Carmelite charism, mission, and ordained ministry: the prophetic carmelite identity in the apostolic dimension

Abstract

The question of the relationship between the religious charism and the ordained ministry is still a debated topic. The article examines  this relationship starting from the concrete experience of the Carmelite Order, comparing its charism with the various historical  presentations of the ministry, in particular the presbyteral one. A brief summary of the various forms of ministry and mission assumed  by the Order throughout history is therefore proposed. In the light of what has emerged, the question of the relationship  between ordained brothers and lay brothers is considered with reference to the charism and  mission in their expressions. The article  ends with the proposal of some perspectives and paths for reflection