Liturgical Congress Provides Carmelite Family Week of Discussion on Encountering the Risen Lord
Eighty people attended the Order’s international liturgical congress held in May 2025. The Congress, which had been organised by the Order’s Liturgy & Prayer Commission, was held in the Carmelite centre outside of Rome (Istituto Madonna del Carmine “Il Carmelo”, Sassone) from May 5 to 10, 2025.
The overall theme of the Congress is: “Encountering the Risen Lord: Liturgy and prayer in Carmel today.”
Giuseppe Midili, O. Carm. (Pontificio Ateneo Sant'Anselmo), celebrated the Opening Eucharist and gave the opening presentation entitled: Ars celebrandi: to “contemplate the beauty and truth of the Christian celebration” (Desiderio Desideravi ) in the light of the Carmelite charism. During his presentation, he reminded the participants of the Carmelite Constitutions which call on us to prepare for, love and renew our concern for the liturgy. He noted that the artist in the liturgy is Christ who brings into existence the art of offering himself to the Father. We journey from a liturgy of appearances to a liturgy that opens to the experience of the Paschal Mystery.
Michael Plattig, O. Carm., presented on “Carmel, a school of prayer: personal and liturgical”. He began by exploring the development of prayer based on the New Testament, the Rule of St Albert and the Book of the Institution of the First Monks. Michael noted that Titus Brandsma wrote: “We are not called to do great, remarkable, much-discussed things in public life. That would be inconsistent with the simplicity that we Carmelites wish to practice. However, it is our task to do ordinary things in a great way, that is, with sincere intentions and giving our all.” One of these ordinary things is prayer which is the cultivation of a personal relationship with God in everyday life.
Simon Nolan, O. Carm., reflected on: Carmel and Music, brining the participants on a fascinating journey through early Carmelite Chant to the 1700s. He noted that the medieval Carmelite Choir Book witness to the emergence of a musical tradition. Simon concluded that there is a living tradition within the Carmelite Family today involving many different peoples and different musical and cultural traditions.
Valéry Bitar OCD (Teresianum) presented the topic: "You must assemble every morning to participate in the Eucharistic celebration" (Rule 14). He noted that Carmel needs to meet every day to celebrate the Eucharist in the central oratory, in order to remain faithful to itself and to its mission in the Church. From this, the source of eternal life will also spring up in us.
Anastasia di Gerusalemme, O. Carm., presented the topic: Celebrating the Word of God in the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. She noted that the Carmelite Rule offers very concrete indications which help us to grow and become aware of what it means to live the encounter and relationship with the Word of God. The Word appears within our everyday experiences especially in the refectory, in the cell and in the oratory.
Professor Donna Orsuto (Gregorianum) presented on the topic: Carmelites celebrating Mary in her feasts. As a guideline, Carmelites in celebrating and preaching about Mary can present Mary in her simplicity, help people grasp that she is approachable and show that she can be imitated.
Giovanni Grosso, O. Carm. (Ita), presented on The Marian Apostolate in its various forms: the Order's extra-liturgical Marian devotion. He began by linking the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the very origins of the Carmelite hermit community. Giovanni noted many different forms of extra liturgical devotion including the role of confraternities, Marian antiphons, solemn Marian Wednesdays, and the “crowns” of Our Lady which involved the reciting of several Hail Marys.
Fernando Joaquín Millán Romeral, O. Carm. (Comillas), presented on the topic: Celebrating the witness of the Saints of Carmel in our contemporary world. God alone is holy, but in Christ and through Christ, we share in that holiness. Over time, the church clarified the concept of saints and applied it first to martyrs and then to pastors, virgins, hermits and so on who stood out for their holiness. In recent years, the Order has been blessed with the ecclesial recognition of several examples of holiness. Each in their own way emphasise various aspects of Christian and Carmelite life.
Désiré Unen Alimange, O. Carm. (Ita-Congo), presented on the topic: Rites of Carmelite religious profession. Désiré began by noting the first traces of a rite of monastic profession between the fifth and sixth centuries before we get to procession in mendicant orders (professio in manibus). The Rite of religious profession for Carmelites reflects the nature and spirit of the Order.
Shortly after Désiré’s presentation, the participants were overjoyed to see the “white smoke” suddenly start to appear from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Together, the participants waited in anticipation to find out who our next pope would be. There was much joy when we learnt of the election of Pope Leo XIV.
On Friday, 9th May, all the participants travelled into the centre of Rome for a pilgrimage day together. Monsignor Enda Murphy (Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) celebrated the Eucharist for the participants in S. Maria in Traspontina. As Cardinal Arthur Roche (Prefect, Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) had post-Conclave commitments, Monsignor Enda then read Cardinal Roche’s text on his topic: The role of the liturgy within a Synodal Church. Cardinal Roche noted that liturgy and synodality are not distinct yet are linked. Our encounter with the Lord in various ways in the liturgy leads to communion.
The participants then made their pilgrimage through the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica. After free time, they celebrated Evening Prayer with the community of Saints Silvester & Martin ai Monti before returning to the conference centre for the evening meal.
On the last morning, Míceál O’Neill, O. Carm. (Prior General), presented on his topic: Glorifying the Lord with your lives. During his presentation, the Prior General noted that the Carmelite mystic, Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi, in time spent in thanksgiving after she received Holy Communion, would often ponder the Gospel of the day. As we move away from the altar and from the church, we move as people who who in some way have been transformed by the encounter and who will bring that gift with them into the rest of their lives. After the participants reviewed together the experience of the week, the Prior General celebrated the Closing Eucharist of the Congress.
The members of the Liturgy & Prayer Commission are: Richard Byrne, O. Carm. (President), Sr. Nerina de Simone, CMSTBG, John Keating, O. Carm, (Ireland), Robert Manik, O. Carm. (Indonesia), Désiré Unen Alimange, O. Carm. (Ita-Congo), Alexander Vella, O. Carm. (Malta)
