The Lay Carmelites:

People of prayer,
People for others,
People who seek God.
Newcomers:
Are you a lay man or woman discerning a call to a greater awareness of God's presence, a more fruitful prayer life, and a greater commitment to His Church?  Consider joining the Lay Carmelite Community of St. Elijah.  For more information visit us at 7pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at St. Joseph's Church (416 3rd St. Troy, NY).
New Phase 1 - Formation meetings will begin in the Winter of 2013!
If you are interested in attending a meeting, please call:

518-799-5535

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A Call to Carmel
We, as Lay Carmelites, are called to the Family of Carmel to be involved deeply in the mission of the Church.  We strive to contribute to the sanctification and transformation of the secular world.  We do this by sharing or participating in the charism of the Carmelite Order.  In short, the Charism of Carmel is: prayer (personal and liturgical); community (a love of those with whom we live and work); and apostolic work (solidarity with God's People everywhere).

The call to Carmel is the call to seek God's will in the ordinary circumstances of everyday life. 

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Formation
Since we are members of a religious order, our formation period somewhat parallels that of the Sisters and Friars of the Order.  It consists of three phases.
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History of the Carmelite Order
The Carmelite way of life began in Palestine at the end of the 12th Century on Mount Carmel near a spring known as the "fountain of Elijah" at the opening of a canyon called the Wadi Ain es-Sah.  The Original Carmelites assembled as hermits.  They lived apart from others in order to deepen their conversions to Christ and to be transformed by a life of personal prayer in silence and solitude.  Their eremitical community life was marked by prayer and meditation on the Scriptures, and hospitality to pilgrims. 
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