A New Interpretation of Carmelite Spirituality: The Statutes of the Carmelite Order from 1995 (Part 1)

Christopher O'Donnell, O.Carm.

(The original title of the article is: "Modern Presentation of Carmelite Spirituality – Statutes from 1995." We modified the title because "modern" should today be replaced with the word "postmodern," which sounds repulsive (except to intellectuals). Likewise, "presentation" is off-putting.
But the article itself can be very beneficial for us. Such thorough and official texts summarizing the spirituality of the order, as represented by the new edition of the statutes, could be counted on the fingers of one hand, or at most both hands. And secondly: Brother Chris was in the inner committee for preparing these statutes, so he understands very well what the statutes say, what they want to convey, or what they do not want to convey, and what preceded their final wording.)

Carmelite spirituality is today one of the most popular in the church. However, outside the circle of experts, it is not very well known, especially when it comes to the older part of our heritage.

Many have read "The Story of a Soul" by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux or books about her. Carmelites (Note: By this designation, Chris also includes tertiaries.) have probably heard of three prominent figures of Carmel in the twentieth century: Bl. Titus Brandsma (+ 1942), St. Edith Stein (+ 1942), and Bl. Elizabeth of the Holy Trinity (+ 1906). However, the writings of these modern Carmelite authors are probably not well known – aside from excerpts or a few prayers.

Regarding the even older times, it is not much better. We skip several centuries to Thérèse of Avila (+ 1582) and John of the Cross (+ 1591). Every now and then someone has read some of their writings. However, even many Carmelites are not really "at home" in the works of these two authors. But what about the time in between? From the period between the death of Thérèse of Avila and the death of Thérèse of Lisieux (i.e., 1582–1897), little is known. And very little is available from that time in English. And yet, it encompasses more than three hundred years, a period longer than the entire history of most institutes of consecrated life in today's church.

If we stay with English texts, only four authors have made this period accessible to us:

1. Killian Healy with his doctoral thesis on prayer in the Touraine reform in the early 17th century,
2. Robert Stefannotti with his work on John of St. Samson (+ 1636),
3. Thomas McGuiness popularized the Marian Dutch authors – Michael of St. Augustine (+ 1684) and Mary of St. Thérèse (Mary Petyt, + 1677),
4. Redemptus Valabek published valuable anthologies from Carmelite authors (with their biographical sketches) on prayer and on the Virgin Mary.

As for the period before Saint Thérèse, it is even worse. Most of us have heard of the text On the Foundation of the First Monks, dating from the late 14th century, and everyone knows the Rule. But few, apart from specialists, have read any text from the time between the writing of the Rule (around 1208) and the time of Thérèse of Avila. Which, in this case, represents a span of more than three hundred and fifty years.

Carmelite Identity

What does all of this say about Carmelite identity? Our identity is an old theme, really old. I feel at home in any Carmelite house, anywhere. The character of Carmelite life differs in each province, even house by house. But there is something I can recognize or at least sense.

To a lesser extent, I also feel at home in the convents of the brothers¹ (Dominicans, Augustinians, or Franciscans), but not in modern congregations, even though they are the friendliest and most hospitable.

However, it is difficult to specify this identity. It dates back to our beginning, to Mount Carmel in the last quarter of the 12th century, about which we know little. We know that hermits resided in this mountain around 1180 and that around 1208 they accepted the Rule. The relocation to Europe, forced by the persecution of the Turks in the 30s of the 13th century, resembles a re-establishment – within a few decades the hermits become brothers. If we understand this relocation, it will greatly help us to understand that our identity carries a difficulty: the relationship of the fundamental experience from Mount Carmel is tied to a small number of sources from the decisive fifty years roughly from 1230 (when the first transfer to the West occurred) to 1282, when the first preserved statutes were issued.

Statutes

Throughout our history, many statutes have been written. The statutes represent specific legislation, embodying our Carmelite identity. Many of these statutes concerned a certain area or group of provinces. Overall, there were ten sets of statutes of universal order significance. They usually arose during a time of reform or other major change.

