Local Statutes of OCDS Malaysia
THE
NATIONAL STATUES OF THE SECULARS ORDER OF DISCALCED CARMELITES IN MALAYSIA
I – OUR IDENTITY, VALUES AND COMMITMENT
Called to Holiness
Our Heritage
II – FOLLOWING JESUS IN THE TERESIAN SECULAR CARMEL
Being Community
The Monthly Meeting
III – WITNESSES TO THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD
Communion with Christ and his Church
Self-Denial and Taking up the Cross
Our Beloved Dead
IV – SERVING GOD’S PLAN
Apostolate and Mission
V – WITH MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS
Devotion to Mary
VI – FORMATION IN THE SCHOOL OF CARMEL
Formation of Members
Ceremonies and Symbols of Carmel
VII – ORGANISATION AND GOVERNMENT
Community Council
The Canonical Erection of a Community
Isolated and Special Members – New Groups
Elections
National Council
Key for
Footnotes
Called to Carmel
in the
Secular Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
and Saint Teresa of Jesus
the members in Malaysia
will lovingly observe the Constitutions of the Order
and their National Statutes
in fulfilment of their
Baptismal call to holiness.
“Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15) cf. (Lev 19:2)
AUTONUM 1. Secular Carmelites acknowledge the “call to holiness” as pre-eminent in their lives for the building up of the Kingdom of God. They lovingly accept the obligations and responsibilities given them at baptism and strive to live out their daily Christian lives in the spirit of prayer and apostolic service according to the ideals of the Teresian charism.[1]
AUTONUM 2. Persons of either sex, single, married, or widowed as well as clerics, who are practising Catholics[2], may be admitted to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites provided that they:-
¨ respect the authority of the Pope and the Magisterium of the Church
¨ are not members of any Religious Order or Congregation, or of any other Secular (Third) Order, either as professed members or novices
¨ are not members of any other ecclesial organisation which would prohibit complete commitment to the life of the Secular Order of Carmel.
¨ desire union with God through contemplation and apostolic action, to further the coming of God’s Kingdom, following the example of Mary
¨ That they value highly the monthly meeting as an occasion to furthering
their spiritual formation and fostering fraternal charity.
¨ have reached 21 years of age. However, the Council may make exceptional, if it discerns a candidate is mature enough to undergo formation.
¨ No maximum age limit for admission to the Secular Order, but aspirants must be open to formation and have a reasonable prospect of being active members of the Community.
“The Lord of Hosts lives, before whom I stand.” (1 Kings 17:1)
AUTONUM 3. The glory of the Secular Order is in being part of the whole Carmelite family but the privilege of sharing its spiritual heritage and grace brings with it responsibility for others in our prayers and example as members of the mystical body of Christ, his Church.
AUTONUM 4. In faithfully honouring the heritage that is ours, we:
¨ look to Mary as the model in our life in Carmel, pondering the Word f God and let God’s will be done in us as she did.
¨ honour St Joseph as “master” and teacher of prayer[3] keeping in mind that He is the Patron of the Universal Church,
¨ Look to Elijah as an inspiration to live in God’s presence, seeking Him in solitude and silence with zeal for God’s glory and thus living the prophetic dimension of our Christian and Carmelite spirituality by promoting charity, justice and truth in the world.
¨ Follow the Way of Perfection taught by St. Teresa of Jesus -the way of prayer, evangelical self-denial, and apostolic for the Church.
¨ Learn from St. John of the Cross how to go through the Dark Nights, living in Faith, Hope and Love in order to reach union with God the goal of their spiritual journey.
¨ cultivate a filial devotion to our Carmelite saints and honour them on their feast days and give due reverence to national, diocesan and parish patron saints
¨ cherish our vocation and give thanks ‘always and everywhere’ for the gift that has been given us through the providence of God, for their own salvation and the good of the Church.
“Love one another, as I have loved you.” (Jn 13.34)
AUTONUM 5. The Secular Carmelite seeks intimate union with Christ in the world and lived the experience of the Promise made according to the Constitutions of the Secular Order.
