Following the first part of the European Carmelite Youth programme “Awakening” held at Casa São Nuno, Fatima, Portugal in August 2014 with 58 participants, a second group gathered at San Felice del Benaco, Italy from the 19th to 23rd August 2015. This time there were 45 participants from the Italian, Neapolitan, Maltese and Polish Provinces (Italy, Malta, Romania and Poland), together with two sisters from the Instituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo. The Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral was present for two days and spoke to the participants about “Three witness of love” in our Carmelite tradition: Titus Brandsma, Edith Stein and Angelo Paoli. Fr. Miċeál O’Neill (Hib) presented the topic “Voices of Carmelite Women”: Teresa of Avila and Mary Magdalen de Pazzi. The members of the Carmelite European Youth Committee, Sabrina Rubio Perez, Victor Navarrro Poncela and Carmelites, Luca Sciarelli, Dave Twohig and Tommaso Bacci guided each day and also spoke on various topics including our Carmelite story, the Blessed Virgin Mary and lectio divina. The programme ended with Mass of the Sunday celebrated by the Prior General, with the young people and the local people in the beautiful Carmelite church at San Felice. The event was coordinated by the General Councillor for Europe, John Keating. The committee wish to express their gratitude to the community and the staff of “Il Carmelo” for the wonderful hospitality afforded to them at this spiritual centre of the Italian Province. To conclude a very successful programme three young women and two Carmelites of the Polish province gave a presentation on the forthcoming World Youth Day (WYD) that will take place in Krakow, Poland from 25th – 31st July 2016. They reminded the participants that it is now possible to register for the WYD through local dioceses or on the official international website. Groups wishing to participate in the WYD programme should do so through these agencies. Prior to the official events of the WYD, the Polish Province invites all Carmelite groups to participate in a special Carmelite Day on July 27th at their house in Krakow.

Those wishing to participate in this one-day Carmelite event have to make a separate registration for the Carmelite Day – for this and all other inquiries please visit www.sdm.karmelici.pl