Talk on Carmelite Saints to commemorate feast day of All Carmelite Saints

By CTK OCDS community

KUCHING — On the evening of the feast day of All Carmelite Saints (14 November 2025), Fr Philip Tay, OCD gave a brief introductory talk on the history of the Carmelite order, previewing some Carmelite saints. The next morning, on the All Carmelite Souls’ day (15 November), he introduced parishioners to four Carmelite saints and one Carmelite blessed. 

Fr Philip explained the traditional view of the origins of the Carmelites, as we do not have a founder of the order, unlike other mendicant orders of Dominicans, Franciscans and Augustinians. The Carmelite Order originated in the 12 and 13 centuries with hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, who were inspired by the prophet Elijah. These hermits were given a Rule of Life by St Albert of Jerusalem. The hermits honoured the Virgin Mary as their Queen and Mother, thus they were originally called Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Due to the political and social unrest in the Holy Land, they moved to Europe in the 13th century. 

The habit worn by a Carmelite friar consists of a brown tunic worn over with a black cincture (belt), a brown scapular (long sleeveless garment worn over the tunic, front and back) with a hood (capuche) and a white cloak worn for special occasions. This differs from that of a Franciscan friar, who wears a plain, loose-fitting tunic, a hood (capuche) and a white cord (cincture) tied around the waist with three knots.

The Carmelite charism is a way of following Christ with total dedication, to form contemplative commitment at the service of God’s people in the midst we live. Fraternity, service and contemplation are therefore essential values for all Carmelites.

The four Carmelite saints and one blessed Carmelite brother introduced by Fr Philip were St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (St Edith Stein), St Elizabeth of the Trinity, Blessed Francisco Palau, St Mary of Jesus Crucified (Mariam Baouardy) and St Teresa of the Andes.

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was a brilliant philosopher who was born on 12 Oct 1891 in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland). She was a Jew who converted to Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1916 and chose empathy as her thesis topic. She joined the Carmelite monastery in Cologne, Germany in 1933 but was sent to the monastery in Echt, Netherlands to avoid the growing Nazi threat. She and her sister Rosa, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on 9 Aug 1942. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1987 and canonized her 12 years later. She is one of the patron saints of Europe.

St Elizabeth of the Trinity, born on 18 July 1880, was a French Discalced Carmelite. When she was 21 years old, she entered the Carmelite monastery in Dijon, France. She died when 26 years old, of Addison’s disease. Her quote: “I have found heaven on earth, since heaven is God, and God is in my soul”. She was beatified in 1984 by Pope John Paul II and canonised in 2016 by Pope Francis. Her feast is celebrated on 9 November yearly.

Blessed Francisco Palau y Quer was a Discalced Carmelite priest. He was born on 29 December 1811 in Spain and died in 1872. In 1860, he founded the Carmelite Missionaries, which have their general house in Rome and are found in many places of the world, including Peru, Chile, Philippines, India, South Korea and Kenya. His quote: “My life is the least I can give in return of His love”. He was beatified in 1988 by Pope John Paul II and his feast day is celebrated on 7 November.

St Mary of Jesus Crucified (Mariam Baouardy) was a 19 century Palestinian Discalced Carmelite nun of the Melkite Greek catholic church. She is known for her service to the poor and for receiving the stigmata. She was also known as the “Little Arab”. She called herself “the little nothing”. She was born in Galilee in 1846 and was orphaned when she was not yet three years old. All her 12 siblings born before her did not survive infancy. She was named after the Virgin Mary, out of gratitude, by her parents. She entered the Discalced Carmelite in Pau, France in 1867. She helped found Carmel in India as well as the Carmel of Bethlehem. She died in 1878. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1981 and canonised in 2015 by Pope Francis. Her feast day is 26 August.

St Teresa of the Andes was born in 1900. She was a Chilean nun and was the first saint from the Americas. She was from an affluent family. She entered Carmel in Los Andes, in 1919. However, she contracted typhus and died in 1920. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1987 and canonised her in 1993. She was a saint for the young people, before Saint Carlo Acutis, giving witness to the understanding that true happiness lies in God, who is infinite joy.

There are many more Carmelite Saints, and we are already blessed with three doctors of the church, namely, St Teresa of Jesus, St John of the Cross and St Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. The process to name a fourth is underway, with St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints is currently reviewing this. 

After the Talk at a small ceremony, one of our temporary professed Michael Then, extended his temporary promise, witnessed by the OCDS community. 

The Talk by Fr Philip Tay was organised by Christ the King, OCDS Kuching community.