Over the last few months, in addition to presiding over the various provincial chapters, of which he has given regular reports on citoc-online, the Prior General, Father Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. has been engaged in a number of activities, from which we highlight the following: Accompanied by Father Mario Alfarano, O.Carm., Secretary General, on 12 December 2010 he presided over a thanksgiving mass in our parish of Maria Ss. del Carmine di Foggia. The parish temple was completely restored, and the new stained glass windows with Carmelite motifs were blessed.

On 15 and 16 January, following the Provincial Chapter of Pernambuco (citoc-online 3/2011), accompanied by Father Raúl Maraví, O.Carm., Councillor General for America, the Prior General visited the “Inter-Carmelite Community” of Caririaçú (Ceará, Brazil), founded several months ago with the collaboration of several Carmelite congregations. Also present were the new Provincial for Pernambuco, Father Roberval Mendes Pereira, O.Carm and the Superiors General of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of Jesus (IMCJ), Sister Maria Sineide Almeida, and the Daughters of St. Therese, Sister Rita de Cássia. There was a gathering of the different Carmelite groups (Scout, Third Order, Confraternities of the Scapular, etc.) and a meeting with the Bishop of Crato, Don Fernando Panico, who attended and enlivened the event.

On 6 February, accompanied by Father Giovanni Grosso, O.Carm., he visited the “San Elías” volunteer group of the Sandro Pertini hospital in Rome, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the centre, a Carmelite-inspired group formed by Father Carmelo Vitrugno, O.Carm. which accompanies the sick and provides an important pastoral and social service in the hospital. To mark the event he celebrated a thanksgiving mass in the hospital chapel.

Following the Chapter of the General Commissariat of the Philippines (citoc-online 16/2011), the Prior General, accompanied by Father Albertus Herwanto, O.Carm. Councillor General for Asia, Australia and Oceania, visited six of the nine Cloistered Monasteries of our nuns in this Asian country, belonging to the federation “Stella Maris”. From 10 to 12 February 2011, accompanied by Father John Keating, O.Carm., Councillor General for Europe, a canonical visit was made to the community of the International Centre of San Alberto in Rome (CIS A). In a very fraternal and positive atmosphere, the current situation of the centre was examined and some suggestions for its future were made.

Following the episcopal ordination of Father Wilmar Santin, O.Carm. on 19 March (citoc-online 25/2011), the Prior General carried out the first part of the canonical visit to the Commissariat of the Antilles, corresponding to the communities of Puerto Rico. After speaking with all the religious, he visited the cloistered monasteries (Trujillo Alto and Mayagüez) and met with the Sisters of the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (HVMMC) at the “Hogar Carmelitano” (Carmelite Home). The second part of the visit (to the communities of the Dominican Republic) will take place in June.