The Carmelite Family in Britain: Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation

Carmelite sisters, friars and lay people in York praying and campaigning for Climate Justice and Fairtrade. Who are the Carmelites? The Carmelites are a worldwide Christian religious family that originated as a group of lay hermits in the Holy Land around the year 1200. Carmelites first came to Britain in 1242, and developed into an order of mendicant friars (begging brothers), living poor and often serving those on the margins of society. Today we the Carmelite Order (O.Carm.) are alive and active with over forty communities of friars, religious sisters and tertiary (lay) Carmelites in England, Scotland and Wales. Our sister Discalced Order (O.C.D.) likewise has communities of friars, nuns and secular members. Our charism (Carmel’s contribution to the Church) Carmelites seek to be contemplatives, friends with God, who form praying communities at the service of all God’s people. Reading the signs of the times we are engaged in many different ministries of service and presence: retreats and spiritual development; parishes; prison, hospital and university chaplaincy; counselling; teaching and research; publishing and broadcasting; ecumenism and interfaith dialogue; justice and peace work; and many other apostolates. Why justice and peace? Integral to the Carmelite way of life is a commitment to building peace, upholding justice, and maintaining the integrity of God’s Creation (sometimes abbreviated to JPIC). The Carmelite Family in Britain and across the world seeks to preach Christ’s Good News and build up God’s kingdom on earth by living in solidarity with the planet and its people. Catholic social teaching is reflected in the spirituality of the Carmelite Order. The 1995 Constitutions of the Order speak of justice and peace as foundational to Carmel: “The Rule of Saint Albert speaks of a community whose members are open to the indwelling of the Spirit and formed by the Spirit’s values: chastity, holy thoughts, justice, love, faith, the expectation of salvation, work accomplished in peace, silence which, as the Prophet tells us, is the cult of justice and brings wisdom to word and action; and discernment, ‘the guide and moderator of all virtues’.” (§16) The first Carmelites on Mount Carmel learned to respect their environment, tending the land and seeking to live in peace with others.

Today Carmelite friars, apostolic sisters and laity live “in the midst of the people”, sharing the joys and sorrows of those around us. As the 1995 Constitutions state: “This way of being in the midst of the people is a sign and a prophetic witness of new relationships, of fraternity and friendship among men and women everywhere. It is a prophetic message of justice and peace in society and among peoples. As an integral part of the Good News, this prophecy must be fulfilled through active commitment to the transformation of sinful systems and structures into grace-filled systems and structures. It is also an expression of the choice to share in the lives of “the little ones” (minores) of history, so that we may speak a word of hope and of salvation from their midst - more by our life than by our words. This option flows naturally from our profession of poverty in a mendicant fraternity, and is in keeping with our allegiance to Christ Jesus, lived out also through allegiance to the poor and to those in whom the face of our Lord is reflected in a preferential way.” (§24)

Carmelites on pilgrimage to El Salvador and Lourdes, and campaigning in London for Climate Justice

The Carmelite NGO at the United Nations The Carmelite Order has an NGO (non-governmental organisation) presence at the United Nations. The Carmelite NGO proclaims Christian values in the international forum, and through its newsletters and website informs the Carmelite Family about issues facing a globalised society. The Carmelite NGO organises two Days of Prayer and Action each year - on 5th June (World Environment Day) and 10th December (World Human Rights Day) - to inform Carmelites and to inspire them to prayer and action on issues of global significance. Recent issues highlighted by the Carmelite NGO include: human trafficking, climate change, access to water, famine in Somalia, and freedom of religion.

