Section VI - Formation in the School of Carmel

              OCDS CONSTITUTIONS  

                          VI

 FORMATION IN THE SCHOOL OF CARMEL

32. The central object of the process of formation in the Secular Order

      is to prepare the person 

        to live the charism and spirituality of Carmel 

             in its following of Christ, and 

             in service to its mission.

33. With sincere interest in

       the teachings of the Church and 

       the spirituality of our Carmelite Saints, 

Carmelite Seculars seek to be men and women 
        who are mature 

              in the practice of faith, hope and love, and 

              in their devotion to the Virgin Mary. 

      They commit themselves to deepening 

        their Christian, ecclesial and Carmelite life. 

      Christian formation is the solid basis 

        of Carmelite and spiritual formation. 

      Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church 

      and Church documents, 

      Secular Carmelites receive the necessary theological foundation.

34. Both initial and ongoing formation in the teachings 

              of Teresa and John of the Cross, 

      help to develop in the Carmelite Secular 

              a human, Christian and spiritual maturity 

              for service to the Church. 

      Human formation develops the ability for

             interpersonal dialogue, 

             mutual respect and tolerance, 

             the possibility of being corrected 
                  and correcting with serenity, and 

             the capacity to persevere commitments.

  

35. Carmelite identity is confirmed by formation 

              in the Scriptures and 

                 lectio divina, 
              in the importance of the liturgy of Church, 

                 especially the Eucharist 
                  and the Liturgy of the Hours, and 

             in the spirituality of Carmel,
                  its history,
                  the works of the Order’s saints, and
                  formation in prayer and meditation.

      Formation for the apostolate is based 

             on the theology of the Church 

                  concerning the responsibility of the laity and       [62]     

   

                               [62]    Apostolicam Actuositatem 28 -29

             on understanding the role of Seculars 

                  in the apostolate of the Order.

Apostolicam Actuositatem   28 - 29

Decree On The Apostolate Of The Laity

APOSTOLICAM ACTUOSITATEM 


Solemnly Promulgated By His Holiness,

Pope Paul VI

On November 18, 1965

INTRODUCTION

1. 
To intensify the apostolic activity 
of the people of God, 
    (1) 
the most holy synod earnestly addresses itself 
to the laity, 
whose proper and indispensable role 
in the mission of the Church 
has already been dealt with in other documents.  
    (2) 

The apostolate of the laity 
derives from their Christian vocation 
and the Church can never be without it. 

Sacred Scripture clearly shows 
how spontaneous and fruitful such activity was 
at the very beginning of the Church 
(cf. Acts 11:19-21; 18:26; 
     Rom. 16:1-16; 
     Phil. 4:3).


CHAPTER VI 
FORMATION FOR THE APOSTOLATE 

28. 
The apostolate can attain its maximum effectiveness 
only through a diversified and thorough formation. 

This is demanded 
not only by the continuous spiritual 
and doctrinal progress 
of the lay person himself 
but also by the accommodation of his activity 
to circumstances varying according 
to the affairs, persons, and duties involved. 

This formation for the apostolate should rest 
upon those bases 
which have been stated and proclaimed 
by this most holy council in other documents.   
   (1)

    1. cf. Second Vatican Council, 
        Dogmatic Constitution 
        on the Nature of the Church, 
        Chaps. 2, 4 and 5: 
        A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 12- 21, 37-49; 
        also 
       cf. Decree on Ecumenism, 
        nos. 4, 6, 7 and 12: 
        A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 94, 96, 97, 99, 100; 
        cf. also above, no. 4. Article 29: 

In addition to the formation 
which is common for all Christians, 
many forms of the apostolate demand also 
a specific and particular formation 
because of the variety of persons and circumstances.


29. 
Since the laity share in their own way  
in the mission of the Church, 
their apostolic formation is specially characterized 
by the distinctively secular and particular quality 
of the lay state and 
by its own form of the spiritual life.

The formation for the apostolate presupposes 
a certain human and well-rounded formation 
adapted to the natural abilities and conditions 
of each lay person. 


Well-informed about the modern world, 
the lay person should be a member 
of his own community 
and adjusted to its culture.

However, the lay person should learn especially 
how to perform the mission of Christ and the Church 
by basing his life on belief in the divine mystery 
of creation and redemption and 
by being sensitive to the movement 
of the Holy Spirit 
who gives life to the people of God and 
who urges all to love God the Father 
as well as the world and men in Him. 

This formation should be deemed 
the basis and condition 
for every successful apostolate.

In addition to spiritual formation, 
a solid doctrinal instruction 
in theology, ethics, and philosophy 
adjusted to differences of age, status, 
and natural talents,
is required. 

