Catechism Corner | Our Lady of Mount Carmel

July 16th the Church celebrates the feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel. To prepare this celebration we will hold a Novena prayer of our Lady of Mount Carmel (every Thursday start from May 14th) and learn carmelite spirituality and Marian spirituality.

Mount Carmel

We know about Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of La Salette, our lady of Donglu etc. These names are associated with the place where Mother Mary appeared. But not so with the name of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mary never appeared on the Mount Carmel. The name of this title is associated with the hermits on Mount Carmel. Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century.

Mount Carmel is a biblical place where the prophet Elijah dwelt. It rises 1,742 feet above sea level and towers above Israel's Mediterranean coastline. It was here where Elijah prayed to God for the salvation of Israel, which was suffering a terrible drought at the time. He continued to pray and sent his servant up the mountain several times to look for rain. On the seventh try, Elijah's servant returned with good news. "Behold a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man's foot" (1 Kings 1:44). Soon thereafter, torrential rains fell upon the parched land and the people of Israel were saved.

Elijah saw the cloud as a symbol of the Virgin mentioned in the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14). The hermits who lived on Mount Carmel followed Elijah's example and prayed for the advent of the much-awaited Virgin, who would become the mother of the Messiah. The origins of the Carmelite Order can be traced back to Elijah and his hermited disciples.

Hermits and Our Lady

Hermits had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as "Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel." They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

The Carmelites were known from early on as "Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel." The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as "mother," but also as "sister." The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm.