........

Who are we?

We are ordinary folk leading ordinary lives - women, men, married, single, working, retired or unemployed - who feel called by God to know Him, love Him and serve Him by this way. Baptism calls all Christians to know Him, love Him and serve Him and incorporates us into Him - His Mystical Body. While all Christians, worthy of the name, seek to live and share the Gospel message, there is a wide variety of Ways or Vocations by which we are helped to do so. Carmel is the Way of those called to the Secular Order. We do our best, with God's help. If we reach contemplation, that is God's gift. In fact all we are and all we do is God's gift.

Secular Order members are formed into groups or fraternities - our fellow members are our immediate community. It is the 'rubbing off' each other, the praying and working together that helps us to grow. We get to know ourselves better and to appreciate and learn from the gift that is 'the other'.

I joined the Secular Order of Carmel before leaving Ireland to work in South America for six years (Legion of Mary envoy). Being part of the Carmelite family, friars, nuns and seculars, I found tremendous support. As I travelled from place to place, the Carmelites were my reference points, my 'homing device'. They kept me on the right path, offering accommodation, days of retreat, ongoing formation in the Carmelite way, correction and encouragement; in other words, love.

Being a Secular Carmelite is a vocation, a calling. It is a gift and a challenge. We learn as we go along and we share what we learn. It is our life time's work: to live "under the protection of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, be inspired by St Teresa of Jesus and St John of the Cross, to live out our commitment to the Order to seek the face of God for the sake of the Church and the world." (Fr A. Deeney, OCD).

Oonagh Twomey OCDS