Keep Focused

Keeping the Focus at our Meetings
on Carmelite Matters

The OCDS community of Endwell, NY uses these questions to guide their community discussions in order to keep things on track and focused upon Carmel matters. We thought they were good policy and so share this with our Province.

Our Community talks quite openly about the "4-D problems" that can get our community off track.

1) Does it (the subject matter) distract us from our Carmelite studies?
2) Does it dilute the messages or teachings of Carmel?
3) Does the presentation of the subject matter seem disruptive?
4) Does it cause division within our community?

People are free to chat about anything they want during our lunchtime of course, (our meetings last six hours) but during the meeting these are the criteria that apply when other topics come up.

BASIC COMPONENTS
OF LAY SPIRITUALITY

> Christian Prayer/Liturgy of the Hours and Meditation
> The Eucharist and "gazing upon the face of Christ"
> Fulfilling one's duties
> Overcoming difficulties, particularly with self and self-knowledge
> Making more profound our knowledge of the Eucharist and especially its intercessory powers.
> Examination of Conscience
> A filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
> The role of mortification., especially passive
> Spiritual reading, is a help to persevere through darkness in prayer even though we may not be using the reading itself for prayer.

end winter 2007 issue

of Flos Carmeli newsletter