The Carmelites and our Ministries.
The Order has its origin on Mount Carmel in Israel. Today, the Order is found in all continents and our apostolates are as diverse as that of the Church itself. One characteristic of the Order down through the centuries is its readiness to accommodate itself to the needs of the people of God. We are a Religious Order who are committed to the care and needs of the Church in the world. The Carmelites are the successors of the hermits who lived in the spirit of Elijah on Mount Carmel in Israel.
We are called to share our commitment to Christ within a community of brothers, sisters or as members of the Carmelite Family. We are called to share everything with their brothers and sisters, our lives, wisdom, talents and our prayers. As Carmelite brothers and sisters, our life of poverty, chastity and obedience offers great freedom to work for the Lord and his People. The words spoken by the prophet form the motto of the Order, “I am filled with zeal for the Lord God of Hosts”.
Renewal and Vatican 11.
As we are aware, Vatican 11 stressed the need for a renewal of religious life and asked each Order to re-examine its role, serving others and renewing itself for the apostolate in the modern world. Religious Orders were encouraged to look to their origins in order to discover their original inspiration and in that way to continue to contribute faithfully and loyally to the work of Christ in the Church.