Discerment

Pre-discernment for Potential New Aspirants

By Susan Ortega OCDS
(Dallas OCDS community)

I have been asked to share the Dallas community’s method of receiving new aspirants, which we like to refer to as “pre-discernment.” This method was developed after several years of struggles and successes with the process, and with the input of many dedicated OCDS members. Pre-discernment is a beneficial process because discernment is stressed throughout an individual’s walk in formation. The earlier a candidate realizes the depth of the commitment required and that their “inner” call must be confirmed by the community, the clearer and more spiritually healthy the discernment.

We begin by having a chosen OCDS community member to be the contact person for all interested individuals. Currently our Dallas contact member is also the teacher/director of the aspirancy class. His/her initial contact with the potential aspirant includes the following topics:

· Explain 2-way call (aspirant “discerns” a call to community / community confirms this call)

· Explain basic daily “requirements” of OCDS members (to be learned and implemented over time); daily meditation, morning and evening prayer; daily mass (if possible), etc.


· Explain length of formation periods: 1 year aspirancy, 2 year formation before 1st promise, 3 year formation before final promise, on-going formation for Professed members (important to stress this; a lifetime commitment to community meetings.)

· Explain meeting dates and times, meeting format (classes, business meeting, vespers, etc.)

After this initial discussion, the contact member mails out a copy of the community brochure*, a copy of the pamphlet on the meaning of the brown scapular, and finally something for the potential aspirant to pray over and reflect on. A good suggestion for this reflection would be a copy of the “Handout for Potential Aspirants” from the Oklahoma OCDS homepage or section I from the Constitutions, “Our Identity, Values and Commitment.” The individual is asked to spend some time, (minimum of one week) in prayer and reflection over the material received, and if still interested, to CALL BACK the OCDS contact person. The contact member can then answer any questions and have additional discussion with the potential aspirant.

If the candidate wishes to continue after this “first” period of discernment, the introductory information form is sent to them, along with instructions to return the completed form to the aspirant teacher/director before the start date of the new aspirancy class. We have found that visiting did not help individuals answer any questions and was a distraction to the community, so new people only attend community meetings after they begin aspirancy.

*It is helpful to have a pamphlet or brochure that describes some of the basic information about your community, as well as the phone number and/or email address of the OCDS contact member. Our experience has been that when an individual first makes contact with a community, their excitement often “clouds” their ability to remember some of the information we have shared with them. A written copy thus helps to clarify those points.

Discerning a Vocation to Carmel:

The Council’s Role

By the Council of the St. Teresa of Jesus Community, Cedar Rapids, Iowa


One of the responsibilities of the council of the local community is “to admit candidates to formation, the Promises, and the Vows” (OCDS Constitutions, No. 47 a). The council recognizes that this responsibility entails collaborating with the candidate in discerning whether God is calling him or her to the vocation of the Secular Carmelite or to another vocation entirely.

The first discernment, of course, rests in the council’s decision even to invite someone to attend a meeting. In our community, two members of the council meet with an interested person two or three times to explain a little of what Carmel is but mostly to listen. They try to see whether that person is truly called to a life of prayer and study in community or perhaps is called to another expression of the Carmelite charism. Or maybe the inquirer needs to be encouraged in a whole other direction. At this point, the interviewers are concerned not only for the applicant’s well-being but also for that of the community: will this person be a distraction to the unity of the community even in the context of a few visits? Is he or she psychologically balanced? Does he or she have an agenda and the desire to impose it on the community?

Beyond that, the interviewers are listening for the articulation of a desire to grow in an intimate relationship with Christ and His Church, as well as an interest in the Carmelite saints and their teachings. (In the back of their minds, the interviewers are also wondering what this person might bring to Carmel.)

That first year, while the visitor begins initial formation and comes to meetings, he or she is discerning whether Carmel, as made visible by this community, is what he or she is being called to. At the same time, the council is deciding whether this person should be clothed. A readily apparent indicator is attendance at meetings. Is he or she showing up? Or do other involvements, however good, take precedence? Perhaps this person will not be able to make Carmel a priority.

