HCSCJ Congregation Concludes 100 Anniversary Celebrations
The closing of the centenary of the foundation of Hermanas Carmelitas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (HCSCJ) took place from May 11-13, 2024, in Málaga, Spain. . The meeting, which began in the late afternoon on May 11 with words of welcome by the Superior General of the HCSCJ, Sr. Mª Teresa Delgado, was both intense and enriching. More than 200 people (religious, sisters, and lay people) took part. Among the programmed activities, there was a series of talks and group meetings to share the reflections; there were also moments of prayer and Eucharistic celebrations with a large number of faithful, attracted by the Carmelite spirituality of Mother Asunción Soler Gimeno (1882-1959), the foundress; finally, the rich and abundant lunches and dinners put a fraternal finishing touch to all the events.
Fr. Miceál O'Neill, the prior general of the Carmelite Order, gave the first talk on "The Richness of Carmelite Spirituality for Today's World." Other talks continued on Sunday, one on "Christocentrism in Mother Asunción," given by the diocesan priest, Fr. Sevo Agotinho; another on "The Charismatic Witness with Those Deprived of Liberty," given by the priest Pablo Morota; and the General Coordinator of the Mother Asunción Carmelite Family, Prof. Guillermo Chumilla, spoke on "How to Live the Christian Commitment from the Charism of Mother Asunción."
On Sunday, a solemn Eucharist of the Ascension was celebrated in the cathedral of Malaga, presided over by the Archbishop Emeritus of Pamplona, D. Francisco Pérez González. On Monday, May 13, after visiting the sisters' house in Monsalve, the prior general, Miceál O'Neill, blessed the bust of the Servant of God Mother Assumption which has been placed in the courtyard of the "Mother Assumption" School in Limonar (Málaga), Mother House of the HCSCJ, and then celebrated the closing Eucharist of this international meeting.
May the spiritual richness witnessed during these days and the joy experienced be a sign of the Christian hope that pervades the whole Mother Assumption Carmelite Family, so that, in the Holy Spirit, it may continue to give glory to God - always and everywhere - in the fulfilment of his will, as was the wish of Mother Assumption.
The Congregation was founded in Spain on May 20, 1924, by the Servant of God Asunción, with the goal to live according to the spirit of Carmel, in and with the people, especially the poor and needy. Diocesan approval was granted in 1938 and aggregation to the Carmelite Order took place on Jun3 7, 1947. The sisters, who commit themselves to the education of the youth, social action, and to the sick, as well as to other needs of the Church, have a presence in Spain, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Kenya, and Mozambique. In 2022 there were 108 members in 18 houses.
Website of the Congregation is: hermanascarmelitasscj.com
