OCDS CONSTITUTIONS
VII
ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT
37. The Secular Order of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel and
Saint Teresa of Jesus
is an association of the faithful and
an integral part of the Discalced Carmelite Order.
It is essentially lay in character,
with the welcome participation of diocesan clergy. [63]
[63]. CIC 298 Codex Iuris Canonici
[63]. CIC 301 Codex Iuris Canonici
38. The friars and nuns of the Teresian Carmel consider
the lay community of Secular Carmel
an enrichment to their consecrated life.
Through mutual interaction the friars and nuns
wish to learn from the Secular Carmelites
to recognize the signs of the times together with them.
For this reason, it will be arranged
that representatives of the Secular Order are present
when the apostolic service of the Order is planned
in a geographical area, at a local or provincial level, or
when serious study is made on the situation
in the Church or in society.
39. All of Christ’s faithful have the right to make vows. [64]
[64] Cf. Documents and Ritual
for Promises and Vows
Ritual Instruction: 9; 30-49
With the consent of the Council of the community
and the permission of the Provincial,
a member of the Secular Order may make vows
of obedience and chastity
in the presence of the community.
These vows are
strictly personal and
do not create a separate category of membership.
They suppose a greater commitment of fidelity
to the evangelical life
but do not transform those who make them
into juridically recognized consecrated people
as in Institutes of consecrated life.
Those who make vows in the Secular Order
continue to be lay persons in all juridical effects.
40. The Secular Order is basically structured
on the local community
as a visible sign of the Church.
At the Provincial level and in the local communities,
the Secular Order enjoys juridical personality. [65]
[65] CIC 301,
[65] CIC 303-306
[65] CIC 313
41. The Secular Order is juridically dependent
on the Discalced Carmelite Friars. [66]
[66] CIC 305,
[66] CIC 311-315
The Superior General
establishes the local communities and
makes pastoral visitations.
He may dispense, in particular cases
from the Constitutions and local statutes and
can grant juridical exceptions.
He has the authority to resolve cases
which are not foreseen by this legislation and
which cannot be resolved by local authorities.
A general Delegate assists the Superior General.
His responsibility is
to further relations between the Religious and the Seculars
and
and
to maintain contact with the Provincial Delegates
and Assistants to each community
to insure the purpose and well-being
of the Secular Order.
42. The General Definitory of the Order approves the regional [67]
and provincial statutes of the Secular Order [68]
[67] “Regional” refers to nations
or a geographical territory
of more than one province
of the friars.
[68] CIC 307 §1; Codex Iuris Canonici
CIC 314 Codex Iuris Canonici
43. The Provincial Superior,
usually aided by the Provincial Delegate,
is the Superior of the Secular Order within his territory. [69]
[69] CIC 328-329. Codex Iuris Canonici
[69] Constitutions of the Discalced Carmelite Friars
103
[69] OCD Norms 56
103
[69] OCD Norms 56
He is responsible for the well-being of the Secular Order
within the territory of his jurisdiction.
He is to make visitations of the communities
in his jurisdiction and,
after consultation with the Council,
appoint a Spiritual Assistant for communities. [70]
[70] CIC 317 Codex Iuris Canonici
In case of disputes,
appeal will be made in the first instance
to the Provincial.
44. The Spiritual Assistant to each community
is usually a friar of the Order.
His duty is to give spiritual aid to the community
so that its members
may be guided in their vocation and
may correspond with it as perfectly as possible.
He will also endeavour to promote solidarity
between the secular community
and the friars and nuns of the Order.
At the invitation of the Council
he may attend meetings of the Council,
without a right to vote.
At the different stages of formation of the candidates,
he will be available to interview them.
The Council may consult him about the suitability
of the candidate to assume the responsibility
of the vocation to the Secular Order.
He will support the formation of the community
by his availability to the director of formation.
However, he may not be the director of formation.
The Spiritual Assistant must be
well-versed in Carmelite spirituality and
well-informed in the Church’s teaching
concerning the role of lay people in the Church.
45. Only the General of the Order
for those territories where there are no friars, or
the Provincial within his territory,
may appoint as Assistant
one who is not a friar of the Order,
always with the consent
of the candidate’s own superior.
The General Delegate or the Provincial Delegate
will assist in this appointment
by interviewing the candidate.
They will look for the same qualities
as mentioned in number 44 of these norms.
46. The Council,
composed of the President and three Councilors and
the Director of Formation,
constitutes the immediate authority
of the community.
The primary responsibility of the Council is
the formation and Christian and Carmelite maturing
of the members of the community.
47. The Council has the authority:
a) to admit candidates to
Formation, the Promises, and the Vows;
b) to reduce, for adequate reasons,
the period of formation
before temporary Promises,
with the permission of the Provincial;
c) to convene the community for the triennial elections;
d) to replace, for a serious reason,
a member of the Council itself; [71]
[71] CIC 318 Codex Iuris Canonici
e) to dismiss a member of the community,
should this be necessary,
after consulting the Provincial [72]
[72] CIC 308 and 316
f) to receive a member transferring from another community;
g) if a matter should arise
that is outside the competence of the Council,
it is the obligation of the President
to bring it to the attention of the Provincial.