Does the candidate have a burning desire to feed the poor, rather than to pray? Perhaps he or she has a call to the Franciscans. Is there a strong inclination to teach rather than pray? Maybe this person is a Dominican at heart.

Is this person teachable? How does he or she respond to correction? Is he or she growing in trust and willingness to be transparent with his or her formator? Is there docility to the teachings of the Church?

Does the candidate integrate himself or herself into the community? Is there willingness to spend time with the community? Does he or she try to monopolize discussions? Does he or she seem to have as a frame of reference the charisms of other orders or movements?

Finally, but very importantly, the council seeks to understand the attitude of the candidate’s family to this call. If there is resistance, the council may advise the candidate to delay clothing.

While discernment for clothing focuses on the candidate’s call to Carmel, discernment for First Promise focuses on the candidate’s living out of that call. By the time the candidate applies for the Promise, the council should be able to see that this person has grown in observance of the “6 Ms” mentioned by Father Deeney: Mental Prayer, Morning and Evening Prayer, Mass, Mary, Meetings and Mission. The council recognizes that we all struggle to integrate the 6 Ms perfectly but looks for the candidate’s determination and perseverance to make these elements part of his or her life.
It is hoped that an area of particular growth in the life of the candidate for the Promise has been in the area of commitment to the mission of the order. It has been said that someone might join with an eye to what the community can do for him or her; after living the life of Carmel, that person should have grown in a desire to give to the order and in a realization of the importance of sharing the order’s charism with the world.

Our council’s method for evaluating readiness for clothing and the Promise has been to ask the candidate to respond in writing to a series of questions about the candidate’s call to Carmel, practice of prayer, integration of Carmelite responsibilities into the candidate’s life and so on. The responses are distributed among councilors and are used as an aid in the admission decision. The only face-to-face interview is with the spiritual assistant of the community, who then offers his recommendation to the council.

We councilors have recently discovered, however, the merits of talking directly with the candidate about his or her call. When we realized that we needed further information from an applicant about her desire for the Promise, getting that information required some phone calls and another request for a written response. We realized that a face-to-face interview would have simplified the process.

Discerning a candidate’s readiness for clothing or the Promise is an awesome responsibility. Our council is grateful that the road to the Definitive Promise is long, with many opportunities for both the candidate and the council to evaluate whether this Secular life is what God is calling the candidate to. Ultimately, the council relies on prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in accepting an applicant to continued formation. It is our responsibility to confirm an authentic call and invite the called person to Carmel.

Discernment Interviews
of our OCDS members
--by the New Caney Council

Discernment of an OCDS member pertains to the specific Carmelite studies of the members formation period. Council may agree upon a series of questions to which a forth coming member is evaluated. He must reflect and answer the questions truthfully and openly. Honesty is an important ingredient to the members progress in spiritual growth because it will lead him/her to self knowledge. Self Knowledge is the first step towards spiritual growth.

Questions for candidates:

· What does it mean to you to be an OCDS member?
· What did you learn in formation that touched your heart and was imbued in your spirit
· How well have you integrated that part in your state of life.
· How consistent and faithful are you in applying what you have learned in Carmel.
· Was it difficult attending your monthly meetings this past year?
· Is there anything that may hinder your monthly meeting?
· Do you want to be a part of Carmel community by following Jesus in Teresian Spirituality.

Questions for Professed:

· What have you learned these past two years in your formation and how has it effected your spiritual walk with Christ.
· What has changed or developed in your prayer life these last two years.
· How does your family feel about your monthly meetings and yearly retreats.
· What is the difference between being clothed and now being professed.
· Do you feel you ready to make your profession and why.
· When you become a member of Secular Order of Carmel how are you willing to follow the demands of allegiance with Christ.
· Why do you think that God is calling you to this decision?

