ENGLISH

No. 1- 2011

Editorial
Fr. Christian Krner, O. Carm.

The Citoc Magazine is published twice a

year by the Order of Carmelites. Submitted
news, information, feature, articles, letters,
photos, and other materials become the
property of the Citoc Magazine.

Publisher:

ithin the Order, there are various

means of communication at the
various provincial and regional levels. In recent
years, the General Curia sent CITOC-online as
a source of international news for the whole
Carmelite Family. Digital communication is the
fastest way and can immediately reach every
corner of the world. However, several people,
besides those who for various reasons do not
have internet access, noticed the lack of the
printed version of CITOC and expressed the need
to exchange information in the more traditional
way.
After a break of a few years, we are pleased
to present the printed edition of CITOC in a new
form. We are restarting the publication with
presentations on various aspects of life and
activities of the Order and in the whole Carmelite
Family.
In this issue we have highlighted recent and
important events, such as the beatification of
Angelo Paolo and his example for today. The
General Councilors present their geographical
areas and the various activities of the international
commissions. Of course, there is no lack of
information on the whole Carmelite Family. Many
other news items complete the rich source of
information that we would like to present to all
readers.
I would like to thank Fr. Ral Marav and Fr.
Joseph Hung Tran for their great contribution and
support in the realization of this publication. I
wish you all enjoyable reading.

Most Rev. Fernando Milln Romeral,

O.Carm.

Editor:
Very Rev. Christian Krner, O.Carm.

Consulting Editor:
Very Rev. Ral Marav Cabrera, O.Carm.

Copy Editor:
Rev. Joseph Hung Tran, O.Carm.

Correspondents:
Europe:
Very Rev. John Keating, O.Carm.

Africa:
Very Rev. Dsir Unen Alimange, O.Carm.

America:
Very Rev. Ral Marav Cabrera, O.Carm.

Asia Australia and Oceania

Very Rev. Albertus Herwanta, O.Carm.

Send submittals to the editor at:

Curia Generalizia dei Carmelitani,
Via Giovanni Lanza 138,
00184 Rome, Italy.
Tel+39-064620181
Email: citocmagazine@ocarm.org
www.ocarm.org

CITOC | PAGE 2

CONTENT
Editorial

Americas

Letter from the

Prior General

Asia-Australia-Oceania 7
Africa

Europe

10

Justice and Peace

11

ALACAR

14

Formation

19

Evangelization

22

First International
Congress of the
Carmelite Family

23

Carmelite News

26

New Federation of
Monasteries of
Italian Nuns

31

Canonical Erection of a New

General Delegation in Kenya

12 Pilgrimage of Hope
16
Bl. Angelo Paoli

20 International

Congress
of
Carmelite Schools

24

The International
Formators Course

CITOC | PAGE 3

Letter from
the Prior General
Prior General, Fr. Fernando Milln, O. Carm.

ew means of communication offer, among many other

possibilities, the facility for receiving information
almost instantly and in an inexpensive and constant
way. In recent years, CITOC online has been regularly fulfilling
this role. Many members of the Carmelite family now feel
more connected to the Order because of the fact that they are
informed almost at the present moment and can feel the pulse
and vibration of Carmel in the 21st Century.
Nevertheless, it is also necessary to have other kinds of
information that go beyond what is immediate. Despite the
fact that many communities and Orders have abolished the
printed newsletter at an international level, we believe that it
is right to launch a print version of CITOC that in some ways
will compliment and enrich the computer version. Despite the
general increase in the price of postage and paper, we believe
it is worth making this small effort to increase our information
service, to enable us see that we are a part of a family that is
on the move, lives and works, and is a witness to the presence
of God in our lives.
In the many trips that I have made throughout the world one
finds proof that the Carmelite presence in these countries is
very rich and active: missions, schools, parishes, work in the
field of education, justice and peace. It is also necessary to
provide good information about events and initiatives taking
place on a wider level (congresses, beatifications, international
meetings, government of the Order, etc.). Being aware of our
reality will help us to increase our self-esteem as a religious
family, to celebrate the work that our brothers and sisters are
doing and to thank God for what He is doing through Carmel, for
the service of the church and for the people of God.
As we begin this new venture with CITOC, I cannot forget
the testimony of Titus Brandsma who was a true pioneer of
the Churchs presence in the press and media. With great
enthusiasm he worked all his life in various
newspapers and magazines and, in turn, reflected
on the importance of these means for society
and for evangelization, and on the ethical
criteria that are necessary
in the field of

communications. His message is

relevant today more than ever before
and some of his conclusions anticipated
by more than thirty years what would be
affirmed in the Second Vatican Council
in the famous decree Inter Mirifica. I
think its preface is worth reproducing
here:
Among the wonderful technological
discoveries which men of talent,
especially in the present era, have
made with Gods help, the Church
welcomes and promotes with special
interest those which have a most
direct relation to mens minds and
which have uncovered new avenues
of communicating most readily news,
views and teachings of every sort. The
most important of these inventions are
those media which, such as the press,
movies, radio, television and the like,
can, of their very nature, reach and
influence, not only individuals, but the
very masses and the whole of human
society, and thus can rightly be called
the media of social communication.
(Paragraph 1, Decree on the Media of
Social Communication INTER MIRIFICA
solemnly promulgated by His Holiness
Pope Paul VI on December 4, 1963. )
I thank wholeheartedly the work of
those that have made this new edition
of CITOC possible and ask Our Lady of
Mount Carmel, Stella Maris, that it be
truly a Universal Information Center
of the Carmelite Order (Informationis
Centrum totius Ordinis Carmelitarum,
CITOC) that shines and enlightens the
great Carmelite family in the world.

CITOC | PAGE 4

Canonical Erection
of a New General
Delegation in Kenya

n July 16, the Solemn Commemoration of our Lady of Mount

Carmel, in our house in Nairobi
(Bustani ya Karmeli), the Prior General,
accompanied by the Councillor for Africa, Fr. Dsir Unen Alimange, co-signed
the decree of canonical erection of the
General Delegation of Kenya, which will
be under the patronage of Our Lady of
Carmel. The first General Delegate is
Fr. Boniface Makau Kimondolo (Cat). Fr.
Fernando emphasised the importance of
this occasion for the history of Carmel in
Kenya and in the African continent.
During the celebrations, the generous contribution to this mission on the
part of four provinces was recalled: Upper Germany, Arago-Valentina, Catalonia
and India.
The first assembly of the Delegation
was also held during which both shortterm and medium-term objectives were
set for this promising presence in Africa.

There are now five General Delegations in the Order:

France, Titus Brandsma in Colombia, Bohemia and Moravia
and now Kenya.
The Prior General also took advantage of the occasion to
present a letter which will be shortly sent to the Carmelite
Family entitled A Purchased People. This is to mark the
50th anniversary of a letter by the same name written by the
Carmelite Bishop, Mons. Donal Lamont, against apartheid. In
the letter, Fr. Fernando calls on Carmel to encourage growth
in Africa.

History of the General Delegation of Kenya

he Carmelite presence in Kenya is

the result of the efforts of a number
of provinces that made a commitment to begin the mission. The decision
to begin this mission in Kenya was made
by the General Council in December of
2000. This decision was based on the
recommendation of Fr. Anthony Scerri,
the General Councillor for Africa, Asia
and Australia.
A number of factors led to this decision.
A meeting of the Provincials from the
provinces who were committed to helping the mission took place. These included: Fr. Christian Krner, O.Carm.,
Provincial of the Upper German Province,
Fr. Manuel Bonilla, O.Carm., Provincial of
the Catalonian Province, Fr. David Oliver
Felipo, O.Carm, Provincial of the AragoValentina Province and Fr. John Adapoor,
O.Carm., the Commissary Provincial of

the Commissariat of India.

The meeting was held in Barcelona. In making this decision, the General Council also took into account the Carmelite presence in Kenya of our enclosed nuns in the diocese
of Machakos (since 1998) and subsequently in the diocese
of Ngong (2005), as well as the presence of our Missionary
Workers of the Missionary Family Missionary Donum Dei in
Nairobi, and of many lay members of the Carmelite Third Order spread over many dioceses in Kenya. Also, Nairobi, the
capital of Kenya, is an important centre of religious studies in
Africa and could become a Carmelite centre of formation for
Carmelites in an African environment and
culture.
The General Council also noted that
there are other foundations in Africa and
recognized the willingness for fraternal collaboration and
Continued on page 9

CITOC | PAGE 5

Americas

Fr. Ral Marav C., O.Carm.

he presence of Carmelite friars can be found in thirteen

distinct countries in a very large territory that extends
from Canada in the north to Argentina in the south
where we have approximately 530 Carmelites.
The American continent is divided into two regions:

1. The North American Region

2. The Latin American and Caribbean region.
In this first triennium we visited the majority of the Carmelite
places in this enormous continent. We tried to encourage
greater interchange and mutual collaboration between
both regions and between the existing entities. Likewise,
we animated the friars to participate in various permanent
formation programs, to continue studies in specialized areas
after theology and to learn one of the official languages of
the Order. These visits also included visits to monasteries of
cloistered nuns and some convents of sisters affiliated with
our Order when time and distance permitted us to do so.
During this time we had the opportunity to participate in
four provincial chapters, four provincial commissariat
assemblies and one general delegation meeting. Also,
we were present at various celebrations, congresses
and meetings among which we can highlight: the
Beatification of Madre Candelaria de San Jos in
Venezuela, the meeting of Superiors of the Americas in
Brazil, the Golden (50th) Anniversary of Crespi Carmelite
High School in the United States, The O.Carm-O.C.D.
Latin American Congress (ALACAR) in Colombia, and
three formation courses for Latin America in Peru,
Bolivia and Brazil.
It should be noted that in the Meeting of Superiors of
2008, the group carefully studied the Global Plan of the

General Council for the Order in distinct

areas such as: formation, justice and
peace and the integrity of creation,
Carmelite schools and youth, Carmelite
laity. The assistants, friars and some
Carmelite sisters worked and analyzed
the most viable ways to implement this
plan in their communities.
On the other hand, it is also important
to note that during the International
Course for formators in August of 2010
in Brazil, the formators of the American
continent met to discuss a plan to develop

Carmelite Novices in Brazil

three single international novitiates in

the continent (one in English, one in
Spanish and one in Portuguese). The
majority of the participants (around
thirty formators) were in agreement
to continue supporting this initiative in
order to achieve a better interchange
and to enrich the novices and students
with a more international and diversified
experience of our Carmelite Order.

