Our Apostolate

The mission of the Discalced Carmelite Order is to know God that he may be known. Secular Carmelites, in response to the Church and the Order are to set about spreading Carmelite spirituality in concert with the Friars, to address the need in the Church and the world for authentic spirituality and prayer as found in the teachings of St. Teresa, St. John of the Cross and St. Thérèse, while living in the world. (Provincial Statutes)

Praying for Vocations: All Carmelite Seculars in our community are encourage to pray actively for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. In a special way, we pray for students attending Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis.

From the RATIO INSTITUTIONIS OF THE SECULAR ORDER

IV. SERVING GOD’S PLAN

25. “The lay faithful, precisely because they are members of the Church, have the vocation and mission of proclaiming the Gospel: they are prepared for this work by the sacraments of Christian Initiation and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The spirituality of Carmel will a waken in Secular Carmelites a desire for greater apostolic commitment, in becoming aware of all that their call to Carmel implies. Aware of the need the world has of witnesses to God’s presence, they will respond to the invitation the church directs to all Associations of the faithful followers of Christ, committing them to human society by means of active participation in the apostolic goal of the Church’s mission, within the framework of their own charism. As a fruit of this participation in evangelization, Carmelite Seculars will share a renewed taste for prayer, contemplation and the liturgical and sacramental life.

26. The vocation to the Secular Order is truly ecclesial. Prayer and apostolate, when they are true, are inseparable. The observation of St. Teresa that the purpose of prayer is “the birth of good works” reminds the Secular Order that graces received ought to have an effect on those who receive them. Individually or as a community and, above all as members of the Church, apostolic activity is the fruit of prayer. Where possible, in collaboration with religious superiors and with the necessary permissions of those in charge, the communities of the Secular Order participate in the apostolate of the Order.

27. The Carmelite Secular is called to live and witness the charism of the Teresian Carmel in the local Church, that portion of the People of God in which the Church of Christ is truly present and acts. All will try to be living witnesses of God’s presence and accept responsibility for the need the Church has of concrete help within the pastoral concerns in its evangelizing mission under the direction of the bishop. For this reason, each one will have an apostolate either collaborating with others in the community or individually.

28. To their apostolic commitment they will bring the wealth of their spirituality in the various forms it takes in evangelization: missions, parishes, houses of prayer, Spirituality Institutes, prayer groups, the ministry of spirituality. With their particular contribution as Secular Carmelites they can offer the Teresian Carmel fresh inspiration for “a renewed spiritual and apostolic dynamism, with creative fidelity to their mission in the Church. The different apostolic activities of the Secular Order will be specified and evaluated in the Particular Statutes for the various geographical areas.