Displaying items by tag: SEL

Religious Gathering for Young People in USA Has Tremendous Response

During the first days of 2025, annual SEEK conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah together with a satellite event in Washington, D.C. Members from both the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) and St. Elias (SEL) provinces participated along with more than 17,000 young Catholic adults. This conference, led by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), offers college students an opportunity to explore, grow in, and renew their faith. The SEEK experience demonstrates a vibrant revival among the younger generations of Catholics, serving as a powerful reminder: our faith is not merely a relic of the past but is a living, breathing force that continues to inspire and unite.

“In recent years, many people have expressed a fear that the Catholic faith is dying in the United States, pointing to the swiftly aging congregations of our Catholic parishes across the country. I am grateful to report that I have encountered a reason for hope that our Catholic Church will not fade away despite a future that is uncertain,” said the PCM vocation director, Michael Joyce.

It is in such moments, surrounded by thousands of like-minded individuals, that one can truly feel the heartbeat of a faith renewed. “These young faithful are not merely passive observers; they are active participants in a community that values connection, understanding, and spiritual growth. They are the torchbearers, carrying forward the light of their beliefs into a world that often seems darkened by doubt. Faith can adapt and thrive in contemporary society, embracing new forms of expression while remaining rooted in timeless truths. This resurgence among our youth is a testament to the enduring strength and relevance of the Catholic faith, offering hope and inspiration for the future,” he said.

While the clamor of the world may proclaim that faith is a folly, SEEK opens a divine doorway, whispering the reassurance, “you are not alone,” a message our Carmelite tradition proudly embraces. Perhaps this is why so many people stopped to ask about “The Carmelite Way” and what it means to “Listen to God’s voice in Silence, and act on God’s voice in the World.” Hundreds of years later, we still are driven from the din of the city and embark on a journey into the desert so that we may better hear and know the voice of God and be transformed by God’s love and mercy.

For five days, these vibrant souls absorbed the wisdom of esteemed speakers, like Arthur Brooks, a prolific writer and speaker, and Fr. Mike Schmitz, priest, speaker, author, and podcaster. They navigated “Mission Way” to connect with members of religious congregations and various Catholic organizations who were represented there. And they reveled in joyous nights filled with music, dance, song, fellowship and prayer. “I asked many who I spoke to, ‘What is the one thing you wish to carry with you a year from now?’ The resounding sentiment was that the most profound experience was not merely the words spoken, but the sheer joy of being amidst a multitude that shared their beliefs—a testament to the strength of the Catholic community,” Fr. Michael continued.

The seeds of this movement were sown 20 years ago in Denver when the original SEEK Conference emerged as a biannual gathering. Next year, the experience will unfold in three different locations in the United States.

After many years of waiting and work the Ministry of Home Affairs in Vietnam agreed to the establishment of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Vietnam on December 25, 2023. The official seat of the Order will be at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Priory in Thu Duc City. The government of Vietnam directed the Union of Major Superiors in Vietnam to guide the Order according to the civil law so that the Order can conduct religious activities in accordance with the Catholic religion and the purpose of the Order throughout the country.

This changes in that previously the Carmelites were only permitted in Ho Chi Minh City. This change in status will facilitate the establishment of additional houses in other provinces of the country.

“This is a tremendous moment, something we have worked for since 1996, and it came as a Christmas gift. We thank God, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Joseph for this government recognition which further opens the door legally for the Carmelite Friars in our life and ministry in the country. Blessings to the leadership and members of the Commissariat and Province for all their work to bring this about,” wrote Mario Esposito, the prior provincial of the North American Province of St. Elias.

There are currently six houses of the commissariat: two in Ho Chi Minh City, one in Dong Nai Province, two in Binh Duong Province, and one in Dak Lak Province. There are 14 pre-novices, three novices, and 36 solemnly professed members.

The Carmelite Heritage Room, dedicated in memory of William Murphy, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Middletown, New York, has moved to a new space. Previously located in a room at the rear of the Edith Stein Conference Center, the Heritage Room is now welcoming visitors in the open area between the shrine and the provincial offices. The space provides visitors to browse the displays wherever the shrine itself is open. It is also able to better accommodate the growing number of visitors to the Shrine.

