Lay Carmelites
Third Order | |
General Secretariat for the laity | Fr. Luis José Maza Subero, O.Carm |
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Website | https://ocarm.org/en/carmelites-around-the-world/lay-carmelites-third-order |
The Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Lay Carmelites, is a
History
Soon after the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was established in Europe in the thirteenth century, lay persons, not bound by religious vows, seem to have attached themselves to it more or less closely. There is evidence of the existence of a "Confrairie Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel" at Toulouse in 1273, and of a "Compagnia di Santa Maria del Carmino" at Bologna in 1280, but the exact nature of these bodies is uncertain owing to a lack of documents.[1]
Somewhat later mention is frequently made of trade-guilds having their seat in churches of the order, members of which acted as their chaplains. Thus the master-bakers, innkeepers and pastry-cooks at Nîmes, the barbers and surgeons of the same town, who were also connected with the Dominicans, the goldsmiths at Avignon. Benefactors of the order received letters of fraternity with the right of participation in the privileges and good works of the friars. Others, under the name of bizzoche and mantellatoe, wore the habit and observed the rule, at Florence in 1308. Still others became recluses in the anchorages attached to Carmelite churches. Among the tertiaries not living in community were Blessed Louis Morbioli of Bologna (d. 1495).[1]
The
The rule observed by the tertiaries, whether living in the world or gathered into communities, was originally that of the
Charism
The charism of Lay Carmelites is contemplative prayer, community, and ministry.[4]
Membership
Those who wish to be members of the Lay Carmelites must be practicing Catholics. They must not be members of any other Third Order or Secular Institute, except in special cases, and they must be at least 18 years of age. After a period of initial formation, candidates are accepted for profession.[5] The term 'Lay Carmel' is somewhat problematic when describing the Secular/Third Orders because there are a number of ordained ministers (deacons, priests and bishops) who, while not lay people, are professed members of the Secular/Third Orders.[3]
Apart from attending a monthly community meeting, Lay Carmelites wear the
Numbers and distribution
There are numerous corporations of tertiaries established in different countries, viz. two communities of tertiary brothers in Ireland (
In Britain, the Third Order experienced a particular growth following the return of the Carmelite friars to Britain in the 1920s. There are around 500 professed members of the Carmelite Third Order Secular in Britain.[3]
As of 2012[update], the Ontario and Northwestern New York Region of the Carmelite Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) had eleven communities with 194 active members.[4]
Twenty-six countries were represented at the 2006 International Congress of Lay Carmelites.[6]
See also
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Carmelite Rule of St. Albert
- Carmelite Rite
- Constitutions of the Carmelite Order
- Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites
- Book of the First Monks
References
- ^ a b c Jarrett, Bede, Ferdinand Heckmann, Benedict Zimmerman, Livarius Oliger, Odoric Jouve, Lawrence Hess, and John Doyle. "Third Orders." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 14 Oct. 2014
- ^ "History of the Lay Carmelites", Lay Carmelites, Province of St. Elias
- ^ a b c "Lay Carmel", The British Province of Carmelite Fathers Archived 2014-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c "Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, Ontario and Northwestern New York Region". Archived from the original on 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
- ^ "Third Order", Order of the Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
- ^ Countries Represented at the Renehan, Anita. "2006 International Congress of Lay Carmelites", CITOC, No. 4, October-December 2006