Canonical Erection Ceremony January 4, 2014

Diane Gray, President - Marianne Gonzales, Councilor - Birdie Ehrenfeld, Councilor
Fr. Bonaventure, O.C.D.S., Provincial Delegate

  

Canonical Erection Ceremony and Celebration

January 4, 2014

We celebrated a very special occasion, we are a Community!!

Fr. Bonaventure Sauer, O.C.D.S., provincial delegate, officiated at our ceremony. Members from several other communities, San Antonio, Austin and Waco attended this special event to celebrate with us!! Also present were the Franciscans and Divine Mercy Group. Ten years have passed since our first meeting!! 

 

 

December 2011

On December 10 2011, at St. Helen’s Catholic Church, the Triumph of the Cross Carmelite Community celebrated the first promise of Carole Lockamy and Kim Lawlis, the renewal of first promise of Cindy Johnson and the Definitive Promise of Steve Hardin. A reception followed afterwards at the St. Rita Activity Center.

In the photo from left to right, are Cindy Johnson, Carol Lockamy, Kim Lawlis and Steve Hardin.

October 2011 Meeting: Priest Talk

On October 2011, we had an excellent presentation at our OCDS meeting by our community's spiritual assistant Fr. Jerome Earley, O.C.D. of Mt Carmel Center in Dallas. His talk was on St. John of the Cross spirituality.

July 2011: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Celebration

On Saturday, July 16, 2011, we celebrated Our Lady of Mount Carmel Solemnity at St. Helen's Catholic Church in Georgetown, TX.  The celebration started at 8:00 AM with Morning Prayer followed by Mass at 8:30 AM.  Our community then gathered for breakfast at a nearby restaurant.

May 2011: First Promise

On May 14 2011, one of our members, Lydia Pena (Lydia of Jesus), made her First Promise into the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. The rite was celebrated during the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Helen’s Catholic Church in Georgetown, TX. Msgr. Louis Pavlicek, Pastor of St. Helen’s celebrated the Mass. A reception followed afterwards.

January 2011 Clothings

On January 8 2011, we celebrated 3 clothings at St. Helen's Catholic Church during the Morning Prayer. Anita, Cecilia and Mary asked to be admitted to the period of formation in the community and received the scapular and the constitution of the secular order. Congratulations!

More pictures of this event can be found here.

2011 OCDS Provincial Congress

2011 OCDS Provincial Congress
Oklahoma Province
Lafayette, LA
http://www.ocds2011congress.com

THURSDAY, June 23, 2011
Registration
MASS
Evening Prayer-Grand Ballroom
Reception-Welcome to Lafayette

Congress Address: Father Gregory Ross, O.C.D., Provincial for the Oklahoma Province

FRIDAY, June 24, 2011
Solemnity of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist

Continental Breakfast & Registration
Morning Office-Grand Ballroom

Congress Presentation: Dr. Susan Muto
"St. Teresa, Our Holy Mother, A Directress of Formation for All Times"

MASS
Buffet Lunch
OCDS Ratio Institutionis for the Oklahoma Province
WORKSHOPS
Evening Prayer-Grand Ballroom
Buffet Dinner-Grand Ballroom

Congress Address: Father Aloysius Deeney, O.C.D.
"Celebrating St. Teresa throughout the Nation of Carmel"
Provincial Meeting

SATURDAY, June 25, 2011
Continental Breakfast
Morning Office-Grand Ballroom

Congress Presentation: Father Bonaventure Sauer, O.C.D.
"St. Teresa, Our Holy Mother Teaches us the Way of Perfection"

MASS
Buffet Lunch-Grand Ballroom
EXCURSION: Carmelite Monastery of Mary, Mother of Grace
OPEN FORUM: with the Friars, Presenters, and visiting Community members
Evening Prayer-Grand Ballroom

2011 OCDS CONGRESS BANQUET

SUNDAY, June 26, 2011
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Continental Breakfast
Morning Office-Grand Ballroom

Congress Presentation: Father Daniel Chowning, O.C.D.
"St. Teresa, Our Holy Mother Teaches us the "Our Father" as the Way of Perfection"

CLOSING MASS

December 2010: First Promises

On December 11 2010, two of our members, Marianne Gonzales and Rebecca Snook, Made their First Promise into the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites:

"inspired by the Holy Spirit, in response to God's call, sincerely promise to the Superiors of the Order of the Teresian Carmel and to you, my brothers and sisters, to tend toward evangelical perfection in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, obedience, and of the Beatitudes, according to the Constitutions of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, for three years. I confidently entrust this, my Promise, to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel."

The rite was celebrated during the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Helen’s Catholic Church in Georgetown, TX. Msgr. Louis Pavlicek, Pastor of St. Helen’s celebrated the Mass. A reception followed afterwards at the Parish Activity Center.



For more pictures of this event, click here.

November 2010: Malawi Project

Thank you to all Carmelites that practicing the virtue of detachment donated books for the library project in Malawi Africa. John Paul is very
thankful and most importantly learning the virtues from all of you!

