Living Catholicism: Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: A New Direction for the Carmelites

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July 24, 2006

Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: A New Direction for the Carmelites

It's funny how God works...although I am now a happily married man, with a wonderful wife and a precious son, I did, for about a year's time, consider a vocation to the priesthood. Part of my discernment process included a brief period with the Missionaries of the Eternal Word, the community of fathers and brothers who assist Mother Angelica with her work at EWTN. It was an important part of my spiritual formation and instilled in me a deep love for the Catholic faith, the pursuit of God's Will, and religious orders.

I was recently made aware of young community attempting to radically live the way of Carmelite spirituality. The following is from their brochure:

Who are the Carmelite Monks?

The Carmelite Monks are a new community of Carmelite religious who have been erected as a Public Association of the Christian Faithful by his Excellency, Bishop David L. Ricken of the Diocese of Cheyenne. These monks are striving to live an authentic monastic expression of the Carmelite charism. Which entails a life of liturgical and contemplative prayer (i.e. two hours of comtemplation a day), study of Sacred Scripture and the great fathers and spiritual masters of the Church, manual work, and communal fraternity with the brothers.

The Carmelite Monks are men who are consecrated to God through the Vows of Obedience, Chastity, and Poverty. They live a life of prayer, solitude, penance, and strict separation from the world. Their lives are completely dedicated to interceding for the Church and the world. St. Therese proclaimed the Carmelite vocation as being "love in the heart of the Church". As the heart circulates blood throughout the whole body, so the Carmelite is called to circulate grace throughout the Church. This is the essential meaning of the vocation of these cloistered monks.

Power of Monastic Enclosure

Many of the greatest male monastic orders within the Church have lived strict monastic enclosure, such as the Carthusians, the Camaldolese, the Brigetines, and certain reforms within the Benedictine Order. The Church has always upheld these expressions of male monasticism as a higher means to sanctification and as supremely beneficial to her mission in the world.

The Carmelite Monks have a profound love and respect for their monastic enclosure. Indeed, their form of monastic life is challenging and austere. With the exception of extern monks who are allowed to work outside the enclosure wall, the cloistered monks only pass through the gates of the monastery when there is an explicit permission from the Bishop, for medical needs or other serious reasons.

Many people see the cloistered religious life as formidable; however, the monks experience it as an entrance into a spiritual paradise. Many see it as a separation and an imprisonment; the monks see it as a means to union with God and the truest form of freedom. Ultimately, they have a profound conviction that they are the hidden leaven within the Church, empowering her through a life of prayer and sacrifice.

Loyalty to the Magisterium

Deep in the hearts of these monks there is a profound loyalty to the Magisterium of the Church. Like their holy parents, St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross, they wish to always remain "loyal sons of the Church". They firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring Magisterium of the Holy Catholic Church. They will forever remain firmly united to the Holy Father, the Supreme Pontiff and Shepherd of the Church of Jesus Christ, and the Bishops united to him. They are also determined to always remain in loyal obedience to their immediate shepherd, the Bishop of Cheyenne.

The Carmelite Monks adhere to all those principles set forth by the Church which determine and regulate an authentic religious life. As a sign of their consecration to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, they will at all times wear the religious habit.

Liturgy of the Carmelite Monks

The Liturgy is the source and summit of the Christian life, and in a special way the heart of monasticism. The entire monastic life flows from and is determined by the Liturgy. Hence, the Carmelite Monks have returned to an authentic Liturgy which consists of both Latin and Gregorian Chant.

It is refreshing for me, as a Catholic and as a father, to see a community like this. It stands as a sign of contradiction in a world that has succomb to the lure of materialism and relativism. Yet, more importantly, it is a sign of faith and hope. It encourages my heart to know that there are still those willing to sacrifice all for Christ. We live in an age that is desparately seeking heros, but often fails to recognize the "real" heros. How encouraging to see young men seeking a life of prayer, humility, sacrifice, fidelity, and, ultimately, love.

If you are interested in learning more about the Carmelite Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin of Mary of Mount Carmel or in receiving their newsletter, you can write to them at:

Carmelite Monastery
PO Box 2747
Cody, Wyoming 82414

Our sister site, www.HolyFamilyCatalog.com, will soon offer the monks first CD, Mystical Chants of Carmel so check back in a couple weeks if you are interested in ordering a copy of this beautiful, moving collection of classic Carmelite chant.

In Christ,
Joe

Posted by jay at July 24, 2006 01:51 AM