Discalced Carmelites

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582), co-founder of the Discalced Carmelites.

Order of the Discalced Friars of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
Abbreviation	Order of Discalced Carmelites (Ordo Carmelitarum Discalceatorum or O.C.D.)
Motto	Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum (With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts)
Formation	Late 12th century
Type	Catholic religious order
Headquarters	Casa Generalizia dei Carmelitani Scalzi, Corso d'Italia 38, Rome, Italy
Superior General	Most Rev. Fr. Saverio (Xavier) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, O.C.D.
Website	[1]

Two Discalced Carmelite nuns outside of their convent in Zarautz, the Basque Country

Monastery of Discalced Carmelites in Czerna, Poland

The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. The order was established in 1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelite Order by two Spanish saints, St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross.

The Discalced Carmelite order is now known by the initials "O.C.D." (The older branch of the order, Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, has the initials "O. Carm."). The secular branch of the order (the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, formerly known as the Third Order), has the initials "O.C.D.S."

History

In the 16th century, St. Teresa of Ávila's work of reform began with herself. She made a vow always to follow the most perfect course, and resolved to keep the rule as perfectly as she could. A group of nuns assembled in her cell one September evening in 1560, taking their inspiration from the primitive tradition of Carmel and the discalced reform of St. Peter of Alcantara(a controversial movement within Spanish Franciscanism), proposed the foundation of a monastery of an eremitical type. On August 24, 1562, the new monastery dedicated to St. Joseph was founded. Then in Duruelo, with John of the Cross and Anthony of Jesus, they founded the first convent of Discalced Brethren in November 1568.

For a Carmelite, prayer is deeply theological. It is guided by the teachings and experience of St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross, as well as the saints who have followed in their steps, such as St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Teresa of the Andes, and martyrs like Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), Père Jacques and the sixteen Martyrs of Compiegne.

Each day is marked by silence to create an environment for a house of prayer. In addition to the daily celebration of the full Liturgy of the Hours, two hours are set aside for uninterrupted silent prayer. The life is well balanced: community life is marked by much laughter during recreation. Communities are kept fairly small to nourish an atmosphere of genuine sisterhood/brotherhood and sharing.

While the nuns live an enclosed life, the friars live a life that is both contemplative and apostolic, in imitation of Jesus who lived both the prayer in the desert and the ministry of compassion with the multitudes. The life of contemplation lived by both the nuns and friars is primarily in service to the whole Church. For the friars, the life is also marked by a serious commitment to a broadly based and thorough discipline of study to more fully develop a knowledge of the human heart that is marked by great personal sensitivity.

Bishops

Living Bishops (3 Archbishops, 17 Bishops)

_Current_Bishops_ Current Bishops	Former and Actual Episcopal see or Assignment	Current Residency	Date of Birth Current Age	Appointed to Bishop
Anders Arborelius	Bishop of Stockholm (1998-Incumbent) President of Scandinavian Bishops Conference (2005-Incumbent)	Stockholm, Sweden	September 24, 1949 (1949-09-24) (age 62)	November 17, 1998 Pope John Paul II
Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez	Auxiliary Bishop of Maracaibo (2007-Incumbent)	Maracaibo, Venezuela	October 19, 1951 (1951-10-19) (age 60)	June 30, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI
Silvio José Báez Ortega	Auxiliary Bishop of Managua (2009-Incumbent)	Managua, Nicaragua	April 28, 1958 (1958-04-28) (age 53)	April 9, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI
Paul Bassim	Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Beirut (1999-Incumbent) Vicar Apostolic of Beirut (1974-1999)	Jall Ed Dib - Bqennaya, Lebanon	November 14, 1922 (1922-11-14) (age 88)	September 8, 1974 Pope Paul VI
Philip Boyce	Bishop of Raphoe (1995-Incumbent)	Letterkenny, Ireland	January 25, 1940 (1940-01-25) (age 71)	June 29, 1995 Pope John Paul II
Paul Dahdah	Archbishop-Vicar Apostolic of Beirut (1999-Incumbent) Archbishop of Baghdad (1983-1999)	Beirut, Lebanon	June 8, 1941 (1941-06-08) (age 70)	May 30, 1983 Pope John Paul II
Brig. Gen. Gonzalo de Jesús María del Castillo Crespo	Military Bishop of Bolivia (2000-Incumbent) Auxiliary Bishop of La Paz (1983-2000)	La Paz, Bolivia	September 20, 1936 (1936-09-20) (age 75)	November 3, 1983 Pope John Paul II
Amancio Escapa Aparicio	Auxiliary Bishop of Santo Domingo (1996-Incumbent)	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic	March 30, 1938 (1938-03-30) (age 73)	May 31, 1996 Pope John Paul II
Guy Étienne Germain Gaucher	Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Bayeux-Lisieux (2005-Incumbent) Auxiliary Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux (1987-2005) Bishop of Meaux (1986-1987)	Venasque, France	March 5, 1930 (1930-03-05) (age 81)	August 27, 1986 Pope John Paul II
Gustavo Girón Higuita	Bishop of Tumaco (1999-Incumbent) Vicar Apostolic of Tumaco (1990-1999)	Tumaco, Colombia	May 20, 1940 (1940-05-20) (age 71)	February 8, 1990 Pope John Paul II
Julio Xavier Labayen	Territorial Prelate Emeritus of Infanta (2003-Incumbent) Territorial Prelate of Infanta (1966-2003)	Parañaque, Philippines	July 23, 1926 (1926-07-23) (age 85)	July 26, 1966 Pope Paul VI
Gonzalo López Marañon	Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of San Miguel de Sucumbíos (2010-Incumbent) Vicar Apostolic of San Miguel de Sucumbíos (1984-2010) Apostolic prefect of San Miguel de Sucumbíos (1970-1984)	Nueva Loja, Ecuador	October 3, 1933 (1933-10-03) (age 78)	July 2, 1984 Pope John Paul II
Luis Alberto Luna Tobar	Archbishop Emeritus of Cuenca (2000-Incumbent) Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (1981-2000) Auxiliary Bishop of Quito (1977-1981)	Cuenca, Ecuador	December 15, 1923 (1923-12-15) (age 87)	August 17, 1977 Pope Paul VI
Francis George Adeodatus Micallef	Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait (2005-Incumbent) Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait (1981-2005)	Cospicua, Malta	December 17, 1928 (1928-12-17) (age 82)	November 5, 1981 Pope John Paul II
Aníbal Nieto Guerra	Bishop of San Jacinto de Yaguachi (2009-Incumbent) Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil (2006-2009)	Yaguachi, Ecuador	February 23, 1949 (1949-02-23) (age 62)	June 10, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI
Marie Fabien Raharilamboniaina	Bishop of Morondava (2010-Incumbent)	Morondava, Madagascar	January 20, 1968 (1968-01-20) (age 43)	February 26, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
Braulio Sáez Garcia	Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra (2003-Incumbent) Bishop of Oruro (1991-2003) Auxiliary Bishop of Oruro (1987-1991)	Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia	March 23, 1942 (1942-03-23) (age 69)	February 18, 1987 Pope John Paul II
Jean Benjamin Sleiman	Archbishop of Baghdad (2001-Incumbent)	Baghdad, Iraq	June 30, 1946 (1946-06-30) (age 65)	November 29, 2000 Pope John Paul II
Jusztin Nándor Takács	Bishop Emeritus of Székesfehérvár (2003-Incumbent) Bishop of Székesfehérvár (1991-2003) Coadjutor Bishop of Székesfehérvár (1990-1991) Auxiliary Bishop of Székesfehérvár (1988-1990)	Székesfehérvár, Hungary	January 15, 1927 (1927-01-15) (age 84)	December 23, 1988 Pope John Paul II
Rolando Joven Tria Tirona	Territorial Prelate of Infanta (2003-Incumbent) Bishop of Malolos (1996-2003) Auxiliary Bishop of Manila (1994-1996)	Infanta, Philippines	July 22, 1946 (1946-07-22) (age 65)	November 15, 1994 Pope John Paul II

