The Importance of Community

Continuing on the theme from the previous program, Mark and Frances reiterate the importance of community, and the need to participate in community as a way to continue to grow. Again, echoing the ideas of St. Teresa of Avila, they outline the important elements that must be found in community. The virtues of kindness, compassion, patience, openness, trust and of course humility are all important. But they also emphasize the need for Joy, we must be able to find real Joy in knowing that we are working to become the very people God called us to be, and we do this most effectively in community. Mark and Frances also read from a letter by Pope Francis written specifically to the Carmelite Order world wide. In this encouraging and yet challenging document, the Holy Father tells the Carmelite Community they must again capture the spirit of the Brothers of Mount Carmel, both by fulfilling our call to contemplation, but also by fulfilling our mission by becoming Prophets of Hope to a fractured and disoriented world.

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.