MODULES
FOR CARMEL YOUTH
MODULE ONE : CARMEL YOUTH HISTORY
A. CARMEL YOUTH IN AGUSAN
In the
year 1991, the Knights of the Altar and a group of High School girls of San
Francisco, Agusan del Sur (Philippines) approached the Parish Priest of that
time and expressed their desire to be organized under the guidance of the Order
of Carmel of the Ancient Observance.
Based
on the recommendation of the friars, the boys were then called the Knights of
Elijah from being the Knights of the Altar to show their desire and affiliation
to the Order of Carmel. The girls likewise were given the name Daughters of
Mary, Mother of Carmel (DMMC) an identifying name of their incorporation to the
Carmelite Order. The task and functions of the two groups were distinctive. The
boys focused on their altar serving while the girls involved themselves in the
choir and in helping the upkeep of the Church and its surroundings.
In
1992, the two groups were merged. The first profession of these young boys and
girls took place. A Prioress and Prior was elected by common consent to oversee
the administration of the group. It was impossible to elect then only one Prior
as there was the difficulty of handling the boys who have developed an
independent guidelines in life being altar servers and with the girls who were
just introduced to the Tertiary way of Carmel.
The
group felt their affiliation to the Third Order of Carmel (TOC) being a Lay
group. By that time, the Tertiaries were not existing yet in Agusan del Sur.
In
1995, the group of these young boys and girls took a different name based on
the recommendations of the Friars. They are formally called the Carmel Youth
Organization.
In the
adjacent parishes of Rosario, Patin-ay and Prosperidad, the developments of San
Francisco encouraged the young to form their own chapters of Carmel Youth
Organization.
The
knights of these parishes seeing themselves as inspired in the same manner as
the Knights of Elijah of San Francisco, decided to take on the name Knights of
Elisha, after the two inseparable prophets of the Order.
The
Chapter of San Francisco also had grown. It now included a Sub-Chapter that of
Lapinigan, Agusan del Sur. This Sub-Chapter is expanding and was able to
produce their own Constitution and By-Laws based on the standards set by the
Spiritual Director of that time.
B.
CARMEL YOUTH UNDER THE CARE OF TOC AND NUNS
In
Luzon, the Third Order of Cabanatuan desired to form also a young Carmel group.
This Carmel Youth group appears to be a junior Third Order Carmelites. Likewise
groups started in Tanay, Rizal; Sibulan, Negros, Occidental which were under
the care of the Carmelite nuns.
C.
CARMEL YOUTH VISAYAS
The
Friars of Negros Occidental and Cebu both islands found in the Visayas started
also the Carmel Youth Organization. It has a different features and functions
than the Carmel Youth Organization of Agusan, Mindanao. The Escalante group is
more focus to the choir apostolate while that of Cebu is an organization which
has a feature of being the Catholic Youth Movement.
D. CARMEL YOUTH PRESENTED TO THE ROMAN
CARMELITE CURIA
On May 3, 2001, during the
meeting in Sassone, Rome the Carmel Youth Organization was presented by the
delegation coming from the Philippines in the persons of Nimfa Tangcuangco, TOC
and Fr. Sirenio Jaranilla, O.Carm., as a response to the challenge of Tom
Zeitvogel, TOC of forming the Carmel Kid's among the Third Order Carmelite
Communities in the world.
The
Carmel Youth group's initiative in the Philippines was welcomed by the
delegation. Fr. Tarcisio Gotay, O.Carm., the representative of the lay
Carmelites to the Carmelite General expressed on behalf of the Generalate his
admiration and support to the Carmel Youth Organization of the Philippines.
Upon
the return of the delegation from Sassone, Rome, the Donum Dei Family expressed
their desire to form a Carmel Youth Organization also. They were able to gather
boys and girls, recipients of the scholarship from France who are desirous to
discover the Carmelite charism and tradition.
E.
CARMEL YOUTH ONWARDS TO THE FUTURE
The
First Carmelite Congress took place in Cebu City last April 16-18, 2004. This was participate by more than 30 Carmel
Youth delegates coming from Luzon,
Visayas and Mindanao. Inspired by the
Rule of St. Albert and responding to the challenge of the Gospel, the Carmel
Youth Philippines, now a Federation, continues to spread throughout the archipelago
and eventually throughout the World. It has become a source of vocation of the
First Order and Third Order in the Philippines. It is a vision in the future
that this Carmel Youth Organization will enliven the three Orders of Carmel
throughout the world. That wherever be the Carmel Youth is found, they will
enrich the young to discover God in the way of Carmel.