July 2010 Professions

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16, 2010, four of our members, Ramona Zelasko, Diane Gray, Mary Miranda and Maron Burke, celebrated the Rite of Definite Promise into the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. The rite was celebrated during the 6 PM Mass at St. Helen’s Catholic Church in Georgetown, TX. Fr. Will Straten, Associate Pastor of St. Helen’s celebrated the Mass and Fr. Howard Goertz and Msgr. Louis Pavlicek concelebrated. A reception followed afterwards at the priest’s residence.

January & February 2010 Clothings

In January and February 2010, we celebrated 2 clothings at St. Helen's Catholic Church during the Morning Prayer. Kim & Carole asked to be admitted to the period of formation in the community and received the scapular and the constitution of the secular order.

December 2009 Christmas Party

We had our Christmas Party on December 12, 2009. In this meeting, we also recognized Dora and Lois for their dedication in establishing our community. Hope you enjoy our photos!

October Meeting

Our monthly meeting was graced with Father Walter Carr giving us a talk on the topic "Prayer".
Father opened the presentation with the statement that prayer is both natural and necessary.

Quoting St. Agustin, "Prayer is the soul breathing". "Those who cease to breath die". Breathing is natural and healthy and Father compares this, breathing, with prayer. "Prayer is Love" and to love is to want the happiness of others. We can accomplish this through prayer. We heard many scripture passages taken from Acts telling us that the early church was in continual prayer. "Pray without ceasing" as Carmelites. Thank you Father for your inspiring words.

2009 Professions

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel , July 16, 2009, the "Triumph of the Cross" Carmelite Study Group of Georgetown, Texas held the Rite of Definitive Promise during the 6:00 pm mass at St. Helen's Church of Georgetown ,Texas with their Spiritual Assistant Msgr. Louis Pavlicek as celebrant and a reception follow afterwards. The three members were Claire Bloodgood, Lansing Prescott and Carolyn (Birdie) Ehrenfeld.

The study group now has 22 members, There are now 9 Definitive profess, 5 that are at the end of their 3 years of formation of their first promise and are now eligible for Definitive profess. There are 3 on their first year formation going into their 3 years for Definitive and 3 that are clothed and are on their first year formation going into First Promise and 2 first year aspirants. The Georgetown Study Group has been together since the Year of 2001.

May 31, 2009: Pentecost Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral

Our Triumph of the Cross Carmelite Study Group participated in the Feast of Pentecost celebration at St. Mary's Cathedral on Sunday May 31, 2009.

The Bishop invited us to celebrate the various charisms of the Church active in our diocese and several movements and communities had a display with materials to view prior to Mass.

The doors opened at 4 PM prior to the Mass at 5:30 PM. After the Mass there was a brief presentation beginning at 7:00 in Bishop's Hall at the Cathedral, addressing the history of spiritualities in the life of the church and the effects of the new spiritualities in the church today.

March 2009: Evangelization Night

On Friday March 27, 2009, we will participate in the Evangelization dinners organized by the Knights of Columbus at St. Helen’s Catholic Church. Our community will have an information table and members will be available to answer questions about our community and Carmelite spirituality. All are welcome to attend.

Also, we would like to thank the members of the Waco Carmelite community for their generous gift of a relic of St. John of the Cross. The relic is pictured above, next to the statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

March 2009: Silent Retreat

Our annual silent retreat was held on March 20-22, 2009 at Cedarbreak Retreat Center in Belton, TX. Brother Joel Giallanza, CSC led the retreat. He serves as the Vicar of Religious for the Diocese of Austin, TX and as Director of the Institute for Spiritual Direction. The theme for our retreat was the Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. We also welcomed members from the Killeen and Waco, TX communities to the retreat.

The presentation notes can be found here.

We hope to share the presentation videos on this website in the near future. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy a slide show with pictures from the retreat:




For additional pictures from our retreat,please click here.

2009 Clothings

On January 10, 2009, we celebrated 2 clothings at St. Helen's Catholic Church during the Morning Prayer. Lydia & Marianne asked to be admitted to the period of formation in the community and received the scapular and the constitution of the secular order.


Holy and merciful Father, you call us to holiness in Christ in order that our life might be a spiritual oblation. Look with favor on these your children. They desire to live in the world and to walk in the light of the Gospel in the spirit of Teresian Carmel and under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant that they may come to know your will and to follow your inspirations with filial and generous love. We ask his thru Christ Our Lord. Amen.

2008 Professions

On December 14, 2008, feast of St. John of the Cross, we celebrated 3 professions at St. Helen's Catholic Church during the 5 PM Mass. Steve and Cindy made their first promise and Lois made her final promise. Afterward, we went to the priest's residence for a celebration.

Christmas Party 2008

Our December meeting was held Saturday December 13, 2008. The day started with Morning Prayer and Mass. After a short meeting, our community had its Christmas party. Enjoy the pictures!