After the Council of Trent, two sets of statutes were written in quick succession during the 16th century, followed by another one in the next century. When at the end of the 19th century (after overcoming the crushing consequences of the Enlightenment) the order began to revive, statutes were written under General Pius Mayer in 1904. The 1917 Code of Canon Law led to the issuance of statutes in 1930. The Second Vatican Council prompted new statutes, completed in 1971, and the 1983 Code of Canon Law led to the issuance of new statutes in 1995.

In 1986, the first international commission, composed of sixteen members, was given two conflicting tasks.

1. A new text was to emerge by slightly adjusting the text from 1971 and incorporating changes required by the new church law from 1983.
2. We were also asked to take into account the documents of the councils of provinces, general congregations, and general chapters since 1971.

After long consultations, we practically adhered to the second approach, while the first was preserved primarily in the fourth part of the statutes, dealing with the governance of the order. Over the next nine years, there was a profound reworking of the statutes, which signifies a new, refined expression of Carmelite spirituality at the end of the second millennium.

In another article, I addressed the important topic of adopting documents from the years 1971–1992. It can be argued that this adoption was uneven: something, but not everything, was assessed and found to be substantial for life. Today, no one would question that brotherhood is a Carmelite value (i.e., emphasized in Carmel). However, in 1971, it was something new; previously, there was talk of common life and brotherly love. The statutes represent what was generally recognized as reasonable. A key point of the order's formation will always be to ensure that each (individual) generation accepts our heritage. And a central part of that is accepting the statutes themselves.

It would be tedious and unnecessary to go through the statutes from the beginning and point out the significance of each of their articles. I rather want to outline the main ideas of the statutes. This will be a personal interpretation, mine; otherwise, it cannot be otherwise. We all agree that we find different elements in the statutes, but each will understand how these elements relate to each other differently. I can only hope that what I present will be generally acceptable. In a certain way, this can also be considered a commentary on the post-synodal exhortation Vita consecrata from 1996. This document provides an interpretation of religious life based on its three elements: consecration, community, and mission (art. 13).

It will help us if we lead the interpretation of our spirituality according to its elements:

1. the vocation of a Christian: obedience to Jesus Christ,
2. models: Elijah and Mary,
3. means: a life consecrated by vows,
4. charisma: to live contemplatively, fraternity, in the midst of people,
5. values: desert, prayer, sharing, mission,
6. criteria for action: the word, discernment, the poor, human values.

Schematically, this can be illustrated as follows:

The Carmelite Path

The Vocation of a Christian: Obedience to Jesus Christ

Our rule states the vocation of Christians as follows: "… to live in obedience to Jesus Christ and to serve Him faithfully with a pure heart and a good conscience" (art. 2). Since the Second Vatican Council, it has been recognized much more clearly that the holiness to which we are all called does not depend so much on what we do but on what God does for us and which then leads us to respond with an honorable life filled with love. This understanding of holiness contradicts the thinking of the society around us. It opposes two prevailing "ideologies" of our world, namely omniscience and omnipotence. The world around looks at success: we can know or will soon know everything, and we will soon be able to do everything. In contrast to such thinking stands, instead of omniscience, the weakness in following the crucified Christ. And submitting to mystery instead of striving to get it under control with our knowledge.

Since the Second Vatican Council, we have become more aware of the connection of this vocation with the mystery of the Trinity and the mystery of the church. The Trinity draws us into the church – not as individualists, but together with others and also for others. About these values related to the relationship with the Trinity and the church, we read in the statutes (art. 1 and 2) and in Vita consecrata (art. 1–3).

