The Fractured Face of Carmel on the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel

The Fractured Face of Carmel

Brilliant article about the disastrous consequences for the Order of the post-Conciliar revolution.

The issues include faulty interpretation of the authentic spiritual patrimony for the Order, confusion of who had juridical competence to redact the legislative text, and resistance to the role of the nuns in the process of renewal. In addition, secrecy which haunted the Order early on also perpetuated the confusing and contradictory events which took place in the name of renewal for the nuns after Vatican 11. In the course of gathering data for the dissertation, 'Post-Conciliar renewal of the legislative texts for the Order of the Discalced Carmelite nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Cannel', a large number of people who provided primary sources and were interviewed asked that their names not be published. It was revealed that certain information was kept secret from the nuns over the years. It became evident that a good amount of erroneous information had been passed around about their attempted renewal, both written and verbal. To this day the mistrust among the members overrides much of the rhetoric of renewal that has been used in some cases to hinder renewal itself.

Before one can evaluate what went on in an event or learn from it, one must first have the truth, the relevant data and pertinent information. This is essential for the Discalced Carmelite nuns because faulty assumptions have formed faulty conclusions. The only way to evaluate the results of the renewal attempted by these nuns is to evaluate the renewal process within the light of truth. St Thérèse of the Child Jesus OCD, soon to be named Doctor of the Church, soughSt only the truth in a world that needs truth and nothing more. She says, close to the end of her life, 'I can nourish myself on nothing but the truth. . . Yes, it seems to me I never sought anything but the truth . . .