AUTONUM 6. In response to Saint Teresa’s desire that in her communities, “All must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped”[4]. The gifts of the Spirit given uniquely to individuals for the good of the community are to be encouraged and accepted by all with thanksgiving. We in the Community are to:
¨ support each other with prayer, love and encouragement and will show special concern for those who are frail and sick among us
¨ face up to the inevitable difficulties of community life through dialogue in truth and charity, and overcome them in a spirit of humility and forgiveness, so that we may grow in mutual esteem and true friendship
¨ cooperate fully with the Superior General and General Delegate and seek their guidance when appropriate by revealing to them our needs and desires[5]
¨ welcome visitors from our other Carmelite communities to our meetings, retreats, Masses and other functions
¨ encourage fraternal relations with the friars and the sisters and where possible and appropriate join in their apostolate and mission.
¨ are encouraged to hold fellowship once a year.
7. All members are to contribute to the monthly dues of the community. The funds collected are to be used for the general running of the Secretariat, retreats, seminars, mass stipends for the deceased, on-going formation, annual dues to the OCDS Secretariat and attending to the needs of the poor. However, the Council may make exceptions to those who cannot afford.
“Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:20)
8. The members of the Community highly value the traditional monthly meeting as an important grace and give it priority in their lives.
¨ It is an occasion to pray together, to further spiritual formation, to grow in fraternal charity and to transact the business of the community.
¨ It is also an aid to on going formation. The study of Scripture and Lectio Divina help us to share with others the riches of the Word of God. Likewise, the study of theology and Carmelite spirituality helps to deepen our relationship with God and enhance our ability to witness to the Kingdom.
¨ Business is kept to essentials and ample time is allowed for social interaction in the true Teresian spirit.[6]
¨ However, family needs should not be compromised as the family always takes priority. A member may therefore seek temporary leave of absence from meetings in order to meet important family commitments.
¨ In addition to the formal monthly meeting, other less formal gatherings of the Community may be used to enhance the initial and continuing formation of the members, to nurture the grace of our vocation and to further the aims of the Order.
9. Challenged to live as if the whole Order and its growth depended on us, we:
¨ are faithful in our attendance at meetings for our own spiritual growth and as encouragement to one another
¨ cheerfully accept and perform the tasks which have been assigned to us in the service of the Community
¨ seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and always work towards a consensus in decision-making with full consultation taking place between members in an atmosphere of free and open dialogue
¨ ensure all are kept adequately informed regarding matters to do with the life and activities of the Community and the wider Carmelite family.
¨ support and encourage those members who are sick or infirm and those who may have special needs.
III – WITNESSES TO THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD
“I am a Daughter of the Church.”
10 Called to communion with Christ in the service of the Church, we:
¨ faithfully observe the daily round of worship and prayer outlined in the Constitutions
¨ organise our daily commitment so as to spend at least half an hour in mental prayer so that by “taking time frequently to be alone with him, one whom we know loves us”, prayer will become the basis of our entire life and of our service to the Church[7]
¨ find inspiration and nourishment in Sacred Scripture and the Rule of St Albert
¨ immerse ourselves in the writings and teaching of our Carmelite saints, particularly those of our founders, Saints Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross:
i) that we may become imbued with the spirit of Carmel
ii) for the formation of our inner life as well as support for the duties of our state of life
iii) that we will be lead to become great lovers of Christ and true followers of the gospel
“If anyone will come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mt 16:24)
AUTONUM 7. Days and Forms of Penances (abstinences, fasting & act of self-denial) for the Universal Church, proper to the Church of Singapore-Malaysia-Brunei and in responses to the encouragement of our bishops to prepare for each church festival and to our Carmelite tradition, we, unless excused by reasons of illness will observed the followings:
¨ In Malaysia, all Fridays throughout the year, unless they are solemnities, are days of penance and consequently we are obliged to abstain from meat.
¨ During the season of Lent[8]
¨ Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence from meat[9]
¨ Traditionally the vigils of the Solemnities of :-
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)
- Our Holy Mother St Teresa of Jesus ( Oct.15) and
- Our Holy Father St John of the Cross ( December 14)
¨ Some act of self-denial is also recommended on the vigils of the great feasts of Our Lady.