Questions for Definitive Professed:

· How do you feel about making your definitive profession and what does it mean to you and your family?
· How has a OCDS experience effected you, your family and your spiritual life these last six(6) years?
· What has your monthly meetings meant to you and have you had difficulty attending faithfully?
· How has your spiritual life improved your personal life, business life (if needed), and your church community activities?


After each interview:

Our Council takes one month to ponder and reflect each members responses prayerfully after which council again meets and discerns their findings with each other. During this month of discernment we meet with the facilitator to receive a report on progress in studies and interaction within the formation class. The member’s communal interaction during the past formation period is also an integral aspect of their spiritual growth.


Margaret Y. Nunez (president); Georgina Torres (Mistress of Formation); Mary Velez (counsel #1); Mary Ann Carroll (counsel #2); Joseph Fourgere (counsel #3)

Other Discernment Tidbits

Annual Check-in with Candidates

It’s recommended that councils meet annually with each candidate for a brief check in on progress. Questions for these check-ins could be:

· How are things in general in relation to your prayer life?
· Are you able to regularly pray Morning and Evening prayer? Are there any problems you’re having with the Office?
· Are you able to regularly set aside 30 minutes each day for mental prayer? What obstacles are you encountering in trying to do that?
· When you do sit down for that 30 minutes of mental prayer, what does it look like? Try to describe how you pray during that time.

These few questions should help the council quickly discern if there are any issues with the progress of a candidate that need to be addressed sooner rather than later. For instance, if the candidate describes their 30 minutes of mental prayer in terms of doing a bunch of devotions, then the council and the formation team need to give some attention to working with that candidate on a better understanding of mental prayer. Doing a brief annual check-in will allow time for both the council and the candidate to be aware of and address any concerns prior to the major discernment points (clothing, promises) of the formation process.

Addressing Problems and Concerns with the Candidate

Always concerns should be addressed in the most charitable manner. If there are any problems or concerns that the council has regarding a candidate in formation, these should be addressed with the candidate sooner rather than later. The council should not wait until the discernment interview to bring up the concerns but should meet with the candidate earlier. The annual check-in might provide a good chance for such a discussion. In this way, the candidate has an opportunity to make any necessary changes.

Role of the Spiritual Assistant in Discernment

Article 44 of our Constitutions says: “The Council may consult (the Spiritual Assistant) about the suitability of the candidate to assume the responsibility of the vocation to the Secular Order.” We note that some of our communities do this by asking the Spiritual Assistant to interview the candidate. Whether or not the Spiritual Assistant does an interview and provides feedback to the Local Council, the Local Council must also do their own interview because it is the Local Council and not the Spiritual Assistant who has the responsibility for discernment of vocations. The Constitutions do not require the Spiritual Assistant to approve discernment decisions of the Local Council and he does not vote on the candidate.

The Spiritual Assistant is a good resource for any concerns that might arise regarding the candidate’s good standing with the Church especially in matters of marital status if the candidate has had a divorce. The Spiritual Assistant may also help the Council in talking through discernment concerns if they feel the need for some guidance in the midst of a discernment dilemma.

Both Letters and Interviews

It is important as part of the discernment process to ask the candidate for both something in writing and for an interview. Communities ask for different things in a discernment letter (an example can be found on the provincial website under the Best Practices in Formation area). Among our candidates are both introverts and extroverts. The introverts will finding writing things out to be more helpful and yet might find the interview a bit more difficult. Whereas the extroverts will find an interview much easier than having to write out their thoughts. By asking for both, the council is able to hit upon what will work best for the candidate. The letter should be submitted to the council prior to the interview so that the council has time to read and pray over it and if there are any concerns raised by the letter, they can be addressed during the interview.

Taking our Time on Discernments

Doing discernment well is extremely important. Discernment of a vocation is not a matter of “time in scapular” but of progress in our relationship with God as expressed through Carmel. Discernment should never be rushed (not even to meet a “feast day deadline”) but requires time in prayer by both the candidate and the council. The Statutes allow for extensions of each formation period when necessary. To quote Pascal Alfano, OCDS: “If you truly have a Carmelite vocation, you’re going to be a Carmelite for the rest of your life.”