And one last point on this topic. In spiritual life, just as in theology, there are two distinct starting points. We can start "from below," the existential situation of our world. Or we can start from God, sending us into our world. Each of these two approaches has its value. They can be called the "horizontal" and "vertical" approach.² However, Carmelite spirituality cannot afford to neglect either of them: a purely "top-down" or just "bottom-up" approach would mean abandoning our tradition.³

Means: Consecrated Life

According to the mentioned apostolic exhortation, consecrated life is a gift of the Spirit, a charisma arising from the evangelical counsels (Vita consecrata, 1). Our statutes state: "One of these gifts of the Spirit is also the life according to the evangelical counsels, to which we commit ourselves by religious vows" (art. 3). Furthermore, the text hints at both the vertical and horizontal dimension: "Thus, this life is characterized by a fervent search for God in complete adherence to Christ, which is manifested in brotherly life and apostolic zeal" (art. 3). This is a general expression of religious life. Its elements will be specified later, in a manner that is specific to Carmel.

Moreover, the statutes speak in one paragraph about the vows. They are viewed as obedience to God's will and as conformity to Christ in poverty and obedience (art. 4). Unlike Vita consecrata, which places a strong emphasis on the vows at the beginning of its theology of religious or consecrated life, the statutes deal with the vows in their second part, that is, in the section "Fraternal Life," and, I think, significantly – between the chapter on community (chap. 3) and the chapter on prayer (chap. 5). The papal document adheres to the order of the vows from the Second Vatican Council: chastity, poverty, and obedience. Even the earlier preparatory text of the statutes adhered to this order, but later, during the chapter in 1995, we returned to the traditional Carmelite order: obedience, poverty, and chastity. You surely recall that Albert's Rule mentions only obedience, while chastity and poverty were added by Innocent IV.

When addressing the chapter on the vows (chap. 4), it is important to notice the contexts in which this teaching is presented:

• the vows are a radical following of Christ,
• they are a gift,
• they lead to self-giving,
• they are oriented towards the Kingdom of God (art. 43–44).

When we notice the way they are discussed, I believe that they are a traditional value, contemporary, and open to development.

At the same time, the model for each of the vows is Christ. The area of action of each of them is love: love for God and love for others. The vows are lived in community (the community) and in the world. All three require us to notice the world around us, recognize the signs of the times, and give preference to the poor and marginalized. Each vow needs to be internalized and its deepest meaning revealed. And finally, in each of them, there is an emphasis on human values: in the case of obedience, on responsibility; in the case of poverty, on the wise use of material things for human and social development; and in the case of chastity, on complete personal development and true maturity in brotherly love.

Our Models: Elijah and Mary

After an introduction that in the first articles addresses the Christological foundations of our life and their radical expression in our life, the first chapter of the statutes continues with a brief outline of the history of our order in eight concise articles (6–13). At the forefront of this section, we find Mary and Elijah.

A distinctive feature of these statutes is that they contain a profound reevaluation of our Marian and Elijah heritage. The statutes from 1930 say little about Elijah – besides the fact that he was a contemplative prophet. The same text from 1930 states that the Carmelite order is Marian, which is its identity and purpose. The statutes from 1971 clearly, even if somewhat narrowly, present Mary and Elijah as models for our order in seeking fidelity in the new situation of secularization and secularism, in which the order itself found itself. These are actually the theological perspectives of Karl Rahner and J. B. Metz.

The statutes from 1995 go much further. They show what we might call the "Carmelite Mary" and "Carmelite Elijah," meaning they show Mary and Elijah as seen by our tradition. But they return much deeper, to a richer biblical and Carmelite image than we were used to before the meeting of the provincial council in 1980 on Mount Carmel ("Return to the Sources"). They also focus "forward" – towards the problems of our time. It is characteristic of these statutes that they uncover new wealth in our heritage, recognize contemporary biblical and theological education, as well as the signs of the times, and are open to future development.