The
rule of life given to the Carmelites by St. Albert Avogadro between the years
1206 - 1214, was finally approved as the true and proper Rule of Carmel by
Innocence in 1247 and later underwent mitigations which were not in the
original text.
The
Carmelite Rule states that is basic for a Carmelite to "live a life in
allegiance to Jesus Christ - how, pure in heart and stout in conscience, he
must be unswerving in the service of the Master" (no.2). To live a life of
allegiance to Jesus Christ, the Carmelites bind themselves especially to:
The
Carmelite Rule is the shortest of all known Rules, almost exclusively made up
of biblical precepts. To this day it is a rich source of inspiration for life.
The Text of the Rule of Saint Albert
Paragraph
numbers are in square brackets to indicate that they are not part of the
original Rule. They were agreed by the General Councils of both Carmelite
Orders and published in 1999.
[1]
Albert,
called by God’s favour to be Patriarch of the Church of Jerusalem, bids health
in the Lord and the blessing of the Holy Spirit to his beloved sons in Christ,
B. and the other hermits under obedience to him, who live near the spring on
Mount Carmel.
[2]
Many
and varied are the ways in which our saintly forefathers laid down how
everyone, whatever his station or the kind of religious observance he has
chosen, should live a life in allegiance to Jesus Christ - how, pure in heart
and stout in conscience, he must be unswerving in the service of the Master.
[3]
It is
to me, however, that you have come for a rule of life in keeping with your
avowed purpose, a rule you may hold fast to henceforward; and therefore:
[4]
The
first thing I require is for you to have a Prior, one of yourselves, who is to
be chosen for the office by common consent, or that of the greater and maturer
part of you. Each of the others must promise him obedience - of which, once
promised, he must try to make his deed the true reflection -and also chastity
and the renunciation of ownership.
[5]
If the
Prior and the brothers see fit, you may have foundations in solitary places, or
where you are given a site suitable and convenient for the observance proper to
your Order.
[6]
Next,
each one of you is to have a separate cell, situated as the lie of the land you
propose to occupy may dictate, and allotted by disposition of the Prior with
the agreement of the other brothers, or the more mature among them.
[7]
However,
you are to eat whatever may have been given you in a common refectory,
listening together meanwhile to a reading from Holy Scripture where that can be
done without difficulty.
[8]
None of
the brothers is to occupy a cell other than that allotted to him, or to
exchange cells with another, without leave of whoever is Prior at the time.
[9]
The Prior’s
cell should stand near the entrance to your property, so that he may be the
first to meet those who approach, and whatever has to be done in consequence
may all be carried out as he may decide and order.
[10]
Each
one of you is to stay in his own cell or nearby, pondering the Lord’s law day
and night and keeping watch at his prayers unless attending to some other duty.
[11]
Those
who know how to say the canonical hours with those in orders should do so, in
the way those holy forefathers of ours laid down, and according to the Church’s
approved custom. Those who do not know the hours must say twenty-five ‘Our
Fathers’ for the night office, except on Sundays and solemnities when that
number is to be doubled so that the ‘Our Father’ is said fifty times; the same
prayer must be said seven times in the morning in place of Lauds, and seven
times too for each of the other hours, except for Vespers when it must be said
fifteen times.
[12]
None of
the brothers must lay claim to anything as his own, but you are to possess
everything in common; and each is to receive from the Prior - that is from the
brother he appoints for the purpose - whatever befits his age and needs.
[13]
You may
have as many asses and mules as you need, however, and may keep a certain amount
of livestock or poultry.
[14]
An
oratory should be built as conveniently as possible among the cells, where, if
it can be done without difficulty, you are to gather each morning to hear Mass.
[15]
On
Sundays too, or other days if necessary, you should discuss matters of
discipline and your spiritual welfare; and on this occasion the indiscretions
and failings of the brothers, if any be found at fault, should be lovingly
corrected.
[16]
You are
to fast every day, except Sundays, from the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross until Easter Day, unless bodily sickness or feebleness, or some other
good reason, demand a dispensation from the fast; for necessity overrides every
law.
[17]
You are
to abstain from meat, except as a remedy for sickness or feebleness. But as,
when you are on a journey, you more often than not have to beg your way,
outside your own houses you may eat foodstuffs that have been cooked with meat,
so as to avoid giving trouble to your hosts. At sea, however, meat may be
eaten.
[18]
Since
man’s life on earth is a time of trial, and all who would live devotedly in
Christ must undergo persecution, and the devil your foe is on the prowl like a
roaring lion looking for prey to devour, you must use every care to clothe
yourselves in God’s armour so that you may be ready to withstand the enemy’s
ambush.
