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holy_moly
Guest
Awesome:thumbsup:This site will give you some information about the Secular Discalced Carmelites and the requirments for membership:
helpfellowship.org/secular_carmelite_info.htm
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IlovemyChurch
Guest
Hello!
I too have been trying to discern whether I might have a call to be a lay Carmelite.
One primary part of my discernment is which ābranchā of the lay Carmel I should join (both groups exist near within travelling distance of where I live); the Secular Carmelites (OCDS, Secular Order of Discaled Carmelites) or the Third Order Carmelites (O.Carm, Carmelites of the Ancient Observance)
I was wondering whether those of you who have already taken this step could give me some information on the difference between the two, in terms of the implications for daily life. Are the rules different, is there a subtle difference in charism?
What are the reasons for choosing one over the other?
Is it just that the OCDS forcus more (primarily?) on the writings of St, Theresa & St. John of the Cross, than the O.Carm?
Many thanks; it would be a great help to receive any answers
God Bless
I too have been trying to discern whether I might have a call to be a lay Carmelite.
One primary part of my discernment is which ābranchā of the lay Carmel I should join (both groups exist near within travelling distance of where I live); the Secular Carmelites (OCDS, Secular Order of Discaled Carmelites) or the Third Order Carmelites (O.Carm, Carmelites of the Ancient Observance)
I was wondering whether those of you who have already taken this step could give me some information on the difference between the two, in terms of the implications for daily life. Are the rules different, is there a subtle difference in charism?
What are the reasons for choosing one over the other?
Is it just that the OCDS forcus more (primarily?) on the writings of St, Theresa & St. John of the Cross, than the O.Carm?
Many thanks; it would be a great help to receive any answers
God Bless
A
Allen537
Guest
This is a link for the Third Order for my province:
laycarmelites.com/
Just follow the link from to welcome to the actual information page.
Peace
laycarmelites.com/
Just follow the link from to welcome to the actual information page.
Peace
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holy_moly
Guest
No options for me; only two groups in my whole state & theyāre both OCDS & one is only 25ā from where I live, so my decision is made for me!
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theresam111
Guest
Iām not positive on this as I am a Lay Carmelite and not OCDS but much of our statutes are the same so I feel somewhat confident in telling you that part of the call to Carmel is a call to community. One can not live the call to Carmel without community. While there are many great books you could read to learn more about the Carmelite charism you could not discern a call to Carmel without living the community piece. Have you checked to see if there is a Lay Carm community nearby? One of the steps to discerning a vocation is to rule out the impossible! Iāll pray that the Lord lead you on His path!
Theresa
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Ohiomom
Guest
Theresa, great Carmelite name
This thread is kind of old and OPās questions was answered, but I am OCDS and we do have provisions for solo members. It is not regular since part of our call as secular Carmelites is to community and that is also stressed in our rule.
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
The T.Ocarm., that is the Third Order Carmelites also have rules for solo members within their constitutions but the leadership of the group have decided against using them for the reasons the earlier poster stated.Theresa, great Carmelite name
This thread is kind of old and OPās questions was answered, but I am OCDS and we do have provisions for solo members. It is not regular since part of our call as secular Carmelites is to community and that is also stressed in our rule.
That is unless they have recently modified their constitutions.
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oamdg
Guest
Wonderful!Theresa, great Carmelite name
This thread is kind of old and OPās questions was answered, but I am OCDS and we do have provisions for solo members. It is not regular since part of our call as secular Carmelites is to community and that is also stressed in our rule.
We knock in prayer; doors and windows open.
Please let me know how to proceed with formation in your community as a solo member. Formation in English will also be a blessing, as I am an American. Theology is enough to try to comprehend in our native tongue let alone be clouded in another language.
I understand the call to community or I would not have sought a community. I will be in Korea for an undetermined amount of time and will then return to Ukraine to assist in building Catholic education. There is a Carmelite community in Ukraine close enough to visit weekly.
God bless and keep you,
paul
āWith God all things are possible.ā
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Ohiomom
Guest
Paul,
We donāt have any solo members as we are in the greater DC area so there are a ton of communities in our area. From what I understand, most solo members went through formation with a community, but then had to move somewhere there was no community so they are solo right now. I will look for the link later and will post, but I think there are some coummunities in Korea. If one is close enough then you can enter into formation there (assuming no language barrier) then transfer to the Ukraine community). Transferring is no problem as people do move in this day and a ge.
