Lay Carmelites - who are we?

The experience of God is the heart of Carmelite spirituality. Carmelites draw their inspiration from the lives of the prophet Elijah and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Carmelite Ideal Mount Carmel is solid, deep, yet reaches high. It was here in the Land made holy by the presence of the Saviour that Carmelite spirituality was given birth at the beginning of the 13th century in the hearts of a small band of mostly lay people who desired to respond to an extraordinary love. Carmelites are united in a contemplative spirit of prayer, community and the desire to serve God and the people with whom we share the world. Carmel is the mountain of the prophet Elijah. Nourished by God's word and drawn to intimacy with God, he sought justice for God's people. Mary, the grace-filled woman of Nazareth, is the the mother and sister of all who seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Her eternal Yes resonates in the hearts of all who find inspiration in the Carmelite way. With eight centuries of history, the Carmelite tradition embraces the heart seeking God. It is an ancient path for today's pilgrim.   Who are Lay Carmelites? Well, we are just what the name implies: lay men and women who form an integral part of the Carmelite family and who try to live the Carmelite way of life in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. We are ordinary people responding to an extraordinary Love We seek and serve Christ in the daily circumstances of our lives We embrace Mary - Our Lady - and the prophet Elijah as models We find support in an international spiritual family We follow an ancient path for today's pilgrim   Lay Carmelite Life is way of life in a spirit of true communion with the entire family of Carmel into which we are fully accepted and incorporated. The purpose of such commitment is the cultivation of a deeper and constant conversion that seeks God in openness of heart and mind in contemplative and prayerful reflection on Christ as he is revealed to us, especially in the Scriptures by a sincere sense of community that extends to all and implies an active concern for issues of justice and peace in our world by faithful fulfilment of the will of God as it is manifested through the commitments arising from each member's individual state in life.   Lay Carmelite Communities are found throughout Britain in many expressions. Members of the Carmelite Third Order (Secular) normally belong to a Community (or Chapter). Unlike the friars, nuns and apostolic sisters, Lay Carmelites do not usually live together in a physical community but meet at least once a month for prayer and formation in Carmelite spirituality. Such meetings are a time to grow together in friendship and a deeper commitment to the values of Carmelite life. Each community arranges days or weekends of prayer throughout the year. For those, who because of distance or some other reason, are unable to attend a monthly community (chapter) meeting, a special link is maintained and developed with our team in the Lay Carmel Central Office at Aylesford Priory in Kent. Alongside the Chapters of the Third Order there are Carmelite Spirituality Groups developing as a new way of sharing the Carmelite way of life between people of different backgrounds, denominations and lifestyles. Click here for a list of Lay Carmelite communities in Britain   Assumpta The British Lay Carmelites publish a magazine containing Carmelite spirituality and news called Assumpta. It is available by subscription. Click here to find out how to subscribe. If you seek personal growth and spiritual formation in the spirit of Carmel if you desire an opportunity to share your spiritual journey with others if you would like to belong to the world-wide Carmelite family contact: Mr. John Berry (Provincial Delegate to the Third Order)