Taking a title after one’s name has been a Carmelite tradition for many years. St. Teresa of Jesus, our Holy Mother, and St. John of the Cross, our Holy Father, both took titles that were dear to them. It is often said that the mystery your title expresses often plays out in a special way [...]
As Discalced Carmelites, we have the opportunity to take a new name, a 'religious' name, when we enter the novitiate, the second, most foundational stage of formation. During postulancy, the first stage, we are able to think and pray about whether or not we would like to take a new name and, if so, what [...]
I picked the name Br. Michael of the Holy Face and the Sorrowful Mother. In our province we are asked to choose a religious title that speaks to us about our draw to Carmel and how we think that the Lord is leading us. The title is a tradition going back to our earliest historical [...]
When I was clothed in the Habit of the Discalced Carmelite Friars, I was given the name "Pier Giorgio" after Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Who is Blessed Pier Giorgio? He was a young Italian who died at the age of 24 in 1925. I've kept Bl. Pier Giorgio as a patron saint and heavenly friend [...]
