Stella Maris OCDS Group
It is our great pleasure to announce that as of November 14, 2022 the new “Stella Maris” OCDS group has just been formed at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Bremerton, WA. Stella Maris meets on the 3rd Sunday of each month and is now open to visitors.
The Stella Maris foundation is the fruit of work begun by the Holy Spirit within the Blessed Trinity community in 2018, when it was becoming clear that a new group would:
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Help to foster Carmelite vocations on the Kitsap peninsula, for which there was abundant evidence
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Improve community life for Blessed Trinity members living in Kitsap. For secular Carmelites, both vibrant community life and individual spiritual growth depend heavily on being present for meetings and events, and a number of Blessed Trinity members living in Kitsap had been struggling to make the long drive to Seattle/Tacoma.
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Enable the Blessed Trinity Community to respond to our Lord’s generous gift of continuing new vocations with a gift of itself. By 2018 Blessed Trinity had by the grace of God grown to be one of the largest communities in Washington, and while both large and small communities each have their advantages there comes a time when a large community must give back to the Lord in “praise of His glory” (to use St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s expression) with new foundations. These new foundations spread the Carmelite charism and at the same time afford the founding members the opportunity to return to the more intimate setting of small community life.
The founding members of the new group chose for its name “Stella Maris”, which is Latin for Star of the Sea:
“Stella Maris has long been the favorite title by which people of the sea have called on her in whose protection they have always trusted: the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her son, Jesus Christ, accompanied his disciples in their vessels, helped them in their work, and calmed the storms. And so the Church accompanies seafarers, caring for the special spiritual needs of those who for various reasons live and work in the maritime world.” [vatican.va]
Stella Maris’s first council is comprised of three members who have also served on the Blessed Trinity council: Meg Collier, President, Paula Silk, First Councilor/Secretary, and Linda Delorme, Formation Director. Deacon Mikhail Ainajjar has graciously agreed to serve as Spiritual Assistant.
Visitors are welcome! For more information please email kitsapocds@gmail.com or contact Meg Collier in the Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Office.
The initial period of a new foundation is a joyful but challenging one. Please join us in prayer for our Savior's blessing upon this effort with the Ave Maris Stella prayer (which has been sung and prayed to our Lady from antiquity):
Ave Maris Stella
Hail, bright star of ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva's name.
Break the captives' fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus,
Joy forevermore.
Through the highest heaven
To the Almighty Three,
Father, Son and Spirit,
One same glory be.
Amen.