Priors’ Course, Rome 2003.

Input from J. Chalmers, O.Carm.

The following notes were taken during the Priors’ Course which took place in Domus Carmelitane from January 29^th to February 14^th, 2003.

The Ideal and the Reality.

Our Order has some 2000 friars in different countries and cultures around the world. Our way of life reflects then the culture of each country. We should not be of the world but we are certainly in the world. We seek the Lord through service of his people and by living out the religious life. We also encounter/experience the desert and this is part of our contemplative life, in fact the experience of the desert is contemplation. Contemplation is at the centre, and with the presence of God, there we are moved to fulfilment. We follow the footsteps of Elijah with Mary as our model and mother.

All Carmelites have the same vocation and there can be no absolute uniformity. Fraternity however, is an essential element. It’s the normal way in which we live. Our life is based on the Rule and we are brothers and yet the Order has to express our difference. The Order has to express different systems of community life. Different people have different needs. Community life makes it possible for miracles to take place. We all have to experience a good community. It’s not always easy as we are all different people with different personalities. We all need to seek God personally also.

We can take it that there will be personality clashes. We made profession to live with these other brothers who will not always react as we expect. It is difficult to love in practice. We thank God that we get on as well as we do. Mostly, brothers try to live the gospel as they see it.

Reality and Ideal.

Some communities do all of these together (ie., prayer, eating and fraternity) but others do not. Generally there is satisfaction but it can be lonely at times. Rarely do we meet a community sharing deeply together. A reason for this is the spirit of the times (independence) and in you face reaction. It’s easy to put the blame on others but if we do so and step back to condemn them it makes the overall situation worse. Another aspect is that we serve others outside well but with people in community there can be friction. God will use these frictions to create a masterpiece. There is a mix of the Divine and human in religious communities and each is essential to the other. Looking at things perhaps some should not have become religious as they are just unhappy people. Some have addictions. So a community can be a reflection of the world and the Church (a microcosm). At profession we take on community for better or for worse.

Prior’s Role.

The prior leads by example and ensures, as far as possible, to lead the community on God’s paths. He is not a parent. He is a leader for each member of the community on their journey to God. Each member is responsible for how he leads his own life in community. The ideal we will never see in practice as it will be some way ahead of us. The Eucharist is an important part of the process and needs to be shared. It’s the greatest help we have to building up community. It may not be easy to get a suitable time but where there is a will there is away. Each of us in community faces the challenge as to how we are working to build community. We cannot transfer our own role to others. That’s the heart of the matter and tells us what is happening deep down.

Habits run deep and we need to remember times past. We need a determined determination to succeed with the community venture. The call to chapter then is to go out and make community (Ratio 35 and 36). We are also called to be a prayerful community and if we are prayerful as individuals it will reflect in community. This is source of being able to relate to others.

Way Forward.

Lectio divina along with Eucharist and personal prayer is the way forward. Lectio is the goal of contemplation. It will encourage us to live in Divine ways. We need also to share the experience of silence. Also to observe by regular practice the process (lectio divina). The next important arm of community living is the community meeting. If we don’t discuss common problems/interest points then we won’t grow. There are both material and spiritual needs. Procedures can include sharing the chair. There are some places meetings don’t take place. It’s easier never to have meetings. Remember that the prior is not a hotel manager. With the addition of new members you can talk about expectations within the community. The new member will quickly come to understand where the community is at. The meeting is essential for the life of the community. If there is no community meeting then there is no interaction and no growth. The role of the Prior is to call the members together and to make community possible. He should be someone who can perform this role and lead. He must not allow frustration be an obstacle to the meeting. Set a time and an agenda. Let all have a chance to have their say. Share time and recreation together even if there is a risk of conflict and it can help to allay conflict. So a real question is “do I as Prior really dialogue with the brothers?” “Do I always need to be in the right?” Focus on the positive and share the good things together (such as birthdays). Share our friendships in community.

The Reality.

Perfection is something we will not experience. It’s not possible in community. We will have people with addictions who need to be taken seriously. We don’t like rocking the boat. The prior’s responsibility is to ensure that such people get help when they need it. We do not have to control the community. God will use the trials for our own spiritual growth and for purification. Trials can be part then of the dark night God allows and we will be purified through that even when those trials come from our interaction with other community members. Our vocation is to be honed by God into his image and so we will be transformed by God in the way we think, act and love others. Growth takes place through interaction and it won’t always be pleasant. We will live with others with whom we have little in common. We will always have problems coming from a false self. It takes great humility to say that the problem may well be mine. Community life is what presents the opportunity for growth, even the less likeable parts of it. We need to value community life and not settle for mediocrity. If there is no love in community then put love where there is no love. Love will help us to accept ourselves as we are. If our fraternal life is as it was in the early Jerusalem church then we should encounter God there. Community life is our space module on our trip to God.

Carmelite Team/Parish.

Usually when a parish is offered it is already established with a structure. We need to keep in mind when accepting that a Bishop will expect a certain level of performance. We also need to keep in mind that we will/should have a different approach than, say, a secular priest/parish. Bishops don’t always take into account that we may do things differently.

To input from Kees Waijmann, O.Carm.