Some forms of penance or self-denial commonly practised are:
a) Local tradition - eating only one meal a day OR
- taking only “bread and water” OR
- plain rice without meat and vegetable OR
- waiting until sundown before eating
b) fasting from all food for a longer period
c) making an extra effort in terms of attending daily Mass
d) doing work of mercy – such as giving alms to the poor, sacrificing our time to help those in need, visiting the sick and lonely
e) depriving oneself of one’s favourite food/drinks
f) abstaining from alcoholic drink, smoking, giving up a T.V or Video show or other form of amusement
g) making an extra effort in :
- visiting the Blessed Sacrament or
- praying the Stations of the Cross or
- saying the rosary
Keeping in mind the Rule’s teaching, to have a great esteem for the Sacrament of Penance.
AUTONUM 8. “From the beginning the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God”.[10] Prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.[11] We remember those who have died:
a) On the death of a member, the President shall inform the Community and send a written obituary notice to the other communities within our region in Malaysia. The Community of the deceased, will:
¨ attend the funeral Mass, if possible.
¨ have a Mass offered & participate in the Mass for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
¨ pray Morning & Evening Prayer (on a ferial day) from the Office of the Dead or
¨ pray the Rosary or
¨ Other suitable prayers &
¨ To support & pray together with family during nightly wake prayers (If possible).
b) For a member belonging to another community within Malaysia, each member will :
¨ offer a Mass
¨ pray five decades of the Rosary OR
¨ pray the Morning & Evening Prayer from the Office of the Dead.
c) For the deceased Pope, Father General and his Delegate, the Superior of the Monastery and the Bishop of the diocese, each Community will:
¨ offer 2 Masses
¨ each member will pray five decades of the Rosary OR
¨ Morning & Evening Prayer from the Office of the Dead.
d) For a deceased Spiritual Assistant & Carmelite sisters within Malaysia, each member will :
¨ offer a Mass
¨ pray five decades of the Rosary OR
¨ the Morning & Evening Prayer from the Office for the Dead.
¨ if possible, members will attend the funeral Mass of their Spiritual Assistant, and that of a sister of the local Carmelite community.
e) On the Feast of All Carmelite Souls where possible, each member will :-
¨ attend Mass and pray according to his/her devotion for deceased members of the whole Order of Carmel.
f) Each member should remember the deceased members of the entire Order in their daily prayers.
g) Each community will keep a register of the deceased members and Spiritual Assistants and pray for them in the intercessions of Morning & Evening Prayer at the meeting closest to their anniversary.
h) Each community will have a Mass offered on the death of one of its member’s immediate family.
IV - SERVING GOD’S PLAN
AUTONUM 9. Contemplative prayer, for Saint Teresa, is at the heart of the Church and is essentially apostolic. We aim to live the gospel in a spirit of prophetic hope at the heart of the Church and of society.
AUTONUM 10. Each of us is entrusted with a unique task, which cannot be done by another. “The apostolate exercised by the individual which flows abundantly from a truly Christian life is the origin and condition of the whole lay apostolate.”[13]
AUTONUM 11. Called to a life which is both contemplative and apostolic, we:
¨ promote the mission of Carmel in the world, while remaining, respectful of others in their various vocations and apostolates. The Community finds a way to promote the Carmelite Spirituality through:
a) printed information, pamphlets, brochures etc, seminar and workshop
b) practise devotion to Carmelite Saints and sharing it with others.
¨ support our Parish Priest and if possible become involved in the life of our parish, especially in those areas which relate to prayer and social justice.
¨ pray for priests and religious and promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life.[14]
¨ support and encourage one another in group apostolates related to our charism and mission.[15]
¨ have concern for the poor and contribute to their needs both individually and as a community.