The Dedication of the new Xiberta Center of Theological Reflection in El Salvador

CITOC | PAGE 6

Asia-Australia-Oceania

Fr. Albertus Herwanta, O.Carm.

s a General Councilor, I would like to

continue building cooperation among
Carmelites in the region, and making
more contribution to the whole Order. In order to
achieve this, clear and constructive communication
is needed to facilitate collaboration and consolidation
in the whole regional Carmelite Family.
I arranged the first meeting for the superiors
of the region in Bali in November 2008, in which
collaboration, especially in Carmelite formation was
the priority. During the Council of Provinces XVI in
San Felice, September 2009, the superiors of the
region agreed to organize training for formators. In
May 2010, 19 formators came together, participating
in a training facilitated by Fr. Joseph Chalmers.

I have also
visited Carmelite
Nuns of
Indonesia (Batu
& Palangkaraya),
Philippines
(Tanay,
Dumaguete,
Butuan, Guiguinto, Tarlac, Burgos, Roxas), and
some Carmelite sister communities in India,
Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and
East Timor. We also met Lay Carmelite groups in
the Philippines, Indonesia, and East Timor. They
highly appreciated these visits. Thanks to them
for their hospitality!

I took advantage of the training by creating

a regional committee for formation whose
responsibility is to facilitate a cooperative formation
in the region. It was decided to organize a seminar
on formation and JPIC for Carmelite students which
will be held in East Timor April 26 May 2, 2011 and
to have a meeting for formators in India in 2012.

The Carmelites of the region are taking part

in the Carmelite mission of the Order. Indonesia
is responsible for a mission in China, India is
partaking in a Kenya mission, the Philippines is
working in their Papua New Guinea mission. These
missions are managed as regional projects in which
provinces, commissariats, and delegations support
each other and strengthen their cooperation.

During the International Gathering in Camoim,

Brazil in August 2010 the regional formators
strongly agreed to continue collaborating in such
areas as joint formation, formators and students
exchange, and sharing experiences.

Br. Amilton Vidotto (Pern) is teaching Portuguese

to our East Timorese Carmelites, and the New York
province is sending some Vietnamese Carmelites
there for sharing Carmelite life during the summer.

But meetings are not enough; therefore, visiting

various Carmelite communities is needed. I have
visited India (St. Thomas Province and St.ThereseSt.Albert delegation), Philippines (Chapter and
fraternal visit), China and Vietnam (canonical visit
with Fr. General), Indonesia (Chapter and canonical
visit with Fr. General), Australia and East Timor
(Chapter and fraternal visit with Fr. General).

The General Council has stimulated the region to

build stronger internationality. Studying or working
in other provinces like Ireland, England, Germany,
France, Italy, United States, and Australia may
strengthen our internationality and should be done
according to a clear agreement among provinces,
commissariats, and delegations; otherwise, it may
create confusion.

CITOC | PAGE 7
Provincial chapter of Province of Australia and East Timor

Africa

Fr. Dsir Unen Alimange, O.Carm.

F r o m
among the
projects
for
Africa
in these 6
years that
emerged
from the General Chapter in 2007, we would like to
present the present-day situation and that which
will be realized in the following days.

The current situation (already realized)

a. The formation of formators and formandi are
the highest priority. All of the priors provincial are
concerned with the formation of the members of
their respective missions: Zimbabwe, Rep. Dem.
Congo, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Kenya, Tanzania.
b. The existing foundations are asking to be
consolidated. Certainly, the Carmelite charism has
become a reality in these respective places. In
order to affirm the brothers in their faith, fraternal
visits have all been completed in all the missions
by the Councilor of the area.
Regarding canonical visits, the Prior General,
accompanied by the Councilor of the area, went to
the following missions: Zimbabwe, Mozambique,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Rep. Dem.
Congo.
In certain missions at this time, missionaries

are helping one another out in terms of personnel

in order to support the fraternal life by having a
sufficient number of members in the community
and assisting in the formation of some members.
At the level of governance, and conscious of the
future, progressively new productive structures of
management and the administration of goods are
being created.

Situation for the future (to be achieved)

a. The creation of the Institute of Carmelite
Spirituality in Nairobi (Kenya) under the immediate
jurisdiction of the Prior General (Constitutions
166) emerging from the General Chapter is a
crucial question. It demands the preparation of
competent and actively engaged friars. Some
things are moving slowly.
b. The primary need of the animator of the
African geographical area is to affirm the friars in
their Carmelite vocation. Therefore, the canonical
visit to Tanzania will take place in the coming days
at a determined date.
c. Thanks be to God, the new foundations
are not lacking in Africa, whether on the part
of the provinces who want new experiences of
evangelization, or in the internal development of
existing missions.
It is fraternally recommended to follow the official
criteria of the Order: From the start, our charism

Canonical visitation of the Mission in Camerun

CITOC | PAGE 8

Kenya: continued from page 5

should not be neglected, to provide a

sufficient number of friars to the new
communities to conduct the fraternal
life worthily, in no case to neglect or
sacrifice formation, to provide adequate
means of sustenance, to maintain a
good relationship with the local Church
regarding Carmelite patrimony (the
document Mutuae Relationes can help
very much in this situation), following
the recommendations stipulated in the
norms of universal law.
The mission ad gentes-in other
words, the task of announcing the
Gospel in places where it is not known
is one of the fundamental activities
of the Church, for the Church is
missionary by its very nature. The main
agent of the mission ad gentes is the
Holy Spirit, who inspires Provinces and
Commissariats to appoint members
to this task. It is the Spirit who gives
the missionary charism to those who
are sent. In this work, the Order
recognises immense opportunities
in such areas as charity, evangelical
proclamation,
Christian education,
culture, and solidarity with the poor,
the marginalized, the oppressed, and
those who suffer discrimination.
All our communities shall support
this essential task with their prayers
and by encouraging the faithful to
become personally involved
and,
according to their circumstances, to
provide material help. Missionary
work requires a specific spirituality
and a process of inculturation; we are
confident therefore, that the mission
ad gentes will reveal the heart of the
Carmelite charism in a new way for the
good of the Church and of the Order.
(Constitutions #105)

generosity of the above mentioned Provinces.

The Upper German Province accepted the main responsibility for the mission and, especially its Provincial Commissariat of
India, which was committed to providing personnel and taking
on the practical running of the mission. The other Provinces,
Catalonia and Arago-Valentina, expressed their willingness to
cooperate closely with the mission, in part with material means
as well as personnel, because Catalonia had two solemnly professed and one Arago-Valentina member from Kenya.
On 1st August 2001, two Indian Carmelites arrived in the
city of Ngong, which is also the seat of the diocese, in order
to begin the mission. Later, they were joined by another Indian Carmelite. Later one of them went to the north of Kenya
where he was working separately. The other two Carmelites,
having taken on a quasi-parish entrusted to them by the diocesan bishop and, adjacent to the church, built the house of
formation, which was inaugurated in June 2005. Concerning
personnel, apart from the Indian brethren mentioned above,
in 2005 two Indian students joined the mission. They finished
their studies in Nairobi and returned to India.
On the 1st and 2nd of March 2005 the four superiors involved
in the mission of Kenya met in Rome
together with the
Prior General, and
the General Councillor for Africa,
Asia and Australia, to discuss the
future of the mission. They agreed
on the points relating to jurisdiction,
personnel,
and finance. With
the erection of the
Indian province of
Saint Thomas the major responsibility for the mission passed
to that Province.
Presently, there is one Indian friar, two Kenyans from the
Catalonia Province, one Kenyan from the Arago-Valentina
Province, one Indian friar studying in Nairobi, four Kenyan prenovices and three aspirants.
Taking into account the development of this mission and
after considering the views of the members of the Province of
St. Thomas, Fr. Fernando Milln, O.Carm., the Prior General,
together with his Council, erected the mission in as a General
Delegation at its meeting held on May 25, 2010.
The General Delegation of Kenya came into existence on 16th
July 2010 and Boniface Makau Kimondolo was named the first
Delegate General of the General Delegation. The statutes were
approved on 22 December 2009 and came into force with the
erection of the Delegation. The agreement with the Provinces
of Upper Germany, Arago-Valentina, and Catalonia remain in
force during this time, regarding the mission in Kenya.
(from the Degree of the Canonical Erection of the General Delegation of Kenya)

CITOC | PAGE 9

EUROPE
A

Fr. John Keating, O.Carm.

