Our Roots

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‘I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle . . .
The door of entry into this castle is prayer’

— ST TERESA OF AVILA

 

The first Carmelite hermits were ex-Crusaders, who settled on Mount Carmel in the twelfth century. Living near to the spring of St Elijah and his cave, and recalling his solitary and prophetic calling as the first proto-monk, they naturally took him as their spiritual father and inspiration. They built a chapel to Our Lady and devoted themselves to her as their Patroness, Model and Mother. They were called the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 

Between 1206 and 1214, they asked St Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem, to write a Rule for them that regulated the way of life they were already living.   

It is the shortest of all the Monastic Rules and is packed with Scripture. Foremost is the call to live a life in allegiance to Jesus Christ. Central elements are:

  • Keeping watch at one’s prayers; particularly pondering Scripture

‘The sword of the spirit, the word of God must abound in your mouths and hearts. Let all you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment (Eph 6:17; Col 3:16; Rom 10:8; Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 10:31)’ (Primitive Rule #16).

  • Solitude, as symbolised by the cell

  • Silence

  • Manual work

  • Obedience, Poverty and Chastity (the latter two were added as vows by Pope Innocent IV).

Carmelites still follow this way of life in its original form with a few minor amendments incorporated by Pope Innocent IV in 1247. These took account of the Friars’ transition to a more mendicant way of life that emerged when the Carmelites were displaced from the Holy Land by the Saracens in the mid-c13th and moved to Europe.

Blessed John Soreth encouraged the formation of female communities of Carmelites from groups of women who were already living together and seeking God (gaining Papal approval in 1452).

St Teresa of Avila was a member of one such Community. In 1562 she set up the first monastery of Discalced Carmelite Nuns – desiring to live with a smaller number of women in a family atmosphere, with a greater emphasis on prayer, solitude and silence (alongside basic work). The Reform spread and she set up another Sixteen communities of Discalced Carmelite Nuns and two communities of Discalced Carmelite Friars. 

After her death the Reform spread first to France and then throughout Europe. The house founded in Paris (1604) later made a foundation in London (1878). In the twentieth century several Carmels were founded from Notting Hill, including Dolgellau in 1929. We were given a special mission – to pray for Wales.

 

‘I have called you by your name, you are mine’

— IS. 43:1