Carmelite Ormiston | Young Carmelite Group

Young Carmelite Group

The Brisbane Young Carmelite Group - for young adults aged 18-35 - has been meeting since 2001 here at the Carmelite Monastery. The group has been guided by Fr. Greg Homeming OCD or another Carmelite Friar. Since July 2009 the sisters have taken on the facilitation of the group.

Meeting Program

Next YCG Meeting

TBA

June 2023

It was the eve of Trinity Sunday so we shared reflections on St Elizabeth of the Trinity's beautiful Prayer to the Trinity. Unfortunately, some could not come, with assignments due and exams looming, but they have the text to ponder in their own time.

April 2023

We were happy to have two seminarians join us for our April meeting. Unfortunately they and others had to leave early. We used chapter 26 of St Teresa's 'Way of Perfection' to help us prepare for Holy Week.

January 2023

We are getting into deep water now, studying St Teresa's symbolism for the life of deepening prayer. The third water continues on the theme of decreasing human effort in prayer as it is met by the divine work of grace. In the third water, Teresa uses the image of a stream flowing through the garden. This is not entirely without work, as the gardener needs to direct the flow of water. But the flowers and fruits are now obvious.

There are more on our side of the grille, but we are having very deep and reflective conversations about St Teresa's stages of prayer. In December we studied the second way of 'watering the garden' - that is, of a water wheel, which yields more water with less effort: the beginnings of the 'living water' promised by Jesus.

In October we began a series on St Teresa's teaching on prayer using her image of four ways of watering a garden. The first way - drawing water in a bucket from a well - is very laborious. When a person begins to pray, it is necessary to apply oneself to meditating on the life of Jesus.

On Saturday 27 February 2021 we resumed our YCG meetings after the long break due to the pandemic. Our topic was: 'And It was very Good': Asceticism for the Lenten Season

We discussed some insights from our Carmelite Sister Ruth Burrows

February 2020

Following the recent visit of the Relics of St Therese and her parents, Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, we began with an audio visual presentation on Therese and a reflection

on Therese's prayer for priests. Those who had spent time with the Relics,

either here or elsewhere, also shared their impressions.

Saturday 30 November 2019

Our topic was 'A Humble Heart' - the third prerequisite for a life of prayer

as explained by St Teresa in 'The Way of Perfection'

Our topic for October was 'A Free Heart'

St Teresa tells us there are three things that are absolutely essential for anyone wanting to live prayerfully. In August we studied the first: a loving heart. This is the second. The NET UQ Chaplaincy Team bolstered our numbers and we had some really engaging discussion.

13 April was the eve of Palm Sunday, so we took St. Teresa's 'Way of Perfection' chapter 26 to help us stay close to Jesus in his suffering and death, the topic being:

'Praying with St Teresa - Walking with Jesus through Holy Week’

Our 2019 meetings began on the feast of the Presentation with the topic

'Praying the Scriptures with Mary: an Invitation to Lectio Divina'

Our topic on 6 October was 'Back to the Gospel - The Message of Thérèse of Lisieux' and we had a big group from UQ joining us. Several didn't make it into the photo. We said good-bye to Katherine and Michael who are finishing up with NET and returning home - Katherine all the way to the USA.

Our August topic was 'The Loneliness of Jesus: Insights from St Teresa

and the Gospel of Mark

Our topic in June was 'St Therese of Lisieux - Her Discovery of Love'

Notice Ariel has leaped through the grille? She entered Carmel in February.

On 3 February 2018 we continued our themes from 'The Spiritual Canticle'

of St John of the Cross with the topic: 'Immersion in God's Beauty'

We said goodbye to Hien who is entering the Benedictines at Jamberoo next weekend. She is starting to feel a little nervous, but looks very peaceful and happy. We will keep her in our prayers.

It was also Aushra's last time with us, before she returns home to Lithuania.

We remember all those who have been part of our YCG and hope they have come a little closer to God through our Carmelite spirituality.

At present we are reflecting on some themes from the 'Spiritual Canticle'

Our first meetings in 2017 focused on different aspects of the spirituality of St Therese of Lisieux. Then we started looking at St. John of the Cross's poem: 'The Spiritual Canticle'

During Advent we reflected on 'Waiting in Silence and Prayer with St Elizabeth of the Trinity'

YCG August 2016

Group YCG August 2016

In August we had our biggest group ever with the UQ Chaplaincy Team and some students who swelled our ranks. The topic was 'The Mercy of God in St Therese of Lisieux'.

Our topic in June was 'Mary in our Life'

There will be enrolments in the brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt Carmel during our celebration on 17 July. Some will be at WYD in Krakow at that time, but if you haven't been enrolled before, here's your chance. See our contacts page:

http://www.carmeliteormiston.com/contact-us.html

In April we looked at 'The Call to Holiness' from a Carmelite perspective

With some new faces we started off 2016 by going back to basics with an introduction to Carmelite Spirituality

At our September meeting we explored the riches of Teresa's 4th Mansions

YCG September 2015 EP

Evening Prayer with the Sisters

YCG September 2015 after EP

YCG September 2015 front

Our May group was small, but we enjoyed exploring Teresa's Second Mansions.

In 2015, the 5th centenary year of the Birth of St. Teresa, we are 'travellings inwards' through 'The Interior Castle'. In March we studied the First Mansions.

10 May 2014