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Contemplation, Community and Service
- The Carmelite charism is a gift that has come from eight hundred years of Carmelite history and consists of three elements; they are Contemplation, Community and Service.
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What is the charism of the Carmelites?
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What is a charism?
These three elements are at the heart of our charism. In prayer (or worship) we build up a friendship with ‘the God whom we know loves us’, as St. Teresa of Avila described it. In community building (or fraternity) we encounter God in our brothers and sisters, who comfort and challenge us.
- What Is A Charism?
- Contemplation Is at The Heart of Carmel
- Contemplation Is A Gift We Can Be Open to
- Three Elements of Our Charism
- An Evolving Understanding
- Action vs. Contemplation?
- All Are called to Contemplation
- So What Is Distinctive in Carmel?
- Modelled on Elijah and Mary
- The Carmelite Rule
Catholic religious orders use the word ‘charism’ to describe their spiritual orientation and any special characteristics or values. A charism (from the Greek: χαρίσμα) in general denotes any grace that God gifts to an individual or group to perform a specific mission in the Church and the World.
The Carmelite Family believes that the heart of our way of life – whether we are friars, enclosed nuns, apostolic sisters, laity, or hermits – is contemplation. Saint John of the Cross described contemplation as the inflowing of God’s grace into a human being. More recently Fr. Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm., has described it simply as ‘friendship with G...
Carmelites seek to be contemplative. We believe that God’s grace and friendship is offered to all people, not as something we can earn or attain by our own efforts, but as a free gift of God, given whenever and to whoever God wishes. To become contemplative Carmelites seek to open their hearts to God, practicing what our tradition calls ‘vacare Deo...
Many people understand the term ‘contemplative’ to mean someone withdrawn from the world, perhaps living in silent retreat and practicing ‘contemplative prayer’. Whilst Carmelites value silence and solitude, we understand contemplation in a broader sense. Carmelites speak of contemplation as a gift of God that can be nurtured by a life of prayer, c...
As an idea ‘contemplation’ is both complex and radically simple. It is a mysterious gift of God, and different Christian traditions and religious orders have slightly different understandings of it. At different times in the Carmelite Order’s history our charism has been articulated in slightly different ways, or with varying emphases. The most rec...
It used to be common to speak of religious orders as ‘active’ or ‘contemplative’, but Carmel understands contemplation and action to be complimentary, not contradictory. Our prayer, community building and service inform one another, and together are part of our contemplative vocation. We might be better referring to ‘active’ and ‘meditative’, but a...
The elements of prayer, community and service are not unique to Carmel. Every religious order, every Christian, and indeed every person of any faith is called to practice and combine these elements. To become a contemplative – some might say “mystic” – is not something strange; it is what all Christians are called to by the grace of baptism. As Jes...
So if all Christians are called to be contemplative, what makes the Carmelite way of life distinctive? There are many good and holy ways of living that are not Carmelite. But for those called to live out the Carmelite vocation, what is distinctive is the way that we practice the elements of prayer, community and service, taking particular inspirati...
Elijah and Mary pondered God’s Word in prayer, related to others in their local communities, and served those in need. They have inspired Carmelites over the centuries, and the Order today takes inspiration from other holy men and women who have lived the charism. Doctors of the Church such as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila and Thérèse of Lisie...
Our charism is also informed by our Rule of Saint Albert, given to the first Carmelites on Mount Carmel around the year 1200 as a sort of ‘vision statement’ of how they should live together. The Rule encourages Carmelites to place particular emphasis upon Scripture, God’s Word in the Bible. Again, this is not unique to Carmelites, but is a distinct...
We can say that there are several elements which make up the Carmelite charism. Firstly, and most importantly, it is a way of following Christ with total dedication. Carmelites do this by seeking to form contemplative communities at the service of God's people in whose midst they live.
The divine indwelling in the soul is the foundation of Teresa’s doctrine. Thus, our vocation is a grace by which contemplation and action are blended to become an apostolic service of the Church as we promote a deeper spiritual life among God’s people through education, healthcare, and spiritual retreats.
Since all Christians follow Christ, the Charisms have many elements in common. The identity of a specific religious group is therefore defined by the emphasis given to a particular element. Prayer and contemplation are the center of the Carmelite Charism.
The Carmelite charism is a gift that has come from eight hundred years of Carmelite history and consists of three elements; they are Contemplation, Community and Service. A Charism refers to the distinct spirit that animates a religious community and gives it a particular character and identity.
The Carmelite charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. It has a unique history and origin with a spirituality that continues to foster holiness in the lives of her many sons and daughters.
