This season of CarmelCast we'll be exploring the life and teaching of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. In this episode, Br. Pier Giorgio, Fr. Michael-Joseph, and Br. John-Mary discuss the early childhood of St. Thérèse found in chapters I-III of Story of a Soul.

Each November we celebrate the Feast of All Carmelite Saints and the Commemoration of All Carmelite Souls. During these days we remember and pray for the Carmelites who have passed away, who by living out their vocations faithfully day in and day out have made a significant, though hidden, impact on the world. In this episode, several friars recall the memories of deceased friars who have made specific imprints on their lives.

St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is the most recently canonized Carmelite saint. This vivacious young French woman, marked with profound spiritual depth, entered Carmel at age 21 and died a short five years later. Her life and writings speak of the powerful mystery of God dwelling within our souls. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Br. Joseph of the Holy Family to discuss St. Elizabeth's spiritual insights about this Divine Indwelling.

St. Teresa Benedicta is one of the least understood Carmelite saints. Her complex philosophical writings can overwhelm and intimidate those untrained in phenomenology. But as a convert to the Catholic faith, prominent female speaker, Carmelite nun, and Auschwitz martyr, her inspirational life has something to say to us all. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Br. Pier Giorgio of Christ the King to demystify St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

St. John of the Cross is a spiritual master and Doctor of the Church. His image of the Dark Night has captivated the imaginations of Christians throughout the centuries. He shows us that darkness and suffering, when endured with love, has meaning and will transform us into saints. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Br. John-Mary of Jesus Crucified to discuss St. John's teaching on the Dark Night.

St. Teresa of Avila is the foundress of the Discalced Carmelites and the first female doctor of the Church. Her teaching on prayer is a guiding light for all Christians. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Br. Emmanuel of the Mother of Mercy to discuss St. Teresa's insistence on the centrality of Christ in the spiritual life.

The brown scapular is a widespread devotion in the Church. It is a sign of the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and a participation in the graces she promised to the Carmelite Order. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Br. Pier Giorgio of Christ the King who unpacks the history and theology behind this powerful sacramental.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, The Little Flower, was called "the greatest saint of modern times" by Pope Saint Piux X. Her "Little Way" has touched the lives of millions throughout the last century. In this episode, Fr. Michael-Joseph of St. Thérèse is joined by Fr. Michael of the Heart of Jesus who unpacks the spirituality and teaching of St. Thérèse and shows how she lived this "Little Way" in her own life.

Our lives are often clouded with anxiety, frustration, and shame. Despite these difficulties, the saints were able to surrender to God's will and abandon themselves into His loving arms. Like them, we must accept the words of Jesus, "Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27). But how? In this episode, we explore the themes of trust and surrender under the guidance of Saint Thérèse and the other Carmelite saints.

Asceticism is a necessary part of the spiritual life. Saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila espouse an absolute asceticism of complete detachment and relentless mortification. This zealous ideal can seem daunting if removed from the ultimate goal of their ascetical practices: love of God and neighbor. In this episode, we discuss the practice of asceticism and its important place in the Carmelite tradition.

Anyone committed to a life of prayer will face the difficulties of distractions and aridity at different times. These experiences can be extremely frustrating and disheartening. However, even the greatest saints faced these same trials in prayer, and they show us that they are actually opportunities for growth in our relationship with God. In this episode, we examine the experiences of distraction and aridity in our times of prayer based on the teachings of the Carmelite masters.

As we grow in the spiritual life, we may find that our prayer becomes less focused on what we are doing and more about what God is doing in us. Saint John of the Cross defines this type of prayer as "an inpouring of God into the soul" and offers three signs to help discern if God is inviting a soul to receive His grace in this way. In this episode, we explore the teachings of Saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila on passive prayer within the Carmelite tradition.

Saint Teresa of Avila proposes one particular method of prayer that she found to be most helpful in her own life: the prayer of recollection. In this episode, we discuss this practice of prayer as it is understood in the Carmelite Tradition. We also look briefly at Saint Teresa's famous analogy of the degrees of prayer: The Four Waters.

Most of us are familiar with various ways of praying, some of these methods taught to us from our youth. These types of prayer are not only for beginners but continue to be helpful aids as we grow in our relationship with God. In this episode, we will look more closely at four different methods, or modes, of prayer which are highly revered in the Carmelite tradition: vocal prayer, liturgical prayer, meditative reading, and discursive meditation.

Whether you’ve been praying for many years, or if you are just beginning, we all have one thing in common: the need for conversion. Lent is a season specifically set aside by the Church to focus on repentance and conversion. In this episode we explore what the Carmelite tradition has to teach us about living lives of continual conversion from the teachings of Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.