Carmelite Conversations

In this program we focus on Mary as Virgin, Mother, and Spouse. As Virgin, we are with her at the Annunciation and see anew her great purity of heart and her receptivity to the great news from St. Gabriel. Mary, with her "Fiat," clearly emphasizes "Thy will be done." Then, she "ponders" all these things in her heart. As Mother, we see Mary's fruitful love. Her pure prayer leads to an abundance of graces poured out to all. As Spouse of the Holy Spirit, she is the perfect model for all who pray as we grow in our love relationship with Christ and become the Bride of Christ. Finally, we, in imitation of Mary, with Mary, through Mary, and in union with Mary, we may grow closer to Christ as we live a life of prayer.

This particular program picks up on the series of Devotion to the Holy Face.  Mark and Frances trace the history of this devotion within the Church, and then outline some of the key events which led to its reinstitution on a number of occasions.  They also provide specific details on the lives of Sr. Mary of St. Peter, the Carmelite nun of Tours who received revelations from the Lord on this devotion, and also, Leo Dupont, who actively practiced the devotion for years, after Sr. Mary's death, and long before it received official Papal recognition.

On this program, Mark and Frances cover a list of their favorite Carmelite Books.  This is a list of the less well known, but none-the-less very useful books on a whole range of Carmelite topics; including Carmelite spirituality, contemplative prayer, Mystical Theology and outlines of some of the key figures in the history of the Order.  Each of the books presented have been read by one or both of the presenters, and Mark and Frances are able to offer their insights on how the texts can contribute to your own spiritual journey.

"Carmelite Conversations" Host Frances Harry welcomes guest, Deacon Russell Baldwin back to the program to continue our conversation on "Divine Mercy and the Carmelites."  We focused on the 5 Stages of the Mercy of God with examples from our Carmelite Saints followed by deeper insights on "Divine Mercy" by St. Therese of Lisieux, the little flower.  For her, confidence and trust in God's divine and merciful love are foundational to her whole relationship with God and is evident in her practice of the "Little Way of Spiritual Childhood."

"Carmelite Conversations" Host Frances Harry welcomes guest, Deacon Russell Baldwin to the program.  The topic for this program is the "Divine Mercy Devotion" and the Carmelites.  We discussed the 5 forms of Devotion to Divine Mercy as presented to St. Faustina from her Diary, now published and available to the public ("Divine Mercy in My Soul: the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska").  Our conversation continued with a comparison of St. Faustina with the well-known Carmelite, St. Therese of Lisieux, who sang the mercies of the Lord in her manuscripts which were compiled and put into book form, known as "Story of a Soul" by St. Therse of Lisieux.

This program began a four part series on the Devotion to the Holy Face.  This remarkably powerful devotion was actually instituted by Veronica when she wiped the face of Jesus as He climbed to His crucifixion on Calvary.  The program goes on to discuss four other instances in the history of the Church where this Devotion either gained great popularity or was actually re-instituted by Christ.  The first was in the early 1840's through the revelations to a Carmelite Sister named Mary of St Peter.  The promises and the power of this devotion were offered to combat both blasphemy and the sins against the holy day of Sunday.  The devotion was then reintroduced by St Therese of Lisieux around the late 1800's, again in the mid 1940's through an Italian Mother Pierina of the Immaculate Conception, and finally, in our own time through a man name Gordon Deery in Montreal, who carries on this world-wide ministry even today.

This program draws from Brother Lawrence's own letters to other religious who he maintained correspondence with in his later life.  These letters represent the best source of information for understanding what Brother Lawrence himself had to say, not only about the Practice of the Presence of God, but just as importantly, how to overcome the difficulties that one might expect to encounter in making this practice a part of daily life.

This program discusses Brother Lawrence's basic teachings on detachment, the need for silence and the process for practicing the presence even in our daily life.  The discussion focuses largely on the Spiritual Maxims, and Brother Lawrence's "Conversations" with Fr. Beaufort.  The program also discusses the evidence provided by Fr. Beaufort as to how Brother Lawrence lived out this practice in his own daily life.

This program is drawn from the writings of Fr. Beaufort, who wrote and delivered the eulogy at Brother Lawrence's funeral. He drew from his own communication with Brother Lawrence to offer an objective review of the man's life, his teachings and how he manifested them in his very person. He speaks about a man of great humility and also great faith.

This program is the introduction to Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection's life and biographical sketch. It details his early military experience and his failed effort to become a hermit. It ends with his entry into the Carmel in Paris where he spent the rest of his life.

"This conversation will address Elizabeth of the Trinity's Last Retreat, offered not long before her death.  The conversation focuses on Elizabeth's sublime theology of how we must learn to rise above everything in our life that is not God, and how all that happens to us can truly be used to help us to enter into the center of our soul.  Finally, we address the last stages of Elizabeth's earthly journey and her passage to eternity." cinnamon

"This particular program deals with our univeral vocation in Christ.  As baptized Christians, we are all called to Union with God through Christ.  This conversation explores our call to build ourselves into Holy Temples where the Trinity might dwell and where we can participate in the very life of the Three Divine Persons.  Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity explains how we can begin to build what St Augustine refers to as the City of God within our souls. This program builds on the theme of simplicity, solitude and silence in our prayer life."

"This program picks up on the biographical sketch of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity after her entry into Carmel.  It then goes on to explore some of her major writings, both her individual retreats and her letters.  Blessed Elizabeth understood very clearly the need to dispense with anything that did not lead her to God, but she did not attempt to achieve this by simply leaving the world.  Rather, she shows, through her writings, how the real objective must be to bring everything in a persons life under the submission of Christ.  She speaks of the need to see with the "single eye" and practice the principles of silence, simplicity and solitude."

"This program offers a brief biographical sketch of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. Blessed Elizabeth was a Carmelite nun who lived in France and died in her early twenties, in 1906. Her remarkable writings are considered materpieces of spiritual insight, and they deal largely with the life of the Trinity dwelling within each of us. This program covers the major events of her life leading up to her entry into Carmel, and how the more significant events of her childhood served to form her and draw her into an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ."

 This program covers St Therese's profound teaching on Purgatory.  Begining with a brief explanation of the Church's teaching on Purgatory, in this program we discuss how St Therese taught that we do not necessarily need to go to Purgatory.  She argues there is a way to avoid it, and that is simply to have trust in our loving Father.  Further, she argues, the real path is to simply become love throughout our life.  Then, she says, there is nothing that the flames of purgatory, which are nothing other than the flame of God's Love, can do to us.  For we will have become that very flame of love.