Carmelite Conversations

What is the role of Mary, the Mother of God, in helping to form us in our interior life. This is a question so central to Catholic teaching and the spiritual life, but yet there is still relatively little instruction on just how we can work with the Blessed Mother to assist us and help us along our journey. In this conversation, Mark and Frances explore the writings of the famous Dominican, Fr. Garrigou Lagrange, and his wonderful work on the role of Mary in our interior life. This conversation explores Mary’s earthly life and the model that her life presents, through the mysteries of the rosary, of how we too might respond to God’s call to become Christ bearers. Mark and Frances explore Mary’s unique role at the Incarnation, her role as mediator, her participation in Christ’s passion and her significant role in God’s plan of salvation. The conversation also explores how Mary, through her own merits, is able to assist each of us personally, in coming to understand and fulfill God’s unique plan for our lives.

Carmelites are called to be ‘active contemplatives,’ but what does this mean? Have you ever wondered how to go about striking the right balance between prayer and the active life. In fairness, most of us have difficulty finding enough time in our busy lives for a sufficient amount of prayer. But the active life referred to in this particular conversation is the life of virtue, the life of charity. During this informative and helpful conversation, Mark welcomes Deacon Rusty Baldwin to the studio to discuss the importance of all Christians maintaining an active apostolate, or an individual ministry of service to others. Indeed, St. Teresa of Avila herself said it is permissible to leave the activity of prayer for only one purpose, and that is to do an act of charity for another. Even the Carmelite Rule directs the members of Carmel to stay in prayer, unless otherwise justly occupied. This just occupation is the work of charity, which includes certainly the fulfillment of the responsibilities of our station in life, but also some form of ministry. This conversation will explore those opportunities, while at the same time helping us to understand how we can still maintain a state of prayer even in the midst of the active life.

What is the difference between a Pilgrimage and a Retreat? What are the elements that make up either a successful Pilgrimage or a successful Retreat? In this informative program Mark and Frances draw a clear distinction between these two different journey’s of seeking God. They discuss the motivations that might be behind the decision to go on Pilgrimage or Retreat, and how someone might best prepare for either one. They also discuss the benefits one might expect to receive from undertaking either of these efforts to seek out a more intimate relationship with God. Finally, in the case of the Retreat, Mark and Frances discuss the Israelite journey into the desert, and Christ own desert experience following His baptism, as models of how one might both prepare for, and hope to get the most out of a retreat experience.

We all use the word faith quite often and believe we understand what it means, but do we really understand the deeper meaning of faith as it relates to journey toward God. In this informative conversation, Frances speaks with Deacon Tracy Jamison of the Diocese of Cincinnati. Dr. Jamison is both a Deacon and a professor at the seminary in the Diocese of Cincinnati, and has published articles on the issues of faith and prayer, and more specifically how prayer serves as a means to nurture and strengthen out faith. Finally, drawing on specific Carmelite texts, Deacon Jamison demonstrates how prayer and faith play a vital role in our spiritual journey. This is both a very informative discussion, and very timely as we move toward the end of the “Year of Faith” in the Church.

Summer is a great time for reading. Have you wondered what Carmelite books are the best to read, what might be considered the essential reading for a Carmelite. In this conversation Frances Harry welcomes Mark Olsen into the studio to discuss some of the most important reading for those interested in Carmelite Spirituality. Mark is the Director of Formation for the Dayton Community of Discalced Carmelites, so he is uniquely qualified to offer suggestions on some of the more important works in the Carmelite tradition of spiritual literature. Mark and Frances discuss a list of what they consider to be both a good introduction, and a comprehensive outline of the essential texts. These books are presented not as individual titles in themselves, but in the context of the different categories of spirituality such as prayer, practicing the virtues, stages of the spiritual journey and so forth. This is a great program to get a solid grounding in the books you should be reading if you are interested in Carmelite Spirituality.

“During this conversation Mark and Frances discuss the unique Devotion that Carmelites have to the Sacred Heart. They begin by reading and discussing comments made by the Holy Father, Francis, regarding the role of the heart in our journey to Christ. Pope Francis speaks about the need to conform our heart to the heart of Christ, and to be transformed by that very act. Mark and Frances then go on to explore St. Therese of Lisieux’s perspective on devotion to the Sacred Heart. For St. Therese, Christ’s heart is always a heart of love. She does not focus, as so many others do, on the suffering of the piercing thorns which wounded our Lord, for St. Therese the central idea of Christ’s heart is an all-purifying love. She understands that suffering is part of the process, but she emphasizes that this is not an end in itself. The only reason for this devotion, in the mind of Therese, is to help us conform our own hearts to the buring heart of love, which is the heart of Jesus.”

In this particular program Mark invites Chris Cotter, a Secular Carmelite from the Community of Dayton Ohio, to discuss the Carmelite aspects of the Feast of Fatima. On 13 May 2013, Pope Francis consecrated his Papacy to Our Lady of Fatima. Mark and Chris explore both the significance of this event, and what Fatima means to each of us individually. Using both the Vatican Document, from The Congreagation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the meaning of Fatima, and the writings of Sister Lucia, one of the Fatima visionaries and a Carmelite Nun, they discuss what the messages of Fatima are still communicating to all Christians today. This is a very interesting and very timely topic, and the Order of Carmel plays a significant role in helping to communicate the continual call from Our Lady of Fatima.

During this program Mark and Frances conclude the series on the book entitled “Upon this Mountain.” This particular book, written by a cloistered Carmelite Nun is the fruit of forty years of prayer and reflection. Mark and Frances explore some of the deeper meanings of our universal call to holiness, and how we are not called to this for ourselves but for the entire body of Christ. They discuss some of the more challenging aspects of the use of the imagination in prayer, and what is meant by our needing to empty ourselves of formal images. They also discuss the deeper meaning of silence in prayer.

In this particular program Mark and Frances discuss the simply yet remarkable life of a Secular Carmelite from Spain named Josefa Naval Girbes who lived from 1820 – 1893. Blessed Josefa lived a perfectly simple life, opening her home as a school for embroidery. She used the quiet hours of labor to instruct her young female students about the Catholic faith. She was well known for instructing her girls that their primary mission in life should be to “sanctify yourself and sanctify others.” Despite her remarkable simplicity, she had a very disciplined approach to her pursuit of holiness, and is also remembered for her rather direct counsel to “Reach holiness, no matter what the Cost.” This simple woman, who chose to live in the world, perfectly fulfilled God’s will by living a life of holiness, but also by bearing remarkable fruit in helping so many others to pursue a life in Union with God.

Learn about the Prayer of recollection.