THE CARMELITES

For nearly seventy five years, priests and brothers of the Carmelite Order have had care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, Coorparoo.

The present community consists of Fathers Wayne Stanhope, our parish priest, Jerome Watt, associate pastor and Frank Shortis, prior. They live in the priory next door to the church.

As well as their ministry at Mount Carmel, they help in the wider Church and contributeto other ministries of the Order.

The Carmelite Order had its beginnings on Mount Carmel in Palestine and is one of the oldest orders in the Church. Its inspiration has been Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the prophet Elijah, and as a result it has always emphasised the contemplative dimension of life. This spirit is apparent in the liturgies at Mount Carmel.

One of the groups within the parish is called the Lay Carmelites. They number about twenty five and participate in the 8.30am Third Sunday Mass and then meet for prayer and formation and refreshments. Mary White, 3397 1007, is leader and handles enquiries.

In recent years, Mount Carmel parishioners, and teachers and children at Mount Carmel school, have been reaching out to help our neighbours, the people of East Timor and in particular those in the very poor area of Zumalai. We have worked more and more closely with the people there, helping them to get water and to take care of mothers and sick children in outlying areas. In addition to that, the children of Mount Carmel school at Coorparoo have given great help to the Mount Carmel school at Zumalai and to little schools in the area.

Already a number of young men have joined the Order in East Timor, nearly forty in all. Educating them, and giving them the formation they need to become Carmelites and priests, has become the priority of the Australian Carmelites. It is a work which has been greatly helped by the people of Mount Carmel parish.