Descubrir el Carmelo a través de la oración, el diálogo y la comunidad

Shared prayer, thoughtful questions, and moments of laughter have already marked the Carmelite Institute of North America’s Young Adult Weekend Retreat opening night. With a late registration bringing attendance to 18 young adults, nine men and nine women, the retreat has filled the available accommodations.

From its opening gatherings, the first day has already offered participants an opportunity to encounter Carmelite spirituality through a formal presentation and the experience of community: praying, asking questions, and discovering the traditions that unite the wider Carmelite family.

One especially meaningful introduction came through Night Prayer on this first evening together. Fr. Filiberto did a wonderful job of explaining how Carmelites celebrate this prayer and guiding participants through it, helping those experiencing it for the first time truly experience the community’s rhythm of prayer. Gathering at the end of the day offered a tangible experience of the spirituality that will be explored throughout the retreat.

While participants were also introduced to CarmelPrays.com, where they were able to hear the friars pray and continue exploring this practice at home, during the weekend the intention if for the emphasis to remain on the beauty of praying together.

Fr. Michael-Joseph’s first presentation on Saint John of the Cross drew an attentive and engaged response, followed by a lively question-and-answer session. To preserve the talks as resources while encouraging honest conversation, the leaders established a clear distinction: all presentations will be recorded (full videos and transcripts of ALL presentations will soon be available on the CarmeliteInstitue.net website), while prayer, questions, and discussions will remain unrecorded. This approach will hopefully provide participants room to speak openly, explore uncertainties, and ask questions freely.

Some of the evening’s most memorable moments arose spontaneously. An exchange between Fr. Michael-Joseph and Fr. Filiberto about John of the Cross’ life and times brought together perspectives from the OCD and O.Carm. traditions. Their good humor prompted laughter while also offering participants a fuller appreciation of this shared history.

That spirit carried into conversations about the entire Carmelite family. Small differences in the celebration of Night Prayer and visible differences in religious habits became opportunities for discovery and warm exchanges among the presenters. These moments helped make the idea of a Carmelite family concrete: a shared spiritual inheritance expressed through distinct traditions and lived in relationship with one another.

Discussion about Mary’s place in that family also emerged naturally. Following several references to Mary during introductions, a brief observation about the friars as the “Brothers of Mary” prompted Br. Vladimir and Fr. Filiberto to reflect further on this aspect of Carmelite identity.

Each participant was provided a copy of Piedras angulares, accompanied by a short introduction to its overview of Carmelite history and spirituality. This resource offers one more way for the young adults to continue exploring Carmel beyond their time here at the retreat.

So far, this gathering has definitively demonstrated the value of creating space for young adults to encounter Carmel together – through its prayer and history, through candid conversation, and through the warmth of a family willing to share its life.

Stay tuned for future articles on the presentations and a personal reflection by one of the attendees!

P.S. – I was told by one of the event team that the question of “Why is there no Saint Carmel?” came up more than once from attendees. Happily, we have some resources available to answer that exact question! Visit https://carmelitemedia.tiny.us/nosaintcarmel to watch a series of short videos produced to address why there is no Saint Carmel!