Our Unique Carmelite Eremitical Observance
A Sister called to live our Carmelite charism, as it is observed in the primitive form, follows Our Blessed Lord in the way of evangelical perfection through a religious formation and observance patterned, in part, upon that of the semi-eremitical life of the Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary on Mount Carmel in the thirteenth Century. The Carmelite Hermits who dwelt upon Mt. Carmel in Palestine and who first established what is known as the 'Carmelite life' prior to the ‘reform’ of Saint Teresa in the Sixteenth Century. These Hermits who built a little Chapel in honor of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary upon Mount Carmel in Palestine and lived devoutly in Her honor upon this rugged promontory endowed with lush garden -like vegetation until they emigrated to Europe in the 1230's where Carmelite life was then established in the West and became more coenobitic and mendicant.
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Father Augustine Marie of the Blessed Sacrament OCD
Carmelite desert restored by Father Augustine-Marie
As 'westernization occurred in the Carmelite lifestyle and its observance, it became increasingly less eremitical and more apostolic, opening more possibilities for the charism to be lived out in various forms and a wide variety of ways within the Church as a whole.
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However, the "call" to deeper solitude and silence for the sake of pursuing divine union and the flourishing of divine contemplation has continued to exist throughout the passage of time. The Holy Spirit, Artificer of Divine intimacy and pursuer of hearts, has continued to draw certain souls to this profound yearning to be " Alone with the Alone" so as to penetrate into the rich depths of the Mysteries of Christ and by the gift of divine grace interiorly accompany Him in the fullness of HIs Paschal mystery as it is renewed in every time and place
One of these souls within the Carmelite Order most especially touched by this calling to "greater intimacy" was Father Augustin -Marie of the Blessed Sacrament O.C.D. Deeply on fire with a consuming thirst to be "with" Jesus in the most Holy Eucharist through profound and prolonged Adoration, particularly nocturnal- adoration, he strove assiduously to implement "Carmelite Deserts" within the holy Order of Carmel within the 1800'S. As passionate lover of Jesus, he could spend whole nights in prayer upon his knees before the Most August Sacrament of the Altar and therefore eagerly sought to spread this consolation and reparation that could be intimately given to the Heart of Jesus by establishing small deserts where Carmelites could come together for this more intensified form of Carmelite life.
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Therefore, much inspired by the writings and Observance of Father Augustin- Marie OCD., (Herman Cohen) as well as by the contemplative and eremitical “Holy Deserts” established by the Discalced Carmelite Reform in the 1600"s we seek to return, in spirit and in truth, to the Carmelite eremitical ‘desert’ first lived by our holy forefathers, with the additional development that has come down to us through the ages by the Church's pious institution of Eucharistic adoration; all within the form and context of a small Community of traditional Religious Sisters.
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The Sisters will live in separate Hermitages praying some Hours of the daily Divine Office in private and some Hours in Community. They shall make their daily prayer of three hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the solitude of the Hermitage; gathering together each day for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and for their meals, which as the Rule commands " shall be taken together in a common refectory with some part of Sacred Scripture being read" …
Our semi- eremitical contemplative life as Carmelites, in imitation of our ancient forefathers will therefore consist in embracing the more ‘traditional’ form of our Carmelite Charism as lived on Mt. Carmel with the additional development of Eucharistic Adoration very much bequeathed to us by our beloved examplar ~ Father Augustine- Marie ~ ; particularly the practice of nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration in the solitude of the Hermitage. In this way, as brides of Christ, we will seek to be “wholly present” to Our Beloved Spouse and make reparation, intercession, and supplication for those in the Church and the world who have lost sight of His Majestic Presence and the reverent attention that He perpetually deserves by right…….
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"Let each stay in his cell or nearby it, day and night meditating on the law of the Lord and
keeping vigil in prayers unless occupied by other just occasions.”
Rule of St. Albert
Consecrated to Regina Décor Carmeli- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, whose Holy Habit we wear, the Sisters shall follow the example of Our Holy Father St. Elias who, as a contemplative solitary, lived in the presence of the Living God (cf. III Kings 17:1). Persevering in the patrimony of this Elijahian inheritance they shall have a consuming desire for the conversion of sinners, the salvation of souls and the renewal of the Church in the ancient spirit of an authentic return to tradition bearing in their hearts the spirit of St. Therese their Sister in Carmel ~
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This “double portion of the Love of God” shall be lived out through a fidelity to the
Carmelite Rule of St. Albert and the ancient patrimony that has been bequeathed to us
down through the ages.
through rich heritage
of Ancient Carmelite spirituality ~
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Solitude
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Silence
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Divine contemplation
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Fraternal Charity
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Penance
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Abstinence
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Simplicity of Life
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Reverent Ancient Traditional Liturgy
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Conversion of life
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Poverty
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Manual labor
“Mindful of the prayer of Elijah when he asked the Prophet Elisha for his double spirit, I presented myself before the company of the Angels and Saints and addressed them thus: “I am the least of all creatures. I know my mean estate, but I know that noble and generous hearts love to do good. Therefore, O Blessed Inhabitants of the Celestial City, I entreat you to adopt me as your child. All the glory that you help me to acquire, will be yours; only deign to hear my prayer, and obtain for me a double portion of the love of God.”
St. Therese
