Meeting of Hearts in Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OCDS) Community undertook a grace-filled visit to the Cloistered Carmelite Nuns’ Monastery at Chicalim, Goa, on Sunday, 26 January, as part of its ongoing spiritual formation and outreach.

The visit brought together new members from Chicalim and members of Our Lady of Mount Carmel OCDS Community, Margao, offering an opportunity to strengthen bonds of fraternity within the Carmelite family. The gathering was led by Fr. Diogo Proenca, Spiritual Assistant of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Commuinty, Margao.

The programme began with a warm session of mutual introductions, allowing members of both communities to become acquainted and to experience the richness of unity in diversity within the Church. This was followed by a brief reflection by Fr. Diogo on the history and spirituality of the Carmelite Order, highlighting its call to interior prayer, silence, and total surrender to God.

Fr. Diogo then offered a brief yet enriching reflection on the Carmelite heritage, drawing attention to the Order’s deep roots in prayer, contemplation, and total surrender to God. This was followed by a profound talk on the Eucharist, helping members reflect more deeply on the meaning of the Holy Mass—as sacrifice, communion, and the living presence of Christ at the heart of the Church and the Carmelite vocation.

The serene and prayerful atmosphere of the cloister provided a fitting setting for this reflection, helping participants enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s presence and self-gift.

The visit concluded with a time of fraternal fellowship, as the cloistered nuns lovingly prepared tea and snacks for the visiting OCDS members. This simple gesture of hospitality became a quiet yet powerful expression of communion between the contemplative and active expressions of Carmelite life. Reflecting on the experience, participants were reminded of the words of St John of the Cross: “God spoke one Word, and He spoke it in eternal silence; and in silence it must be heard by the soul.”

The visit served as a meaningful reminder that while vocations within the Church differ, all are united in Christ and called to holiness. Such encounters continue to nurture communion within the Church and encourage the faithful to live a life rooted in prayer, the Eucharist, and fraternity.