Our Way of Life
The Discalced Secular by special vocation, undertakes to live in the world an evangelical life of fraternal communion imbued with the spirit of contemplative prayer and apostolic zeal according to the teachings of the Order.
The requirements of our daily life include:
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours (Morning, Evening and suggested Night Prayer);
thirty minutes of mental prayer (this can be divided if need be);
attending daily Mass according to our state in life;
wearing the brown scapular and devotion to our Blessed Mother;
living the Beatitudes by some form of apostolic activity or ministry
participation in monthly community meetings building up fraternal communion
A selection of talks about leading the Secular Carmelite life, available from our neighboring Carmelites in Dayton, Ohio.
Colleen Sollinger, our presenter, explains what this document covers, how it applies to living out our Carmelite call through the human, Christian, and Carmelite perspectives, and also includes a section on discerning a call to the Secular Discalced Carmelite Order. She offers a great, insightful analogy of hot to put this all together in our daily life
What are the obligations of a person who becomes a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites? An easy way to remember them is to abbreviate them and call them the “6 M’s.”
Reflections by fully professed members of the Community of the Resurrection, Indianapolis, on their life as a Secular Carmelite (OCDS)
From J.W.
While in the monastery at Marylake near Little Rock (Arkansas). I made my profession and vow in the spring of 1957. I was enrolled in what was then called The Third Order. There were not many communities at that time. Although the ideal was to be in a community, it was not required. The term "isolate" was not used, but I was an isolate (not in a community) and remained so until 2015. I found it quite difficult without the support of a community but tried to do the best I could, however imperfect the effort.
Finding the community in Indianapolis was a great grace. I felt that I was making more progress with the support and inspiration provided by the community than all my years as an isolate. The last meeting I attended was in early 2020 just before the pandemic. Although I have attended meetings by zoom, it is not the same. It is like attending Mass by watching EWTN. Once again, I currently am in part an isolate (home bound) but the support is still there. My health has deteriorated in the last two years. My back is in very bad shape. The doctor wants me to try walking but no more than 35 minutes. My problems are nothing compared to those of other members of the community. The days pass quickly, and I have found a certain peace that one perhaps finds in old age (I’ll be 90 in a few weeks). I like what one of the characters in a novel by Dorothy Sayers said: “What can’t be cured, must be endured.”
I am grateful for each day. Including the pain. My regret is that I will not be able to attend meetings in person. As an academic, over the decades I read more books than I can count. What I acquired was knowledge but not wisdom. With the community I believe I found at least the beginnings of wisdom in the sense that St. Augustine defined it, namely, a gift from God. That gift came through the community. I try to say a special rosary each day for the community. It is my way of keeping up with all the requests for prayers. St. John said, ”When evening comes, you will be examined on love.” Will I be found wanting? Have I done my best?
I can’t answer those questions. When I meet Jesus, I might first try a few jokes, and rely on His mercy. T. and I often eat at the MCL cafeteria with its old fashion cooking. We generally sit at the same table. Facing me is a sign that says, “I place my future in the hands of God.” That sounds like St. Therese and that is good enough for me.
Please convey my heartfelt gratitude to the members of the community, who are always in my prayers.
Pax Christi
J. (Brother Samuel)
From D.T.
I am one of the oldest members of the OCDS Community of the Resurrection; I made my first promise more than 30 years ago. I no longer drive, my health isn't the greatest, and I'm not as young as I used to be, so I am now an Extended Member of the community. My quiet little senior citizen's apartment is like a hermitage to me. I pray the Liturgy of the Hours; my mental prayer occurs all day, in different moments. There is no radio, no television, no noise to distract me; instead, I try to take God into everything that happens throughout the day. St. Teresa wrote that "keeping Christ present is what we of ourselves can do" (Life, 12:4), so this is my goal. I don't always succeed, of course.
I have an apostolate: I am a translator for our Discalced Carmelite friars and nuns, and I also publish a Carmelite blog. I love to keep in touch with our community by email, and I appreciate their phone calls when they have time to call me; our Zoom meetings have been a godsend. I love my vocation, and I am grateful to Our Lady of Mount Carmel for clothing me with love in her own garment, the brown scapular. I pray that I may persevere in my vocation until the day that I see her and my beloved Bridegroom face to face.
From Veronica of Divine Mercy
The Carmelite Secular order gives me the framework I need for my life. I start my day with prayer the moment I open my eyes in the morning and end with examination of consciousness and prayer before bed. The mental prayer practice brings me closer to God and increases my faith. I found a new family "brothers" and "sisters" in Christ, because I live far away from my biological family. I am grateful God called me to be a Discalced Carmelite Secular.