t the General Chapter of 2007 it was agreed to unite

all of Europe into one geographical area having one
General Councilor responsible for the whole area. Up
to this Europe was divided into North and South. The Global
Plan of the General Council (2007-2013) states: Uniting the
two regions of Europe into one geographical area presents us
with a challenge and an opportunity for re-evaluation, growth
and change. There are 13 provinces, two commissariats and
two general delegations in this area. About one third of the
friars live in Europe and the majority of the enclosed nuns are
mainly in Italy and Spain. The heritage and tradition of the Order find deep roots in the European Carmel. Its support to the
developing parts of the Order throughout the world is very significant.
Many of the European provinces have either begun or are
beginning to evaluate their situation. Visitations have taken
place in many of the provinces and provincial chapters are addressing urgent issues common throughout most of these prov-

Canonical visitation of the Province of Poland - formation house

inces. The age level of the brethren indicates that we are facing a time of rapid change regarding numbers, and this will
be very evident within the next 10 to 20 years. Many of them
are facing painful decisions regarding closure of houses, financial income, personnel, etc. This necessitates a sense of
priority regarding ministry and location. Some provinces are
addressing the question of unification or fusion with other provinces (Arago-Valentina and Castile, Upper and Lower
Germany). The Church in Europe is going through significant
change and multiple crises. Pope Benedict XVI has endeavoured to address this crisis as a central part of his pontificate.
Europe itself also faces issues regarding political leadership,
economics, secularization, immigration, birth-rate, etc. The Order in Europe provides a vast service to the local church through
its diverse ministries in parishes, schools, sanctuaries and often
quite remarkable service to the poor. The members of the provinces have to address the question of declining church atten-

dance, lack of vocations, closure or

clustering of parish communities,
and pastoral service. Those in formation and the number of vocations
are small. Many of the younger Carmelites in Europe see a new vision
for the future and this is a challenge
for provinces and for inter-provincial cooperation at all levels. These
times are very challenging and European Carmelites too must look to
the renewal of the face of the Order especially through our spirituality, charism, and new expressions of
Carmelite presence in the old world.
To this end many inter-province
meeting take place in the three regions of Europe (Northern European
Region, Iberian Region and with the
recent meeting of the provincials of
Italy and Malta, the reestablishment
of an Italy/Malta Region).
The Carmelite Youth European
Pilgrimage of Hope in 2010 has
opened the way for a renewal of
engagement with our young people
and many provinces have set about
building anew its pastoral involvement with young people. A number
of provinces already have a welldeveloped youth ministry who offer
help to young people and give them
an opportunity to support the mission Carmel in Europe and around
the world. This is in tune with the Six
Year Plan of the General Curia: Development of the a European policy
of youth, forms of youth association
and direct involvement by our laity.
Youth ministry will be given special
attention in the coming years in the
European area.

CITOC | PAGE 10

Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation

Fr. Boby Sebastian Tharakunnel, O.Carm.
We live in a world full of injustice where
the poor and marginalized suffer, where we
are exhausting the Earths limited resources
and destroying ecological environments. This
new millennium has witnessed an increase in
domestic and social violence, global genocides
and war.

The JPIC Commission

In September 2008, the General Commission
for JPIC had its first meeting at Sassone, Italy,
where Fr. Albertus Herwanta, (Chairman), Fr.
Cees Bartels, Fr. David Blanchard, Fr. Michael
Agung, Fr. Jerry Sabado, Fr. Eduardo Agosta,
Fr. Boniface Kimondolo and Fr. Boby Sebastian
(James) Tharakunnel (Secretary) were present.
It came out with an action plan for 2008-2011
to raise an awareness of the JPIC issues and to
take real action to bring possible solutions in the
whole Order.

The JPIC Seminar in Zimbabwe

The Action Plan

It includes communicating the work of the International JPIC Commission to the Order, gathering information from the Carmelite Family regarding activities of provinces, commissariats,
delegations related to JPIC, and disseminating
them to the Order, disseminating the documents of the Order on JPIC to the members of
the Carmelite Family, setting-up a task-force for
interreligious dialogue, organizing courses and

resources on JPIC, at local and regional levels,

an immersion and exposure program to JPIC realities, setting-up a Web Page on JPIC, publication and documentation on JPIC issues, an essay
contest for the Carmelite students, Assembly in
2011, and JPIC Commission meetings to evaluate our program in order to face the International
assembly in 2011.
A. JPIC courses: The first was held in April
14-16, 2009 in El Salvador for the Central American region. The second was on environment, held
in Indonesia (August 1-2, 2009) in collaboration
with the Indonesian Carmelite-NGO. The third
one was held in Harare, Zimbabwe for the African region (July 25-29, 2010). We have planned
one for the Asian-Australian and Oceania region
in East Timor, 2011. We are also planning to organize such a course for the European students
and for the whole Order.
B. Communication: We have been communicating with the whole Order and the Carmelite-NGO in order to work together and are still
looking for stronger collaboration
from provinces, commissariats and delegations. Some
activities of the commission have been disseminated through CITOC
Online. Fr. Albertus
Herwanta gave a talk
on the commitment
to JPIC and Carmelite Formation at the
International Carmelite Formators meeting
in Racife, Brazil. He is
attending different JPIC
meetings around the globe
and organizing different seminars and courses in
the Order in spite of his busy schedule of being
the General Councilor for Asia- Australia-Oceana.
C. Titus Brandsma JPIC Essay Competition 2009-2010: This competition was aimed
at helping the young Carmelites to reflect seriously on JPIC topics such as globalization, climate
continued on page 15

CITOC | PAGE 11

he Pilgrimage of Hope took

place in Rome from 19th25th of July. Almost 200
young people from across Europe
participated. The pilgrimage was
based in the Carmelite Conference
Centre in Sassone, but the group
travelled into Rome most days, to
visit significant Christian sites. Over
5 days, the young people visited St.
Mary Major, St. John Lateran, San
Martino ai Monti, Castelgandolfo,
St. Pauls Outside the Walls,
the Catacombs of Priscilla, the
Colosseum and, of course, St.
Peters Basilica.
The work of the pilgrimage was
structured around a letter from
the Prior General, Fr. Fernando
Milln, O.Carm., which was written
specifically to the young people. Each
day had a particular theme, and the
pilgrims were invited to explore the
various topics, through discussion,
art, music, poetry, and drama groups.
The aim of the pilgrimage was to
encourage the young people to
investigate the Carmelite tradition,

by Br. Dave Twohig, O.Carm and Br. Thomas Feiten, O.Carm.

within the context of both their own

personal experience and the Christian
tradition; to share their reflections, and
to listen to their various perspectives.
In order to facilitate the young people
in expressing their thoughts and hopes
in different ways, a clothes-line was
erected outside the main entrance to
the Conference centre. This proved
to be a great success, as it was soon
filled with wonderful artwork and poetry
which dealt with all the themes of the
week. On reflection, the creative energy of the young people on
this pilgrimage was remarkable. In their work, many of the young
people showed a deep understanding of some essential aspects of
Carmelite spirituality. One significant example might be this poem
written by one of the participants:
God calls us to reach out to each other,
And Jesus walks with us every step of the way.
We fulfil this duty through obedience and self control,
While we look to the Word of God
for hope, guidance and strength.
We are united with the one God,
and our interdependence strengthens our sense of communion.
We gather to remember, to pray, and to give thanks to God.

CITOC | PAGE 12

And are reminded frequently as we journey

through life:
That life on earth is a time of trial.
It is through our suffering, however, that we
emerge as stronger and wiser people.
Many people suffer in silence, but silence is the
way to foster holiness
And this in its turn strengthens our connection
with God.
Music, whether in liturgy or more informally;
outside the entrance of Sassone or on the
coaches, provided a universal language through
which people from different countries could
communicate. This creativity perhaps found
its greatest expression
during the final liturgy
of the pilgrimage, a
Mass celebrated by
Fr. Fernando, in which
both the entrance and
recessional songs were
composed by members
of the pilgrimage group.
There was a great
sense of fraternity among
the young pilgrims and
the Carmelites. During
the
pilgrimage,
we
overheard several people saying that the Prior
General was really cool. This fraternal affection
was highlighted during the concert in Sassone,
when Fr. Fernando was lifted in the air for
some crowd-surfing! Since the pilgrimage, the
friendships, both national and international, have
continued to develop, with the aid of the internet,
Facebook and Twitter, many of the young people

are in regular contact; sharing photographs, reflections,

and their hope to meet again soon, perhaps in Madrid for
the World Youth Day 2011.
At the closing ceremony of the Pilgrimage, each person
was given a simple wooden cross made in a Carmelitemanaged rehabilitation centre in Zaragoza, Spain. This
cross symbolised the renewed commitment to following
Christ, but also looks toward the World Youth Day in
Madrid, and the hope that many of the members of the
Pilgrimage of Hope will reunite there.
On the final day, there was a plenary session with
Fr. Fernando, which was in the form of questions and
answers. Many of the questions that were brought
forward outlined the difficulties facing young people in
trying to live out their Christian faith in todays society.
Fr. Fernando addressed the questions in a very open
and sincere way, acknowledging the difficulties, offering
encouragement and support. In
looking to the future, each pilgrim
was encouraged to write a letter to
the Prior General, responding to
his own letter and outlining their
hopes and wishes. These letters
will be collated and presented to
the whole Carmelite Family in the
weeks ahead. Each provincial
group was also asked to make a
commitment to how they would
continue the work which had begun
at the pilgrimage. All of them said
they would like to meet up again.
Most groups thought about having a concrete project: for
example, walking together to Santiago de Compostella;
informing the different provinces about the pilgrimage;
finding new members to join the provincial groups; having
an exchange with other countries and so on.
It is difficult to convey the energy, the enthusiasm, and
continued on page 15

