Religious Orders
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations who live in some way, usually set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion – characterized by the principles of its founder’s religious practice.
In Christianity, a group of men or women live under three vows:
1. Vow of Poverty – to relinquish all possessions
2. Vow of Obedience – to relinquish all authority
3. Vow of Chastity – to not engage in sexual relations
In Christianity, there are religious orders in the Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant traditions. There are also religious orders in the Islamic and Buddhist traditions.
Catholic Traditions:
Members of a Catholic religious institute pronounce vows that
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In 1214, Albert presented the hermits with this Rule of Life. It directs hermits to celebrate the Eucharist together every day, to gather weekly and correct each other. This Rule is still the formula of living for Carmelites today. Shortly after passing this rule, the hermits were forced off their land. They migrated west and settled in Sicily, Italy, Spain, France and England.
Mission, Vision and Values:
The vision statement of the Carmelites is, “Carmel, a place and way of the transformation of God”.
Mission Statement:
The Carmelites of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, live in a stance of prayer, common life and service, in allegiance to Jesus Christ. They are inspired by Elijah and Mary and informed by the Carmelite Rule, and give witness to an eight-hundred year old tradition of spiritual transformation in countries all over the world.
Values:
Through personal and communal prayer, they are united with Christ and transformed in the Holy Spirit. This is a deep engagement with the presence of God.
Through prayer, living and proclaiming the Word of God, the light of God fills them with prophetic zeal for building the kingdom of