Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
Encyclopedia
The Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (also known as Carmelite Monks) is a religious community of diocesan right, founded in 2003 by Fr. Daniel Mary of Jesus Crucified, M. Carm. under the authority of Bishop David Laurin Ricken
, D.D., J.C.L. in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
in Wyoming
.
The Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel do not belong to either the Ancient Observance
or Discalced
branches of the Carmelite Order, who originated as hermit monks and have been mendicant friars since the 13th century. The male Carmelites of the two main branches of the Order are not considered monastics, as the cloistered Carmelite nuns are. The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming are a new and separate community of men living an enclosed life, inspired by the ancient Carmelite monastic life, under the authority of the local diocesan Bishop, yet maintain their Carmelite identity through Fr. Daniel Mary, who was clothed as a Carmelite by members of the order. They use the suffix M.Carm. to designate membership in their order.
These Carmelites call themselves monks although Carmelites today in general are not called monks, but friar
s. The original hermits who lived on Mount Carmel in the 12th - 13th century however also called themselves monks. In one of the first works of the Carmelite Order, "The Institutions of the First Monks," also known as the Book of the First Monks
written sometime during this period, the charism of the Carmelites was laid out as a hidden life of prayer performed by a monk
. The Carmelite monks are attempting to follow this same hidden monastic Carmelite life.
, which is similar to the Tridentine Mass
. The Carmelite Rite, based on the Rite of the Holy Sepulchre, was a heritage of the Ancient Observance branch of the Carmelite Order from the time of the first lay hermits on Mount Carmel
in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, until Vatican II at which time the Carmelites began to celebrate the ordinary form of the Roman Rite Mass. The first Rule of Carmel was given to the Carmelites by Saint Albert of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
, who in that time was exiled in the city of Acre, Israel
, from which place Mount Carmel was visible to the south.
Fr. Daniel, the founder of Monks of the Blessed Virgin Mary, had previously been sub-prior and novice master for the Hermits of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
, a monastery in Minnesota of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance
(O.Carm), where the hermits have been studying the Carmelite Rite
liturgy since the mid-1990s with a keen interest in reviving its use.
The Carmelite Monks support themselves by selling gourmet coffee which they roast themselves under the name Mystic Monk Coffee. They have also produced a CD of chant music called Mystical Chants of Carmel.
in the mountains in imitation of St. Elias from the book of Kings in the Old Testament.
David Laurin Ricken
David Laurin Ricken is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the twelfth Bishop of Green Bay, having previously served as Bishop of Cheyenne.-Early life:...
, D.D., J.C.L. in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne is a Roman Catholic diocese covering the state of Wyoming. It was founded on August 2, 1887 by Pope Leo XIII...
in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
.
The Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel do not belong to either the Ancient Observance
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
or Discalced
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
branches of the Carmelite Order, who originated as hermit monks and have been mendicant friars since the 13th century. The male Carmelites of the two main branches of the Order are not considered monastics, as the cloistered Carmelite nuns are. The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming are a new and separate community of men living an enclosed life, inspired by the ancient Carmelite monastic life, under the authority of the local diocesan Bishop, yet maintain their Carmelite identity through Fr. Daniel Mary, who was clothed as a Carmelite by members of the order. They use the suffix M.Carm. to designate membership in their order.
These Carmelites call themselves monks although Carmelites today in general are not called monks, but friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s. The original hermits who lived on Mount Carmel in the 12th - 13th century however also called themselves monks. In one of the first works of the Carmelite Order, "The Institutions of the First Monks," also known as the Book of the First Monks
Book of the First Monks
The Book of the First Monks is a medieval Christian work in the contemplative and eremetic tradition of the Carmelites. It is one of the most important documents of the Order, because it shaped many of the Saints from the Carmelite Order in the basic spirituality of the first Hermits...
written sometime during this period, the charism of the Carmelites was laid out as a hidden life of prayer performed by a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
. The Carmelite monks are attempting to follow this same hidden monastic Carmelite life.
