Secular Carmelites commit to prayer and contemplation
(Editor’s note: This is the first in a series about the secular third orders in the Diocese of Salt Lake City.)
SALT LAKE CITY — For many Catholics, Lent is a time for introspection, a time to evaluate one’s relationship with God and one’s connection to one’s fellow man. Some, seeing a void or feeling a need to do more, may wonder what they can do to deepen their spiritual life. Among the organizations in the Diocese of Salt Lake City that can fill that need among local Church members are the secular third orders, of which there are five in Utah.
Secular third orders are comprised of laity who are affiliated with specific religious orders. In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, there are third orders associated with the Carmelites, Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans and the Daughters of Charity.
Three secular Carmelite communities, known as the Order of Carmel Discalced Seculars, have members in the state of Utah. Unlike those who take religious vows, secular Carmelites live in the world but make commitments to turn their life to prayer.
“A secular Carmelite is a practicing member of the Catholic Church who, under the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and inspired by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, makes commitments to the order to seek the face of God in prayer for the good of the church and the needs of the world,” said former Secular Order of Discalced Carmel General Delegate Fr. Aloysius Deeney.
Those commitments include what Salt Lake community president Kathryn Theobald calls the six Ms: meditation, morning prayer (along with evening and nighttime prayer), Mass, a devotion to Mary, meetings and engaging in the mission of helping to spread the Carmelite spirit to the world.
“The goal is to lead a deeper prayer life,” Ogden community president Kathy Davis said. “We encourage at least 30 minutes every day of quiet contemplation, and daily Mass if one can make it, along with Bible study at the parish level throughout the month and being involved in the life of one’s own parish community.”
Members also meet together monthly to study the lives of the Carmelite saints, the works of order founder St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and Therese of Lisieux, and to pray together. In addition, they study other theological works, such as encyclicals and the writings of Pope Francis.
The amount of time each community meets varies and may include a social time, Mass or a talk by the group’s spiritual adviser.
In Cedar City, community members also participate in lectio divina, a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer, which president Jim Dowd said is “a beautiful way of praying Scripture together.”
The Ogden Carmelite community, Our Lady of the Mountains OCDS, has 10 active members. Several other members are unable to participate in the monthly meetings because of medical issues or advanced age, but each does what he or she can to honor those commitments, Davis said.
Davis encourages local Catholics who are seeking a greater purpose in their lives to give serious consideration to joining the community.
“It will definitely deepen their spiritual life and help them understand the Catholic Church,” she said.
The Salt Lake Carmelite community has 10 active members and three inquirers. (To become a member, an interested party must attend meetings for one year to learn about and understand the commitment they are undertaking; a person in this stage is called an inquirer).
“This is a lifelong commitment,” Theobald said. “It is not a prayer group or a social club. If a person is interested, we will meet with them and outline just what that commitment is before they take the next step.”
In Cedar City, the Our Blessed Mother, Queen of Mount Carmel OCDS has four members and is mentored by its sister Carmelite community, the Jesus, Mary and Joseph Council in Henderson, Nev. Members of the communities Skype as part of their monthly meetings.
“A Carmelite life is much more than meeting once a month,” Dowd said. “It’s a way of life. You’re being called into a life of prayer, a life of trying to know and love God, to go out into the world and make God known and loved.”
Utah Secular Carmelites
Ogden
Our Lady of the Mountains OCDS meets the second Sunday of each month at St. James the Just Parish at 1:30 p.m. Contact Kathy Davis, 435-734-9646.
Cedar City
Our Blessed Mother Queen of Mount Carmel OCDS meets the second Saturday of the month at Christ the King Parish at 10:30 a.m. Contact Jim Dowd, 435-592-3940.
Salt Lake City
Immaculate Heart of Mary OCDS meets the first Sunday of the month at the Carmelite monastery at 12:30 p.m. Contact Kathryn Theobald, 801-810-1158.
© Copyright 2024 The Diocese of Salt Lake City. All rights reserved.
Stay Connected With Us