GOSPODIN MOJ I BOG MOJ!

“I will lead her into the desert and there I will speak to her heart” - Hosea

As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.  My being thirsts for God, the living God. When can I go and see the face of God? - Psalm 43

The order of Carmel ranks among the oldest religious orders in the Church. A Carmelite is not only a nun but she is also a hermit. Her time is entirely taken up by prayer, study and good works and the life of contemplation. From its earliest days, Carmel has produced men and women eminent for their sanctity. It has always remained dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and glories in wearing her Scapular and calling itself the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 

There is a beautiful tradition recorded in the office of Our Lady of Mount Carmel July 16 according to which some of the inhabitants of the holy mountain having come down to Jerusalem at the time of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles made the acquaintance of the mother of God were converted to Christianity and returning to their solitude erected the first chapel in her honour. The order of Carmel has ever since been the order of Mary. But like all human institutions, it had its period of decadence. In the terrible schism that afflicted the church in the fifteenth century Carmel with the other religious orders went through its period of relaxation so that its rule was finally mitigated. From this period until St. Teresa (of Jesus') time there was always a marked tendency in the order to bring it back to its primitive fervour.

It was reserved to Avila's great Saint to bring about a complete reformation of Carmel's beautiful order. If ever there was a noble soul in God's church it was certainly that of the incomparable St. Teresa. She a poor weak woman did what chapters had tried in vain to accomplish. Assisted by St. John of the Cross she accomplished a complete reform both in the male and female branches of the order of Carmel. Sadly today in our post Vatican II era, we are witnessing again a return of decadence and relaxation of Rules and customs in many of the major Religious Orders, Carmel being no exception. Many in the “spirit of Vatican II” having “opened the windows to let in the fresh air”, (sic), literally removed their enclosure grills (symbol of their separation from the world), and opened their cloisters to the spirit of the world and modernism.

Yet, Our Lady of Mt Carmel has promised that her Order will last until the end of time. We see today a revival of Carmel in many countries, especially America both North and South. New Traditional Carmelite foundations are coming into existence with great fervour and zeal to follow faithfully the semi-eremitical Rule as the early Hermits on Mt. Carmel or the Primitive observance of the 16th Cent Discalced Teresian Carmel Nuns and Friars in Spain.