The Duty of the Carmelite

Some words from Fr. Aloysius Deeney, General Delegate for the Secular Carmelites.

ROME-ITALY (29-10-2010).- Service of others and concern for them were among the essential characteristics that St. Teresa wished to see in every Discalced Carmelite. For all close followers of the Saint, serving God, the Church and the community, becomes a vital necessity and an aspect of her life that must be imitated.

In the paravosnaci web in preparation for the 5th centenary of Teresa’s birth, Fr. Aloysius Deeney, General Delegate for Secular Carmel, writes about the huge impact this Teresian insistence on service had on his personal vocation.

He says that the contemplative dimension of our life was his initial attraction to Carmel. However, just as St. John of the Cross learned at his meeting with Teresa in Medina del Campo, Fr. Aloysius discovered when reading Teresa’s works that the challenge of “the contemplative life which Teresa describes proves itself in practical service”.

Fr. Deeney continues: “Being Carmelite is not a privilege, but rather a responsibility. This responsibility is to serve the Lord and this is witnessed to practically by our attending to the needs of our sisters and brothers in the Church and in the world, in serving our families and our communities”.