CITOC | PAGE 13

ALACAR: OCARM - OCD CONGRESS

Asociacin Latino Americana de Carmelitas
Mr. Abraham Maximiliano Camino
BEING AND DOING
At this time I want to share with my brothers in
faith and Carmel, something that my mother taught
me from childhood which is that God has something
set aside for us, and in my life I have to discover it.
Several years have passed and these words have
stuck with me, and each time I witness that God has
many things in store for his children and thanks to
Carmel I can discover them.
I want to share the wonderful experience that
touched my life in the ALACAR-COLOMBIA meeting
of 2009. It is through these words and the title this article Being and Doing that I arrive at the conclusion
that today a Christian has:

To Be = Mystic and Prophet = To Do

The Carmelites in accordance with their rich history, tradition and charism, show us through their 800
years of existence how we can find criteria that tell
us whether we are really close to God, if God exists
and lives in us, and thus in our lay lives to find a role
(propositum) to live En Obsequio Jesucristo (In
allegiance to Jesus Christ).
Carmelite spirituality permits us to give a place
for God or to let God BE God in our lives, but not
like something occasional or temporary, but something that makes me act in freedom, to feel invaded
by Gods presence in my life and come to look, act,
talk, react as Christ would. Galatians 2.19 to 20: It is
no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
A lay person must be an evangelizer, not only do
what Christ does but BE HIM. Because we all have

something to give. From the useless God brings out

usefulness. (Retreat of the Carmelite Family - Vacare Deo. August 2009. Lima, Peru).

Being a Prophet Today

How can we be Christ?
Carmelite mysticism tells us that being a
prophet today is not only to announce and proclaim with words but to act in a Christ like manner.
Therefore we not only have to DO, we have to BE.
To be in the presence of God (like Elijah) is to allow the same God to act in my life; only then will
we be recognized as sons and daughters of God.
Prophecy is nothing else but to announce
what we receive from God: Love. And this
we give in how we each day treat others.
We will be known by love, whatever my service if I do
it out of love and charity, all works will be meaningful.
1 Cor 13:1-13.
Everything is possible when Christ is the center of
my actions in the manner of the first Carmelites who
modeled their lives around Jesus Christ. Thats why
they were recognized as brothers, they all had a sense
of God and that is the great legacy that they left to us.
The Carmelites gifted us and presented us with their
Charism, and through this beautiful spirituality linked
to God under the example of holy Mary, we can be
partners in building the Kingdom of God.

THROUGH:
Contemplation and Prayer: How do I decode
the language of God who talks to me all the time?
Can I differentiate what is from God and what is not

CITOC | PAGE 14

Pilgrimage of Hope: continued from page 13

Fr. Saverio Cannistr, O.C.D, General Superior,

Fr. Fernando Milln, O.Carm., Prior General,
Fr. Ral Marav, O.Carm., Councillor General.

from God? Listening to the heart. Discern in the

Spirit, since everything is put there to be discovered
in contemplative prayer.

HERE AND NOW

FRATERNITY:
How do I share the language of God? Confronting and discerning with my brothers, which will give
me confidence that this is Gods language, what we
do together will be so that we all form this Reign
(Kingdom of God): Here and Now.

the good will which caused this pilgrimage to be a

great success, and a truly memorable experience
for all who participated. However, Fr. Hung Trans
video, which he made for the closing session of the
pilgrimage, provides a wonderful glimpse of this
spirit. The video is available on both the website
of the Order and YouTube, and is definitely worth
viewing.
To conclude, the Pilgrimage of Hope was exactly
that; an experience of Hope. Drawing from the
richness of the Orders tradition, together, we
sought new ways to express the Carmelite charism
in the world of today. Many of the young people on
the pilgrimage showed a genuine desire to know
more about Carmel, and to find some way to live
out the Carmelite values. As such, we think it is
important for us, as Carmelites, to respond to these
young people, not only by sharing our tradition, but
by being open to new expressions and new ways
of living that tradition. This will be a big challenge
for us, but we think it is a great sign of hope that
young people want to continue their way with us in
the Land of Carmel. Now it is up to us to take this
challenge and to go together into future.

SERVICE AND PROPHECY:

Understanding reality through the eyes of God
leads me to proclaim the good that I receive from
God and denounce what is not of God. From the
love and mercy he has with me, and so you can
have the same feelings of Christ (Philippians 2:5)
and thus care for the poor and needy and reverence in them the living God.
The laity have a great challenge and indeed a
prophetic mission, to denounce without fear in these
difficult times anything that takes away from the
presence of God while the world in which we live is
encouraging us to become what is false. There we
see the Prophecy of our father Elias, embodied in
our Carmelite lives.
The history of Carmel, was no stranger to difficulties in each of its periods, and this has been
demonstrated since the first Carmelites.
As committed lay Carmelites, in the spirit that
guided our Father Elijah on Mount Carmel and out
sister, the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nazareth, by the
example of them, we can live according to Gods
will that the same spirit helps us to insert ourselves
and be a main force in this reality that we live.

Justice and Peace: continued from page 11

change, just investments in relation with Carmelite spirituality. The winners of the competition
are: (1) Bro. Glen Attard, O.Carm. (Mel), (2) Bro.
David Augusto Sosa, O.Carm. (Arg-Cast), (3) Bro.
Praveen Lawrence, O.Carm. (Indian Delegation),
(4) Bro. Edgar A. Cayanan, O.Carm. (Phil).
D. Interreligious Dialogue Task Force,
consisting of Albertus Herwanta, Cees Bartels
and Boby Sebastian (James) Tharakunnel, has
been working in order to respond to the recommendation of the General Chapter 2007. They
attended different meetings on interreligious dialogue, met different experts, and had discussion
with some members of the Pontifical Council for
Inter- religious Dialogue and other competent
persons in this field.
JPIC Commission is grateful to all for the cooperation and support for the realization of its
action plan.

CITOC | PAGE 15


Fr. Franco Granata, O.Carm.

fter a process that lasted 287 years, on

25th April of this year, Fr. Angel Paoli was
finally declared blessed. We were used
to calling him simply venerable, from 21st January 1781, when Pope Pius VI issued the decree
of heroic virtue with which the ecclesiastical investigations conducted on Fr. Angelos life and
renown of holiness were concluded. From that
day long ago began the wait for the miracle that
would bring along with it the beatification of this
Carmelite. The pictorial and sculptural works
created in various Italian Carmelite churches
hinted at the restless wait for the beatification
fostered by his confreres, a desire that remained
frustrated for so many years that one began to
think, with bitter resignation, that Fr. Angelo
would simply and always
remain venerable. Thus
the memory of his life
and the great works that
he accomplished began
to diminish, almost to the
point of disappearing altogether.
Rome, which in January 1720, saluted him with
great triumph, declaring him a saint, had in fact
practically forgotten this humble Tuscan son born
in Argigliano in the province of Massa Carrara on
1st September 1642.
The eldest of a large family, he had parents
who were known in their area as people who
were profoundly Christian. His mother, remem-

bered as a living saint, died when Francesco (as

Fr. Angelo was called prior to becoming a Carmelite) was an adolescent. His father, a man
dedicated to his family and whom he loved as
a holy patriarch, was a model for his children
through his courageous gestures of charity towards his neighbor, to the point of getting into
debt through helping a friend in need.
Francesco, growing up in an environment
where faith united to charity breathed, entered
Carmel in the fall of 1660 together with his brother Tomasso, choosing our religious family for the
Marian devotion of our Order. He was professed
in 1661 in Siena, and after his studies in Pisa,
was ordained a priest probably in the first few days of
January 1667 in Florence. He
was sent to different houses
in the Tuscan province, taking on the appointment of
master of novices, pastor at
Corniola near Empoli, organist and grammar teacher.
From the beginning of his religious life he showed that he
was sensitive to the suffering of people, doing his best
to alleviate the hunger of the many poor and the
despair of the sick, visiting them in hospitals and
offering them his humblest services. He was offered the opportunity to continue his academic
career and study for a doctorate in theology, but
he refused the offer, choosing for himself those
activities which were largely performed by the
CITOC | PAGE 16

lay brothers and maintaining that he had another call to which he had to respond.
In 1687 he was called to Rome by the Prior
General, Fr. Paolo di SantIgnazio, who chose
from among the various provinces of the Order
brothers known for their holiness of life, with
the purpose of creating near the general curia a
community that would be an example for all of
the other Carmelite communities at that time.
Fr. Angelo was named master of novices. Knowing the misery of the many poor who crowded
the streets of Rome and the state of abandon of
the sick recovering in San Giovanni hospital, he
started an organization of volunteers belonging
to different social classes, committing them to
collaborate with him. In this way, he was able
to feed more than three hundred people a day,
to nurse the poor sick and abandoned people
and to help prisoners materially and spiritually.
Particularly devoted to the passion of Christ,
Fr. Angelo provided for the recovery of the Colosseum, which at that time was left in a state
of abandon and became a place for prostitution
and a refuge for vagabonds, and since it was
considered that in that arena many martyrs had
shed their blood for the faith, he wanted to restore it to the Christian devotion, fencing it off
and erecting a cross on the site.
To prevent the necessity to beg by so many
convalescents, who were discharged from the
hospital while still weak and unable to return
quickly to their occupations, and therefore unable to provide for themselves and their
families, Fr.
Angelo instituted
a convalescent
h o m e ,
a
sort
of modern family home,
w h e r e
those who
were discharged
f r o m
hospital
could still
be cared
for until
they completely
Vigil prayer at the Coloseo

regained their strength.

