The Carmelite Order has its origins on Mount Carmel in Israel. Today the Order is found on all five continents and its apostolate is as diverse as that of the Church itself. An outstanding characteristic of the Order down through the centuries has been its readiness to accommodate itself to the needs of the People of God.

Today the Order numbers two and a half thousand (this does not include enclosed sisters and members of the extended Carmelite family) and many of them are found in the frontline of the Church’s work both in Ireland and in other parts of the world.

Glancing at a map of the world one finds the Order engaged in preaching the Good News in several European countries, in Zimbabwe and Zaire in Africa, in North America and Canada, in Columbia, Peru, Chile and Brazil in South America, as well as in the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia.

You can meet an Irish Carmelite giving a retreat or conference; he may be teaching in a school or university or seminary; some are engaged in general pastoral work, involved with young and old people; others are caring for the sick and needy in Dublin’s hospitals. In recent years due to the creation of new parishes the Order has taken over parish work in the city and in the country. Wherever you find him, he is being given every chance to use whatever talents God has given him in the service of others.

The well-known theologian, Karl Rahner, speaking about the central role of the priest today said: “For must not some of us say something about God, about eternal life, about the majesty of grace in our sanctified being; must not some of us speak of sin, the judgement and mercy of God.”

The Second Vatican Council stressed the need for a renewal of religious life and asked each Order to re-examine its role of serving others and renewing itself for the apostolate in the modern world. Orders were encouraged to look to their origins in order to discover their original inspiration and in that way to continue to contribute faithfully and loyally to the work of Christ.