishes in the ecclesial community, and so great is the ability initiative and the generosity of our lay people "(CL 29).
The Holy Father said that "in our time, these lay groups have received a special stimulus." What is the stimulus of our special time for the Secular Order of Our Lady of Mount Caramel and Saint Teresa of Jesus? I believe that the stimulus is the special pastoral problem which Truman Dicken was referring to, and responsibility of the laity as it appears from the Council and the CL to take part in world evangelization. The world needs what Caramel has to offer and she has the responsibility to convey their message to the world. It's been days when you leave it all to a priest, as many of you already know. Every vocation carries with it a responsibility. Being a Carmelite is not a spiritual pastime, is a spiritual responsibility.
The third quotation is very important because it clearly expresses what the Church expects the collaboration with lay groups:
"The need for some clarity and precision criteria for discernment and recognition of lay associations, also called "ecclesial criteria" is something that always includes a view of communion and mission of the Church and therefore not in conflict with freedom of association.
As basic criteria for the discernment of each and any combination of the laity in the Church can be considered in a unified manner, as follows:
- the primacy given to the vocation of every Christian to holiness, expressed "in the fruits of grace which the Holy Spirit produces in the faithful, "as growth towards the fullness of Christian life and perfection of charity. In this sense, every and any combination of the lay faithful is called to be - any more time - an instrument of holiness in the Church, promoting and encouraging "a more intimate unity between the life of the members and their faith."
- The responsibility to confess the Catholic faith, embracing and proclaiming the truth about Christ, the Church and humanity, in obedience to the Magisterium of the Church, which interprets authentically. For this reason, every combination of the lay faithful must be the place to register and offer of faith and education to it in its full content.
- The testimony of a firm and unwavering communion in filial relationship with the pope, perpetual and visible center of unity the universal Church, and with the Bishop, "the visible principle and foundation of unity" of the particular Church, and in "mutual esteem among all forms of apostolate in the Church."
communion with the Pope and the Bishop called upon to express the sincere willingness to accept their doctrinal teachings and their pastoral guidelines. Ecclesial communion also demands the recognition of the legitimate plurality of different aggregate forms of the lay faithful in the Church and at the same time, the availability of their mutual cooperation.
- Compliance and participation in the "end of the apostolic Church," or "evangelize and the sanctification of men and the Christian formation of their conscience, so they are able to permeate the spirit of the Gospel and the various communities. "
In this perspective, all the group forms of lay persons, and each of them, you will need a missionary zeal that makes them increasingly subject to a new evangelization.
- The commitment of a presence in human society that, in light of the social doctrine of the Church, it brings to the dignity of man. In this sense, the aggregations of the lay faithful must become current lives of participation and solidarity to build a more just and fraternal conditions within society.
The key criteria are now exposed their verification in the concrete fruits that accompany the life and work of the various forms of association such as the renewed taste for prayer, contemplation, liturgical and sacramental life, the animation for the flourishing of vocations to Christian marriage, the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life, the willingness to participate in programs and activities of the Church, both locally and at national level or international commitment catechetical and pedagogical skills in forming Christians; the 'push for a Christian presence in the various areas of social life and the creation and animation of charitable, cultural and spiritual spirit of detachment and evangelical poverty to a more generous charity towards all, the conversion to the Christian life or return to the communion of the baptized "far away". (CL 30).
We can say that the first three criteria are well placed in the structure of the Secular, and those who need to find a better expression in the Rule of Life are the last two. The center of these principles of ecclesiology is not the apostle individual, but the apostolic group or community. The idea expressed many times in Christifideles Lay is the participation of the group to the new evangelization. Before the Council and before the changes in the world and the Church of the past 30 years, the participation of the laity in the apostolate of the Church than was generally understood as an auxiliary to the apostolate led by clergy and religious. With the Second, and especially with the CL, the breath of the Holy Spirit has put more attention to the need for a more specific group of lay people, in collaboration with the structures of the Church in world evangelization. Applying this principle to Caramel and all'OCDS, there is need for greater collaboration in the apostolate of the charism and spirituality. Every vocation is ecclesial - in the Church and for the good of the whole Church. Yes you have received the grace of the vocation to Caramel, it is only to give what you have received. Your children, your parents, brothers and sisters, your neighbors, your co-workers, your fellow citizens in need of what you received. And I repeat again, the question is not addressed to you as an individual, but to your community or fraternity. "What can our community as to share with the Carmelite Church and the world the spirituality of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross"?
specific points of review
Watch the Rule of Life as it currently exists, make observations about it, discuss how to improve it, not mean to make negative appraisals on its content. It 'only a process for what could be included to ensure that expresses what is the vocation.
