Adaptation in Carmel Fr. Daniel Chowning, OCD General Definitor of the Discalced Carmelite Order

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A really insightful conference on “Adaptation in Carmel” by our Fr. Daniel Chowning. Father gave this talk (in Spanish) last year to the OCD Assembly of Spanish Federations.

A portion of this touches on:

Challenges to Carmel

My experience of my Carmelite Sisters is from the reality of the United States, Great Britain and Ireland. From what I have seen in Spain the challenges seem similar. I will give a few of the major challenges and crises the nuns have shared with me. First of all, there is the challenge of unity vs. diversity. Nuns often ask me: “How much diversity do we allow and still maintain unity, for instance, in terms of the enclosure and going out to meetings? How far can we go and still be united and remain faithful to the enclosure?” This is a difficult and complex question to answer. The challenge of unity and diversity, the diverse ways of living and expressing the Teresian charism is an ongoing concern and raises many questions.

Secondly, there is the decrease of vocations. Many Carmels have not seen a solemn profession in twenty, thirty, or even forty years. Some Carmels have received novices over the years, but few or none have persevered. There are many reasons for lack of perseverance, some of which are very complex. For instance, for some the departure was the fruit of good discernment, for others however, the community’s inability to change and to absorb new life and new ideas resulted in departures. At times there is a lack of understanding of the issues contemporary women bring into religious life. Generally speaking, women today are highly educated, independent, and have life experience. They also bring with them psychological fragility. Some communities are not ready to deal with the challenges of today’s youth or the psychological issues with which they enter. 

It is interesting that in the United States the traditional Carmels tend to draw more vocations. Many young people are looking for a highly structured life, the traditional habit, strict enclosure, and in some Carmels, even the Mass and Divine Office in Latin. The search for a highly structured life-style is often symptomatic of the insecurity present in society and in young people who are looking for something radical and secure. Some Carmelite nuns ask the question: Will these women will persevere beyond the initial stage of fervor and and their need for external structures?

An aging community is the second major challenge for many Carmels. I recently visited a community of three Carmels that amalgamated two years ago. They have built a new monastery and there are about 30 nuns. However, almost all are over the age of 75. They have had to hire cooks, people to help with cleaning, and night nurses. Another Carmel has only four nuns, the prioress is in her 80’s. In their resistance to close, supported by their Bishop, they deny the reality of diminishment. With only four nuns who are in their 70’s and 80’s, how can they invite novices, form them in the Carmelite life, and live a regular observance? Oftentimes in an effort to survive, diminishing and aging communities invite religious from other cultures, for instance, from Africa or Asia. The new Apostolic Constitution, Vultum Dei Quaerere, strongly discourages this practice.7 The mixture of cultures in this context fails to solve the fundamental problems of diminishment.

I know two Carmels in the United States in which no vocation had persevered for years. They realized that new members were not forthcoming, so they went through a discernment process, and wisely decided to sell their monastery while they had the health to move. They relocated on the campus of an active congregation where they live their Carmelite life, and when they become too infirmed for self-care, they move to the infirmary of the congregation and are cared for until the Lord calls them.

Other Carmels are diminishing; however, they have enough “younger” sisters to follow their contemplative prayer life and to keep up with the maintenance of the monastery. Nevertheless, the complaint I often hear is: “Father, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep the observance of our life of prayer and shoulder the burden of the work in the monastery. The younger sisters are obliged to carry most of the work in the community. We’ve had to modify our prayer schedule because we have too much work.”

Illness is another challenge. I know of a Carmel of only six nuns, two of whom were bedridden. Their entire day was absorbed in the care of the two sisters in the infirmary. As much as we want to care for our sick sisters, caring for them can become a heavy burden on the community and impact the monastic schedule and time for prayer and reading. 

Other challenges are leadership and formation. In many monasteries it is difficult to find a sister who has the leadership skills to assume the office of prioress, or novice mistress. More than once, I’ve heard prioresses say that they don’t know who the community can choose as prioress at the next elections, or who has the gifts necessary for formation.

In the United States some nuns resist having to attend meetings. It is a burden for them because it takes them away from the enclosure and community life. This touches upon the theme of enclosure, which as you know is a major issue. I think you would agree that it is not possible to live enclosure as it was lived in the 16th century, or even twenty or thirty years ago due to varied circumstances. Undoubtedly, enclosure is essential to the Teresian charism of our nuns, but how enclosure is understood and lived realistically today is an important topic for prayer, reflection, and discernment. So much depends on the circumstances of the community. What does enclosure mean? How can it be lived realistically in today’s society and still remain faithful to the Teresa’s reasons for establishing strict enclosure?

Another important area is sharing your life of prayer in a way that invites people to pray with you and to participate in your liturgy, yet maintain the balance and the space for solitude and silence. It does not seem right to separate ourselves from people who want to pray with us. As Teresa said, “Others already know that you are religious and that your business is prayer. Don't think to yourself that you don't want them to consider you good, for what they see in you is to the benefit or harm of all. And it is a serious wrong for those who have so great an obligation to speak of God, as do nuns, to think that it is good for them to hide their feelings about God; although they may be allowed to do this sometimes for a greater good. God is your business and language.” (C 20,4)