The Council meets frequently
and always when necessary
in reference to taking care of formation programs
and the growth of their own community.
48. The General Superior, the Provincial Superior
and the Council of the community
are the legitimate superiors of the Secular Order.
49. For the establishment of a new community
it is necessary to present to the General Secretary
of the Secular Order the following documents:
a) a list of the current members,
at least 10 members are required to form a community,
two of whom must have made definitive promises;
b) a letter from the Provincial Delegate
requesting the establishment of the community;
c) the permission of the Ordinary of the Diocese
in writing [73]
[ 73] CIC 312 §2 Codex Iuris Canonici
d) the title of the community; e) the place of the community meeting.
50. Every three years, each local community of the Secular Order
elects its President and three Councilors [74]
[74] CIC 309 Codex Iuris Canonici
These four officers, after consulting the Assistant,
elect the Director of Formation from among those
who have made definitive promises.
The Council then names a Secretary and a Treasurer.
The procedure for the elections is to be determined
by the Provincial Statutes,
respecting the complete liberty of the electors,
the preferences of the majority of the members.
For the President to be re-elected
to a third term as President,
the permission of the Provincial Superior is required.
51. The President,
elected from among those
who have made final promises,
has the duty to convoke and preside
over the meetings of the community.
He should
show fraternal service to all the members of the community;
foster a spirit of Christian and Carmelite affability,
being careful to avoid any demonstration of preference
for some members over others;
coordinate contacts with those members of the community
who because of age, illness, distance
or other reasons, are not able to attend meetings;
aid the Director of Formation and Spiritual Assistant
in carrying out their responsibilities;
In their absence, but only temporarily,
he may take their place or designate another to do so
from among those who have made definitive promises.
52. The responsibility of the three Councilors is
to form, with the President,
the government of the community and
to support the director of formation.
Generally they are community members
with definitive promises.
with definitive promises.
In particular circumstances,
members with first promises can serve as councilors.
53. The Director of Formation,
elected by the Council from among those
who have made definitive promises,
has the responsibility of preparing the candidates
for first and definitive promises.
The Director works in collaboration
with the Assistant and
with the support of the President.
In the absence of the President,
the Director of Formation is his substitute for any function.
54. The Secretary of the Council has the responsibility of
keeping up-to-date the register of the community,
recording the elections, admissions, Promises and dismissals.
The Secretary is to present the register
to the Council when it meets and
to the community at the time of the elections.
The Secretary
attends the Council meetings and
records the minutes of the meeting,
without the right to vote.
55. The duty of the Treasurer is to take charge
of the administration of the funds of the community.
The Treasurer is to present a report of the funds
to the Council every six months,
to the community and the Provincial,
or Superior of the Circumscription, once a year. [75]
[75] CIC 319 Codex Iuris Canonici
The local statutes are to determine
how the community attends to the needs of the poor.
56. Members of the Secular Order,
who for reasons of distance, age, or illness
cannot participate in the regular meetings of a community,
remain members of the Secular Order
and, under the authority of the Provincial Delegate,
are to be associated to a particular community.
It is the responsibility of the President
of the community
to establish contact with those members
and the responsibility of these members
to maintain contact with the community.
57. Where there is an organized circumscription
of the friars of the Order,
the Secular Order is to form a Provincial Council
to assist one another better
in formation and the apostolate,
but not for intervening in the government
of the local communities.
The President of the Provincial Council
ought to be a member of the Secular Order
with definitive promises.
The Provincial Council must submit its statutes
to the General Definitory for approval.
58. The Provincial statutes are to determine the following:
a) the development of an adequate program
of formation;
b) the acceptance and formation
of those new members
who do not live near an established community;
In every case these new candidates must be
identified with and formed
by an established community.
They are considered members of that community;
c) the procedure for elections and the responsibilities
of the three councilors;
d) the remembrances for the deceased members
of the community;
e) the circumstances and the conditions
for taking vows;
f) the minimum and maximum age
to accept new members;
g) the maximum number of members of a community
before dividing the community to form another;
h) the coordination of apostolic endeavours
within the community or Province;
i) the form and use of the external signs
of membership in the Secular Order;
j) the practices of mortification and
expressions of devotion
to the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph
and our Carmelite Saints.
and our Carmelite Saints.
59. If a Secular Order community does not belong
to any particular Province,
the community is to establish its own statutes
to determine the above matters.
This community submits its statutes
to the General Definitory for approval.
60. Other structures may be introduced
at national levels
where there is more than one Province, or
at an international level,
should they be thought useful or necessary for
formation,
formation,
coordination of apostolates of the Order, and for
organizing Congresses.
They do not, however, have any jurisdictional authority.
These regional councils are to submit their statutes
to the General Definitory for approval.
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Order of Secular Discalced Carmelites ( Secular Carmelite Rule of Life ) 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 |
