‘United and strengthened by sisterly love they will carry one another’s burdens and everything will become sweeter, lighter and refreshing.’ (Constitutions 49)
Carmelite life is carefully balanced between solitude and common life. We are hermits called to silence and solitude, living together in a closely bonded community.(Our Daily Life)
St Teresa wanted her sisters to be able to support one another in their search for God, and to put into daily practice the Gospel call to love one another as Christ has loved us.
St Teresa wanted her sisters to be able to support one another in their search for God, and to put into daily practice the Gospel call to love one another as Christ has loved us.
‘All must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.’ (St Teresa, Way of Perfection 5.1)
We live and pray together but keep silence for most of the day. For an hour each evening we meet together for recreation. This is time specifically given to be together and talk with one another, and relax. On special feast days we have extra time together and some free space when work can be put aside.
Games, meditative audio visual presentations, amateur dramatics and the occasional film are ways of celebrating special occasions, and in summer a feast day meal may be enjoyed outdoors in stead of our customary silent meals in the refectory. Family celebrations and sisters’ jubilees are shared too as we meet friends and relatives in the parlour, and welcome all to give thanks in our chapel. The ‘extended family’ of Ware Carmel’ grows as new generations of nephews and nieces are welcomed and proudly shown off.