The importance of general culture 
along with practical and technical formation 
should also be kept in mind.

To cultivate good human relations, 
truly human values must be fostered, 
especially the art of living fraternally 
and cooperating with others and 
of striking up friendly conversation with them.

Since formation for the apostolate cannot consist 
in merely theoretical instruction, 
from the beginning of their formation 
the laity should gradually and prudently learn how 
to view, judge and 
do all things in the light of faith 
as well as to develop and improve themselves 
along with others through doing, 
thereby entering into active service to the Church. 
    (2) 

     2. cf. Pius XII, 
         allocution to the first international 
         Boy Scouts congress, June 6, 1952: 
         A.A.S. 44 (1952) pp. 579-580; 

        John XXIII, 
         encyclical, "Mater et Magistra," 
         May 15, 1961: 
         A.A.S. 53 (1961) p. 456. 

This formation, always in need of improvement 
because of the increasing maturity 
of the human person 
and the proliferation of problems, 
requires an ever deeper knowledge and planned activity. 

In the fulfillment of all the demands of formation, 
the unity and integrity of the human person 
must be kept in mind at all times 
so that his harmony and balance 
may be safeguarded and enhanced.

In this way the lay person engages himself 
wholly and actively in the reality 
of the temporal order 
and effectively assumes his role 
in conducting the affairs of this order. 

At the same time, 
as a living member and witness of the Church, 
he renders the Church present and active 
in the midst of temporal affairs.    
    (3)

     3. cf. Second Vatican Council, 
         Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature 
         of the Church, 
         p. 33: 
         A.A.S. 57 (1965) p. 39. Article. 30: 


NOTES 

Introduction: 
1. 
cf. John XXIII, apostolic constitution 
"Humani Salutis," Dec. 25, 1961: 
A.A.S. 54 (1962) pp. 7-10. 

2. 
cf. Second Vatican Council, 
Dogmatic Constitution 
on the Nature of the Church, 
nos. 33 ff.:
A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 39 ff.; 

cf; also Constitution on the Liturgy, 
nos. 26-40; 
A.A.S. 56 (1964) pp. 107- 111; 

cf. Decree on Instruments of Social Communication: 
A.A.S. 56 (1964) pp. 145-158; 

cf. Decree on Ecumenism: 
A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 90-107; 

cf. Decree on Pastoral Duties of Bishops, 
nos. 16, 17, 18; 

cf. Declaration on Christian Education, 
nos. 3, 5, 7; 

cf. Decree on Missionary Activity of Church, 
nos. 15, 21, 41; 

cf. Decree on Priestly Life and Ministry, 
no. 9



 

      These help to 

             know the place of the Secular Order 

                in the Church and in Carmel and 

             give a practical way to share the graces 

                received through the vocation to Carmel.

36. The gradual introduction to the life of the Secular Order 

      is structured in the following manner:

      a) A sufficient period of contact with the community 

          for no less that 6 months. 

         The purpose of this stage is that 
           the applicant might become more familiar with 

              the community, 

              the style of life and service to the Church 

                 proper to the Secular Order of the Teresian Carmel. 

         This period also give the community the opportunity
           to make an adequate discernment. 

  

          The Provincial Statutes will specify this period.

      b) After the initial period of contact, 

          the council of the  community may admit the  applicant 

              to a more serious period of formation

              that usually lasts for two years 

              leading up to the first promises. 

         At the beginning of this period of formation, 
          the scapular is given to the applicant. 

          This is an outward symbol of membership in the Order, and

          the sign 

          that Mary is both Mother and Model on this journey.

      c) At the end of this stage, 

          with the approval of the Council of the Community, 

          the applicant may be invited to make the first promises 

                to follow the evangelical counsels and 

                to live in the spirit of the beatitudes 

                for a period of three years.

      d) In the last three years of initial formation 

          there is a deeper study of 

                prayer, 

                the Scriptures, 

                the Documents of the Church, 

                the Saints of the Order and 

                formation in the apostolate of the Order. 

          At the end of these three years
          the applicant may be invited by the Council 

                to make the Definitive Promises to live 

                    the evangelical counsels and 

                    the spirit of the Beatitudes for life.

__________________________________________________

Rule of  St Albert

OCDS Constitutions

Order of  Secular Discalced Carmelites ( Secular Carmelite Rule of Life )       Preface       Section 1      Our Identity, Values, and Committment        Section 11     Following Jesus                           in the Teresian Secular Carmel       Section 111    Witness to the experience of God       Section 1V     Serving God's Plan        Section V      With Mary, the Mother of Jesus       Section V1     Formation in the School of Carmel       Section V11    Organization and Government       Epilogue