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!! 

 

 

Triumph of the Cross Secular Carmelite Community Group Photo January 2014

December 14, 2013 Becky and Marianne make Definitive Promise!

On the Feast of St. John of the Cross, December 14, 2013, two of our members Becky Snook and Marianne Gonzales made Definitive Promise into the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. The rite was celebrated during the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Helen Catholic Church in Georgetown, TX. Fr. Jerome Early, OCDS celebrated the Mass. A reception followed afterwards.

First Silent Retreat as an OCDS Community! - March 7-9, 2014

During the weekend of March 7 through March 9, our Secular Carmelite Community held it's annual Silent Retreat at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Belton, TX.  It was our first silent retreat as a Canonical Community!

Father Stephen Sanchez, OCD, Superior at the Mount Carmel Center in Dallas, presented "The Life of Teresa:  Conflict, Mercy, and Transformation" at our conference, focusing on Chapters 1 through 22 of the Autobiography of St. Teresa de Jesus.

It was a beautiful, very spiritual experience!

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 16, 2011: Our Tommie is with the Angels!

Our dear friend, Tommie Solis, went to be with God this morning at 6:35 A.M. It was a peaceful death, and it is a joy to know that she is in the arms of our Lord.

I have learned that her funeral will be on Wednesday morning at 10:00 A.M.at St. Helen Catholic Church. We are asking that everyone that can attend the mass. The Carmelites will be providing the desserts for the bereavment dinner, so bring your desserts to the St. Rita Activity Center before the mass.

The rosary will be held at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday evening at the Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive, Georgetown.

Please pray for the sweet repose of Tommie's soul and for her family.

God bless,

Birdie

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.

April 2011: Silent Retreat

The Triumph of the Cross Study Group Silent Retreat was held April 8-10, 2011 at Cedarbreak Retreat Center in Belton, TX. The Retreat Theme was: St John of the Cross: The Process and the Promise.

Our presenter at the retreat was Br. Joel Giallanza CSC. Br Joel is a member of the Congegation of the Holy Cross and serves on the provincial council for his community. Brother Joel is also involved in giving retreats and in the ministry of spiritual direction.

More pictures of the retreat can be found here.

"One should first know that God sustains every soul and dwells in it substantially, even though it may be that of the greatest sinner in the world. This union between God and creatures always exists" (The Ascent of Mount Carmel, II,5:3)

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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.

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!

October 2010: Priest Talk

Www.triumphofthecrossocds.blogspot.com

October 2010: Morning Prayer

Octubre 2010 Meeting: Priest Talk

August 2010 Meeting

Special gifts to our dear founders, Dora Zavala and Lois Vasquez, presented by Birdie Ehrenfeld are two scarves bearing the image of Blessed Mary Teresa of St. Joseph of the Carmel of the Divine Heart of Jesus. Sr. Lydia Braun of the Carmelite Sisters DCJ in Corpus Christi had sent these scarves as well as other materials about Blessed Mary Teresa to Birdie for our study group to read and enjoy.

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.

March 2010 Silent Retreat

The Triumph of the Cross Study Group Silent Retreat was held March 19 - 21, 2010 at Cedarbreak Retreat Center in Belton, TX.

Our retreat which began Friday night at 6 p.m. Joining us on Saturday were also visitors from the Waco study group.

Our presenter at the retreat was Father Jerome Early. He gave five very lively and thought provoking talks about community based on St. Teresa Benedicta, St. Frances DeSales, the history of community in the Bible in Acts, and St. John of the Cross.

The retreat ended with mass on Sunday, March 21st at 11:00 a.m.

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.