The new Carmelite Heritage Room was the brainchild of Fr. Mario Esposito, O. Carm, Prior Provincial of the Province of Saint Elias, and Fr. Mark Zittle,  O.Carm, the Provincial Procurator. As part of a multi-faceted transition of the Shrine, Carol Bezak, the Shrine Director, coordinated the transition effort. A former Lay Carmelite office was transformed into the new Heritage room under the skillful direction and hard work of Tim Conklin, the Director of Operations and Maintenance.

The Carmelite Heritage Room will showcase material found in the Provincial Archives, where thousands of historical documents, records of Provincial events, photographs, works of art, and religious objects are cataloged and maintained. Currently various chalices used over the history of the province are displayed. There is also artwork and a display on the life of Carmelite St. Titus Brandsma who was canonized in May 2022.

Four display cases will allow visitors to get an up-close look at material that tells the story of the province that began at Our Lady of the Scapular Church of Mt. Carmel at 28th Street in New York’s Manhattan in 1889. The plan is for some of the displays, which will be themed, to change every two months.

Currently one of the cases holds ancient books from the 16th century in Spanish and Latin. Another holds some of the writings of Alfred Isacsson, O. Carm., an authority on the province’s history and the founder of the provincial archives. A third case contains Scapular magazine and other publications of the province. The final display case holds brochures from the now demolished St. Albert’s Junior Seminary and vocation materials.

Currently, the Rev. Alfred Isacsson, O. Carm. Provincial Archives is under the direction of Vincent Begley. Mr. Begley was historian for 10 years at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh, New York and was the historian for Fordham University’s 150th anniversary in 1991.

Visitors to the Carmelite Heritage Room are heartily welcome.

In 1889, a group of friars formed of Edward Southwell, Michael Daly, and Philip McDonnel, moved from the Province of Ireland to begin the foundation of Carmel in New York. At present the Province of St. Elias has about 90 religious working in North America, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. If you want more information about the Carmelites or want to explore a possible religious vocation, contact the nearest community or go to: www.carmelites.com

BOCA RATON
St. Jude Catholic Church
21689 Toledo Road
BOCA RATON, FL 33433 - 7879
Tel. +1 561-3928172
Fax +1 561-3620845

BOLIVAR
Mount Carmel Hermitage
244 Baileys Road
BOLIVAR, PA 15923-9668
Tel. +1 724-238042BRONX
St. Simon Stock-St. Joseph Priory
2191 Valentine Avenue
BRONX, NY 10457 - 2201
Tel. +1 718-3671251
Fax +1 718-9338822

HARRISON
St. Eliseus Priory
324 Jersey Street
HARRISON, NJ 07029-1704
Tel. +1 973-4857233
Fax +1 973-4857244

MIDDLETOWN
Brandsma Priory
P.O. Box 2127,
MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940-0439
Tel. +1 845-3432959

Tel. +1 845-3442223
Fax +1 845-3442210

MIDDLETOWN
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Priory
P.O. Box 883, 90 Euclid Avenue
MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940 - 0883
Tel. +1 845-3434121
Fax +1 845-3434433

MIDDLETOWN
St. Albert’s Priory
P.O. Box 908, 72 Carmelite Drive
MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940 - 0908
Tel. +1 845-3442220
Fax +1 845-3424412

MIDDLETOWN
National Shrine of OL of Mt. Carmel
P.O. Box 2163
70 Carmelite Drive
MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940-0879
Tel. +1 845-3431879
Fax +1 845-3431912

ROCHESTER
Whitefriars Priory
625 Colebrook Drive
ROCHESTER, NY 14617 - 2008
Tel. +1 585-2662560

TARRYTOWN
Transfiguration Priory
268 South Broadway
TARRYTOWN, NY 10591-5325
Tel. +1 914-6311672
Fax +1 914-5249352

TROY
St. Joseph Priory
416 Third Street
TROY, NY 12180-5322
Tel. +1 518-2746720
Fax +1 518-2726503

AUSTIN
Annunciation Hermitage
1009 Oakland Avenue East
AUSTIN, MN 55912-3819
Tel. +1 507-4374015
Fax. +1 507-4347166