THIRD UPDATE FROM THE WORLD MEETING

Vivien has sent a third update from the World OCDS Meeting.

One of the most inspiring things about the World Encounter has been hearing from OCDS leaders around the world. Two talks that particularly stood out for us came from Meg Ramos OCDS of the Philippines and Manuel Vasquez Loja, OCDS President in Ecuador. Both talks highlighted the theme of OCDS mission, insisting that Carmel is not closed in on itself and that the touchstone of an authentic life of prayer is the desire to share God with others.      Ramos opened her presentation posing a provocative question: “When people meet us do they encounter a living contemplative witness or merely another member of a devotional association?”  She pointed towards a commonly encountered OCDS syndrome, namely a sense that we are leading a double life, trying to be both religious and secular and not entirely succeeding at either. On the contrary, the goal of OCDS, she insisted, is to destroy the artificial wall between the sacred and the secular. Our aim is to let prayer soak so deeply into our lives that everything we do becomes prayerful. At that point, daily life is no longer a distraction from our mission but the very arena in which it is played out.  Our goal is “to become a person in whom others can perceive the reality of God.” As such, our contribution is to give Carmelite spirituality its “street credibility”, to provide tangible evidence of its relevance in all the gritty circumstances of everyday life by becoming “sidewalk contemplatives”.  Vasquez, for his part, explains that while our mission may sometimes be expressed through words and actions, more often it will take the form of simply being a “luminous presence”.  He speaks of the Teresian Carmelite community as “a silent prophetic presence in the world, without needing to make much noise, we are - simply by existing - a sign that God lives in the midst of his people”. Fr Miguel echoed this highlighting that the first mission of a Secular Carmelite is “to be what God is in each of us” and that this precedes saying or doing anything.  Yet doing also has its place, and Ramos provides us with much useful guidance on this aspect. She reminds us that mission should be driven by love rather than by activism. “We do not serve out of a desire to be useful, but because our heart has been so stretched by prayer that love overflows on to the world. If religious busyness interferes with this, then we are drying our own source.” Ramos also highlights that whatever action we take in our mission needs to be consistent with our charism. “As Carmelites, our specific type of service - whether through retreat work, spiritual accompaniment, or facilitating prayer - should always point people towards interiority, listening and contemplation.”

Intercessions

RIP Fr Jon Bielowski, Jacqui, Sister Maisie

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K, Elena

Sophie – newborn having heart surgery; Sianna, young child in the post-operative phase; James, recovering from heart surgery

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (in recovery)

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.