The Carmelites of the Province of Aragon, Castille and Valencia would like to remember Br. Pablo Maria de la Cruz (Pablo Mary of the Cross) as we approach the first anniversary of the gift of his life in the convent of St. Andrew, Salamanca. Firstly, we wish to give thanks to God and to the Virgen Mother for this fruitful gift.
The same feelings of gratitude are extended to the Prior General and the General Curia for their accompaniment, discernment and welcoming of Br. Pablo’s call to Carmel. We also thank Bishop José Luis Retana, Bishop of Salamanca, and to Archbishop Luis Argüello, Archbishop of Valladolid and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Spain (Conferencia Episcopal Española) for their closeness, welcome and ecclesial accompaniment to the testimony of our brother. And to Miguel Márquez, Superior General of our Discalced brothers for the same closeness and accompaniment.
We continue to encourage all of our brothers and sisters in the great Carmelite family to make our own the intentions which Br. Pablo offered his life. Namely (1) That all movements, congregations and orders in the Church may be one; (2) For the conversion of young people through Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist; (3) and that all Christians may banish the fear of death. In the same way, we pray for the gift of a spiritual littleness which brings us closer to the weakest and most suffering, as this brother of ours has taught us.
To the Eucharistic victim God who, in his ineffable mystery of sacrificial love, continues to unite souls to the mystery of his glorious cross and his crown made of thorns, we continue to entrust the memory of our brother Pablo Maria de la Cruz knowing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a God of life. We do this through the hands of our Mother and Sister, the Blessed Virgen Mary of Mount Carmel, at whose feet Br. Pablo offered his life on the eve of her Solemn commemoration in 2023. To her, ‘the sunflower in the garden of Carmel’ we entrust, like a seed planted in fertile ground, the memory and testimony of our brother. And to her we sing, with gratitude, joy and confidence our hymn of praise: Flos Carmeli, vitis florigera, carmelitis, esto proitia.
