Custom Book of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns /

[graciandelamadrededios]

Our Sisters from Rochester Carmel write:

It has been wonderful to receive the responses to the proposal that we look at Custom Books and the place of customs as part of our on-going renewal – one dimension of which is a return to our sources.

What sparked the proposal was a chance reading of an article written just after the death of Mother Beatrix, foundress of the Carmels of Boston, Philadelphia and Rochester, and one who was instrumental in other foundations as well. Among other things, the article stated: “In the early days of the Boston foundation she studied with minute detail the traditions regarding the customs and devotions observed among the nuns in Spain, France and Belgium, and drew up the Custom Book now followed by all the Monasteries she was instrumental in founding, and by many others which rightly respect her regulations as conforming in every way to the mind of the first followers of St. Teresa.” [see Mount Carmel magazine, March – April 1939]

The handwritten Custom Book that she brought with her on the foundation of Rochester in 1930 has the following as title page:

Regular Customs of the Discalced Carmelites—to supplement the Constitutions and Ceremonial of the Order—taken from “Les Usages Regulier des Carmelites Dechausee”, published by the Discalced Carmelites of Montelimar, France. With additional instructions for the Offices and some customs for certain feasts, etc. taken from the Custom Book of the Discalced Carmelites of Baltimore. ...Approved by our Most Reverend Father General Luke of St. John of the Cross.

Now, if Mother Beatrix settled for the Montelimar Custom Book (also in use in the Carmel of Schenectady), it would appear that she was satisfied with that collection as containing the essentials she had gleaned from other sources. “So?” you might ask. Well, with the Montelimar Custom Book and the “Paper of Exactions”, we come close to the practices that go back to the early days of the Reform. The challenge is to extract the essentials from the accidentals, the points which reinforce the life of silence and solitude, order and the practice of virtues proper to our life in Community, from those which are obviously dated. Can we share points as to how we would like to see these expressed, to give light to one another? Does anyone have any ideas??

 

Note on said French Custom Book:

Paper of Exactions is available online at the Lisieux Carmel Archives - i was able to download a pdf file

I also have a copy of the Montelimar Custom Book - handwritten with some typewritten addition of the Carmel that provided me said copy, it even have a measurements of the grille, habit, etc.  

 

 

 

 

[nikita92]

That is wonderful!

Thank you for posting this! 

[graciandelamadrededios]

you're welcome, im glad somebody likes the post.