O.Carm
Causa Nostrae Laetitiae
PROFESSIO SOLEMNIS
17-05-24 Roger Boris Ava Mbida (Ger-Cam) Yaoundé
06-04-25 Itamar dos Santos Neri (Pern) Aracaju, Brasil
26-04-25 Cristiano Garcia Dias Barbosa (Pern) Recife, Brasil
12-04-25 Mary Regina Wanjiru of the Sorrowful Virgin Mother (Mach) Kenya
12-04-25 Mary Nathalie Nsizoa of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Mach) Kenya
ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
05-07-24 Roger Boris Ava Mbida (Ger-Cam) Yaoundé
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
05-07-24 Marius Darhlin Wabo Togueu (Ger-Cam) Yaoundé
05-07-24 Isaie Nathan Abiscegue Rousseau (Ger-Cam) Yaoundé
03-05-25 Anacleto Guterres Da Costa (Aust-TL) Middle Park
Chapter of General Commissariat of "La Bruna" Held
Chapter of General Commissariat of "La Bruna" Held in Naples May 12-14, 2024 with Elections
The Chapter of the General Commissariat “Santa Maria 'La Bruna'” took place May 12-14, 2025, in the Carmelite monastery in Naples under the presidency of the prior general, Míceál O’Neill, O. Carm., accompanied by Richard Byrne, General Councilor for Europe. The theme chosen for the chapter was: “The love of Christ impels us“ (2 Cor 5,14). Contemplation: towards the renewal of fraternal and missionary life in Carmel.
Unfortunately, the Carmelites in Tanzania were unable to receive visas to attend the Chapter in Italy. Instead, they participated by electronic means.
The Chapter opened on Monday, 12th May 2025 with a Votive Eucharist to the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, the gremiales went to the Chapter Hall and listened to an address from the Prior General. As usual, the chapter reflected on the previous three years aided by the reports from the officials of the Commissariat. Over the course of the chapter, the gremiales spent a lot of time reflecting on the relationship between the Carmelites in Tanzania and those in Italy and, in particular, how the Carmelite presence in Tanzania might be developed. Towards the end of the Chapter, the elections for the General Commissary and his Councillors were held.
On the last day of the chapter, 14th May 2025, the Prior General celebrated the Eucharist on the Feast of St Matthias which coincided with the traditional Wednesday devotions to the Madonna of La Bruna in the Carmelite sanctuary which, as usual, were attended by a large number of the faithful. After the celebration of the Eucharist, the Acts of the Chapter were unanimously approved and signed by all present. With some final words of encouragement, and noting the rich history of the Commissariat, the prior general formally declared the chapter concluded.
The Commissariat is the heir to a tradition that dates back from 1524, when the convent of Carmine Maggiore in Naples was placed directly under the prior general. For awhile it became part of a province and, when this province disappeared due to the civil revolution, Carmine Maggiore was again placed under the jurisdiction of the prior general with the exception of the years 1910-1920 in which it was part of the Province of Naples. In 1947 a commissariat entitled "La Bruna" was set up to include Carmine Maggiore and two other houses. In October 2009 the foundation in Tanzania was established.
First page: www.santuariocarminemaggiore.
The following members were elected to leadership:
Commissary General | Comisario General | Commissario Generale
Alfredo Di Cerbo, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1o Consigliere
Luciano Di Cerbo, O.Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2o Consigliere
Dominic Somola, O. Carm.
St. Simon Stock, Religious
16 May Optional Memorial (Obligatory Memorial the province of Great Britain)
From “Ignea Sagitta” by Nicholas the Frenchman, Prior General
I Will Lead Her into the Desert and Speak to Her Heart
Has not our Lord and Savior, by His grace, led us into solitude, where He speaks to our hearts with particular familiarity? He gives His friends consolation and reveals arcane mysteries not in public, in the marketplace, amid noise and tumult, but in the cell.
Indeed, in the solitude of a mountain, Abraham, moved by obedience, ascended at the Lord's command to sacrifice his son Isaac; he did not hesitate in his faith and gazed from afar at the fulfillment of the promise that was realized in the passion of Christ, who is the true Isaac. Lot, Abraham's nephew, was also ordered to hurry out of Sodom to save himself in the solitude of the mountains. In the solitude of Mount Sinai, Moses was given the law. Up there, he was clothed in such splendor that when he came down, the others could not look at his radiant face.
