Text of the Bull

"Nicholas, Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God. For perpetual memory.

No one can organize, without the permission of the Supreme Pontiff, any group of faithful, under whatever form of religion. Any group of female religious, virgins, widows, "beguines," "mantellati" or other similar groups, which exist under the title and protection of the Order of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, or who in the future offer to commit themselves, may not continue without the approval of the apostolic authority. By means of these letters, we decree that with regard to the reception, mode of life, admission and protection of the aforementioned, we decree that the Order and the Master General and the Priors Provincial enjoy and may use the same identical privileges given to the Order of Preachers and to the Hermits of St. Augustine. With these privileges the aforementioned virgins, widows, "beatas" and "mantellati" live in chastity and honestly, keeping fast and fulfilling all other duties, as they already do, according to the statutes of the virgins, "beguines," and "mantellati" of the other Orders, who also live in chastity and honesty. Let no one dare to interfere and contravene our decree. However, if someone presumes to contravene it, let that person know that he will incur the wrath of God and of his holy apostles, Peter and Paul.

Given in Rome, in St. Peter’s, in the year 1452 of the Incarnation of Our Lord, the 7th day of October, in the six year of our pontificate.

(The original test of the bull "Cum nulla" may be found in the State Archives of Florence at number 400, page 145v-146r, Vatican Reg. This is directed to "The Most Rev. General of the Order of St. Mary of the Carmelites, Rome.)

October 7, 2002 will be the 550^th anniversary of the Bull "Cum nulla" with which Pope Nicholas V officially approved our cloistered nuns, the Third Order, and the laity of the Carmelite Confraternities.

From the earliest times in Italy there have been men and women associated to the Order. The "conversi" or "conversae" consecrated themselves to God with three private vows, similar to the religious, putting themselves under obedience to the superiors of the Order. The "conversi" lived as "semi-brothers," living outside the cloister. The Oblates, with one of the vows and the members of the Confraternities what participated in the spiritual benefits of the Order, wore a habit that consisted of a white mantle, hence the name "mantellati" (those who wear the mantle). At the same time, they were known as "pinzocchere" in Italy or "beatas" (Spain). At times there were organized into groups (XIV-XV century in Venice, Florence, Milan, Mantua, and Ferrara).

The women who were affiliated to the Order lived in their own houses. The Order had no monasteries for the enclosed nuns. Blessed John Soreth, the Prior General, untook this project. On May 10, 1452, he admitted the "beguines" of Ten Elsen in modern day Geldern, Germany to the Order.

There was a similar case in Florence. In 1450 various female "mantellatae," some living in their own houses, formed a community. The prior of the house in Florence, Bartolomew Masi, obtained the papal bull "Cum nulla" from Pope Nicholas V, dated October 7, 1452. This gave authority to the Prior General and to the Provincials of the Order to receive, admit, and protect the female virgin religious, widows, "beguines," mantellatae, who, individually or in groups (convents) were living or in the future would ask to live under the habit and protection of the Carmelite Order. This bull is considered as the institution of the Carmelite cloistered nuns, of the Third Order and of the Carmelite Confraternities.

Great nuns and seculars have made Carmel shine: Blessed Francis d’ Amboise (France – XV century); Blessed Arcangela Girlani (Italy – XV century); Blessed Joanna Scopelli (Italy – XV century); St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi (Italy – XVI century); St. Teresa of Jesus (Spain – XVI century) who started the Discalced Carmelites who have borne much fruit for the Church, and many others among our nuns. Blessed Joan of Toulouse (France - XIV and XV century); Liberata Ferraron and Carmen de Sojo; Blessed Isidoro Bakanja; Blessed George Preca, a Maltese priest of the Third Order, among the lay and Third Order members.

CELEBRATION OF THE BULL "CUM NULLA" AND THE LAITY

As has already become known, this year we celebrate the 550^th anniversary of the Bull "Cum nulla" by which Pope Nicholas V gave permission to the Carmelite Order to receive women into the Order.

As a result of this bull both the contemplative life of the nuns as well as the participation by lay people in the life of Carmel as members of the Third Order began. (The nuns were considered the Second Order and the friars were the First Order.)

Certainly this is an occasion to celebrate in whatever way we can, either inside the monasteries of the nuns or by the various groups of lay people. The General Council discussed this topic at its last plenary session in May 2002 and asked the General Delegate for the Laity, Josef Jančář, O. Carm., to organize this celebration of the anniversary of the entry of lay people into Carmel on an Order wide basis. At the same time, the General Council wishes to encourage this celebration of the laity on the provincial and national levels too.

This topic will be discussed further during the meeting of the International Commission for Lay Carmel. That meeting takes place May 27-31, 2002 at the Curia in Rome. We hope that there will be more precise plans following that meeting. Without a doubt, one great contribution to the celebration would be the approval of the Rule of the Carmelite Third Order by the Holy See during this year. We hope that we will be able to carry out that part of the project as well.

The Prior General, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, has written a letter addressed to the whole Carmelite Family, on the occasion of the 550^th anniversary of the Papal document entitled, "Cum Nulla". This document (or Bull) was addressed to Blessed John Soreth, Prior General, in 1452, and it opened the way for the Order to incorporate consecrated women and lay people. Various celebrations are planned to mark the anniversary of this important Papal document.

In his letter, entitled, "Into the Land of Carmel", Fr. Joseph reflects on the importance of the cloistered vocation and the vocation of the lay Carmelite for the whole Carmelite Family. All Carmelites are called by God to live the same fundamental values but we do so in different ways according to our particular state in life.

The letter of the Prior General will be sent to Priors Provincial, Commissaries General, Commissaries Provincial, Superiors General of affiliated Congregations, every community and monastery of the Order, as well as to the leaders of national associations of lay Carmelites, where these exist. Those who work with lay Carmelites are asked to publicize this letter in order that all members of the Family have an opportunity to reflect on the blessings that God has given to us by calling us into the land of Carmel.

CELEBRATIONS OF THE BULL "CUM NULLA"

The General Council of the Order, taking some of the suggestion of our nuns and laity, has specified some concrete ways to celebrate: