Ratio Institutionis from The Book of Documents by Colleen Sollinger, OCDS

The Ratio Institutionis is a document found in The Book of Documents used in the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites as found at www.ocdswashprov/store/book.  It basically addresses how to put the Carmelite charism into practice in our daily lives.  It guides us in living out our Carmelite calling.

The Ratio presents the purpose or philosophy behind a program of formation for the members of the OCDS.  It is not the formation program itself, as far as which Saints to study or resources to use, but seeks to present the fundamental principles that guide the process of formation. 

Colleen Sollinger, our presenter, explains what this document covers, how it applies to living out our Carmelite call through the human, Christian, and Carmelite perspectives, and also includes a section on discerning a call to the Secular Discalced Carmelite Order.

She offers a great, insightful analogy of hot to put this all together in our daily life that gives the whole document a fresh breath…of the Holy Spirit, no doubt.  Living out the principles given in this Ratio helps set the tone for our life experiences, drawing us ever closer to Christ thru Mary, our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

The Carmelite Conversations Podcast is an apostolate of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites community of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Dayton, Ohio. Discalced Carmelite Seculars are practicing members of the Catholic Church who, under the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and inspired by St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross, make the commitment to the Discalced Carmelite Order to seek the face of God for the sake of the church and the world. For more information about Secular Carmelites, visit our website.