Consumed by charity and a life lived in contemplation of God in prayer and in the service
of his brothers, especially the poorer and underprivileged, Fr. Angelo died in Rome on 20th
January 1720. Twice he was asked to become a
cardinal, but he always refused in order to continue to serve the poor and the sick. So great
was the admiration and the awareness that the

CITOC | PAGE 17

pope had for the heart of this simple friar, to

whom he would often turn for advice in the
more delicate moments in the governance of the Church, that he ordered that the tomb of this religious be inscribed with the
title Father of the poor.
The initiatives for
the beatification of
Fr. Angelo begin
in October 2009,
when the tomb
was reopened for
the canonical recognition of his remains, which were
then submitted for
conservation.
It
will be because that
title of Father of
the poor naturally summarized the essence of
the life of Fr. Angelo, that in the course of the investigations it was found etched not only on the gravestone visible to all for many centuries, but also on
the lead coffin and on a metal plate placed beneath
the feet of our humble and great confrere.
A meticulous awareness campaign was carried out in Rome, the city where Fr. Angelo lived
his adulthood and the crowning achievement of his
route of evangelical fidelity and where it was decided to celebrate the beatification, although at the
start, it seemed that the celebrations would have
had to have taken place in the diocese where our
confrere was born. Material was sent to every parish in Rome, and the Cardinal Vicar wrote a letter
with which he illustrated through a brief account the
life and holiness of Fr. Angelo, exhorting the parish
priests to make known the figure of Fr. Angelo and
inviting faithful Romans to participate in the event
of the beatification.
The religious of the Italian Province convened in
Sassone for days of formation, and since it was the
Year of the Priest, through meetings and conferences, they had a way of getting to know Fr. Angelo as
a witness to the priesthood lived according to Carmelite principles. Particularly touching was the vigil
celebrated in the internal chapel of the convent of
St. Martino ai Monti, which saw brothers from many
Italian communities, from the General Curia to the
College of SantAlberto, coming together, and during which the wooden urn that contained the relics
of Fr. Angelo was blessed.

CITOC | PAGE 18

Fr. John Keating, O.Carm.

ooking at formation within the Order today

the picture is indeed a positive one. This is
not to say that there are not problems. In
the older provinces in Europe, the United States and
Australia, the numbers of those joining the Order are
small, but across the continents of Asia, Africa and
South America we see an expansion that is bringing
with it new life and many vocations. Following the
General Chapter of 2007, the General Council set up
a new international formation commission. The members are John Keating, Councillor General, Mario
Alfarano, Secretary, Quinn Conners (PCM), Gnter
Benker (GerS), Desiderio Garca Martnez (Arag),
Giampiero Molinari (Ita), Dionysius Kosasih (Indo),
Romauldo Borges de Macedo (GerS-Par) and Vitalis
Benza (Hib-Zimb).
The commission is the guiding force behind the vision and direction of the formation policy within the
Order today. It has attempted to prioritize the issues
relating to formation for the years ahead. These they
have identified as Carmelite community lifestyle, vocational promotion, the training of formation personnel and intercultural formation within an international
Order. Initially, the commission examined the recommendations regarding formation that came from the
General Chapter. The first task of the commission
was to prepare a series of formation courses for the
six-year term of this Council. A special meeting of the
commission took place in
2008 to examine the course
methodology to be used
during these courses. With
the help of the Prior General
and Professor Donna Orsuto (Gregorian University,

Rome) a mystagogical approach was adopted as a

means of deepening the transformative experience
of the participants. A course for students in initial formation then took place in the Holy Land, applying this
theory, in July and August of 2009. There were just
over 40 participants who spent one week on Mount
Carmel and a second week in Jerusalem. Members
of the formation commission gave presentations on
key Carmelite topics and the guide for the visit to key
locations was Fr. Alexander Vella, O.Carm. (Mel).
An International Course for Carmelite Formators
from around the world took in Camoim de So Flix,
Brazil from 1st to 15th August 2010. The two-week
course provided an opportunity for the 69 participants
to engage in a common reflection on the Ratio Institutionis Vitae Carmelitanae (RIVC). There were four
main areas of discussion: the roles of formator and
formandi; the interior spiritual journey; human development and the vows; internationality, inculturation
and fraternity. Principal speakers were: Frs. Desiderio
Garca Martinez (Arag), Michael Plattig (GerS), Quinn
Conners (PCM) and Carlos Mesters (Flum). A paper
from Charl Camilleri (Mel) was read for the participants. There were also a number of special topics
addressed by Frs. John Keating (Curia), Francisco
de Sales Alencar (Pern), Albertus Herwanta (Curia),
Giampiero Molinari (Ita) and Ral Marav (Curia).
In line with the Orders Constitutions (no. 129) the commission began a consultation process within the
Order regarding the updating of the
RIVC by sending a questionnaire to
all provincial, commissaries, general
delegates and their formation personnel in October in 2008. Both the commission members and a small subCITOC | PAGE 19

course for students in initial formation in the Holy Land

FORMATION

committee then drafted some new articles

for inclusion in the new edition of the RIVC.
There was a common feeling expressed in
the responses to the questionnaire that only
small changes should be made to the existing text. Formators in Camoim has the opportunity to look at the changes and make
suggestions.

International
Congress
of
Carmelite
Schools

Two further courses for on-going formation will take place in 2011 and 2012. The
first in 2011 will take place in Spain in August
In the footsteps and John and Teresa and
a further course will take place in the Holy
Land in 2012.
The crucial issues facing formation in the
Order today relate to: the training of formation personnel; the role of the formation community in the formation process in line with
the RIVC (37 & 55); that all in formation learn
at least one of the official languages of the
Order; the emerging importance of the prenovitiate as solid preparation for the novitiate
and the religious life; the promotion of higher
studies relating to our history, spirituality and
charism; and finally the international aspect
of formation within a world-wide, multicultural community.
For this reason, at the Council of Province in 2009 a strategic plan for international
cooperation on formation was presented
by the commission to the provincials, and it
received a positive response. International
cooperation is now beginning to take place
especially with regard to novitiate formation.

Fr. Goyo Seor Bened, O.Carm.

he First International Congress of Carmelite

schools was held from April 8-13, 2010 at Terenure College in Dublin, Ireland. All of it, from the
beginning to the end, was a great moment and wonderful opportunity to share our educational and personal
experiences with all those present.
There were religious and lay people from five continents gathered to discuss education, specifically catholic
education with a Carmelite stamp. This congress made
us see how in spite of the geographical diversity, the
core values of our Order are present in all our educational centers. These values we try and live out in each
concrete reality within the culture and time that each
one of us is living in our place of origin.
Also, we could live the internationality of the Order,
which I think was a great discovery for the laity that
accompanied us and for the many religious who participated, especially the young people.
The four lectures that were presented helped us to
rethink the reality of our schools and can be a good reference in Carmelite formation for our houses if we are
able to share it and work with it.
The round table discussions were moments to share

CITOC | PAGE 20

our education and pastoral experience and

helped us to see how the geographic, cultural and economic situations of the different participants do not make our local educational projects very different. In fact, the
opposite is true.
We observed values, so important to us,
including: prayer, commitment to the poor
in all places, devotion and fondness and
worship of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are
present in the daily life of all our schools.
An important and well-liked part of the
Congress was working in small groups where
we could get down to discussing the specific reality of each school, where we could
share concrete and daily experiences of our
educational work, of our social commitment
and solidarity as Carmelite schools and how
we collaborate with the local church in each
place. In these small groups we also found
concrete ways of applying the human and
religious values (especially those arising
from the charism of the Order) to both the
students and faculty of our schools and with
the families that entrust the education of
their children to us.
The setting was very nice and unbeatable: we could participate in the celebration of the 150th
anniversary of Terenure College. Without a doubt, the
best part in regards to logistics was the support that
was given at all times by the local religious community
and the teachers and students of the school who were
always conscious of the needs, suggestions or requests
of the participants.
Another special moment was the celebration of the
Eucharist that was held in the school gym with the
school community and presided by our Father General.
It was a celebration that impressed many of us, not
only because the student body and teachers were participating in different parts of the liturgy, but also by the
silent atmosphere that was present in the gym. The
surprise was greater for those of us who live in places
where the celebratory and sacramental practices are
cooler than in our school in Dublin.
Another important aspect of this first congress,
especially for the religious men and women who participated in it, was the ability to check the support
and involvement of the lay people who work in our
schools. Their support and commitment to education assists the Order in the different educational
projects that we have in many parts of the world.
The vitality and existence of our schools would be
endangered without this support and commitment
to the continuation of our schools in those countries
where there is a decline in the number of religious.
Both in the breaks and in the times of sharing
the participants commented on the great opportunity that the congress provided to know
each other personally, to know the dif-

ferent educational projects of

the Order that are happening and the opportunity that
is before us with respect to
enrichment that can bring
to our students and teachers
the reality of the exchanges
or visit that can be realized
between schools and families
of the Carmelite Family.
Personally, I hope and
wish that this great educational opportunity will not
remain wishful thinking of a
moment of euphoria, but that
we are truly able to open up
personally and make available our facilities for this possibility that many are realizing in centers that have been
discovered and are not Carmelite Schools.
Perhaps this experience
between us was more enriched, more easily and, in
one way, better able to create the reality of our Carmel-

ite family.
Thanks to our Father General for his effort
and participation in this Congress as a participant and for his translation work which is especially important for those who do not handle
English well.
What stands out finally is the necessity to
continue this Congress, perhaps on a regional
or national level so that it is not just a passing event. Its continuance would provide an
opportunity for a greater number of members
of our school communities to participate and
this would produce a greater enrichment of our
schools.
May Our Lady of Mount Carmel help us reap
the fruits of what has undoubtedly been the result of much hard work and dedication of our Father General and the International Commission
for the organization and development
of the First International Conference
of Carmelite Schools.

