Dwelling in the heart of the Church

At times, we desire to launch out “into the deep” with the net of our Catholic faith. We might feel that our prayer life is a little dull, and we may be seeking more meaningful conversations with Our Lord. Or, we may simply want to offer our life back to God in the fullest, most beautiful way that we possibly can as lay persons amid this dark world, so desperately in need of His mercy.

Many of us have these longings, but we aren't sure where to turn, and this is where a lay order membership can come in.
           
“When I was in formation about 20 years ago, a religious sister told me that the lay Carmelite vocation is a secondary vocation, and that I need to take it seriously,” said Billy Wolf. “She reminded me that although it comes after my vocation to take care of my family, I shouldn't make light of it. It is not just something I do, it is something I am, and there is much more to it than just saying prayers.”
           
Looking back, Billy is grateful he’s had his lay Carmelite commitment to turn to over the years. It has given him the graces he needs to serve his family the best he can.
           
“My wife Theresa and I have five children, and I first became a lay Carmelite when my oldest child was 17,” he shared. “I made sure I didn't take too much time away from the family to say my prayers, so I would get up early before work and make a Holy Hour, and go to daily Mass when I was able to. Having a great prayer life has really helped guide me, and give me the strength and wisdom to raise my children. It has allowed me to guide my children in the right direction. Overall, it has helped tremendously!”
           
Today, Billy continues to embrace the Carmelite spirituality with all his heart, finding great serenity and hope by doing so. When he isn't spending time with his family or getting some work done, he can be found praying his breviary, in the adoration chapel, or at Mass.
           
“I began praying three offices of the breviary from the very beginning, and I have never stopped since,” Billy said. “Now that I am retired, I pray all seven offices every day. I am really drawn to silent prayer as well, and I love spending time alone with Jesus. My prayers keep me up to tune all the time. We are all called to prayer, community and ministry, but without putting prayer first in our lives, the rest is not going to work out. If we pray, God will steer us in the right direction.”
           
No matter what life seems to throw at him, Billy is profoundly grateful that he has the sturdy foundation of his lay Carmelite commitment to lean upon. And, he's also glad he can share the “spiritual wealth” with others.
           
“During the coronavirus lockdown, my wife Theresa and I were home a lot together, so we started praying the breviary together,” Billy said. “I am so thankful for my prayers. I can't imagine what life would be like without prayer. It would feel so empty.”
           
Billy finds the strength he needs to live out his “secondary vocation” through fellowship with other lay Carmelites who gather monthly at Spirit of Life Church in Mandan. The group, named Our Lady of Divine Providence, includes several dedicated members who commit themselves to praying at least two offices of the breviary and the rosary daily, coming to monthly meetings, attending daily Mass if possible, wearing the Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and spending time in meditation every day.
           
Most of all, they strive to offer their entire lives to Our Lord, serving Mother Church and all those around them and entrusting their souls to the protection of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
           
“Our Lady called me to look deeper into the contemplative aspect of Catholic spirituality, and this is what led me to join the lay Carmelites,” said Cheryl Hanson, who serves as the contact person for Our Lady of Divine Providence lay Carmelite group. “Overall, it has helped my spiritual journey so much, and given me what I needed to live out my faith. It has been a very important, powerful experience for me.”
           
Lay Carmelites like Cheryl appreciate the many ways in which their secondary vocation helps them live out their primary vocation.
           
“It is all about helping you live out your Catholic faith to the best of your ability, during your everyday life,” Cheryl said. “Being a lay Carmelite has really helped me be a better wife and mother. My husband, Barry, is also a lay Carmelite. Even though he is a very active guy, and not necessarily contemplative, he saw the fruit of my Carmelite vocation, and decided he wanted to be a lay Carmelite, too. It really strengthens our marriage, and impacts the way we live out our lives together.”
           
The desire to be a lay Carmelite is not just something that comes to a person, it is something rooted in a divine call from God the Father.
           
“God truly calls us out!” Cheryl explained. “If you look at the history of the Carmelites, and how unique they were, you see that they had to be true contemplatives. Being a lay Carmelite helps me see how God is working things out in my life, even if I don't always understand. It allows me to keep a good perspective. Becoming a lay Carmelite isn't just about professing something or becoming 'someone else.' It is about becoming who God created you to be.”
           
Throughout the history of Catholicism, numerous canonized saints and faithful souls dedicated themselves to lay orders, finding in them a path to sanctity.
           
Devotion of St. John Paul II

“St. John Paul II was a lay Carmelite, and this fostered his great devotion to Our Lady,” Cheryl commented. “He did a beautiful job of weaving his own contemplative Marian spirituality into everything he did.”
           
Given what is happening in the Church and in the world now, people need to turn to prayer like they never have before, with tremendous dedication and fervor. Prayer is a lifeline, the native breath of those who sincerely follow Christ. By belonging to a lay or third order, a Catholic can help lift Mother Church up from her struggles, and give hope to all those around them.
           
“The world we live in right now is so confused and broken,” Cheryl explained. “It is a very difficult time in history. The things of the world are being idolized, which is against the first commandment to honor and serve God. Now, more than ever, the Church really needs lay people to be lights of Christ's love. We all need to pray a lot, and help one another to grow closer to God.”
           
Cheryl wants to encourage other Catholics to consider joining the lay Carmelites, so that more souls can be “love” in the heart of the Church, as was St. Therese of Lisieux.
           
“I hope that people will be willing to just come and see what Our Lady is offering to the lay Carmelites,” Cheryl said. “I hope our group can be an answer to prayer for them. I invite anyone, married or single, who has a desire to look deeper into Carmelite spirituality, to visit us and learn what it is all about.” 
           
Informational meeting on Sept. 9

Those who are interested in becoming a lay Carmelite must: be a practicing Catholic living in communion with the Church (no marriage irregularities); be at least 18 years old; obtain a recommendation from their parish priest or another priest that knows them well; not currently be a lay member of another third order or lay community; have good moral conduct; and desire to live and act in the spirit of the Carmelite charism. The next informational meeting and registration for formation is scheduled on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Spirit of Life Catholic Church in Mandan. For further information or to register, please contact Cheryl at 701-527-4022.