[19]
Your
loins are to be girt with chastity, your breast fortified by holy meditations,
for as Scripture has it, holy meditation will save you. Put on holiness as your
breastplate, and it will enable you to love the Lord your God with all your
heart and soul and strength, and your neighbour as yourself. Faith must be your
shield on all occasions, and with it you will be able to quench all the flaming
missiles of the wicked one: there can be no pleasing God without faith; and the
victory lies in this - your faith. On your head set the helmet of salvation,
and so be sure of deliverance by our only Saviour, who sets his own free from
their sins. The sword of the spirit, the word of God, must abound in your
mouths and hearts. Let all you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment.
[20]
You
must give yourselves to work of some kind, so that the devil may always find
you busy; no idleness on your part must give him a chance to pierce the
defences of your souls. In this respect you have both the teaching and the
example of Saint Paul the Apostle, into whose mouth Christ put his own words.
God made him preacher and teacher of faith and truth to the nations: with him
as your teacher you cannot go astray. We lived among you, he said, labouring
and weary, toiling night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you; not
because we had no power to do otherwise but so as to give you, in your own
selves, as an example you might imitate. For the charge we gave you when we
were with you was this: that whoever is not willing to work should not be
allowed to eat either. For we have heard that there are certain restless idlers
among you. We charge people of this kind, and implore them in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that they earn their own bread by silent toil. This is the
way of holiness and goodness: see that you follow it.
[21]
The
Apostle would have us keep silence, for in silence he tells us to work. As the
Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to foster holiness.
Elsewhere he says: Your strength will lie in silence and hope. For this reason
I lay down that you are to keep silence from after Compline until after Prime
the next day. At other times, although you need not keep silence so strictly,
be careful not to indulge in a great deal of talk, for as Scripture has it -
and experience teaches us no less - Sin will not be wanting where there is much
talk, and He who is careless in speech will come to harm; and elsewhere: The
use of many words brings harm to the speaker’s soul. And our Lord says in the
Gospel: Every rash word uttered will have to be accounted for on judgement day.
Make a balance then, each of you, to weigh his words in; keep a tight rein on
your mouths, lest you should stumble and fall in speech, and your fall be
irreparable and prove mortal. Like the Prophet, watch your step lest your
tongue give offence, and employ every care in keeping silent, which is the way
to foster holiness.
[22]
Your
brother B., and whoever may succeed you as Prior, must always keep in mind and
put into practice what our Lord said in the Gospel: Whoever has a mind to
become a leader among you must make yourself servant to the rest, and whichever
of you would be first must become your bondsman.
[23]
You
other brothers too, hold your Prior in humble reverence, your minds not on him
but on Christ who has placed him over you, and who, to those who rule the
Churches, addressed these words: Whoever pays you heed pays heed to me, and
whoever treats you with dishonour dishonours me; if you remain so minded you
will not be found guilty of contempt, but will merit life eternal as fit reward
for your obedience.
[24]
Here
then are a few points I have written down to provide you with a standard of
conduct to live up to; but our Lord, at his second coming, will reward anyone
who does more than he is obliged to do. See that the bounds of common sense are
not exceeded, however, for common sense is the guide of the virtues.
MODULE THREE: CUM NULLA
"Nicholas, Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God. For
perpetual memory.
No one can organize, without the permission of the Supreme
Pontiff, any group of faithful, under whatever form of religion. Any group of
female religious, virgins, widows, "beguines," "mantellati"
or other similar groups, which exist under the title and protection of the
Order of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, or who in the future
offer to commit themselves, may not continue without the approval of the
apostolic authority. By means of these letters, we decree that with regard to
the reception, mode of life, admission and protection of the aforementioned, we
decree that the Order and the Master General and the Priors Provincial enjoy
and may use the same identical privileges given to the Order of Preachers and
to the Hermits of St. Augustine. With these privileges the aforementioned
virgins, widows, "beatas" and "mantellati" live in chastity
and honestly, keeping fast and fulfilling all other duties, as they already do,
according to the statutes of the virgins, "beguines," and
"mantellati" of the other Orders, who also live in chastity and
honesty. Let no one dare to interfere and contravene our decree. However, if
someone presumes to contravene it, let that person know that he will incur the
wrath of God and of his holy apostles, Peter and Paul.
Given in Rome, in St. Peter’s, in the year 1452 of the Incarnation
of Our Lord, the 7th day of October, in the six year of our pontificate.