Deceased Bishops (7 Cardinals, 14 Archbishops, 51 Bishops)

Discalced Carmelites Cardinals	Episcopal see or Assignment	Date of Birth and Death	Appointed to Bishop
Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero	Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Turin (1989-1998) Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1979-1998) President of Italian Episcopal Conference (1979-1985) Metropolitan Archbishop of Turin (1977-1989) Metropolitan Archbishop of Bari-Canosa (1973-1977)	October 3, 1913(1913-10-03) - June 21, 1998(1998-06-21) (aged 84)	December 21, 1973 Pope Paul VI
Girolamo Maria Gotti	Prefect of Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith (1902-1916) Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Scala pro hac vice Title (1895-1916) Prefect of Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars (1899-1902) Prefect of Prefect of Sacred Congregation of Induglences and Sacred Relics (1896-1899) Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals (1896-1897) Apostolic Internuncio of Brazil (1892-1895)	March 29, 1834(1834-03-29) - March 19, 1916(1916-03-19) (aged 81)	March 22, 1892 Pope Leo XIII
Giovanni Antonio Guadagni (Nephew of pope Pope Clement XII)	Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome (1732-1759) Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals (1743-1759) Cardinal Vice-Dean of Sacred College of Cardinals (1756-1759) Cardinal-Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina (1756-1759) Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati (1750-1756) Cardinal-Priest of San Martino ai Monti (1731-1750) Bishop of Arezzo (1896-1897)	September 14, 1674(1674-09-14) - January 15, 1759(1759-01-15) (aged 84)	December 20, 1724 Pope Benedict XIII
Daniel Acharuparambil	Metropolitan Archbishop of Verapoly (1996-2009) Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Cochin (2008-2009)	May 12, 1939(1939-05-12) - October 26, 2009(2009-10-26) (aged 70)	June 14, 1996 Pope John Paul II
Antônio do Carmo Cheuiche	Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Porto Alegre (2001-2009) Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre (1971-2001) Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Maria (1969-1971)	June 13, 1927 (1927-06-13) (age 84) - October 14, 2009(2009-10-14) (aged 82)	April 2, 1969 Pope Paul VI

Communities of Carmelite Tradition

• Byzantine Discalced Carmelites
• Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel
• Lay Carmelites of Oswego, New York

See also

• Carmelite Rule of St. Albert
• Book of the First Monks
• Constitutions of the Carmelite Order
• St. Raphael Kalinowski
• Jan Tyranowski
• Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

External links

• Carmelite Vocation
• Discalced Carmelite Order
• "Sayings of Light and Love" - Spiritual Maxims of John of the Cross
• St. Therese of Lisieux, Discalced Carmelite and Doctor of the Church - her life, writings, spirituality, and mission
• Discalced Carmelite Calendar and Saints
• Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
• Carmelite Hermits of the Trinity
• Institute of Carmelite Studies Publications
• Meditations from Carmel
• Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil Passed Away