Carmelites taking part in the 2013 Peace Pilgrimage against Trident and Public Welfare Cuts

JPIC activities in the British Province of Carmelites Carmelite individuals and communities in Britain, both religious and lay, live out their commitment to justice, peace and the integrity of Creation in a wide variety of ways. The following is a list of examples (but inclusion does not necessarily indicate endorsement by the Province as a whole):

supporting aid and development charities such as CAFOD, SCIAF, Christian Aid and Progressio purchasing Fairtrade products for our churches, homes and workplaces, and consuming ethically -

the British Province is working towards achieving status as a Fairtrade Province praying in solidarity with the poor and marginalised, and learning from groups such as Caritas

Social Action Network supporting the work of peace movements such as Pax Christi, Friends of the Holy Land, and the

Network of Christian Peace Organisations paying Province employees at least the Living Wage engaging in Citizens Groups and Constituency Groups, and contacting elected representatives investing Province resources ethically co-sponsoring the Ebor Lectures in Theology and Public Life in York recycling household and office waste, composting, etc. outreach ministry among the unchurched, and those who feel excluded from the Church reducing energy consumption, insulating houses, etc. developing a Peace Garden and wooded areas at Aylesford Priory in Kent beekeeping which promotes biodiversity caring for the sick, accompanying some on the annual Carmelite Pilgrimage to Lourdes seeking to ‘Live Simply’, in the light of Catholic Social Teaching, promoting the Common Good counselling and work to promote good mental health organising Peace Walks (for example in London) raising awareness of social justice issues, collaborating with groups such as the Catholic

Association for Racial Justice, diocesan Justice & Peace Groups, the National Justice & Peace Network, and the Conference of Religious

off-setting carbon emissions generated by travel for meetings of the Order collecting stamps that are sold to raise funds for a Carmelite project in Timor Leste that provides

people with life-long skills and trades providing clinics, maternity units, electricity generators and houses of formation in projects run

by our brothers and sisters in Africa and Asia, including the mission of the Corpus Christi Carmelite Sisters in Liberia

welcoming asylum seekers and promoting ‘City of Sanctuary’ projects praying and working for peace in the Holy Land, and spreading the Taybeh Peace Lamps distributing food to the hungry and supporting foodbanks involvement in Holocaust Memorial Day events monitoring and using the media collecting money in response to natural disasters prison chaplaincy and rehabilitation work working among the homeless promoting the witness of Christian martyrs who spoke out in favour of justice, including Titus

Brandsma and Oscar Romero (for example through the Archbishop Romero Trust and related projects in El Salvador)

building peace through better understanding of our neighbours, particularly through ecumenical and interfaith encounter and dialogue

political lobbying and peaceful demonstrating, for example during the Climate Wave event in December 2009, and the ENOUGH IF campaign in June 2013

speaking out in defence of human rights, including religious freedom campaigning on issues of Climate Justice, in collaboration with groups such as Operation Noah

and Christian Ecology Link campaigning for reform in matters of welfare, prison, healthcare, the arms trade, etc. promoting the place of women within the Church and Society, in conjunction with partners such

as the National Board of Catholic Women, campaigners against human trafficking, etc. outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community through support of the

Westminster Soho Masses, Quest, LGBT History Month, etc. organising peace programmes in our communities (such as hosting Pax Christi’s Peace Icon) taking part in events that help us reflect on global issues, such as One World Week

How can you contribute to the Order’s JPIC work? Inform yourself about JPIC issues through resources produced by the groups listed above; visit the

Carmelite website and subscribe to the Carmelite NGO newsletter Pray and reflect upon issues of justice, peace and the integrity of God’s Creation; our apostolates

and attitudes must be grounded in a living relationship with God in prayer Support some of the activities listed above, and seek to live simply that others may simply live. Consider donating time or money to the work of the Province and its partners Tell us about issues that you think we should be aware of

For more information Visit our websites

o British Province of Carmelites www.carmelite.org/jpic o Carmelite NGO www.carmelitengo.org o Carmelite JPIC Facebook page www.facebook.com/carmelitesjpic

Contact us Mr. Johan Bergström-Allen, T.O.C. Carmelite Projects & Publications, More House, Heslington, York, YO10 5DX, UK Email: projects@carmelites.org.uk Tel: 01904 411521

Pax Christi’s Peace Icon at the Carmelite-served parish of English Martyrs in Walworth, South London, Summer 2013.