The Mystical Way

This day last week I stepped down as President of my Discalced Carmelite Secular Order community having served six years, two three year terms consecutively. We elected a very able successor and he will lead the community for the next three years at least. It is a relief in one way. I was delighted to serve my brothers and sisters, but it will be nice to go to the meeting of the community and sit at the back and pray and enjoy the fraternity. That said, I was elected on to the community Council, so with my fellow councilors, I have the duty to assist my successor during his period of office. 

Yesterday I was speaking about the way each of us is called to live and how our life of devotion must really reflect our state in life. I noted that as people who are not monks and nuns we cannot live a monastic life, but we can draw from its traditions and spirituality to help us. Some of these traditions have been modified by the Orders to appeal to those living in the world, and so we have Oblates and Tertiaries, vocations open to lay people, married or single, and to secular clergy. In Discalced Carmel we tertiaries are known as Seculars or Secular Carmelites, and if you look at our rule, the Rule of St Albert, you can see how we can live it in the world.

St Albert was the Patriarch of Jerusalem and he was approached by hermits living on Mount Carmel to give them a Rule of Life. The Rule tells us the leader of the hermits was 'B', tradition maintains that this was St Brocard, the second superior of the group. Albert composed a new rule for them; he did not fall back on the Rule of St Benedict which could have been used quite profitably by the hermits, but rather, aware that there was something unique in this little band of hermits, some of whom were former crusader knights, he turned to God to guide him in composing a Rule which would encompass the charism that had brought them to form a community in the mountains. What he gave them was a Rule which laid out the mystical way to God.

When you read the Rule of St Albert, you quickly see it is a very practical document. In a practical (and brief) way it lays down the foundation for the hermits to launch out and on to the way of perfection. It uses language these former knights would understand - the language of chivalry; it speaks of allegiance to Jesus, 'unswerving service' of the Master and the putting on of spiritual armour to engage in the battle for virtue and holiness. The organisation of life is simple: poverty is the way of life and space is given to each hermit equitably, both physically and in terms of time, to facilitate communing with God. Work is an important activity not only to earn a living, but to keep idleness at bay. At the heart of the community is the oratory where Mass is offered. Fasting is required as is participation in the Prayer of the Church: the Office. Silence is urged as it 'is the way to holiness....Your strength will lie in silence and hope', Albert tells them. His final word is the most practical of all: 'See that the bounds of common sense are not exceeded, however, for common sense is the guide of the virtues'.

Comparing the Rule of St Albert with the magnificent Rule of St Benedict, apart from one being very short and the other much longer, Benedict's Rule is one of moderation, Albert's is that of common sense and that is important. Mystics tend to fly in the air, but that can be dangerous and prove spiritually fatal; common sense means to keep the hermits' feet on the ground so they will become authentic mystics rather than fanatics. That is genius. St Benedict sought to civilise men and women, turn them into fine, consecrated souls (this is why his Rule is a good guide for Christian civilisation), so moderation was the key to that. Albert was dealing with men who sought the life of mysticism and he had to ensure they became true mystics and servants of the Church rather than awkward, deluded pseudo-visionaries.  

Albert's Rule can be lived by lay people and secular priests in the world, for the same directions can be applied to our lives. For one thing, as we live in the world, we too have to find space, both in terms of physical location and time, to nurture solitude and commune with God. Each day, in a most practical way, we must find 'a separate cell, situated as the lie of the land you propose to occupy dictates' - metaphorically that sums up the effort we Christians must make to ensure we have time and solitude for prayer. We too must don the armour of Christian virtue as we live in the world, to do battle with the challenges we meet there. The 'oratory' which is at the centre of our lives is our local church, be the parish church or another where we attend Mass and pray - it is to be the centre of our lives and the place we can withdraw to. We too pray the Prayer of the Church. And as for the asses and mules (cf. chapter 13), well, even they have significance - as we live in the world we can have what we need to carry out our work and to live, even an ass or a car if necessary. Of course, work is important, not only to eat and live, but to serve as a defence for the soul, to keep us from idleness and reach the potential God has set out for us. Work also serves as a means of service to our brothers and sisters. Finally, Albert's urging of common sense is even more important for us in the world: he does not want us Seculars to become religious freaks making life difficult for the Church. Of course there are those out there who consider those who faithfully adhere to the Church and her teaching as being freaks, but we won't let them distort the definition. 

My life as a Christian and a priest has been enhanced greatly by entering the Secular Order. It is a vocation, and personally speaking, I have been aware of that for many years. For priests to enter the Secular Order is not to replace one's vocation, but rather to find a call within a call; it is not second best to being a friar - membership of the Secular Order is a unique vocation in itself, living the charism of Carmel in a particular way. Contrary to what some may say, it is not a confraternity or prayer group; as we in our community tell aspirants, in entering the Secular Order you are entering the Order of Discalced Carmelites and will be as much a member of that Order as the friars and the nuns: you are Carmel in the world, living your promises, or vows. And yes, we can take vows, real vows, the evangelical counsels. I have taken the vows as have two other (lay) members of my community. 

Perhaps a brief description of our formation process in the Secular Order? When an aspirant arrives, they are encouraged to visit each month for six months, joining us for our prayer and fraternity while meeting with Assistant Director of Formation for an introduction to the life, history and spirituality of the Order and being taught how to say the Divine Office. After six months, if the Council assents, the aspirant is admitted to formation and receives the habit (Scapular) and copies of the Rule and Constitutions. For two years the candidate attends sessions with others in formation with the Director of Formation, learning about and preparing for a life of consecration while studying the Rule, Constitutions, history of the Order and the writings of Ss Teresa and John and other Carmelite Saints. 

After the two years, if the Director, President and Council are happy, the candidate is admitted to profession, and in a ceremony takes promises of poverty, chastity and obedience for three years, and adds a title of devotion to their baptismal name as their name in Carmel, for example Mary of the Child Jesus or Michael of the Holy Trinity - the candidate themselves decides what name they will take. They also add OCDS after their name. After another three years in formation, they can then be admitted to Definitive Profession, taking the promises for life. If after a period of time (usually after at least five years), if the person discerns it and has obtained the consent of the community Council, the Provincial of the Order (and bishop, if it is a priest), they can take vows. In our Order we can only take vows of chastity and obedience - our Order's vow of poverty could not normally be lived in the world since it requires total renunciation of possessions; the promise is not as strict.  

I don't mean for this to be an advertisement for Secular Carmel, but if you interested in finding out more, please contact your local Discalced Carmelite priory or monastery. The purpose of this is to give thanks, on my part, for my Carmelite vocation, and to encourage all of you in your spiritual lives and if you feel the need, to find a spiritual family within the Church to help you live your vocation in the world. Such families can be an enormous source of support while helping us as we make our way along the path to holiness.