Carmelites

The community at Aubépine is a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns. Who are the Discalced Carmelites, and what do they do?

The Carmelite Order is a very old one, with traditions going back even as far as Old Testament times, to the prophet Elijah. In its modern form, the Order has two branches. The "calced" or "shod" Carmelites, who follow the ancient observance, and the "discalced" or "unshod" Carmelites (so-called because they wear sandals) founded by St Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth century.

Teresa of Avila was a remarkable woman, but I don’t have the space here to do her the justice she deserves. There are some excellent biographies in existence, as well as her own writings – her Life, The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle, all of which have become spiritual classics. Her Collected Letters are a wonderful read, showing not only the humorous, witty, frequently sharp-tongued woman the saint was, but also giving an insight into everyday life in the Spain of the sixteenth century. Until you write that your fever is gone, I will be very worried about you, she writes to the prioress of the monastery in Seville. Be careful that it doesn’t turn into jaundice, which can happen where there is anemia. The cure consists of some aromatic fumigations with vetch and coriander leaves and egg shells and a little oil and a little bit of rosemary… The Foundations is Teresa’s account of her travels throughout Spain founding the different monasteries (or "Carmels" as they are called) and interspersed with fascinating anecdotes about the women who joined her. So we can read, among others, about Casilda de Padilla, who at thirteen bribed a servant to help her to run away from home to join one of Teresa’s monasteries.

The convents Teresa founded throughout Spain were all, in accordance with her wish, small and poor. It was her intention that the communities should never have more than twenty-one members, as this would enable them to live together like families. The nuns were to be contemplatives, devoting their lives to prayer and supporting themselves by manual work. They were strictly enclosed, and had contact with the outside world only from behind heavy grilles.

Carmel continues to produce saints. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) was a Carmelite, as was Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906) the centenary of whose death is celebrated in 2006. For more information on this see http://www.elisabeth-dijon.org/

Today, Carmelite nuns still live the same contemplative life in small communities as the nuns of Teresa’s time. They are still enclosed, but the grilles and high walls of sixteenth century Spain are gradually disappearing. In Aubépine, for example, there are no grilles; one meets the nuns face to face. They do not, however, engage in any work of the active apostolate, such as teaching or nursing or parish ministry. They do not leave the premises unless necessity demands it, and they support themselves by work such as sewing and bookbinding, although they have lately diversified into information technology. Their lives are very simple and for the most part spartan. They grow their own vegetables and live to a peaceful liturgical rhythm. If you would like to learn more about the Carmelite way of life, visit http://www.ocd.pcn.net/index_en.htm