Carmelites & what they do

[Quasar]

Can someone please explain why some Carmelites are contemplative  (terre haute, Santa Fe) while others run nursing homes (Carmelites of Los Angeles, and the Carmelites in St. Louis)?  I've been wondering.

[beatitude]

With the exception of the Carthusians, whose vocation is to solitude, I think all the major monastic orders have apostolic offshoots - Poor Clares are complemented by active Franciscan communities, enclosed Dominican nuns like Sr Mary Catharine share a spirituality with Dominican sisters who teach in schools, and so on. The Carmelites in Los Angeles and St Louis are bringing the spirituality of Carmel to their day to day ministries. It isn't Carmelite monastic life, but it's still Carmel.

[graciandelamadrededios]

The contemplative carmel you mentioned are cloistered nuns - they are normally founded from a carmel who exceeded the number of nuns in a monastery - the constitutions stipulated 21 members.

The carmelites who teach in schools, nurses the sick, and are in active ministries are active carmelites; their founders took the inspiration of Carmel; at times they are Friars of the First Order or their foundresses were once cloistered carmelite nuns (Second Order).  Some were Third Order Regulars of the Carmelite Order.

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by graciandelamadrededios

[emptyforgod]

I have visited an active Carmelite community that has homes for children and the elderly. They are such beautiful sisters! The founderess of the community was a convert to Catholicism and was inspired by the writings of St. Teresa of Avila. The community was founded over 100 years ago! There are many aspects of the contemplative prayer of Carmel while still having an active apostolate.

[Quasar]

Does anyone know the history of how the apostolic offshoot Carmelite communities came to be?  It's interesting, because there are no apostolic communities of Poor Clares.   I thought Carmelites were similar, but apparently not.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Quasar

[beatitude]

55 minutes ago, Quasar said:

Does anyone know the history of how the apostolic offshoot Carmelite communities came to be?  It's interesting, because there are no apostolic communities of Poor Clares.   I thought Carmelites were similar, but apparently not.

There are some here, the Sisters of St Clare.  They used to be monastic Poor Clares, and they explain how the change came about on their website - it happened in the early 1800s, when their bishop asked them to care for some orphans.

I'm not an expert on the history of religious orders, but I know that until comparatively recently it was just taken for granted in the Church that a woman religious had to be enclosed. St Vincent de Paul came up against that attitude when he was founding the Daughters of Charity. In response to the needs of the Church and the world, and a developing understanding of religious life, we basically realised that monasticism is not the only way for women to live out those vows and that's when the active communities began to pop up. (There were vowed women doing apostolic work before them, but in third orders, like St Catherine of Siena.)

 

[graciandelamadrededios]

1 hour ago, Quasar said:

Does anyone know the history of how the apostolic offshoot Carmelite communities came to be?  It's interesting, because there are no apostolic communities of Poor Clares.   I thought Carmelites were similar, but apparently not.

There is - Poor Clare Missionary Sisters were founded from Mexico by a former Poor Clare.

The carmelite monastic/cloistered communities of women did not start as a full community living in a monastery and following a regular life - it started when some women affiliated themselves in the Order but they lived in their own houses.

[Quasar]

1 hour ago, graciandelamadrededios said:

The carmelite monastic/cloistered communities of women did not start as a full community living in a monastery and following a regular life - it started when some women affiliated themselves in the Order but they lived in their own houses.

Thanks so much for the explanation.

[dominicansoul]

"Carmelites and what they do"

 

i can tell you what they don't do...they don't write to their best friends enough...

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by dominicansoul
Aliens!

[Quasar]

24 minutes ago, dominicansoul said:

"Carmelites and what they do"

 

i can tell you what they don't do...they don't write to their best friends enough...

 

 

 

 

 I would expect them to at least teleport into their friends' dreams, what with St. Therese being a patron saint of aviation!

I hope you hear from your friend soon.

[DominicanHeart]

Carmelites all get to be amazing 

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

10 hours ago, dominicansoul said:

"Carmelites and what they do"

 

i can tell you what they don't do...they don't write to their best friends enough...

 

 

 

 

Is Vee/Sister even allowed to write to you more often than she does? I know that in some Communities, postulants are normally only allowed to write to family (except perhaps at Christmas/Easter) unless they are given special permission.

Keep writing. You know Vee/Sister appreciates every letter. As I've said before, for now, you may have to be the one who puts more effort into the friendship, at least while Vee/Sister is a postulant/novice.

If it helps to know this, I pray for you every day.