CITOC | PAGE 21

Jesus said to them: Go out to all the

world and preach the gospel to every
creature (Mk 16:15)

Fr. Dsir Unen Alimange, O. Carm.

1. Members of the International Commission
PP. Antonio Silvio da Costa Junior (Flum.),
Wilfrid McGreal (Brit.), Ronald Oakham (PCM),
Matteo Palumbo (Ita.), Francisco Daza Valverde
(Baet.), Christopher Exala (Phil.), 1 Cleophas
Kakule (Ita. RDC), Dsir Unen Alimange.

2. Activities
The General Chapter of 2007 had as its
theme: In obsequio Iesu Christi. Praying and
prophetic communities in a world of change.
The General Council erected at the same Chapter gathered various opinions and ideas, creating general commissions amongst which is
the Commission for Evangelization. Because
of this, the global plan for the sexennial 20072013 is to expound on the ideas discussed regarding the rubrics of evangelization.
From 19th to 23rd January 2009, the General Commission for Evangelization held its first
meeting at the Carmelite General Curia.
Extending a welcome to the members of the
commission, Fr. Christian Krner, O.Carm. commented on Ratio 41 which speaks on Brothers
in mission. We can all be servants like Jesus,
the Evangelizer serving the poor as proclaimed
in Luke (4:16-21).
The Chapter insisted very much on the fact
of maintaining our Carmelite identity, communicating our charism in fidelity to the spiritual
patrimony of the Order, for the benefit of the
whole Church.
Therefore, the theme for our first meeting
was the theme: how we communicate the Carmelite charism in the diverse geographical ar1
He died in a traffic accident on 6th June
2010 in the Philippines. Let us please remember
him in our prayers.

eas in which Carmel is found.

The Commission carried out their work in seven sessions, both at home and outside, i.e., Radio Vaticana,
and one table meeting. Each of the members prepared
ad hoc documents for presentation and sharing: Latin
America and East Timor (Antonio Silvio da Costa Junior),
North America and Central America (Ronald Oakham),
Europe Italy (Matteo Palumbo), Europe Spain
Africa Burkina Faso (Francisco Daza Valverde), Asia
(Christopher Exala), Africa + Society of the Little Flower
and Evangelization (Dsir Unen Alimange).
The following points emerged: the formation,
shrines, centres of spirituality, parishes, pastoral work
of health and Carmelite medical centres, peace and justice, the ecumenical movement, dialogue with Islam
and the other great religions, pastoral work with prisoners (chaplaincy), education (Carmelite schools).
The members of the commission looked at the following documents: Doctrinal note on certain aspects of
Evangelization from the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith (Rome 3rd December 2007), Purchased
People, Pastoral Instruction of the Right Reverend Donald Raymond Lamont, O. Carm., Bishop of Umtali (AAS
1959).

3. Observations
a. Carmelite communities are qualified as communities of hope for the people in certain countries in moments of turmoil and social suffering, war, etc. Such
is the case in East Timor, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, etc.
In countries where the Carmelite presence is new,
the friars watch over and establish Carmel, favouring
above all structures that reflect the spirituality of the
Order. Parishes are not an absolute priority. In the
end, they belong exclusively to the dioceses. Where will
the vocations to the diocesan priesthood in our sister
churches of the countries that belong to the Congrega-

CITOC | PAGE 22

tion for the Evanglization of peoples end

up? The Church would like that the religious enrich the faithful with their charism
using the appropriate structures. Some of
these organisms that are set in place can
contribute in the future to self-sufficiency.
c. In reality, the Order is present in
45 countries. There are 214 parishes, 37
shrines, 33 centres of spirituality. Thanks
to the shrines, the Carmelites are able to
respond to the spiritual expectations of
the people of God, for a profound incarnation of the Gospel. The Marian shrines,
near which we develop our apostolate and
where the faithful traditionally go in large
numbers, should be held in great consideration and should become more and
more centres for prayerful listening to the
Word and the liturgical life, with adequate
cultual celebrations (Eucharist and Reconciliation). In particular, our shrines should
become more and more centres of reflection on the way of Mary and of evangelization with attention to the popular piety
toward the Mother of God, of the Church,
and of humanity. In their exemplary func-

tion, the shrines are also places of welcome, even vocational;

places of solidarity with initiatives towards those brothers and
sisters in need; places of ecumenical commitment with meetings and prayer. (Constitutions 90)
The suggestions made by the theological commission will
help the members of the Commission for Evangelization to
elaborate on the above themes. The next meetings will be
held in Rome in November 2010 and 2012.
In practice, the Commission for Evangelization must collaborate with all of the general commissions of the Order.

First International Congress

of the Carmelite Family
Fr. Josef Jan, O.Carm.

he last General Chapter of 2007 approved the proposal to hold an International Conference of the
Carmelite Family. The General Council has been commissioned to convene representatives of the
various groups to organize this conference. The Prior General in his letter of August 23, 2010 convoked the first meeting that will be held from May 23-26, 2011 at the Carmelite house in Sassone (Rome).
The Preparatory Commission has chosen for the theme of this meeting: As Living Stones Around One Font:
Share the Charism of Carmel in the Church and the World Today. Representatives from the entire Carmelite
family: friars, nuns, religious, lay people as well as lay Carmelites and other lay groups, will be part of this
international conference (cf. Const EN, 28).
The main purpose of this meeting is to create a tool for collaborating and communicating between the different sectors of the Carmelite family in places where there is a Carmelite presence. Other objectives are to
promote fellowship among the different realities of the Carmelite family, to discuss issues of common interest
and, finally, to seek to promote the spirit and ways of cooperation in the mission of Carmel in the Church.
In practice, this first meeting must work in organizing the Conference: statutes, the president, what to do,
meetings, how to contribute financially, etc. The General Council hopes that in addition to experiencing the
joy of brotherhood between the different realities, these days will enable the participants to share projects,
dreams and energy to meet the challenges that the modern world throws at us as Carmelites.
After the conference, there will be a meeting of the General Council of Superiors General of the Affiliated
Congregations (May 26-28, 2011) with the theme Carmelite Charism and Specific Charism, during which they
will talk about common problems and possible ways of collaborating.
We pray for the success of the two meetings. May the Mother of Carmel help us to grow as a family so that
we may better serve the Church and the men and women of our time.

CITOC | PAGE 23

The International
Formators Course

on The Liturgical Life of Community, Work on our Journey, Silence

as the Meeting Place with Others,
and an Inter-cultural Project.

Br. Daryl Moresco, O.Carm

August 1-15, 2010

rdinarily, a 10th Anniversary may not seem like a very significant event to celebrate, however, it has been ten years
since the second edition of the Ratio Institutionis Vitae Carmelitanae (RIVC) was published. The RIVC has been described as
the fundamental document for formation in the Order, and as the
best document the Order has produced since Vatican II because
it heralds a break-through in the understanding and presentation
of our Charism. The International Formators Course, held in our
monastery at Camocin de So Flix, Brazil from August 1st -15th,
2010, marked the occasion. It was time again to revisit and engage
in a common reflection on the RIVC and to deepen our commitment
to the profound work of formation.
The two week course focused on four main areas of Carmelite Formation: Carmelite Identity and The Role of Formator and
Formandi; The Interior Spiritual Journey and The Role of Community; Human Development and The Vows; Internationality, Liturgy
Inculturation and Fraternity. The presentations, given by experts
in the Order, focused on the existing RIVC
text together with new material drafted
for inclusion in a new edition. The new
material includes improved
sections

The course was excellent, enriching and very intense. It was so

well planned by the International
Formation Commission that each
day together was seamless. It was
a meeting full of hope for the future
as many of the 60+ formators were
younger than forty - a sign of new
life and vitality in many places. The
diversity of cultures, the younger
participants and the realization
that many of our formators are no
longer from Europe highlighted the
new and emerging reality among
us that the Order has a very different presence in the world than
it did ten years ago when the RIVC
was first published. This in itself
was something to celebrate!
While vocations are plentiful in Africa, Asia, South America
and parts of Oceania, sadly, there
are very few vocations in Europe
and Australia. The course not only
h i g h - lighted the cross-cultural
context in which formation is happening
in various parts of the
Order, it also drew our
attention to the importance and urgency of
the international dimension of the Order
for our future as we
continue to explore
the new and exciting
challenges that face
both formators and
formandi.
Each day began
with Morning Prayer

