By Jerome Lim, OCDS
On 16 September 2024, at the Carmelite Chapel, my wife and I, along with our members of Christ the King (CTK) OCDS community Kuching, family members, relatives, colleagues, friends, and students, shared a profoundly moving and meaningful experience as we professed our vocation as Secular Carmelites to the Discalced Carmelites Order.
On this special day, I made my Definitive (Final) Profession, committing to live the Evangelical Counsels of Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and the Beatitudes for life. My wife made her Temporary Profession, embracing the same path with the same spirit. Together, we have dedicated ourselves to living the Gospel and embodying the charism of the Discalced Carmelite Order, which is centred on prayer, simplicity, and love, while fully engaging in the mission of the Church.
Our profession is not merely a personal commitment—it reflects our shared vocation as spouses and parents, deeply rooted in family life and the Church’s apostolic mission. Indeed, it’s a call within the call. This unique vocation calls us not only to live out Carmelite spirituality within our family but also to witness the broader mission of the Church.
We draw particular inspiration from Sts Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of our holy sister, St Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church. Sts Louis and Zélie lived their vocation as a married couple with a deep Carmelite spirit of prayer, simplicity, and love, passing this devotion on to their children.
Through their witness, all of their daughters embraced religious vocations, including St Thérèse, who became a Discalced Carmelite nun, the patron saint of missionaries, and also named a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997. Their lives are a powerful example of how married couples can live a deep spirituality while raising a family, a path we feel called to follow.
We are blessed with three wonderful children: Faith Sarah Lim (17), Isaac Marcus Lim (14), and Francess Clare Lim (11). Just as Sts Louis and Zélie Martin raised their daughters to embrace religious vocations, we aspire to guide our children through faith, prayer, and service to God, shaping a home rooted in the Carmelite spirit.
Christina beautifully reflects on her own vocation:
“My calling to the Carmelite vocation has truly transformed my role as a mother, wife, and professed member of the Order. I draw inspiration from the remarkable lives of Sts Louis and Zélie Martin, aspiring to reflect love, humility, and compassion in every aspect of my life. With a heart open to God, I strive to nurture my family and serve others wholeheartedly according to the Carmelite charism and spirituality.”
Our eldest daughter, Faith Sarah, reflects on the significance of our profession:
“As I reflect on my parents’ profession of the evangelical way of life as Secular Carmelites, I am filled with gratitude. Their commitment to a life of prayer, service, and simplicity is a constant source of inspiration in my life. It’s not just their words but their actions that show the beauty of living faith day by day. Their devotion will continue to shape our family, deepening our trust in God and calling us to live with the same sense of purpose and love.”
Our son, Isaac Marcus, adds his reflection:
“Daddy and Mummy’s commitment to God as Secular Carmelites deeply inspires me. They show how faith can be lived in everyday life, creating a home where spiritual growth is nurtured. Their example reminds me that living faithfully requires persistence and grace. They are role models through their humility and dedication, showing how to live for God while fully engaging with the world.”
Our youngest daughter, Francess Clare, shares her feelings:
“I have a mixture of feelings—happiness, pride, and gratitude—about my parents’ profession. I am truly grateful and proud of both of them because I know they work and pray very hard every day to serve God. I am also very happy that they enjoy being Secular Carmelites, and as long as they are happy, I will always be happy for them.”
As Secular Carmelites, we are committed to integrating a deep life of contemplative prayer with active participation in the world, sharing the Gospel through our daily actions. Whether as parents, secondary school teacher, Scout leader, or serving in various church ministries—as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, burial minister, or facilitator in marriage preparation course—we strive to embody the Carmelite values of service, humility, and love. By living these values, we seek to transform every aspect of our lives, bringing the spirit of Carmel into our work, our communities, and our relationships.
This calling, to be witnesses both within our families and in the Church’s mission, is a “call within a call,” inviting us to live out the Gospel and share the light of Christ with others, as Sts Louis and Zélie Martin did with their children. In this way, we follow their example, spreading Christ’s love and hope into the world.
This profession marks the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith, guided by the Carmelite charism and spirituality, in service to God and His Church. It is a testimony to how married life can be deeply united with the contemplative spirit of Carmel while remaining fully engaged in the mission of the Church.
Our witness as a family, centred on prayer and mission, is one that we hope will inspire others to deepen their relationship with Christ and to live out their faith with the same joy and love that has marked our journey as professed Secular Carmelites.
In this vocation, we find the strength, grace, and peace to be both parents and servants of the Church, united in love and mission. We are humbled to share our witness with the community, embracing our call to live evangelical perfection through the Carmelite charism and dedicating ourselves to being witnesses of God’s love in every aspect of our lives.
Sts Louis and Zélie Martin, pray for us! May we live by your great example to love one another, to love all that God has given us, and to always return to our greatest dignity as sons and daughters of God.
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