(The original test of the bull "Cum nulla" may be
found in the State Archives of Florence at number 400, page 145v-146r, Vatican
Reg. This is directed to "The Most Rev. General of the Order of St. Mary
of the Carmelites, Rome.)
In the
year 1241, the Baron de Grey of England was returning from the Crusades in
Palestine: he brought back with him a group of religious from the holy mountain
of Carmel. Upon arrival, the baron generously presented the monks with a manor
house in the town of Aylesford. Ten years later, in the very same place, there
occurred the now famous apparition of Our Lady to St. Simon Stock. As the Holy
Virgin handed St. Simon the brown woolen scapular she spoke these words:
"This shall be the privilege for you and all Carmelites, that anyone dying
in this habit shall not suffer eternal fire." In time, the Church extended
this magnificent privilege to all the laity who are willing to be invested in
the Brown Scapular of the Carmelites, and who perpetually wear it.
True
devotion to Mary consists in three things: veneration, confidence, and love.
Without saying to Mary that we venerate her, love her, and trust in her
protection, we tell her all these things every moment of the day by simply
wearing her Brown Scapular.
The
Scapular is a prayer. Mary's motherhood is not limited to Catholics; it is
extended to all men. Many miracles of conversion have been obtained through the
devout wearing of the Scapular. The Scapular is a great missionary sacramental.
After the Rosary, the Scapular is the most highly indulgenced sacramental in
the Church.
A
sacramental is anything set aside by Holy Mother the Church to excite pious
thoughts and increase devotion. Through these movements of the heart, venial
sin is remitted and grace imparted. The possession of grace is the foundation
of peace. Let everyone wear the Scapular!
This
devotion took origin in the heart of St. Teresa of Avila and of St. John of the
Cross who handed it over to the Carmelite Order as a spiritual treasure. In
1628 it was revived in the newly founded Carmel in Prague who had been reduced
to poverty owing to the ravages of war. Princess Polyxenia of Lobkowitz gave
the statue of the Divine Child, which was a wedding gift from her mother, to
the Carmelites saying: "I give you what I prize most highly in the world;
honor and respect the Child Jesus and you shall never be in want." Her
gift was placed in the Carmelite oratory. The words of the princess proved
prophetic for as long as the Carmelites kept up their devotion to the Infant of
Prague everything prospered with them. The Carmelites were later forced to flee
from the city and in the confusion of war they were unable to take with them
their miraculous statue. The invaders seize it and threw it into a pile of
rubbish. In 1635, peace came to Prague and the Carmelites returned. One of
them, Father Cyril, who had previously received great spiritual help through
his devotion to the Infant of Prague, sought the statue and found it amidst the
rubbish. Overjoyed, he placed the statue again in the oratory. As Father Cyril
was one day praying devotedly before the statue, he heard a voice saying:
"Have mercy on me and I will have mercy on you. Return my hands to me and
I will give you peace. The more you honor me, the more I will bless you."
Startled by these words, Father Cyril examined the statue and upon drawing
aside the mantle covering it, he found that both hands of the statue were
broken off. The hands were restored to the statue through the generosity of a
client to the Divine Child. Once more peace and prosperity returned to the
Carmelites. St. Therese of Lisieux was a fervent venerator of the Infant
Jesus.
MODULE SIX: MYSTERIES OF LIGHT
ADOPTED FROM CARMELITE GEORGE PRECA
Pope
John Paul II's recent changes to the rosary—its first makeover in 900 years—in
order to increase the devotions of the faithful is actually Carmelite based. (
Also, it is ironic to mention that the same pope is a member of the Secular
Order of the Discalced Carmelites.)
According
to published reports in The Guardian newspaper, the Pope may be adopting the
idea of Bl. George Preca, a member of the Carmelite Third Order in Malta and a
candidate for sainthood. Father Preca proposed adding extra decades to the
rosary nearly 50 years ago.
In fact
the five important moments in the life of Christ recall the five mysteries,
also called the "mysteries of light", which in 1957 Bl. George Preca
wrote for his followers in the Society of MUSEUM. The mysteries chosen by
Blessed George, three of which are being proposed by Pope John Paul II, are: 1)
the baptism of Christ; 2) the manifestation of Christ as God through teaching
and miracles; 3) the teaching of Christ in the beatitudes; 4) the
transfiguration of Christ; 5) the institution of the Eucharist.
Lectio
Divina is a traditional way of praying the Scriptures so that the Word of God
may penetrate our hearts and that we may grow in an intimate relationship with
the Lord. It is a very natural way of prayer and was developed and practised by
the early monks and thus came to the first Carmelite hermits.