CITOC | PAGE 24

2. Self-Knowledge and Carmelite Identity: A Carmelite is called to a spiritual experience

of deep attraction to and love for Jesus Christ,
an attraction that commits us to Christ in a journey of transformation. This requires an interior
freedom reached only by self-knowledge: to accept and love myself as I am because God loves
me and accepts me as I am in the secret that
leads the candidate to personal interior freedom
which enables him to embrace the God and the
value of the Kingdom. Charl Camilleri (Mel)

and Eucharist. The magnificent icon of Christ

the Teacher in the newly refurbished chapel at
Camoim, reminded us that He is the way, the
truth and the life. We paused for Midday Prayer
and then celebrated Evening Prayer at the conclusion of the days work. Each meal and social
gathering was filled with lively conversation as
participants became more and more eloquent
in languages other than their own. Building
fraternal relationships, sharing our experience
of formation ministry, hearing more about the
challenges that we face, and being in solidarity
with one another, strengthened the bonds and
deepened our dialogue each day.
Our free day became a day of pilgrimage,
visiting several places of major historical significance to Carmel in Brazil. Every place and
every community we visited, every meal and
every encounter with our Carmelite brothers
and sisters and the people they serve was a
festive gathering. The hospitality extended to
us by our brothers of the Pernambuco Province
was extraordinarily generous. We marveled at
what awaited us at each place we visited.
Each presentation and discussion provided
new insights, fresh challenges and thoughtprovoking material for formators to consider as
we deepened our knowledge and experience of
implementing the RIVC. I would like to share
some brief extracts from the major talks that
continue to resonate with me in the hope that
they might encourage you to revisit the RIVC
document for further reflection.
1. Internationality and our Cultural
Roots: We are not exclusively linked to our cultures, however our culture is essential to each
one of us for we are concretely incarnated into
it. The challenge is that we cannot be too localized in it or too scattered by this reality. How do
we achieve this balance? Prior General

3. Formator as Sculptor: The sculptor is

one who works with the beauty that is hidden
in the stone. The formator liberates the beauty
that is hidden in the person. This is a contemplative task in which the formator sees with the
eyes of Christ. It recognizes that we begin the work of
formation but it is ultimately Gods work for He is at the
center. This is a mystagogical process that pervades formation. Desiderio Garcia Martinez (Arag)
4. The Challenge of Silence: Our Rule gives special
emphasis to silence in our life as Carmelites. We need
to be anchored in it in order to be sustained by God to
live in allegiance to Jesus Christ. It is not a silence that
is merely the absence of noise or sound but a silence
that is nourished by relationships, a silence that is at
the service of one another and God. It is a silence that
enables us to find a balance, a way of putting things in
order in our living and being with one another and God.
Michael Plattig (GerS)
5. Sexuality as Gift from God: That our sexuality
is a great source of energy for every person, an energy
that moves us into relationship with another because of
our desire to connect as human beings. We recognize
that both the physiological and psychological grounding needed for our capacity to love is what God desires
for each one of us, which enables us to live authentic
humanness, not in isolation but deeply connected with
others. Quinn Conners (PCM)
6. Internationality, Inculturation and Fraternity: These three elements come together in our Rule.
Albert found a way to bring the various countries and
places that the early hermits came from into one language, a way of life, a formula vitae. How do we do this
today? Inculturation occurs in limited time and space
but it is concrete. In the concrete situations and realities that we live, how do we help people discover Gods
presence in their lives? Like Elijah on Mount Horeb, we
need to rediscover our mission. Fraternity is an attitude
of life that permeates everything we do. Carlos Mesters
(Flum)
The Carmelite formation process is also called A
Journey of Transformation. The RIVC invites us all of
continued on page 30

CITOC | PAGE 25

Carmelite News
NCI (Nederlands Carmelitaans
Instituut) Boxmeer
In August 2009, a well prepared reorganization of the staff of in the Dutch Carmelite Institute
(NCI) took place. Fr. Tjeu Timmermans has been
appointed as the new director and Fr. Rudolf van
Dijk as the academic secretary. The staff holds
its monthly meetings of which a report will be
given to the NCI commission. This commission
functions as the daily board of the institute and
reports to the Provincial Council of the Dutch
Province.
The Dutch Carmelite Institute consists of
seven main sections: 1) Carmelite library, 2)
Carmelite archives, 3) Titus Brandsma archives,
4) documentations, 5) iconographic collection, 6)
Carmelite scientific research and publication and
7) formation and education.

up the iconographic collection. The collection

contains several thousand Carmelite illustrations,
cards, etchings, prints, pictures, slides and films.
By reorganising the iconographic collection the
NCI will be able to fulfil the growing need of
Carmelites icons.

Asian Formators Conference,

Cikanyere, Indonesia, 25-30
May 2010
The
Asia-Australia-Oceania
Formators
Conference was held in Cikanyere, Indonesia
from 25th to 30th May 2010. Although the
facilitator, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm., was
unable to come due to unforeseen problems, the
conference ran smoothly using procedures Fr.
Chalmers provided for use in his absence.

The staff of the institute decided to give high

priority to the Titus Brandsma archives. Sr. Susan
van Driel has been given the task of reorganizing
these archives, to analyse and describe their
contents and to digitise them. The Titus Brandsma
archives contain material that can be used
worldwide for publications on Bl. Titus and his
inheritance.
Recently, Fr. Harrie Reinders was appointed to
work on listing, describing, digitising and opening
On 25th May, the conference was opened by Fr.
Albertus Herwanta, O.Carm., General Councillor
for Asia, Australia and Oceania, and then
continued with a discussion on the reality (world)
in which the formators live. In the session, they
discussed the descriptions and expectations of
their respective realities.
The titles of the topics discussed were:
Transformed in Order to Transform, Living
CITOC | PAGE 26

in Allegiance to Jesus Christ, Fraternity,

Dealing with Darkness, Into the Night, Into
the Castle, The Call to Contemplation, Mary
and the Eucharist, and Carmelites in the Midst
of the People.
On the final day, the participants were invited
to evaluate the program together. Each of them
shared their experiences and what they felt
and learned during the conference. Then the
participants were invited to study the statement
of the Asia-Australia-Oceania Formators which
will be sent to the International Conference of
Carmelite Formators to be held in Brazil this
coming August.

25th Anniversary of the Carmelite Forum

The annual Carmelite Forum, with the theme

Carmels Quest for the Living God, took place
on June 16-20 at St. Marys College in Notre
Dame, Indiana (USA). The theme was inspired
by the popular book, Quest for the Living God,
by Sr. Elizabeth Johnson. Some 250 people from
the various branches of Carmel in North America
(priests, brothers, cloistered nuns, sisters of the
various congregations, Third Order, and laity from
various groups) participated in the conference.

will be published in full in the next issue of The

Sword, the journal published by the Carmelites
of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary
(PCM). In addition, there were workshops on
various themes in Carmelite spirituality and two
roundtable discussions with representatives of the
various participating groups.
This Carmelite conference marked the 25th
anniversary of the North American Carmelite
Forums annual seminars at St. Marys College. We
congratulate Keith Egan and those who organized
the congress for its valuable contribution to the
growth of Carmel in North America.

Recognition of the martyrdom

of Fr. Carmelo Maria Moyano
Linares and 9 companions
Another group of Carmelite martyrs from the
time of the religious persecution in Spain in 1936
will now join those of the Catalonian Province
who have already been beatified. Pope Benedict
XVI during an audience granted to His Excellency,
Archbishop Angelo Amato, SDB, Prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 1st
July, authorized the Congregation to promulgate,
together with a number of others, the decree of
martyrdom of the Servants of God, Carmelo Maria
Moyano Linares and 9 Companions of the Order
Carmelite. They belonged to the monasteries of
Hinojosa del Duque and Montoro, in the Betica
Province.
Fr. Carmelo Maria Moyano Linares, who had
been provincial of the Betica Province, was killed
on September 23rd, 1936, and prior to him, Fr.
Jos M Gonzlez Delgado was martyred on the
July 27th 1936. On 14th August 1936, Brothers
Eliseo M Carmargo Montes, Jos Luis M Ruz

The three principle conferences were given

by Camilo Maccise, OCD, who dealt with the
theme from the biblical perspective; Ms. Dolores
Leckey, who approached the theme from the lay
point of view; and Fernando Milln Romeral, O.
Carm., who spoke on Titus Brandsma and Edith
Stein as examples of the quest for the living God
in dramatic and dark times. These three addresses
CITOC | PAGE 27

Cardeosa, Antonio M Martn Povea and a

postulant Pedro Velasco Narbona were killed.
At Montoro on July 22nd 1936, Fr. Jos Mara
Mateos Carbadillo, Fr. Eliseo M Durn Cintas,
Brother Jaime Maria Carretero Rojas and Brother
Ramn M Prez Sousa were killed.
Regarding the beatification ceremony, the
advice of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and
the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will be
followed.
The judgment on two other groups of
presumed martyrs are pending and are presently
with the congregation: namely, those of Castile,
which is in the hands of the General Postulator
of the Brothers of Christian Schools, and those
of Arago-Valentina Province, who form part
of a larger group of martyrs of the Diocese of
Segorbe-Castelln. Our Postulator General is
presently completing this Positio.

Announcement of the
Titus Brandsma JPIC Essay
Competition 2009-2010 for
Carmelite Students
The winners of The Titus Brandsma JPIC
Essay Competition 2009-2010 for Carmelite
Students are:
First prize 1000 Euro: Bro. Glen Attard,
O.Carm. (Mel) writing on Contemplation and
globalization in a Carmelite Perspective.
Second Prize 750 Euro: Bro. David
Augusto Sosa, O.Carm. (Cast-Arg) writing
on Ensayo sobre el hombre en su relacin de
comunin con Dios y la creacin. Un matiz
Carmelita.

winners to be spent on any Justice, Peace, and

Integrity of Creation project in their communities.
Following a textual revision, their essays will
then be published.
The General Commission for JPIC of the
Order is deeply grateful to all participants and
to the provinces, commissariats, delegations,
judges, the General Bursar, and to all who have
supported and made this competition possible.

