At the origin of religious consecration there is a call of God for which there is no explanation apart from the love which God bears for the person called. This love is absolutely gratuitous, personal and unique. It embraces the person to the extent that one no longer belongs to oneself, but to Christ.
Those who are called give a response of love in their turn to Christ. It is a love which is given entirely and without reserve.
The journey to becoming a fully professed Carmelite involves a lengthy process of discernment on the part of both the individual and the religious community.
In an intense dialogue with God in prayer throughout her formation the sister will bring her most profound desire face to face with the charism of Carmel which is being offered to her. This lengthy process of discernment will lead her, like Mary, to say her truly free and personal ‘yes’ on the day of her definitive commitment.
Before entering an aspirant would normally be in touch with the Sisters for some time, getting to know something of the spirit of Carmel.
A person who shows signs of having a vocation to the contemplative life may be invited for a live-in experience for a period of up to three months. This helps her to to come to a better understanding of our way of life and also gives the community an opportunity to get to know her.
When a person enters the community she begins a period of preliminary probation called postulancy, which lasts from six to eighteen months.
Under the guidance of the formator the postulant deepens her understanding of her faith and learns something of Carmelite history and spirituality. She is given space to help her adapt to her new way of life as she continues to discern her vocation.
Novitiate marks the beginning of religious life, when the candidate receives the Carmelite Habit and white veil. The formation of contemplative nuns is primarily a formation in faith.
Training consists largely in living the life, entering into the rhythms of solitude and community, of prayer and work, of study and relaxation. In all this, the formator accompanies the novice through the ups and downs which may be encountered in her formation as a contemplative.
The novice also receives instruction in scripture, liturgy, spirituality, knowledge of our Carmelite Saints, human development and the history of our Order.
After two years as a novice the candidate makes a commitment by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience for one year. These vows are renewed annually over a period of three to six years. During this time there is a gradual integration into the full life of the community, with greater solitude and increasing personal responsibility.
At the end of the lengthy process of initial formation, Solemn Profession of vows marks a new beginning. The vows are anchors of commitment, and are for life – in the sense of being both life-long and life-giving.
Ongoing formation is an intrinsic requirement of religious consecration as it is of all human life.
In listening to the voice of the Spirit, who speaks in ever new ways, it is for Carmelites to respond to these new challenges with creativity and fidelity and to adapt the demands of the Teresian charism to the diverse circumstances of time and place.