While Mary and Gabriel converse in the solitude of a cell, the Word of the Most High Father becomes incarnate. God, made man, in the Transfiguration clearly shows his glory to the representatives of the two testaments in the solitude of Mount Tabor. Our Savior chooses the solitude of a mountain to pray alone. In the solitude of the desert, he fasted uninterruptedly for forty days and forty nights, and there he wanted to be tempted by the devil to show what is the most suitable place to pray, mortify oneself, and overcome the tempter. The Savior therefore goes to the solitude of a mountain and into a desert to pray; he descends from the mountain when he wants to preach and show his works.
He who called our Fathers to the solitude of a mountain showed himself to them and to their successors as a sign, so that they might relive in their lives his actions, which are never without profound meaning.
Some of our predecessors followed this undoubtedly holy rule of the Savior. Recognizing their own imperfection, they lived for a long time in the solitude of the hermitage; and because they wanted to help their neighbors without the slightest personal distraction, they left the hermitage from time to time, but rather rarely, and sowed widely what they had gently reaped in the silence of contemplation, scattering the seeds through preaching.
Vitam Coelo Reddiderunt
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Pope Leo XIV Meets With Journalists
Pope Leo XIV Meets With Journalists Emphasizing the Role of Communications in Promoting Peace
In one of the first audiences of his young pontificate, Pope Leo XIV met with the international media in Aula Paulo VI. He thanked journalists for their service to the truth and stressed the role of communications in promoting peace.
“We are living in times that are both difficult to navigate and to recount. They present a challenge for all of us, but it is one that we should not run away from,” the pope said to approximately ____ journalists on May 12. “On the contrary, they demand that each one of us, in our different roles and services, never give in to mediocrity.”
“Thank you, dear friends, for your service to the truth,” he said, also underlining the importance of preserving free speech and the free press.
Using St. Augustine, the pope highlighted the place of communications: “The Church must face the challenges posed by the times. In the same way, communication and journalism do not exist outside of time and history. St. Augustine reminds of this when he said, ‘Let us live well, and the times will be good. We are the times’ (Discourse 311).”
Using the Sermon on the Mount, the pope stressed the important role communications plays in promoting peace: “Jesus proclaimed, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (Mt 5:9). This is a beatitude that challenges all of us, but it is particularly relevant to you, calling each one of you to strive for a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition, and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it.”
“Peace,” he continued, “begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others, and speak about others. In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: We must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.”
The pope raised up the responsibility and discernment needed in the use of artificial intelligence. He earlier explained his choice of the regnant name Leo being influenced by the challenges AI presents.
On the topic of truth, Leo XIV reiterated the Church’s solidarity with journalists who have been imprisoned “for seeking and reporting the truth” and said their suffering "challenges the conscience of nations and the international community." He appealed for their release. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 361 journalists were in jail in 2024.
The Order’s leadership in communications gathered in Rome for a three-part meeting of on-going formation, Jubilee celebration, and discussion among themselves of how to serve the Order and the faithful in the future. A two-part follow-up online meeting is scheduled for May 21st.
The pope began the audience speaking in English. He thanked the journalists for the warm reception and then said, “They say when they clap at the beginning it doesn’t matter much… If you are still awake at the end, and still want to applaud, … Thank you very much!”
Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter
Farewell, Glory & Discipleship of Love (John 13:31-35)
Given during Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, these words begin what is called The Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel (13:31-17:26). They are Jesus’ last words to his disciples before his death. In the course of offering assurance and comfort, Jesus develops various themes that have been introduced earlier in his ministry, including in particular glory, mutual indwelling and love. His main point is the experience of life in God the disciples have and will continue to have. The relationship between the Father and the Son, which has been revealed in the first twelve chapters of the Gospel, Jesus now declares to be realised in the disciples.
The relationship between the Father, the Son and the Spirit are described in more detail here than anywhere else in the Bible. In these chapters, therefore, is the most profound teaching on God and discipleship in the Bible.
The first part of today’s Gospel reading is a bit confusing unless we understand that ‘glory’ in the biblical tradition has to do with the revelation of the unseen God. So, in these lines there is a sense of mutual glorification - the Father is revealed in the Son and the Son reveals the Father in his death on the cross. The Son will reveal the love of the Father most patently when he gives up his life.
Using the intimate form of address, ‘My little children,’ Jesus gently begins to prepare the disciples for the difficult reality of his leaving them.