Inauguration of the Titus

Brandsma Memorial

On 1st October in Nijmegen (Netherlands), the

memorial monument to Blessed Titus Brandsma
was inaugurated. Participating in the moving
ceremony were (in the following order): Fr.
Falco Thuis, O.Carm., former Prior General and
the driving force behind this initiative; Mr. Floris
Tas, Deputy Mayor of Nijmegen; the architect
who developed the project, Mr. Paul Hoeke;
the artist who created the monument, Mr. Arie
Trum; and the Prior General of the Order, Fr.
Fernando Milln Romeral, O.Carm. In each of
their speeches, these presenters underlined the
relationship between Fr. Titus and the city and
the rich symbolism of the monument composed
of different elements. Also present were Fr.
Giovanni Grosso, O.Carm., Postulator General;
the Prior Provincial of the Netherlands, Fr.
Ben Wolbers, O.Carm.; and the new auxiliary
bishop of the diocese, in addition to numerous
other Carmelites, friends and colleagues. In the
days following, the monument was presented to
various other groups of people: the district, the
city, the Carmelite family, etc.
In the wall that surrounds the monument there

Third prize 500 Euro: Bro. Praveen

Lawrence, O. Carm (CSTSA) writing on
Contemplation and globalization in the
Carmelite Perspective.
Fourth prize 250 Euro: Bro. Edgar
A. Cayanan, O.Carm (Phil) writing on
Globalization and the Carmelite Lifestyle
The prize-giving money will be sent to the
CITOC | PAGE 28

are bricks that have the names of the various

Carmelite communities throughout the world
that contributed to the project. The ceremony
concluded with the laying of the last brick, on
which one can read:
Universalis Ordo Carmelitarum
in fide et caritate coniunctus
Fernando Milln Romeral
Prior Generalis (1-10-2010)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Village, Philippines

On Friday, 8th October, the construction of

141 housing units was officially inaugurated and
blessed in the Carmelite parish of St. Isidore,
Labrador, Philippines. This was one of the
hardest hit regions of the Philippine coastline in
the floods of 2009. Around 100 parishioners died
in the flood and the parish church was turned into
a refugee co-ordination centre under the direction
of Fr. Tony dela Cruz O. Carm., a former
provincial commissary of the Philippines. The
Carmelite Curia was able to make a donation of
10,000 euros towards the reconstruction project
which was blessed by Fr. Kevin Alban O. Carm.,

Carmelite Intercongregational
Community

On 15th October, 2010, the feast of St.

Teresa, the first Carmelite Intercongregational
Community was officially inaugurated at
Caririau (Ceara, Brazil). The community is
formed of 4 sisters: Sr. Edilene of the Carmelite
Missionary Sisters of Jesus (IMCJ), Sr. Rita of
the Carmelites of Divine Providence (ICDP),
Sr. Zenilda of the Daughters of St. Teresa (a
Carmelite inspired Brazilian congregation) and
Mrs. Carminha of the TOC.
At the ceremony, Bishops Joo Costa, O.
Carm., Paulo Cardoso, O. Carm., and Fernando
Panico, bishop of Crato, the diocese in which the
new community is established, all participated.
The Provincial of the Province of Pernambuco,
Fr. Francisco de Sales, O. Carm., many friars,
Carmelite sisters of the various congregations,
and many Terciaries, also participated.
This community was born out of a common
project after the celebration of the congress on
the occasion of the seventh centenary of the Rule,
celebrated at Camoim (Pernambuco, Brazil)
in 2007, and it intends to live the centrality of
the Rule for the whole Carmelite family. The
community has also committed to a project of
missionary animation in the region.

Interdisciplinary Seminar on
the Contemplative Dimension
of Carmel

Bursar General, with the assistance of several

Carmelites from Manila, as well as the bursar of
the mission in Papua New Guinea. The donation
was made possible through the generosity of the
Society of the Little Flower and its donors in
Britain, Ireland and several European countries.
Money for this project was also raised by Third
Order groups in the provinces of St Elias, New
York, and PCM.

Last 3-7 November, a group of around

20 Carmelite experts in the areas of history,
spirituality, biblical studies, and liturgy, gathered
at Centro Internazionale S. Alberto (CISA) to
examine the contemplative dimension of Carmel
according to the first authors of the Order.
Beginning with the medieval context, the first
part of this seminar, which will continue in the
coming years, studied the Carmelite Rule, the
Flaming Arrow, the Ten Books of the Institution
of the First Monks and various Carmelite authors
of the 13th to 15th centuries.
CITOC | PAGE 29

The seminar highlighted the richness that

appears in the texts of the well-known and lesserknown authors: all offer themes and elements
authentically Carmelite. The particular way of
using Scripture and the attention to the dynamic

Fr. Pedro Ferreira, OCD, the President of CIRP

(Conference of Religious Institutes of Portugal)
and the Commissary General of Portugal, Fr.
Agostinho Castro, O. Carm. The celebration was
concluded by the Prior General, Fr. Fernando
Milln Romeral, O. Carm., who underlined the
international dimension of the house whose
cornerstone was blessed by Prior General Killian
Lynch, O. Carm. in 1955. Fr. Fernando highlight
ed the importance of the house for Lay Carmelites.
It was here that CITOC was born, which at the
beginning meant Centre of Information for the
Carmelite Third Order.

process of transformation towards a mystical union

with God, of which diverse authors indicated its
fruits rather than give a definition, were noted.
The eschatological and glorious perspective was
highlighted in various texts, the reciprocal call of
the liturgy and prayerful meditation on the Word
underline the centrality of Christ. The language
used and the mystagogical dimension were also
examined, and called for a focused rereading.

Inauguration of the new Casa

San Nuno in Ftima
After changing its name immediately following
the canonization and the important renovations
that took place in the last two years, the new Casa
San Nuno was inaugurated in Ftima, Portugal,
on 14th November in memory of all of the saints
of the Order. All of the accommodation was
reorganized, creating new rooms and gathering
spaces named after Carmelite saints. The
furnishings were also modernized, and it is now
equipped with modern computer technology and
other equipment for conferences and meetings.
The ceremony began with the celebration of
solemn vespers, presided by the bishop of Leiria
Ftima, Antnio Marto. Afterwards, a PowerPoint
presentation was shown, illustrating the history of
the house and the improvements made. Among
the others who participated in this meeting were:
the mayor of Ourm, the rector of the sanctuary of
Ftima, the head of tourism for the Leiria Ftima
region, the Provincial of the discalced Carmelites,

Carmelite News
for lasted news, please visit
www.ocarm.org

IFC Brazil... : continued from page 25

us, whether we are beginning or well on the

way, to continue the journey by pondering
this document. No doubt, every participant
felt his/her own journey in Carmel being rekindled as we were immersed in it over these
days.
Let us take heart and be encouraged by
the Prior Generals final words to the participants: We need to know our tradition well.
We must make every attempt to bring our
tradition into dialogue with the world. When
we do this, our tradition will bear much fruit.
Putting our tradition of contemplation, prayer
and intimacy with the Lord at the service of
the Church is crucial to who we profess ourselves to be as Carmelites.

CITOC | PAGE 30

Meeting of the Carmelite Monastery superiors

New Federation
of Monasteries of
Italian Nuns
Fr. Josef Jan, O.Carm.

fter years of preparation and experiences of mutual cooperation

in various fields between the Italian monasteries, including through annual
meetings of the prioresses, the Carmelite nuns belonging to three areas in Italy,
namely the Italian, Neapolitan provinces
and the General Commissariat of La
Bruna, have agreed to formalize this process. At the last meeting of the prioresses
held in Sassone from April 26 28 of this
year, 11 of the 12 canonically established
monasteries have decided to join the Federation.
The Apostolic See has granted the petition and on July 16, 2010 the St. Mary
Magdalene de Pazzi Federation of the
monasteries of the Order of the Blessed
Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel was canonically erected in Italy, and its statutes
approved.
At the same time, Fr. Matthew Palumbo, O.Carm. of the Italian
province was appointed for three years
as the first chaplain. The Federation has
taken the name of the Florentine saint,
Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, the great Italian mystic whose life and doctrine could be
an inspiration to this new reality. Preparations are already underway for the first assembly to hold elections and to set policies
for the Federation, to be held in Sassone
at the annual meetings of the prioresses,
from March 28-31, 2011.

Overall, the Federation is a forum for mutual support

and coordination among the monasteries to help them adequately fulfill their vocation in the Church. According to
their statutes, the Federation of Italian nuns, following the
path taken years ago, aims to further promote cooperation, mutual assistance, spiritual support and genuine fraternal communion between the monasteries () either by
the study of the problems of modern life, or through the
exchange of services of all the monasteries of the Federation, especially those most in need. The task of the Federation Assembly is twofold: to elect the management and
coordination bodies (the president and four counselors)
and to discuss important matters (issues and initiatives)
of the Federation.
Issues to be addressed are currently being collected
from the various monasteries. They will be organized by
a committee and sent back together with the convening
letter. The nuns can then discuss these issues and make
concrete suggestion to be presented and voted upon at
the assembly. Later, delegates will be elected from the
various monasteries who together with the prioresses (ex
officio members) are the decisive body of the Federation.
With the establishment of the St. Mary Magdalene de
Pazzi Federation, the number of federations in the Order
has risen to five. Three are located in Spain: the Mater et
Dcor Carmeli Federation in the province of Andalusia and
the General Commissariat of Portugal (10.12.1980), the
Mater Unitatis Federation in the provinces of Castilla and
Argo-Valentina (10.2.1980), and the Verge Flower of Carmel Federation in the province of Catalonia (16.12.1980).
The Federation Stella Maris (09.21.1996) is part of the
General Commissariat of the Philippines.
Like the other associations and unions between monasteries of nuns, we pray that this new federation helps
them to further grow for their own sake and for the good
of the Order and the Universal Church.

CITOC | PAGE 31

Sharing Carmelite History and Spirituality through the written word

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