Rule, the Constitutions, regulations or statutes?
The first step is to review the title of the Rule. In the history of spirituality, the word "Rule" has been given in most cases to indicate the original inspiration of the great spiritual traditions of religious families in the Church. Generally the rules are, in the West, those of St. Benedict, St. Francis, St. Augustine and St. Albert. That of St. Basil belongs to the Eastern Church. These Rules are approved by the Church. The entire family of Caramel has only one rule, that of St. Albert, saying "the whole family of Caramel" I mean the monks, nuns, affiliated institutes, whether religious or secular. In addition to the Rule of St. Albert, for clarification and application, we all have constitutions and / or rules that accompany the rule. The only group that has a Carmelite Rule of St. Albert is different from the OCDS. I'd like to propose that the Order would join the rest of the Secular Order in the use of the word "regulations" means the Rule of St. Albert, and instead of the word to designate the Rule of law OCDS own use instead "Standards for Secular Carmelites." I think this would help all of us to unite under one rule.
Now follows a list of questions on various topics, whose goal is the clarification of certain points:
Questions for group discussion
General Questions 1. What is the Secular Order?
2. How do you discern a vocation to the Secular Order? What are the criteria?
3. What is the relationship (charismatic and legal) of the OCDS with other parts of the Order?
4. What are the responsibilities of this vocation?
least I would like you to remember this, among all what I have said, be Secular is not a privilege but a responsibility.
Structure OCDS
1. Who is responsible for the structure and condition of the Secular Order?
2. How is it carried out this responsibility?
3. For a good functioning of the OCDS as structures of local, national and international are needed? How can we express such structures in our legislation?
4. What kind of relationship exists between the General Secretariat and Provincial Secretariats? What kind of communication? What financial support?
Discernment and training
Let me start by Christifideles Laity.
"In the work formation some convictions reveal themselves as particularly necessary and fruitful. The first conviction that there can be no true and effective formation if everyone does not assume and does not develop by itself the responsibility of training: this, in fact, is essentially a 'self-training'.
The belief, moreover, that each of us is a time limit and with the principle of training: the more we are trained and we feel the need to continue and deepen our formation, we are formed as well as more and more we are able to train others .
Of singular importance is the awareness that the work of formation, while used with intelligence means and methods of the humanities, is much more effective if it is available to God's action: only branch that is not afraid to let pruned by the vintner produces more fruit for themselves and for others "(CL 63) .
Do not be afraid to leave you to prune.
1. As the training program helps in the discernment of the vocation of a Secular?
2. Districts such as the Order established a training program? The training program includes appropriate teaching of the identity and the laity as expressed in Apostolicam Actuositatem Vatican II and the Laity Christifideles John Paul II?
3. What the purpose of the various confraternities of lay members (Our Lady of Carmine, the Infant Jesus of Prague, Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus)?
4. What people should be directed to this fraternity?
Apostolate and Service
1. Accepting the call of the Church by John Paul II expressed in Laity Christifideles with the criteria of ecclesiology (CL 30), it requires that call the Secular Order?
2. One by one, how can we express in the legislation OCDS five basic criteria of the Church today?
3. The first among the fruits offered by the No concrete 30 of the CL is the "renewed taste for prayer, contemplation, liturgical and sacramental life." What kind of service they can offer the communities of the Secular to the Church and the world to make such concrete fruit? Conclusion
We are not here to discuss the theories of the theology of the laity. We are here to learn how to express the wealth in our legislation and the responsibilities of the charism of the laity who are called to live the spirituality of St. Teresa of Jesus to serve the Church.
One element of the charism of Teresa is the "hermit", another is the "contemplative", another is the "service", another "community", another as "Marian". Please do not profess one or two of these elements in isolation from other!
Gilbert Chesterton, English Catholic journalist, described as a heretic "who has only one part of the truth, but think of it whole."
Your vocation is rich, and is also a responsibility. You will discover the fullness of his wealth only to the extent that you will live your responsibility.
p. Aloysius Deeney OCD
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