7th response to 1 of 4

Group # 13 responded:

Not enough Friars – our men to become deacons.
Encourage young men. Carmelite life is not being promoted in families. Generally go more public.
Change being as we grow – with our legislation, we go out to communities and update on what’s going on. Go to the community and bring info, help and reach out to others.
Carmelite life is not yet known – suggest have discussion and studies. Put in bulletin and invite people, have Carmelite priest talk about it.
Agree and like to say as not becoming independent but taking on more responsibility. Make sure we are more committed to our Constitutions. We need to center in on them and people in formation understand and know them. We may have to govern ourselves.
Friars are giving us more freedom as we becoming independence for OCDS is new responsibility is so much greater.
Look at ourselves and grow deeper into our own spirituality. Put more effort into our goal union with Christ.
God will reveal more and more to us – what we are to be.
As we move into it – communities will have to come together more.
If have so few priests or priests not in Teresian Spirituality – we who are more established may have to go out to communities and help form them.
Lumen Gentium – universal call to holiness, Pope Benedict felt Vatican II just now implemented. Don’t think call has gone out or that people feel it’s their call. We take promise/vow – take message it is humble to turn to Lord and be holy. We looking at documents and I think Holy Spirit is preparing us to live it and take it to the world. We must be messengers of the church.
Abortion – 9 million in U.S. How many would have been priests, souls are gone. Family unit where vocations were nourished, this has been completely attacked. Family unit is not nourishing vocations.
So I see the Lord using lay people, through Carmel, building up his army, and priests need to know we are coming up in numbers to encourage.
Holy Spirit is growing and guiding us. We are salt of earth and in his army.
More active lay people, Holy Spirit works through whoever is there, regardless of story be it abortion, etc – all wounded people. We do ministry, priests do sacraments.
We will be God’s army, we are doing what priests and nuns have done, we are called to be sacrament.
Sacrament is sign and we called to be in the world but not of the world. There is trend 60’s down. Vatican II God is preparing us. Like the Israelite trim us down and something good happens. He wants our fidelity to our charism. We change beginning with ourselves. Our families, as parents we need teach our children. Fidelity and do best in everyplace we go and God do rest. We must be sacrament.
Pray – follow our vocation to prayer, we follow His will.
Faithful to our commitments and communities. Go to meetings, some don’t come to meeting and share with communities.
Need to discern vocations.
Lots of members older and not able to come. Pray for vocations in our communities. Responsibility to be the best we can be and maintain it.
Keep in touch with those who are older and can’t come.
How can we reach out to younger generation? 20’s-30’s How can we attract them? Yet everything we have is so alive and full of life.
People have to be informed about the order. Put in bulletins, diocesan newsletter. RCIA are taught basics of teachings.
Ignorance of Catholic faith. 5-10% only know what faith is. No sisters to teach like in the past. Greatest gift is to pray because this is so big.
Children without baptism – without married in church. Love them as they are.
We as church are not filling gaps they need. Be faithful to our vocation. By example-
People at the time of reform looking for spirituality not for church. The Holy Spirit brought about the reform.
Impact will be the renewal of the Church. Silence and Solitude -> wisdom-

Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is be patient. Carmel brings wisdom that comes from the silence and solitude.
People see God in you.
By our example we will touch lives. We have to pray for family, friends.
We are witnesses by our lives.
Congresses are wonderful – we are family. To love and be loved, it is here.
Families don’t pray – why? Watch TV, so many distractions.
I know many things but I know nothing.