Formation Process in Great Britain

Carmelite spirituality speaks with great clarity of the unique beauty of the human person and the wonder of our destiny. Nothing is more precious than a human being and we must approach each person with profound respect for the presence of God already active in their lives. Nothing must be lost of what God has given but individuals should be helped to reach the full stature of their humanity.

The formation process for a Carmelite is guided by central principles which are agreed by the whole Order. Circumstances will, however, vary in each Province of the Order and so each will have its own Formation Document which apply those principles to a specific situation. Equally every individual will be different and so the formation process needs to take account of this. Formation is not just something that concerns the early stages of Carmelite Life - until Simple or Solemn Profession - but a life-long process.

What follows here are the broad brushstrokes of the present practice in our Province.

First Contact: and Discernment:

The Province appoints a specific individual to guide this part of the process. Experience has taught us that undue haste at this point is seldom helpful. It is the role of the Vocation Director then to accompany each person as they discern what God is asking of them. Clearly the life of a person discerning a religious vocation will already have signs of prayerfulness, service, simplicity of life, seeking God's will and a growth in chaste living. As a part of the discernment process the Vocation Director will arrange for the individual to spend time in a number of our communities. In this way it is possible to see Carmelite Life and ministry at first hand and to experience something of the flavour of Carmelite Community. Normally this whole process takes around a year so that there is ample time for prayer and to reflect on the experience of our communities. Throughout this time the Vocation Director will be able to advise good material to read and provide an introduction to Carmelite Spirituality.

Discernment is never a one way process but always involves the community. At every important stage there is a joint seeking of God's will by the individual and the community.

Interview Process:

A person who applies to join the Order will normally be at least 21 years old. Should an individual ask, after a period of discernment, to test their vocation with the Order the next appropriate step is the novitiate. Prior to this we ask that each individual have a full psychological assessment. Sometimes motivation can be very complex and the purpose of the assessment is not to say whether or not someone should be accepted but to see if there is a reasonable possibility that an individual can grow and be happy with us. We are not looking for "perfect" people but people who have been able to grow through their life experiences.

The decision to accept a person for the novitiate lies with the Prior Provincial who is is the superior of the Order in Britain and so each person has an interview with a panel made up of the Provincial and two other experienced friars.

Novitiate

One description of the novitiate is 'a year long retreat'. This is the introduction to Carmelite Life proper. Helped and guided by the Novice Director, the novice leads a full religious life as an integral part of a community. In its day-to-day rhythm there is no real difference between the life of the Prior General to that of the newest novice. The novitiate is a protected time where a novice is able to begin to grow into Carmelite life. There will be some study of the Carmelite Tradition, Prayer and the History of the Order. Great emphasis is given to time for silence and prayer to allow the necessary space for a relationship with Jesus to grow and deepen. It is also a time for full integration into community with its hardships and joys - a place where we learn the true meaning of service and daily reconciliation. The novitiate is THE time of discerning vocation and is geared towards the first profession of vows. The community as a whole discerns whether this is the appropriate next step.

Carmelites profess the three vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience.

Period of Simple Profession

Simple Profession is made for an initial period of 3 years which can then be extended up to a maximum of 6 years. Normally the newly professed brother will move to the formation house where he will begin formation for ministry. Formation at this stage is guided by a team of experienced friars. As well as formal study the process of growth in Carmelite Life continues and each of the Simply Professed will have a weekly apostolic commitment. Each summer some time is spent working as a member of one of the communities of the Province. There is always a gap between the ideal we strive for and the reality of our lives at any given stage. The Simply Professed need to know that they will be able to strive for the ideal in the concrete circumstances of the common life. At present arrangements are made for each of our Simply Professed follow a course of study in the most appropriate place.

Pastoral Placement in Community

An integral part of the formation process involves a break in formal study and this normally takes place after three years of simple profession and each of the simply professed will be assigned as a full member of a working community. Working alongside his brothers in the service of the people enables the Simply Professed brother grow in a more realistic awareness of the challenges of Carmelite Life and the need to balance commitment to prayer and community life with the needs of the apostolate.

At the completion of the placement the individual will normally return to the formation house to complete their study.

Solemn Profession

Solemn Profession is the most important step in the life of a friar and involves a life long commitment to God in the Carmelite Order. It is a commitment also to a concrete group of people and of the community to the individual brother. It is not a decision to be made lightly and the Order seeks to provide as much help as possible in enabling proper discernment to take place. As well as help that comes from the community and those concerned with formation, the candidate will also have a full month for prayer and reflection.