Daily Life of a Secular Carmelite
This is a personal website, which gives a general overview for the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS). This website, at times, may have information beyond the Secular Carmelites.
For the most up to date and definitive information on the Secular Carmelites, please refer to the website for the 'Main Office', ocdswashprov.org.
For the most up to date and definitive information on the Secular Carmelites, please refer to the website for the 'Main Office', ocdswashprov.org.
Secular Carmelites are called to community to seek a transforming union with God by living a life of prayer; Christian love, sacrifice, and holiness; and service to our families, our Carmelite community, our church, and the larger community.
According to the OCDS Constitutions and Provincial Statutes, a Secular Carmelite endeavors:
According to the OCDS Constitutions and Provincial Statutes, a Secular Carmelite endeavors:
- To devote a minimum of a half-hour each day to mental prayer or dedication.
- To recite Morning and Evening Prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours, and, if possible, Night Prayer before retiring.
- To wear the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, as a sign of one's devotion to Mary and her Order.
- Honor Mary by some particular act of devotion. The Rosary is highly recommended.
- To attend daily Mass if possible.
- Members should have an esteem for the Sacrament of Penance and receive the Sacrament frequently.
- Members should have an active apostolate.
- In addition to the days of fasting and abstinence proper to the Church in the USA and responding to the encouragement of our bishops "to prepare for each Church festival by a day of particular self-denial, penitential prayer and fasting" (NCCB Pastoral Statement "Penitent-Discipline" to the US, Washington, DC, 1966) and to our Carmelite traditions, unless excused by illness or age, we observe the following:
The fast follows the usual rules of the Church: one full meal, although two smaller additional meals (whose combined amount is less than the full meal) may be had. Note: If the fast day should fall on a Sunday, no fast is observed. |