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oamdg
Guest
There is a community but they are unreceptive.
Other orders have asked me to join them, but my call is to Carmel. Itās like a magnet which pulls from and in every direction. Iāve waited five years to see if it would leave but it remains and has grown stronger over the years.
And so, God willing, I ask your assistance from there with formation until I relocate to a receptive community.
God bless and keep you,
paul
The Jesuits say God answers prayers in 3 ways: yes, no, and wait.
A Carmelite said: God answers prayers in ways that only He could think of.
Other orders have asked me to join them, but my call is to Carmel. Itās like a magnet which pulls from and in every direction. Iāve waited five years to see if it would leave but it remains and has grown stronger over the years.
And so, God willing, I ask your assistance from there with formation until I relocate to a receptive community.
God bless and keep you,
paul
The Jesuits say God answers prayers in 3 ways: yes, no, and wait.
A Carmelite said: God answers prayers in ways that only He could think of.
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Shoshana
Guest
I am also discerning the call to be third order in the discalced carmelite order. The one I would go to is Buffalo.
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DaughterOfMary6
Guest
My friend is entering the Buffalo Carmelites on March 25th, and when she visited, she got to go to the Third Orderās Mass and meeting. Her user id is āForeverHis8827ā on CAF. She might be able to give you more information.
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ocdsgirl
Guest
I am (hopefully) making my first promise a Secular Carmelite this April. There are some slight differences in the Carmelite communites. I think others already mentioned them (OCDS, O Carms, etc). There is a Carmelite community right here in the actual city I live in, but itās not exactly the same as the community I belong to. The community in the city where I live (I believe) has some sort of a potluck and they pray the rosary, etc. The community I belong to is a couple of hours away from where I live. I started āvisitingā a few years ago. If you show an interest in an OCDS community, after contact and the such, you will be allowed to come as a visitor. After a period of time you may be invited to start formation, which would be a year of that, then if you feel called to continue, you will be clothed with the larger scapular. You then would have a 2 year formation leading up to first promises. Then another 3 years of formation leading up to final promises. Secular Discalced carmelites are not nuns, but they are actually āattachedā to the order- not a group that supports the order. The formation is long and intensive, but I love it! If I have any of this mixed up Iām sure thereās an OCDS person who is much wiser than me that can clarify. The community I belong belongs to the OCDS Oklahoma Province. If you do a search on that, the website is REALLY helpful
Daily mass, if possible, is important. As well praying the Liturgy of the Hours in the morning and evening, as well as night if possible. I didnāt know how to pray them, so they showed me how.
Daily mass, if possible, is important. As well praying the Liturgy of the Hours in the morning and evening, as well as night if possible. I didnāt know how to pray them, so they showed me how.
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holy_moly
Guest
Congrats! My wife & I began w/ a local OCDS group as Aspirants in September 2008. It is awesome & a wonderful spiritual discipline!I am (hopefully) making my first promise a Secular Carmelite this April. There are some slight differences in the Carmelite communites. I think others already mentioned them (OCDS, O Carms, etc). There is a Carmelite community right here in the actual city I live in, but itās not exactly the same as the community I belong to. The community in the city where I live (I believe) has some sort of a potluck and they pray the rosary, etc. The community I belong to is a couple of hours away from where I live. I started āvisitingā a few years ago. If you show an interest in an OCDS community, after contact and the such, you will be allowed to come as a visitor. After a period of time you may be invited to start formation, which would be a year of that, then if you feel called to continue, you will be clothed with the larger scapular. You then would have a 2 year formation leading up to first promises. Then another 3 years of formation leading up to final promises. Secular Discalced carmelites are not nuns, but they are actually āattachedā to the order- not a group that supports the order. The formation is long and intensive, but I love it! If I have any of this mixed up Iām sure thereās an OCDS person who is much wiser than me that can clarify. The community I belong belongs to the OCDS Oklahoma Province. If you do a search on that, the website is REALLY helpful
Daily mass, if possible, is important. As well praying the Liturgy of the Hours in the morning and evening, as well as night if possible. I didnāt know how to pray them, so they showed me how.
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ocdsgirl
Guest
Sounds like you might be getting close to the time of first promises as well!
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Shoshana
Guest
Ah! How I wish knowing what to do to enter into the OCD"s in Buffalo!
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