Charism
A young Carmelite Monk, Br. Simon Mary, described his community's charism in this way in a 2008 interview:
Carmelite monks are consecrated to God through the vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty. Our time is spent in prayer and penance for the salvation of souls, interceding for the Church and the world, as well as in the study of Scripture and the fathers and doctors of the Church. Our Carmelite community has four pillars: The first is filial devotion to the Blessed Mother. Second is the Holy Rule of St. Albert, also known as the Carmelite Rule, in its original observance. Third is the Carmelite Rite of the Mass, the liturgy in use until the Second Vatican Council. And fourth, the discalced Carmelite charism: the spirituality, customs, and way of life as lived by St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Ávila, which entails a strict constitutional enclosure -- our monks don't leave the monastery at all, except for doctor appointments when no doctor is available to come to the monastery, or other emergencies, with permission from the Bishop.
Traditional Liturgy
The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming use the traditional Latin liturgy of the Carmelite RiteCarmelite Rite
The Rite of the Holy Sepulchre commonly called the Carmelite Rite is the liturgical rite that was used by the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre, Hospitallers, Templars, Carmelites and the other orders founded within the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem....
, which is similar to the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
. The Carmelite Rite, based on the Rite of the Holy Sepulchre, was a heritage of the Ancient Observance branch of the Carmelite Order from the time of the first lay hermits on Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ; , Kármēlos; , Kurmul or جبل مار إلياس Jabal Mar Elyas 'Mount Saint Elias') is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. Archaeologists have discovered ancient wine and oil presses at various locations on Mt. Carmel...
in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, until Vatican II at which time the Carmelites began to celebrate the ordinary form of the Roman Rite Mass. The first Rule of Carmel was given to the Carmelites by Saint Albert of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
, who in that time was exiled in the city of Acre, Israel
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, from which place Mount Carmel was visible to the south.
Fr. Daniel, the founder of Monks of the Blessed Virgin Mary, had previously been sub-prior and novice master for the Hermits of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
Hermits of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
The Hermits of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel is a branch of the religious Carmelite Order of the Ancient Observance, who originated as hermit monks and have been mendicant friars since the 13th century. The male Carmelites of this branch of the Order are not considered monastics as...
, a monastery in Minnesota of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
(O.Carm), where the hermits have been studying the Carmelite Rite
Carmelite Rite
The Rite of the Holy Sepulchre commonly called the Carmelite Rite is the liturgical rite that was used by the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre, Hospitallers, Templars, Carmelites and the other orders founded within the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem....
liturgy since the mid-1990s with a keen interest in reviving its use.
The Carmelite Monks support themselves by selling gourmet coffee which they roast themselves under the name Mystic Monk Coffee. They have also produced a CD of chant music called Mystical Chants of Carmel.
New Mount Carmel
The Carmelite Monks are founding the New Mount Carmel, where the original Carmelite charism will be lived in the mountains of Wyoming.This reflects the continual effort of Carmelites throughout the century to return to the eremitical life of a hermitHermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
in the mountains in imitation of St. Elias from the book of Kings in the Old Testament.
See also
- CarmelitesCarmelitesThe Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
- Carmelite Rule of St. AlbertCarmelite Rule of St. AlbertThe eremitic Rule of St. Albert is the shortest of the rules of consecrated life in existence of the Roman Catholic spiritual tradition. St. Albert Avogadro, a priest of the Canons Regular and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, wrote the Rule in the early 13th century. The Rule is directed to Brother...
- Book of the First MonksBook of the First MonksThe Book of the First Monks is a medieval Christian work in the contemplative and eremetic tradition of the Carmelites. It is one of the most important documents of the Order, because it shaped many of the Saints from the Carmelite Order in the basic spirituality of the first Hermits...
- Constitutions of the Carmelite OrderConstitutions of the Carmelite OrderThe stand as an expression of the ideals and spirit of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.Foundational sources for the Constitutions include the desert hermit vocation as exemplified in the life of the Prophet Elijah. For the Carmelite the contemplative vocation is exemplified par excellence...
- Enclosed religious orders
- HermitHermitA hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...