The Carmelite Virgin Mary has been defined by four titles: Mary as Patroness, Mother, Sister, and Most Pure Virgin. The relationship of Carmel to her was symbolized by the brown scapular, which expresses both Mary's care for her brothers and their piety towards her, serving her. Thus, "the scapular is a sign of Mary's maternal, constant, and firm love for the brothers and sisters in Carmel. According to its tradition, especially since the 16th century, the Carmel expresses Mary's loving closeness to God's people through scapular devotion.

The scapular is a sign of consecration to Mary, a means of associating believers with the order, and an accessible and effective tool for evangelization" (art. 27).

However, besides these traditional considerations, contemporary biblical teaching about Mary has also been incorporated into the statutes, creating a rich image of Mary, the virgin graced by the Holy Spirit, who responds to the same Spirit. This profound reality is for us a model (art. 27).

The three elements of our charism are also reflected in Mary's life:

"She is the virgin of wise and contemplative listening, who keeps the events and the Lord's words in her heart and reflects on them" (art. 27).
She is also one of the community of Christians, walking with the disciples and teaching at Cana that we must believe. She is the Virgin who builds relationships between those close to Jesus. She is the Virgin of the joyous announcement of salvation.
The sign of consecration to Mary and the means of evangelization is the scapular. This image of Mary reflects not only the traditional and biblical view but is also influenced by our brothers from Nijmegen. We see her as a person of undivided heart, a pure virgin who experiences secretly in her heart the gifts of the Spirit. The mention of the poor gains depth as it refers to the Magnificat: Mary is able to perceive "great things" that God has fulfilled in her for the salvation of the humble and poor (art. 27).

It is important to note that much more than in the previous statutes, the focus on Mary as an ideal – while the rules of our statutes address various aspects of the life of Carmel – keeps coming back:

• the life of the community (art. 70) is under her protection,
• prayer follows Mary's model (art. 64 and 79),
• Carmel shows particular respect for Mary (art. 85–87),
• the scapular is given (to believers) as a means of devotion and apostolate (art. 89),
• Marian shrines hold great significance (art. 90),
• Mary's example inspires many apostolic activities of the order (art. 95).

Thus, in the statutes, we have an image of Mary that comes from tradition, is rooted in Scripture, and is sensitive to contemporary issues. It particularly addresses the life of faith, service to the poor, and discerning God's will for oneself and for others.

Regarding Elijah, we find the same three elements as in Mary. We could speak of a "Carmelite Elijah." Until 1980, the prophet was primarily seen through the light of the motto: "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts." He was the one who stood before God, a contemplative figure. The fifth, very important council of provinces, which took place on Mount Carmel ("Return to the Sources"), found that this view was insufficient. Primarily under the leadership of the Brazilian exegete Carlos Meesters, a much richer biblical image of Elijah was discovered. At the same time, since 1980, Carmelite tradition, especially in the Middle Ages, was rediscovered. Scholars such as our Italian brother Emmanuel Boaga share the wealth of its heritage with us. And thirdly, the image of Elijah is influenced by the contemporary church.

Elijah:

• is contemplative,
• is a mystic who perceives the mystery of God's presence,
• was in solidarity with the poor and marginalized and defended those who suffered violence and injustice,
• the Nijmegen school views Elijah as a figure of the desert, a man of undivided heart.

Elijah reflects the three fundamental elements of Carmelite charism:

• he is described as contemplative, teaching us to let ourselves be led by the Spirit and shaped by God's word,
• he belonged to other like-minded men (the prophetic school),
• he engaged with the lives of people.

Just as with Mary, we can also find the figure of Elijah in various places in the statutes:

• the life of the community is to be lived in his spirit (art. 30),
• his feast is to be celebrated with great solemnity (art. 88),
• he is a model of contemplative life (art. 79),
• he is mentioned in connection with our prophetic charism (art. 92–115),
• he teaches us to perceive new signs of God's presence, to be people of reconciliation, and to be open to dialogue with Jews and Muslims (art. 96),
• he is a model of our efforts for justice and peace (art. 115).

To be continued in the next issue.
Translated from English by Miluše Hosnedlová and Jája Vanišová.