Final Promises

During our Carmelite Retreat at Douai Abbey last week three ladies from Wales made their final promises. Their journey into Carmel had begun some years earlier when a Carmelite priest was assigned to their parish. He only stayed a few years, but in that time he set up a Secular Carmelite group in the parish. Four ladies lasted the course to final promises, - the fourth had had to move away and made her final promise last Autumn. I was involved in their formation in the period from first promises to final promises - it was largely conducted online. What particularly impresses me about this little group is their enormous enthusiasm. They decided that the normal monthly meetings were insufficient for them, and they decided to meet fortnightly. Maureen, the one who had to move away, would often say how Carmel had changed her life. This is particularly striking when you know that she was over 80 when she first encountered Carmel. Such is the real power of the Gospel.