Secular Carmelites are adult, lay Catholics, drawn to a life committed to intimacy with God. Secular Carmelites imitate Mary in their daily lives. That is, they live humbly, filled with faith, detached, and are willing to do God’s will at all times. Mary always allowed God to be God throughout her life. Mary leads all to her Son, Jesus. The outward sign of the Carmelite vocation is wearing the scapular, a sign of special devotion to and protection from Mary, the Queen and Beauty of Carmel.
Discalced Carmelite Seculars are called to bear witness to Jesus Christ through our friendship with God evident in every day life. Around the world there are more than 45,000 members of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS) coming from every imaginable background, education and work. Members may be single or married persons.
United together we pursue personal holiness with a commitment to serving the Church in faithfulness to the Teresian Carmelite charism. Together with the friars and nuns, Carmelite Seculars form the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The calling to join Carmel is a lifelong commitment, made after several years of discernment. If one is blessed with a vocation, a promise is made to deepen our Christian commitment received during Baptism and seek the face of God in prayer and service for the good of the Church and needs of the world.
There are more than 6,000 Secular Carmelites organized into communities across the United States. Each community meets regularly to pray, study and helps is members fulfill their promises. Discalced Carmelite Seculars are practicing members of the Catholic Church who, under the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel find particular inspiration in the Saints of Carmel, most especially St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross.