3rd order in my parish

[mahalia]

So, in my parish there is something very new and exciting going on - about 30 of us are beginning discernment for joining the dominican laity with one of our parish priests (a dominican parish). On November 13th we are going to receive the dominican scapulars and enter the novitiate.
Up until now there has never been a third order presence in our dom. community, so we are all pretty excited.
My fiance and I are about to get married in four weeks and we see this vocation as a wonderful way to consecrate our lives and our marriage.

So, I am interested in reading your experiences - are there married people here on the forums who are members of any third order together with their spouse? How does it reflect on your lives in your broader community? And your marriage?

 

[asia53]

Hi mahalia,

I can only speak of my experience with the Lay Carmelite Communities (O. Carm) in Colorado, my home state.

My Lay Community is based at another parish, about 22 miles away from my own parish. There are no married couples in my Lay Community, or the Denver Lay Community. We have a Discalced Lay Community in Fort Collins, I know very little about them. The Colorado Springs Lay Community has one married couple. They are their Lay Community Director, Lay Community Formation Director, Regional Director of Colorado, and Regional Formation Director Coordinator for Colorado.

I have noticed married Lay Community couples are rare, but a very welcome addition to any Community.

Once again, this is my experience in my home state. I don’t know, if this a trend in most Lay Communities.

 

[mahalia]

Wow,
I really thought married people in 3rd orders were more common. A little bit disappointing, but on the other hand, I am even more happy now that in our little community there are three young married couples