The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Roman Catholic mendicant order. It was created in 1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelite Order by two Spanish saints, St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Mendicant (or Begging) Orders are religious orders which depend directly on the riches of the people for their livelihood. ... Events May 18 - Playwright Thomas Kyds accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. ... The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are usually depicted as having halos. ... // Headline text For other people known as Saint Teresa, see Teresa Teresa of Avila by Peter Paul Rubens Saint Teresa of Avila (known in religion as Teresa de Jesús, baptised as Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada) was a Spanish Roman Catholic mystic and monastic reformer; born at Avila (53... Saint John of the Cross (Juan de la Cruz) (June 24, 1542 – December 14, 1591) was a major figure in the Catholic Reformation, a Spanish mystic and Carmelite friar born at Fontiveros, a small village near Ávila. ...

The Discalced Carmelite order is now known by the initials "O.C.D." (The older branch of the order, Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, has the initials "O. Carm."). The secular branch of the order (also known as the 'Third Order') has the initials "O.C.D.S".

History

In the 16th century, St Teresa of Ávila's work of reform, began with herself. She made a vow always to follow the most perfect course, and resolved to keep the rule as perfectly as she could. A group of nuns assembled in her cell one September evening in 1560, taking their inspiration from the primitive tradition of Carmel and the discalced reform of St Peter of Alcantara, proposed the foundation of a monastery of an eremitical type. On August 24, 1562, the new monastery dedicated to St Joseph was founded. Then in Duruelo, with John of the Cross and Anthony of Jesus, they founded the first convent of Discalced Brethren in November 1568. [1]Born at Alcántara, Spain, 1499; died 18 Oct. ... A hermit, also known as an anchorite or anchoress, is a person living in voluntary seclusion, often for religious reasons. ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... Events Earliest English slave-trading expedition under John Hawkins. ... Discalced is a term applied to those religious congregations of men and women, the members of which go entirely barefoot or wear sandals, with or without other covering for the feet. ...

For a Carmelite, prayer is deeply theological. It is guided by the teachings and experience of St Teresa of Ávila and St John of the Cross, as well as the saints who have followed in their steps, such as St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, St Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Therese of the Andes, and martyrs like those of Compiègne, Edith Stein (St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) and Père Jacques. Saint Teresa of Avila (known in religion as Teresa de Jesús, baptised as Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada) was a Spanish Roman Catholic mystic and monastic reformer; born at Avila (53 miles north-west of Madrid), Old Castile, March 28, 1515; died at Alba de Tormes October 15, 1582. ... Compiègne is a commune in the Oise département of France, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Edith Stein (October 12, 1891 – August 9, 1942) was a philosopher, a Carmelite nun, martyr, and saint of the Catholic Church, who died at Auschwitz. ...

Each day is marked by silence to create an environment for a house of prayer. In addition to the daily celebration of the full Liturgy of the Hours, two hours are set aside for uninterrupted silent prayer. The life is well balanced: community life is marked by much laughter around the meal table and during recreation. Communities are kept fairly small to nourish an atmosphere of genuine brotherhood and sharing.

While the sisters live an enclosed life, the friars live a life that is both contemplative and apostolic, in imitation of Jesus who lived both the prayer in the desert and the ministry of compassion with the multitudes. Their life of contemplation is primarily a service designed for the whole Church. The life is also marked by a serious commitment to a broadly based and thorough discipline of study to more fully develop a knowledge of the human heart that is marked by great personal sensitivity. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

See also

• St Raphael Kalinowski

Saint Raphael Kalinowski (Polish: ) (September 1, 1835 – November 15, 1907) was a Polish Discalced Carmelite friar born as Józef Kalinowski in the city of Wilno, in Poland under Russian occupation (currently, Vilnius, Lithuania). ...

External links

• Discalced Carmelite Monastery of the Sacred Hearts (many photos)
• Monastery in Arlington, Texas
• Discalced Carmelite Order
• Discalced Carmelites of Ireland, Scotland, and Nigeria
• Institute of Carmelite Studies Publications
• Discalced Carmelites in the Australian Region