Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites
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Study Outline for Aspirancy

OCDS Legislation (Rule of St. Albert, Constitutions, and Statutes)

  The outline represents study of OCDS Legislation (Rule of Albert, Constitutions with its footnotes and Provincial Statutes).  The objective is to facilitate integration of the Carmelite way of life within the context of Baptism and the universal call to holiness. 

 
Overview of Carmelite spirituality and charism 
  • Description of Carmelite Charism
  • Inspired by the teachings of St. Teresa of Jesus
  • Introduce centrality of the practice of mental prayer
 

Nature of OCDS vocation    
  • Daily life
  • Community life
  • Identity of Secular Carmelite
  • Role of Mary
  • Apostolate



Discernment Process
  • Mutual discernment - individual and community
  • Explanation of discernment process
  • Length of process (6 years discernment in total until Definitive Promise)
 

Overview of Carmelite Prayer
  • Vocal prayer
  • Liturgy of the Hours
  • Mental prayer/ meditation/ discursive prayer
  • Contemplation as understood in the Teresian Carmel
 

Liturgy of the Hours Instruction
  • History of the Liturgy of the Hours
  • Nomenclature
  • Practice of the Liturgy of the Hours
 

Organization of the Order/ OCDS Legislations
  • Organization of the Order
  • Rule of St. Albert
  • OCDS Constitutions
  • OCDS Provincial Statutes of the Washington Province
   

Spiritual reading/ Scripture/ Church documents
  • Scripture
  • Writings of the Carmelite Saints
  • Church documents
  
 History of the Order
  • The Carmelite Order
  • The Teresian Carmel
  • The Secular Order

Saints of the Order
  • Doctors of the Church
  • Other saints of the Order
 
The Ecclesial Dimension:  The Teresian Carmel With the Church
  • Carmel is a call within the Christian life

    - The call to all to live of holiness according to the Gospel
    - The call to some to follow a specific vocation within the Church (clergy, religious or laity)
    - The call to some of the laity to follow a vocation within a particular Order (such as the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites) 
  • Carmel's mission in the Universal Church (Const. 26)
  • Apostolic activity is the fruit of prayer

 
As a candidate completes Aspirancy, s/he must write a letter requesting to move on to the next stage of formation and be interviewed by at least two Council members.

The Council must then decide whether to admit the candidate to the next period of formation.  If the decision is made to move forward, the Council will then invite the candidate to participate in the Rite of Admission to Formation and to receive the ceremonial Brown Scapular.







 

To Temporary Promise
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