The Redditch Carmelite Spirituality Group

The Redditch Carmelite Spirituality Group (RCSG) meets on the third Saturday of every month (except August) at the Bridge Centre, Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch, B97 4JX. Meetings begin at 11am, and end at 2pm. Carmelite Spirituality groups are ecumenical groups so we welcome members from all Christian denominations.

What is Carmelite spirituality? The Carmelite charism (a charism is the special characteristics or values) is threefold: prayer, community and service. Carmelite spirituality and prayer are contemplative, emphasising being in God’s presence and entering into a relationship with Him. Teresa of Avila, one of the great Carmelite saints, talks about prayer as: ‘nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much.’ The Carmelite shield, illustrated below, sums up the key elements of our charism. The brown peak represents Mount Carmel and the three stars represent Mary, Elijah and the Carmelites of today. The crown represents Mary. The motto in Latin are the words of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:10: ‘With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of Hosts’. The sword is also a symbol of Elijah.

Carmelite spirituality draws on an 800 year old tradition that started during the Crusader era in the 12^th Century. A group of hermits came together to live in a community on Mount Carmel. There is no record of who they were, but they were pilgrims or crusaders. The choice of Mount Carmel reflected their devotion to Elijah. They dedicated the first chapel to the Virgin Mary. Consequently, Elijah and Mary have a special place in Carmelite spirituality. The hermits left the Holy Land sometime in the 13^th century and travelled to Europe, setting up Carmelite communities.

 Ruins of a Carmelite monastery on the west side of Mount Carmel

What happens at a Carmelite Spirituality group meeting? RCSG meetings involve a spiritual input about some aspect of Carmelite spirituality, Lectio Divina (praying with scripture) and time to socialise including a shared lunch. We have an exciting programme for 2025 which includes our 9^th anniversary meeting on 18^th January, where we’ll hear about Carmelite formation from one of our recently professed members. We also have a session in May led by members of the Communitiy of Our Lady of Walsingham, a visit to Birmingham Oratory in July and a quiet day of recollection at Handsworth Convent in September.

What do I do if I want to find out more? Please contact:

• Susan Porter: ingeva@btinternet.com | 07789 741900
• Jane Yeomans: jandmyeomans@gmail.com | 0121 427 3820

We are very happy to deliver a talk about Carmelite spirituality for your CTH group. Please contact us to discuss further.