The 14th of September 2019, feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, coincided with the fifth day of our General Chapter, an important feast day ever since the origins of our Carmelite Order. In fact, this feast is mentioned explicitly in our Rule “You are to fast every day, except Sundays, from the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross until Easter Day, unless bodily sickness or feebleness, or some other good reason, demand dispensation from the fast; for necessity overrides every law”. ( R. 16)

After Father Juan Evangelista Quiroga Castañeda, General Delegate of Colombia, presided the Eucharist we passed to the Chapter’s hall. During this day the sessions were all dedicated to the study and revision of a draft of the Constitutions. Father Michael Farrugia O.Carm. President of the ad hoc Commission set up bring up to date our Constitutions, outlined the long and arduous process all this entailed. In the first phase of the revision, a letter was sent to all the Provinces, Commissariats and General Delegations to present the proposed changes. At a later stage the ad hoc Commission during a period of five years held meetings to present the General Chapter a final draft which is being revised and eventually will be voted. After this introduction we proceeded to vote on the revised articles.

On that same day, Father Roberto Toni O. Carm. Prior Provincial of the Italian Province, invited all the participants of the Chapter to presence on the premises of “Il Carmelo” in Sassone, the inauguration and blessing of a new library set up in honor of the late Father Bruno Secondin O.Carm.. This library contains mainly the books that Fr Bruno collected during many years of research. For the inauguration ceremony besides the participants at the General Chapter there were friends and members of the Lectio Divina group that Fr. Bruno himself had founded at Santa Maria in Traspontina parish. This library is honoring the research and transmission of the Carmelite culture and spirituality.