#lifeonwheels

“Happy Friday, ya’ll. Some slow-motion waves, wind, and wheels to start your weekend off right. City skyline views, too!” - @hankscorpioglobex

Make me admit stuff

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color? 

Yep

47. Who was the last person to call you? 

Hello!

I know a few things. I’m actually discerning the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. I started by reading the writings of the saints of this order, so I recommend doing that. I also found a book specifically for OCDS. If you can find a book specifically for Lay Dominicans, that’s great.

This is what New Advent says about Third Orders:

Third Orders signify in general lay members of religious orders, i.e. men and women who do not necessarily live in community and yet can claim to wear the habit and participate in the good works of some great order.

The Third Orders can each be divided into (a) regulars, i.e. living in convents, and (b) seculars, i.e. living in the world. Of these the first take vows, the latter can only make a solemn promise (except that Carmelite Tertiaries apparently take some sort of vows of obedience and chastity, cf. Angelus a S.S. Corde, O.C.D., "Manuale juris communis Regularium", Ghent, 1899, q. 1067), which, however, distinguishes them from members of mere confraternities and constitutes them legally a religious order (Constitution of Leo XIII, "Misericors Dei Filius").

Formation takes time. I found a pdf that describes the process. You can read the whole thing here:

After a postulancy period of 6 to 12 months, a Catholic in good standing with the Church can seek admittance to the Dominican Order as a Lay novice. This is a commitment to seek God's will and practice the Rule of St. Dominic. Once a postulant is received and chooses to continue in their formation, he or she commits to pursue a one year novitiate formation course. 

After the novice formation is completed, the candidate may request to make a three-year temporary profession as a Lay Dominican. If accepted, the member continues to live by the Rule, becoming more involved in the life of the Fraternity. At the end of the three-year profession, the member may renew the profession for one year or request to make perpetual (lifelong) profession as a Lay member of the Order of Preachers. Culmination of this five-year formation program is Lifelong Profession, a solemn occasion usually celebrated in the context of the Eucharist, with the Religious Promoter, Fraternity members and invited family and guests in attendance.

These paragraphs talk more about daily life and what we are called to do:

All Dominicans are one family united as followers of the clear-thinking, humble, obedient, most loving Dominic. Lay Fraternity members of the Order follow the Rule of St. Dominic by: praying (Rosary, Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass, prayers for deceased Dominicans, etc.); reading, studying, and contemplating Scripture and other spiritual works; fasting; attending monthly meetings with the community, confessing frequently; making yearly retreats; and observing other practices. All Dominicans are involved in the charism of preaching. The Catechism states: (904) "Christ . . . fulfills this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy . . . but also by the laity. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with the sense of the faith [sensus fidei] and the grace of the word" To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer. The call of a Lay Dominican is to bring Jesus into the world, and to make His love manifest to others in our apostolates.

Based on what I’ve read here about Lay Dominicans and what I’ve read about Secular Carmelites, daily habits for tertiaries look the same. If you do not already pray the Liturgy of the Hours and daily Rosary, start getting into that now. I highly recommend daily Mass, too, if you can. 

Try to find blogs of Lay Dominicans to learn more about them and see if there are any Facebook groups. I follow a Secular Carmelite on Facebook and I joined an OCDS Facebook group. This has been really helpful.

You’re welcome! Happy to help :)

I’ll pray for you! God bless!

Ad Jesum per Mariam,