Discernment
“God offers himself in total love to each one of us. Our part is to open our hearts to receive the gift.”
– Ruth Burrows –
You can never be entirely sure that God is calling you to be a Carmelite, but there are a number of commonly experienced signs. You may feel a growing dissatisfaction with life, yet at the same time have a sense that you can be much more than you are now.
While the meaning and direction of life is questioned you have a firm belief in Love. You may have a strengthening sense of the presence of God within you, which you seek to foster through times of solitude and prayer. You want to be alone with God but also want to be part of a community. This develops into friendship with Jesus.
Becoming a Carmelite, in response to God's call, is through a gradual process of prayerful discernment that takes a number of years and is made up of a few specific steps and stages.
For Friars and Nuns:
- Contact a Vocations Director, or any member of the Order. Come and visit us.
- Continue a process of discerning what God wants you to do.
- Apply to join. If we also discern that this is what God wants, you are invited to join.
- Once you join, there are a number of years in which you learn more about the Carmelites and the way of life, and together we discern whether or not this should be for the rest of your life.
- Life Commitment.
For Seculars:
- Contact the President of the community near you, and come along to a community event.
- Continue a process of discerning what God wants you to do.
- After a minimum of six months, if the community also discerns that this is what God wants, you are invited to join.
- After the “Rite of Admission" there are a number of years of formation in which you learn more about the Carmelites, about living the Carmelite charism in a secular setting and about being a member of a community. During this time, together we discern whether or not this way of life is for you.
- This gradual process continues from the Temporary Promise which is made for three years to the Definitive Promise – a Life Commitment.
What should I do?
Continue to pray. Contact us, and come and see!!
“The whole formation process is carried out in a friendly, respectful and non-judgmental way, allowing candidates to respond in their own time as we share with love the riches of our vocation."
(Statute 19b – Secular Order)