Sacred Heart Carmel of Saint John of the Cross OCDS Study Group of Coronado

Meetings on the Third Saturday of each month from 8:30am – 12:00pm

Sacred Heart Ministry Center
655 C Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118

For more information, contact Jacquel Prelgovisk, OCDS at (619) 635-0531 or JacquelPrel@gmail.com

St. Pope John Paul II was an honorary member of the OCDS

The primary, daily obligations of the Seculars are to engage in silent, contemplative prayer or “recollection”, to pray Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers) of the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office), and to attend daily Mass and pray Night Prayer (Compline) when possible. Lectio Divina and spiritual retreats are also highly encouraged.

As models of this ancient way of life, they study the writings and imitate the lives of the many saints of the Discalced Carmelite Order, especially St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross, both doctors of the Church. They “gladly mortify themselves in union with the Sacrifice of Christ,” and their “interior life must be permeated by an intense devotion to Our Lady.” They wear the brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which is the habit of the Secular Order and the entire Discalced Carmelite Order. Larger scapulars of various sizes are worn for ceremonial purposes. They attend the monthly meetings of the local communities of which they are members, and members of each community serves terms on the community’s council, which coordinates the formation of members and the other aspects of the community. In their communities the Seculars find the fraternity necessary to advance in the spiritual life, often coupled with liturgies and lectures presided over by the Friars, where available.

Finally, the intense prayer life of Seculars is intended to flow over into many varied works of charity and justice in the world.

Membership

Depending on their existing provincial statutes and with the approval of their local council, their communities accept Catholics in good standing in the Church who meet the age requirement into formation. Admission into formation depends on a clear indication of a Carmelite vocation and maturity in faith as discerned by the local council of the community petitioned, and permission to profess the Promise of the Seculars requires a number of years spent in spiritual formation and the study of contemplative prayer under the direction of the community’s formators. Catholics called to this vocation by God begin by discovering a community of Seculars which they visit for monthly meetings and may eventually join. Communities are listed in online provincial directories.

Seculars are spread throughout the world in various communities, with each community canonically erected, and subject to the direction of the provincial superiors of each province and the General Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Order in Rome.