Community Prayer Service

Welcome to the website of the Irish Province of Carmelites. Please take some time to explore the site, which features a wide selection of news, articles, and other spiritual and intellectual resources.

WELCOME TO THE THE IRISH PROVINCE OF CARMELITES WEBSITE

Carmelites live and work in 26 nations throughout the world.  We are teachers, retreat directors, chaplains to hospitals and prisons, in parish ministry, counsellors, spiritual directors, and missionaries.

In Ireland, Carmelites have care of one parish in Dublin: Whitefriar Street, which is also an important and historic city centre church.  People come to Whitefriar Street and to other Carmelite churches at Kinsale, Kildare, Moate, Terenure College and Gort Muire to share in the celebration of the Eucharist and other religious services.

Irish Carmelites are still committed to education at Terenure College, Whitefriar Street, Third Level and through CIBI (Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland), which provides distance-learning courses on Carmelite Spirituality.

Opportunities for sharing and teaching the Carmelite spiritual tradition also arise through preaching, retreats and occasions of special devotion. The Irish Carmelites established a mission in Zimbabwe in 1946. This has now developed into a vibrant presence, with many young Zimbabwean Carmelites.

St Titus Brandsma

The canonisation of Titus Brandsma took place at St Peter’s, Rome, on Sunday, May 15th. This is a great moment of joy for the Carmelite Order, as St Titus has been an inspirational figure to all who walk the Carmelite path for many years.

Latest News

Here we feature a selection of news stories from across our communities and ministries in Ireland. This section is updated regularly so please check back often for our latest news. To access an archive of all recent news stories please click here.

Annual Joint Carmelite Pilgrimage to Knock

The annual Carmelite Pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday, September 10th, 2023. The pilgrimage is a great occasion of community and prayer, an opportunity for the Carmelite family and all associated with us to come together at our national shrine.

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Upcoming Carmelite Saints & Blesseds Feast Days

In this section, we feature all the upcoming Carmelite Saints & Blesseds Feast Days. In each case, we provide a very brief story of their lives and contribution both to the Order and society in general, together with a short prayer or reflection. We update this section regularly. For a comprehensive look at all Carmelite Saints and Blesseds, please see here.

Reflections on Daily Readings

In this section, we assemble all the readings for the coming week and provide a useful reflection on their main themes. We update this section on a weekly basis, so please check back regularly. To see more please visit our full year of reflections here.

March 17 – March 23, 2024

Lent – The Fifth Week | Readings: Sunday Cycle B; Weekday Cycle 2.

Solemnity of St Patrick, Patron of Ireland

Patrick was born between 385 and 389 in Roman Britain, probably Wales. About the year 403 he was taken as a slave to Ireland by pirates who used to raid the Welsh coast, and he remained there for six years before escaping back to Britain. However, he could hear the call of the Irish people to return to them so he studied and became a priest. He was consecrated bishop by St Germanus at Auxerre before returning to Ireland as a missionary and Bishop of Ireland in succession to St Palladius about 432AD. He travelled the country preaching the Gospel of Christ and baptising the people and established what was to become the primatial church of Ireland at Armagh in 444. He is said to have died at Saul in northeast Ireland about 461 and his remains are, according to tradition, buried at Downpatrick with St Brigid and St Columba (Colmcille).

 

The Fifth Sunday of Lent 

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 50; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-30

In our first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah we see God telling his people that he will make a new and everlasting covenant with them which will be unlike any of the previous covenants. With this covenant he will wipe away their sins and not call them to mind. St Paul tells us in the second reading that Christ obeyed the Father and suffered for us and in that suffering he became the source of eternal salvation for all people. We as Christians know that Christ is the everlasting covenant spoken of in the first reading and so we must believe in him with our whole hearts. If we believe in him then we will give up our selfish ways and live only for him so that we may yield the rich harvest which Jesus speaks of in the gospel. He died so that we might all be drawn to him and we will only be drawn to him if we spend time in prayer and living the life to which we are called. When we suffer, we do not do so alone because Christ is with us and so our suffering is not for nothing.

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent 

Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62; Psalm 22; John 8:1-11

Our readings today remind us that God himself defends those who are innocent, particularly when they cannot defend themselves. In the reading from Daniel we see that two judges have become infatuated with Susanna and have lied to save themselves, condemning her to death for something she did not do. She is only saved by asking God for help. He heard her cry and sent the boy Daniel to save her. In the gospel we see another woman about to be stoned for committing adultery. She is saved by Jesus who forgives her her sins and tells her to sin no more. In both cases, those who had themselves sinned were quick to condemn others while covering up their own wrong doings. We often find ourselves in the situation of the women in today’s texts – we find ourselves in need of Jesus’ healing and compassion. During this time of preparation we are called on to acknowledge our own sins and to ask forgiveness for them while resolving to do better in the future.

Solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Protector of the Child Jesus

Little is known about Joseph except that he was of the line of David which was essential in order for Jesus to be legally of the house and line of David in fulfilment of the Scriptures. What is more important for us is the example which Joseph left us. He was a man of faith who played his role in God’s salvific plan for us; he was obedient to the will of God; he had a love for the Law and its fulfilment; he showed piety and fortitude in times of trial; he had a chaste love for the Blessed Virgin Mary and he exercised his paternal authority with due care. He is therefore a true example of Christian living and is the Protector of the Church. Joseph is also the patron of carpenters and manual workers.

 

Readings

2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16; Psalm 88; Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

In the first reading from the Prophet Samuel, we see God telling David that his throne will stand secure for ever through one of his line. The Psalm repeats this promise. The passage from the letter to the Romans assures us that we are the spiritual children of Abraham and that we must have faith and belief like him. The gospel recounts the narrative of the vision Joseph had which told him to take Mary as his wife though she was already pregnant. In this way Jesus was born of the line of David and everything that God had promised to David and to Abraham was fulfilled. As Joseph trusted in the Lord, so we are called to that same trust and belief. The key element for us is that Joseph was a man of faith just as Mary was a woman of faith. Both had annunciations and both accepted what must have been quite troubling but they did so without hesitation. In this way they ensured the prophesies and promises of the Old Testament while giving the child a strong faith-based family unit in which to grow up.

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent 

Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28; Psalm – Daniel 3:52-56; John 8:31-42

In the Book of the Prophet Daniel there is recounted the story of three young men – Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah – who refused to abandon their religion for King Nebuchadnezzar, part of which we read two weeks ago. The king had them bound and thrown into a fiery furnace but the angel of God joined them there and they walked through the furnace unharmed. At the end of the reading, the king too praises the true God. The reading reminds us that when we are truly free in heart, nothing can trouble us or separate us from the love of God. The Psalm continues this theme. In the gospel, Jesus tells his listeners that they will only be free if they listen to his word and live by it, because only then will they be free from the slavery to sin and so be his true disciples. God’s word is available to us but it is up to us to accept it and to let it take root in our lives.

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent 

Genesis 17:3-9; Psalm 104; John 8:51-59

In the reading from Genesis we see God making his covenant with Abraham and his descendants. This covenant was fulfilled in the person and life of Jesus. In the gospel, Jesus is speaking of Abraham and telling his listeners that Abraham longed to see Christ’s day. He reveals himself to his listeners with the words “I Am,” which is the name God used for himself when he spoke with Moses. Jesus is telling them that the God of Moses, Abraham, and Isaac is the same person who is now speaking to them. He goes on to tell us that even though we may suffer and die in this world, that suffering and death has no power over us if we believe in him alone. That which was promised to Abraham has come to pass in the person of Jesus and it is a saving covenant for us who believe it.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent 

Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 17; John 10:31-42

The Prophet Jeremiah is being persecuted by the people but he still places his trust in God and still praises him. It is a reminder of Jesus who is soon to be arrested and who will also pray to the Father for guidance and strength while never abandoning faith in the Father. The Psalm is a prayer of confidence in God by one who is being persecuted. Our gospel reading shows Jesus being persecuted by some of the Jews. He, like Jeremiah, is under God’s protection and so is saved from them until the hour of his glory. We too will be saved and supported if we praise God all our days and turn to him in confidence. But we must not forget him when things are going well for us.

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent 

Ezekiel 37:21-28; Psalm – Jeremiah 31:10-13; John 11:45-56

In our first reading we see the prophet Ezekiel looking forward to a day when the Lord will unite the people under a new leader as a redeemed nation. In the gospel, we see the Pharisees taking the decision to kill Jesus. They did so in order to save their people because they feared that Jesus’ talk of a supreme power and authority would cause a revolt which the Romans would crush as ruthlessly as the previous ones. While their motives may have been honourable it was they who were misguided because they had closed their minds to the word of God and believed the Messiah to be a political and military leader. The words of Caiaphas also suggest that the death of Jesus might unite the people – an echo of the first reading. They never thought that the Messiah would free them in spirit which is a far greater thing. If we truly open our hearts to God then the unity which the gospel speaks of will take place as the kingdom takes shape in our world.

Vocations

The Carmelite Order is present throughout the world, made up of people from many different cultures and traditions. What unites the Order is the call to live the threefold charism of prayer, community and service. Have you considered a life in the Carmelite Order?

Other Quick Links

Please see below some quick links to other sections in the site which you may find interesting.

Carmelite Library

The Carmelite Library, located in Gort Muire, Dublin, can be accessed by appointment.

CIBI

The Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland (CIBI) provides distanced-learning courses in Carmelite Spirituality.

Carmelite Archives

The Carmelite Archive, located in Gort Muire, Dublin, can be accessed by appointment.

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