APOSTOLIC CARMEL ASSOCIATES
Unity and communion in love, fellowship and service are deepest yearnings of our world today and the greatest need of our countries at the present moment in history. One of the fruits of the Church’s teachings on Communion has been the growing awareness that her members can and must unite their efforts with a view to co-operation and exchange of gifts in order to participate more effectively in her mission. Our holy Father, Pope John Paul II made this desire of the Church very clear and specific in his post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of 1996, ‘VITA CONSECRATA’ No. 56, when he said,
“A significant expression of lay people’s sharing the richness of consecrated life is their participation in various Institutes under the new form of so-called associate members or … as people who share fully for a certain period of time the Institute’s community life and in particular dedication to contemplation or apostolate.”
ACA Regional meet was held at Navajyothis Renewal Centre ,Calicut on 31st January and 1st February 2017. Forty seven Apostolic Carmel Associates and thirteen Animators participated in the Regional meet. Sr.Lydia Fernades A.C. , the General Coordinator for A.C. Associates was the guest of honour for the same . Besides her Congregation of Carmelite Religious from Thiruvananthapuram also joined us to learn about the working of A.C.Asin our province . They were Srs Doris, Juliette and Mary Grace.
The Objectives of A.C.A.
An A.C.A. lives the spirit of Carmel by fulfilling the objectives.
1. Giving God the first place at all times and in all things.
2. Listening to god in prayer and in the scripture.
3. Spreading the values of God’s Kingdom.
4. Fostering devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
5. Sharing in the apostolate of the Apostolic Carmel.
The following are the units:
1. St.Joseph’s
2. St.Teresa’s
3. Sacred Heart
4. St.Therese
5. Holy Cross
6. Providence
7. Christ King
8. Lady Immaculate
9. St.Antony’s
10. Madonna
11. St Xavier’s
12. Mary nilayam
13. Fatimagiri
14 Carmel Chengay
15 HTC Ochan
16. Carmel arasi illam
17. Carmel villa
18. Carmel Kolapallur