Carmelite Conversations

How are these two homeschooling moms using the Carmelite Saints in teaching their children? Host Frances Harry interviews guests Colleen Sollinger and Connie Rossini about this topic. Colleen is a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites and has had a long term interest in sharing Carmelite Spirituality with her family as well as in developing a “Carmelite Spirituality Youth Group.” Connie Rossini is an author/writer as well as diocesan columnist and has a great blog at: www.contemplativehomeschool.com. She is also the administrator of a Catholic Spirituality Blogs Network that has a community of 20+ blogging on the spiritual life. We will talk about how they teach the contemplative life and prayer to their children as well as get a peak at Connie’s E-book:”Five Lessons front the Carmelite Saints That Will Change Your Life.”

Frances and Mark continue their conversation about Mark’s recent trip to Spain. While there he was able to visit some of the most important sites for the founding of the Discalced Carmelite Order. Frances continues this interview by asking Mark what he read while he was on the trip and how that might have both prepared him and affected him while visiting this important locations. Frances draws out some of the most important events from the trip and how those contributed to the graces Mark received while on the trip. They also discuss the conferences provide by the Carmelite Friars who were on the pilgrimage with them. Finally, as this program originally aired on Veterans Day, Mark takes the opportunity to discuss a chance encounter with a young soldier who the pilgrims met on their return flight to the US. He also makes a point about our need to lift up our Veterans in this country as they face so many challenges today.

During this spirited conversation, France turns the mike on Mark and interviews him about his recent pilgrimage to Spain. While there Mark was able to visit many of the most important sites associated with the Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross’ Reform of the Carmelite Order. He began the trip in Avila where the pilgrims spent most of the 11 days. While there they also traveled to Alba de Tomas where St. Teresa is buried, and Segovia where St. John’s tomb is located. They also visited the birth place of John and the location for the original Friar foundation in Durelo. Finally, they got to visit and stay in the famous city of Toledo, where Mark share a special moment he had at the Carmel in Toldeo. If you have been to Spain before, of even if you have not, you will enjoy listening to this colorful conversation about the most important locations for the beginning of the the ‘Reformed,’ Discalced Carmelite Order.

We are all familiar with the Rosary, but do we all understand its history or the importance so many Saints have place on reciting it daily. In this informative and inspiring program, Mark and Frances discuss the origins of the prayer of the Rosary. They touch on the details of our Lady having shared this prayer with St. Dominic. They also discuss the importance it played in bringing about a great military and spiritual victory in the Battel of Lepanto. Padre Pio of course was very dedicated to the Rosary, and this program discusses his emphatic counsel to use the Rosary as our weapon against the evils of this world. Pope John Paul II was likewise very dedicated to the Rosary and this program outlines the additions he brought to this form of prayer. Finally, Mark and Frances discuss the role of Mary and the use of the Rosary as a means of joining the Blessed Mother in contemplative prayer.

“Quotable Quotes of St. Teresa of Avila, #1″ with host, Frances Harry, along with Guest, Chris Cotter, OCDS. We will be focusing on some of our favorite quotes of St. Teresa of Avila. Some topics to be covered: St. Teresa ‘s conversion story from the “Book of Her Life,” important points about prayer, what she says about “the cross,” her approach to Confession, the importance of “Love, Detachment, and Humility” for growth in the spiritual life, and why we should practice mortification.

Continuing on the theme from the previous program, Mark and Frances reiterate the importance of community, and the need to participate in community as a way to continue to grow. Again, echoing the ideas of St. Teresa of Avila, they outline the important elements that must be found in community. The virtues of kindness, compassion, patience, openness, trust and of course humility are all important. But they also emphasize the need for Joy, we must be able to find real Joy in knowing that we are working to become the very people God called us to be, and we do this most effectively in community. Mark and Frances also read from a letter by Pope Francis written specifically to the Carmelite Order world wide. In this encouraging and yet challenging document, the Holy Father tells the Carmelite Community they must again capture the spirit of the Brothers of Mount Carmel, both by fulfilling our call to contemplation, but also by fulfilling our mission by becoming Prophets of Hope to a fractured and disoriented world.

During this program Mark and Frances continue on the theme of Mary and the work of Evangelization. Here they discuss a presentation by Carmelite Friar and General Delegate to the OCDS, Fr. Debastiani, on our Carmelite call to mission. The presentation begins by reflecting on the contemplative nature of the call to Carmel. The importance of encountering the living God in the intimate experience of personal prayer. Fr. Debastiani then goes on to explain the importance of the call to community. Echoing the writings of St. Teresa of Avila, Fr. Debastiani points our that for Carmelites, and for that matter all Christians, must nurture the fruit of prayer in a community of faithful believers. It is in a supportive community that we both engage in conversation about our faith, are both challenged and supported on our journey and enter into community prayer to lift up the entire body of Christ.

Mark welcomes Mary Pyper, Treasurer for Radio Maria US, into the studio to discuss some recent work she has been doing around a school of Evangelization and the role of Mary in the work of Evangelization. Acknowledging Mary’s role in both bringing our Lord into the world, and in being the one who initiated His public ministry at the wedding in Cana, this conversations centers around the role of Mary in helping us develop our interior life. It is this very interior life and intimate relationship with the Lord that then allows us to carry on the great commission of spreading the Gospel. For many of us, the work of Evangelization and spreading the Gospel message may be the simple presence we offer to those in need or those who need to witness a person who lives with Hope. In order to be that person for others, we must draw from a well of deep prayer and an interior understanding of how God is working in our life. The best example of this from scripture is the Blessed Mother’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Here we see that the fruit of Mary’s rich prayer life, and her role as Christ Bearer is easily recognized by her cousin. In our lives we are also called on to be bearers of Christ, and Evangelizers of the message of hope. In this effort, the Blessed Mother serves as both our model and our and our guide.

In this particular program Frances invites Tammy Jetton to discuss Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified. Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified was noted for her exceptional humility, simplicity and candor as well as her intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit, and great love for the Church and the Pope. She encountered and overcame many obstacles and adversities in her life. She was a child of Galilee, Palestine and raised in the Melkite Greek-Catholic Rite. Orphaned at age 3 and living on her own by age 13, she trusted in God and responded favorably to the Holy Spirit throughout her life. She had an extraordinary life and was a mystic and victim soul gifted with numerous supernatural charisms: ecstasies, locutions, levitations, stigmata, bilocation, prophecy and more. She reveals and affirms the transcendence of the Love of God, the activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church, and the reality of the supernatural world. By her example, we can deepen our own faith and gain contemplative insight into the value of the daily trials and crosses we bear in life in growing in union with God. Let us invoke her for peace in the Holy Land.

This particular conversation picks up on the theme of Mary and her role in helping us develop a deep interior life. Moving from the previous conversation, which focused largely on her earthly life, this particular program moves to an understanding of Mary’s role in heaven. Mark and Frances explore what is unique about the Church’s teaching on Mary’s powerful intercession. They also propose the compelling idea so often expressed around the life of Mary, in both her heavenly role in and her earthly manifestations and apparitions, that Mary knows the great ‘secret.’ Part of our call in coming to a deeper understanding and Devotion to Mary, is to pray that she might reveal her secret to us, and help us to understand how we might apply it to our individual lives. This conversation is rich in sound doctrine, but never looses the theme of the need for all of us to understand how to make practical use of this information and be able to apply it to our daily lives.