The Call to Carmel
Under the auspices of the Washington Province, members of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites are faithful members of the Church called to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ through a friendship with the One who knows and loves us. In service to the Church, under the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and in the spirit of the prophet Elijah, members seek to deepen the commitment first made in Baptism. Inspired by the teachings of St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross, they strive for a life of prayer, simplicity, and love.
Daily Life
Carmel is a way of life that nurtures an awareness of being united with God in the depths of one’s being while living an ordinary life in the world. The Holy Family of Nazareth is our model. This spirituality can be lived by people in every walk of life — lay, single, or married — who seek God in silence and service.
Steps of Formation
A person loyal to their Christian faith begins life in the Secular Order through a promise made to the Community before the Superior of the Order. With this promise, one commits to live in communion with the Church, the Order, the Province, and the local Community — loving, serving, and encouraging others in the practice of virtue.