Craig Morrison, O.Carm.<\/em> Are you seeking a deeper immersion in Carmelite spirituality? This Certificate Program offers a variety of courses to make the rich Carmelite heritage available to the contemporary Church and world. **We are also developing an\u00a0online\u00a0<\/b>version of this program. If interested, fill out\u00a0this google form<\/u><\/b><\/a> and we will contact you with more details as they develop! Questions? Email:\u00a0trs-carmelite-studies@cua.edu<\/u><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t The Carmelites of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, in allegiance to Jesus Christ, live in a prophetic and contemplative stance of prayer, common life, and service.\u00a0 Inspired by Elijah and Mary and informed by the Carmelite Rule, we give witness to an eight-hundred-year-old tradition of spiritual transformation in the United States, Canada, Peru, Mexico, and El Salvador, and Honduras.<\/strong><\/p> Please consider supporting their mission
Chair, Center for Carmelite Studies<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Carmelite Center celebrated St.\u00a0Th\u00e9r\u00e8se of Lisieux on October 1st<\/sup> in the student center at the Catholic University of America. In the heart of the CUA campus, the entire Carmelite community from Whitefriars Hall gathered to pray, sing and distribute hundreds of roses and prayer cards to the students passing by. Now in my second year here at CUA, I have witnessed the extraordinary interest in St. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se among the many students who have read The Story of a Soul<\/em>. She speaks to their life experience. \u00a0
The Carmelite Center hosted its Annual Lecture in September to celebrate the centenaries of St. John of the Cross (canonization and doctor of the Church). Jodi Bilinkoff (Professor of History, Emerita, University of North Carolina at Greensboro), Alison Weber (Professor of Spanish, Emerita, University of Virginia) and Christopher Wilson (Visiting Professor of Art History, George Washington University) offered stimulating insights into our Doctor of the Church. Prof. Weber delved into the collaboration between John of the Cross and Anne of Jesus who inspired John to revise the Spiritual Canticle and write a theological explication of the Canticle that John dedicated to Anne. The artistic representation of John of the Cross also came into focus. Prof. Bilinkoff spoke about the illustration known as \u201cthe miracle at Segovia\u201d. The illustration (presented below) depicts Jesus holding the cross and speaking to John.
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Domine pati et contemni pro te.<\/strong>
John, what do you want in return for [your] labours?<\/strong>
Lord, to suffer and to be despised for your sake.<\/strong><\/em><\/div>
Prof. Bilinkoff explained: John asked to live and die without privilege or entitlement. Prof. Wilson further developed the relationship between John and Christ in art. He showed the painting by Crist\u00f3bal de Villalpando, St. John of the Cross in Penitence<\/em> (1675-1680) to remember how John, as he gazed upon this masterpiece, heard Christ speaking to him. These lectures reminded us that Christian art speaks to our hearts.
Currently underway this month is the catechesis for the enrollment in the Carmelite Scapular. About 35 students, both undergraduate and graduate, attended last week\u2019s first session with Br. John-Mary Winter, OCD. He reminded these young people, so adept at the use of the internet, that some information online is misleading, and his catechesis worked to correct this. On Oct 15th<\/sup>, the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, these students will have the opportunity to be enrolled in the Scapular. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
Many years ago, my mother talked about the impact that now Blessed Fulton Sheen had on her life and on the lives of many others, both Catholic and Protestant. Sheen recognized how the social media of his day (radio and television) could effectively transmit the faith. It is well known that Fulton Sheen also became a Third Order Carmelite, professing his vows in the chapel pictured below at Whitefriars Hall here in Washington, DC. Why he chose to become a Carmelite is clear in the eleven homilies that he preached on St. Th\u00e9r\u00e8se of Lisieux on the hundredth anniversary of her death at our Carmelite church in the heart of Dublin, Ireland. At the conclusion of this novena, Sheen focused on how Th\u00e9r\u00e8se spoke about divine mercy:<\/div>
Our frail little Th\u00e9r\u00e8se, who claimed not to have any
deep knowledge, was a deeper theologian than many of us.
For she understood this mystery I have expounded to you:
\u2026. Let no one, therefore, ever despair of mercy. The Blood of Christ
has paid all debts if you but invoke it. And who else can ever
help us anyway?<\/em><\/strong><\/div>
Lastly, when Fr. John Welch went to the hospital in August of 2025 for what would be his final time, he left behind a manuscript that was still in process. The book has now appeared from\u00a0Paulist Press with the title, Our Spiritual Journey: The Carmelite Way.<\/em> As I proofed the manuscript at the request of Paulist Press, I could hear Fr. Jack\u2019s voice speaking on every page. Like Jack himself, his final book is a gentle, warm read.
Fraternally,
Craig Morrison, O.Carm.
Chair, Center for Carmelite Studies<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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