Just as Jesus has been God’s love in action in the world, so now, the disciples must be. The indispensable nature of abiding in love is underlined by the use of ‘commandment’. It is through their mutual love that all will recognise them as disciples of the One who loved even to laying down his life.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter [PDF] (3.08 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter [ePub] (4.33 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Quinto Domingo de Pascua (433 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - V Domenica di Pasqua (588 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - Quinto Domingo da Páscoa (586 KB)
St. George Preca, Priest
9 May Optional Memorial (Obligatory Memorial in the province of Malta)
Born in Malta on 12 February 1880. He lived in Valletta, the capital of Malta, near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. As a child, and according to the customs of the times, George joined the Carmelite Family by being enrolled in the Scapular. As a young man he felt called to the priesthood. He was ordained priest on 22 December 1906.
Presentation of the Book on the San Giuliano Church
Presentation of the Book "La chiesa e il convento di San Giuliano l'Ospitaliero ai Trofei di Mario" at CISA on May 16
Elective Chapter in Australia and Timor-Leste Held
Elective Chapter of the Province of Australia and Timor-Leste Held April 28-May 2, 2025
The Carmelites of the Province of Australia and Timor-Leste held their Provincial Chapter from April 28-May 2, 20225. Míċéal O'Neill, the prior general, accompanied by Robert Puthussery, General Councilor for Asia, Australia, and Oceania, participated.
In 1881 five members of the Irish province went to Australia; they were entrusted with the parish of Gawler in South Australia. In 1882 Sandridge (Victoria) was founded, which was later, in 1890, divided into the present-day Port Melbourne and Middle Park. In 1886 the Australian Commissariat was established but lasted only two years. In 1902 the Gawler house was closed and Port Adelaide, now called Pennington, was opened (the Carmelites left this parish in 1999). On March 22, 1930, the area was erected as a General Commissariat. After the founding of communities in Coorparoo, Queensland, and Donvale, Vic, the province was then erected.
In 1949, the Australian Carmelites went to New Zealand and founded a house in Meadowbank but that closed in 1970. In May 2001, the Province accepted an invitation to engage in East Timor. On September 24, 2004, the Prior General and his Council changed the name of the province to Province of Australia and East Timor. The province is dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians.
The website of the province is www.carmelites.org.au
The following members were elected to leadership at the Chapter:
Provincial | Provincial | Provinciale
Bruce Clark, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1o Consigliere
Paul Cahill, O.Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2o Consigliere
Martinho Da Costa, O. Carm.
3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3o Consigliere
David Hofman, O. Carm.
4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4o Consigliere
Januario Pinto, O.Carm.
Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter
Shepherd and Sheep,
Bonds of Life and Love (John 10:27-30)
This fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday because the Gospel for this Sunday always portrays Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Being a shepherd in the time of Jesus was not anything like the large-scale, commercial farming enterprises of today. Then, a shepherd usually had responsibility for about fifteen or twenty sheep whom he accompanied day and night. Both shepherd and sheep got to know each other. The shepherd was responsible for keeping the flock together and safe, for leading it to good pasture, for binding up wounds. The sheep depended on the shepherd for life.
No wonder the image of the Good Shepherd became so popular as a description of the relationship between Jesus and his followers.
Today’s Gospel is full of warmth and intimacy in the way it speaks about Jesus’ relationship with us.
The sheep who listen to Jesus belong to (are in relationship with) him. There is a sense of intimacy in the idea that Jesus knows each of the sheep who follow him. He knows them and they follow him because they are bound together by the bond of love.
The sheep have life through their relationship with Jesus, a relationship which brings eternal life, not just after death; the sheep already live the eternal life of God here and now.
This relationship with Jesus and the eternal life it brings can never be lost or snatched away.
We are the gift that the Father gives to Jesus. And because the Father and Jesus live in deep communion with each other, we, too, are caught up in this enduring communion of love.
This love God has for us makes us part of God’s family: God’s beloved daughters and sons.
Any reflection about Jesus as the Good Shepherd also keeps us mindful that shepherding each other according to the heart of Jesus is part of our vocation as disciples.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter [PDF] (5.07 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter [ePub] (4.21 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Cuarto Domingo de Pascua (529 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - Quarta Domenica di Pasqua (552 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - Quarto Domingo da Páscoa (532 KB)