For
some centuries reading the Bible in one's own language was rather frowned upon
and this led to a lessening of the practice of Lectio Divina. Thankfully in
recent years, along with the whole Church, the Carmelite Order has rediscovered
the importance of Lectio Divina as a privileged way of growing in the
relationship with Jesus Christ. Through the practice of Lectio Divina, as
individuals and as community, we leave space for God's Word to transform us so
that we may begin to look upon our world as it were with the eyes of God and to
love what we see with the heart of God.
"Lectio
Divina", a Latin term, means "divine reading" and describes a
way of reading the Scriptures whereby we gradually let go of our own agenda and
open ourselves to what God wants to say to us. In the 12th century, a
Carthusian monk called Guigo, described the stages which he saw as essential to
the practice of Lectio Divina. There are various ways of practising Lectio
Divina either individually or in groups but Guigo's description remains
fundamental.
He said
that the first stage is lectio (reading) where we read the Word of God, slowly
and reflectively so that it sinks into us. Any passage of Scripture can be used
for this way of prayer but the passage should not be too long. The second stage
is meditatio (reflection) where we think about the text we have chosen and
ruminate upon it so that we take from it what God wants to give us. The third
stage is oratio (response) where we leave our thinking aside and simply let our
hearts speak to God. This response is inspired by our reflection on the Word of
God. The final stage of Lectio Divina is contemplatio (rest) where we let go
not only of our own ideas, plans and meditations but also of our holy words and
thoughts. We simply rest in the Word of God. We listen at the deepest level of
our being to God who speaks within us with a still small voice. As we listen,
we are gradually transformed from within. Obviously this transformation will
have a profound effect on the way we actually live and the way we live is the
test of the authenticity of our prayer. We must take what we read in the Word
of God into our daily lives.
SANTOS FRANCO y SANCHEZ
(February 6)
Santos
was born July 6, 1942 at Hinojosa de Duque, Cordoba, Spain, the 6th of 13
children. He was a student of the Carmelite Fathers. His family and friends knew him as a peace maker for he
constantly attempted to mediate the quarrels of his peers. Although not without childish faults, he was
immediately and sincerely contrite. He was known by his family, his teachers
and his friends as both obedient and good. At the age of 11 Santos began to
manifest intense headaches and to suffer from high fevers. Misdiagnosed at
first, when it was finally discovered that he suffered meningitis, it was too
late for any remedy. Santos died after 2 months of patient suffering without
ever losing his smile. He told his mother, "Don't be sad, Mama. I want
only the will of God, and I am offering all to Him for sinners, for the
missions and for whatever God wants." Although young, Santos understood
and was united intensely to Jesus crucified: "You suffered more on the cross
and when You were crowned with the crown of thorns, You had much pain in your
head". Santos died on February 6, 1954, a little after the ringing of the
Angelus. His final words were, "Whatever the Will of God chooses."
RAMON MONTERO y NAVARRO
(February 1)
Ramon was
born in 1931 in La Mancha, Spain. This was during the war. His father Elias
Montero was outstanding for his piety towards their neighbors and friends. His
father worked in a local clothier store and as a farmer tending vineyards. The
mother of Ramon, Victoria Navarro and his father were deeply religious parents.
At a young age, Ramon took part in all the games of his peers. Of all the
games, he loves soccer. One day, his playmates put him on a mule which bucked
sharply and threw Ramon, who landed on his back. He was speechless for half an
hour. The parents took the boy to a bone specialist, who assured them that they
had acted in time. The youngster's
calvary had just begun for later this would develop into Pott's disease,
commonly known as the disintegration of the bone. The brothers in St. John
hospital told them: "this is a terrible sickness. Children with this
disease, we have to tie up otherwise they would jump out of the window because
of the pain they suffer." Yet Ramon kept telling his family not to bother
about doctors; he had asked Jesus for a share in his sufferings, and he now
wanted to accept whatever the Lord sent him.
At the very young age, Ramon expressed his desire to become a member of
Carmelite Third Order. The Carmelites
dispensed him as the tertiary do not receive a youngster during his time. Ramon
died on midday of February 1, 1945 under the loving arms of his mother with his
eyes fixed on the crucifix. He lived in his life his words, "if our Lord
were to tell me that he would take away all my pain, but he would love me less,
I would tell the Lord to send me more sufferings, everything I could stand. But
I'd beg him not to love me less even a little bit."
The
other sources that can be used for Carmel Youth Formation are:
1.
http://www.ocarmphi.allhere.com