V - WITH MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS & ST JOSEPH
“Imitate Our Lady and consider how great she must be and what a good thing it is that we have her for our Patroness.”[16]
AUTONUM 12. As a Marian Order that strives to imitate the interior and contemplative life of Mary, we:
¨ Honour her daily and placing our whole spiritual life under her tutelage
¨ wear the scapular as the external sign of her motherly protection,[17] as an expression of our dedication to her service, and an incentive to theological hope through her intercession especially at the time of our death and beyond
¨ make a novena in preparation for the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
We honour St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church and the special patron of our Order. He is model of attentive service to Christ, of Mary and of the Church and also as “master” and teacher of prayer, taking to heart St. Teresa’s desire that all “be devoted to this saint”.[18]
VI - FORMATION IN THE SCHOOL OF CARMEL
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Formation in the Secular Order of Carmel, initial and ongoing, strives to assist its members reach both human, Christian and spiritual maturity in their apostolic lives according to the spirit and charism of Carmel under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
18. Ever desirous of preserving the Teresian spirit in our communities it is important that:
¨ the President is informed in good time before a member brings a visitor/observer to a meeting for the first time
¨ the whole formation process is carried out in a friendly, respectful and non-judgemental way, allowing aspirants to respond in their own time as we share with love the riches of our vocation
¨ the formation process and structure are carefully explained to aspirants early in the pre-formation period in order to ascertain their ability and willingness to undertake the required study and responsibilities
¨ in questioning a candidate, respect for his/her privacy is to be maintained at all times
¨ before being admitted to Formation and Promises, aspirants/candidates have the acceptance of their families regarding the commitment being undertaken including regular attendance at the monthly meeting
¨ the Director of Formation, and the Council of the Community, give careful attention to the “Guidelines for Formation in the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites in Malaysia and other resources and curricula approved by the General Delegate
¨ the Council ensures adequate ongoing formation is provided and members are prepared to share responsibility for the ongoing welfare of the Community.
19. Stages of Formation
· Observation – a person interested in Carmel may be allowed to sit as Observer in the monthly meetings of the community after securing permission from the Director of Formation with the approval of the President. There is no requirement or commitment on the part of either the Observer or the Community.
The Observer may sit in for not more than 3 community meetings as the period of time given is adequate for a person to discern whether she/he would like to proceed further in the Order.
¨ Aspirancy- aspirants attend regular pre-formation meetings for a period of twelve (12) months from entrance to the Formation Program and if successfully completed may lead to the clothing. However, the one year period of pre-formation may be extended up to six (6) more months, if it is determined by the Council, to be in the best interest of the candidate.
¨ Novitiate – the novice is one who has been clothed with the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and will undergo two (2) years of formation which, if successfully completed, may lead to the Temporary Promise. However, the two year period of formation before the Temporary Promise may be extended up to one more year, if it is determined by the Council, to be in the best interest of the candidate.
¨ Temporary Promise – This period will last for three (3) years leading to the Definitive Promise and may be extended up to one & half (1 1/2) or two (2) more years, if it is determined by the Council, to be in the best interest of the candidate.
¨ Definitive Promise – After making the Definitive Promise, a member should undergo three (3) years formal on-going formation, followed by continuous education.
20. The Community Council prayerfully discerns the vocation of candidates at each stage of the formation process from Reception to Final Promise and, before each stage, formally ascertains the candidates’ intentions. Some essential qualities of a Secular Carmelite vocation are:
¨ a Marian meditative attitude
¨ a practical love for the writings of our founders and saints
¨ a genuine commitment to the Order and to the Church
¨ prayer as the focus and centre of life.
21. Membership
¨ ACTIVE
i. An ‘active’ member is one who attends the meetings regularly and activities of the Community.
¨ INACTIVE
i. After six (6) consecutive months that a members has been absent from the monthly meetings, the President and the Council shall send the member a letter inviting him/her back to attend the monthly meetings.
ii. On the 7th month, if the Council does not receive any response from the member, the President and the Council shall send a second letter explaining that if the Community does not hear from the said member within 45 days, the Community shall understand that he/she no longer wants to be a part of the Community; his/her name therefore shall be dropped from the Community roster.
¨ EXCUSED
i. A sick member may be excused from attending the monthly meetings and activities of the Community. In case of prolonged absence, he/she may be required to submit a letter of explanation.
ii. A member should notify the Community in advance of any other intended absence from a particular meeting or activity.
¨ LEAVE OF ABSENCE
i. Requirements to take a leave of absence: A member who desires to take a leave of absence should ask permission from the Council verbally, stating the definite period of the intended leave; the Council’s approval must be in writing.
ii. Requirements after a leave of absence: A definitive promise member must undergo a refresher course for the same length of time that he/she has been absent from the Community. During the same period, the member shall not be allowed to vote or be voted upon for any position in the Community.
iii. A Formandee may continue with his/her formation upon coming back from an authorised leave of absence.
“I confidently entrust this, my Promise, to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel.
23. The ceremonies of Admission to Formation and of the Promises are joyful and prayerful occasions for the whole Community. They are liturgically celebrated according to the norms laid down in the Ritual with as many of the Community as possible present to support their sister or brother and to welcome them into the family of Carmel.
