New members of Hawaii’s Secular Carmelites pose for a photo at their rite of admission, Dec. 1, at the Carmelite Monastery in Kaneohe. In the front row, new members, from left, are Alda Mae Takabayashi, Elenita Crisostomos, Celia Ona, Lorraine Canales and Elaine Gibson. In back, from left, are Hawaii group council members Gwen Law, Darlene Tvrdy and Kathy Paishon, and rite of admission co-celebrants Carmelite Father Danilo Lim and Father Victor Lanuevo at center back. (Photo courtesy of Darlene Tvrdy)
Hawaii’s growing community of Secular Carmelites is sponsoring a retreat-seminar on Carmelite spirituality, open to all, in January at the Carmelite monastery in Kaneohe.
Hawaii has one Carmelite monastery, Carmel of the Holy Trinity, on the grounds of St. Stephen Diocesan Center, where nuns live in a cloistered community. Hawaii also has a Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, commonly known as Secular Carmelites, which is a branch and an integral part of the Carmelite Order.
In a rite of admission ceremony Dec. 1 at the monastery, the Hawaii group welcomed five new members, Alda Mae Takabayashi, Elenita Crisostomos, Celia Ona, Lorraine Canales and Elaine Gibson.
Secular Carmelites are lay Catholics, married or single, from all walks of life, who integrate the Carmelite spirituality into their daily lives in order to seek God and share him with others through prayer and apostolate.
The life of a Secular Carmelite includes:
- Daily prayer and meditation
- Frequent participation in the celebration of Mass
- Study and reflection of Scripture and the writings of Carmelite saints
- Devotion to and imitation of Mary
- Confraternity with the Secular Carmelite Community through monthly meetings
- Participation in individual and community apostolate through prayer and service for family, neighbors and society
Secular Carmelites are spread throughout the world in various communities, with each community canonically established under the direction of the general superior of the Carmelite Order.
Hawaii’s Community of Secular Carmelites meets at the Carmelite monastery chapel at the diocesan center at 6301 Pali Highway in Kaneohe.
As part of their apostolate, Hawaii’s Secular Carmelites are sponsoring an open retreat-seminar on the origin and concept of Carmelite spirituality, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Carmelite monastery chapel.
The special speaker is Richard P. Hardy, a former professor of spirituality at St. Paul University in Ottawa, the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley and St. Michael’s College. He continues his work in Carmelite spirituality, giving sessions for lay people and Carmelite nuns in Hawaii, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
For more information about the secular order or the retreat-seminar, contact Darlene Tvrdy, OCDS, Hawaii Secular Carmelite Group Leader, ocdshawaii@gmail.com or 254-6677.
