14 November Feast

"Like the prophet Elijah, all the Saints of Carmel have been shaped through a school of spiritual fire. They also intimated the example of Mary and made their truest expression in the experience of love and that love makes the history of the Order. They became a hymn of praise to offer to our God."

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13 November Optional Memorial in the Italian Provinces

Some Observations on the Spirituality of Mother Scrilli

From childhood she showed signs of extraordinary piety and, thanks to the positive influence of her teachers, cultivated her spiritual life through assiduous attendance at the sacraments and readings from the lives of the saints, especially St. Mary Magdalena de'Pazzi. Her mother’s lack of love for having a second daughter and her own long serious illness at the age of 15 drew her ever closer to the suffering of Christ and his Cross. Suffering experienced as an act of love made her delve more and more into the mystery of the Cross. “Patire per amore” (To Suffer for Love) was her motto.

In addition to devotion to Christ’s passion and the Eucharist, she had a tender love for Mary whom she considered her “dear mother.”

When she attempted to live as a cloistered nun at the monastery of St Mary Magdalen de’Pazzi, who she had a devotion to as well, she found that God had other plans for her. She and some friends started teaching. But that too did not work out because of the anti-Church attitudes in Florence at the time. Years later, in 1875, they restarted the Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo knowing that this was God’s will.

To her intense activity, Mother Scrilli united a profound and continuous life of prayer. She knew how to harmonize prayer and work, contemplation and action, self-giving to God and service to her brothers and sisters. This became the goal of the Institute.

While she endured many constant physical sufferings, she also endured moral one with a spirit of faith and conformity to Divine Will. Her whole desire, in fact, was to fulfill God’s will. The “fiat” was the constant that accompanied her throughout her life.

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To learn more about the life of Mother Maria Teresa and her work and legacy, we suggest reading The Autobiography of Maria Teresa Scrilli, Foundress of the Institute of Our Lady of Mount Carmel published by Edizioni Carmelitane

From: Dizionario Carmelitani, 2008

The Carmelite nuns of Wahpeton (USA) held their triennial elections on November 1, 2023. Presiding over the election was Bishop John T. Folda, Bishop of Fargo. He also offered Mass before the beginning of the meetings and opened the Chapter with a prayer that the Holy Spirit would open minds and hearts to God’s grace in the lives of the sisters and the community and that the prioress would be a servant after the Heart of Jesus.

The monastery was founded 69 years ago by Sr. Rosa of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and six nuns from the Carmelite monastery in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The date of the foundation is October 24, 1954.

The website of the monastery is https://www.carmelofmary.org

The results of the elective chapter were as follows:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:  
Sr. Madonna of the Assumption Morales, O. Carm.

1st Councilor  | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr. Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart Sticka, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sr. Joseph Marie of the Child Jesus Bedard, O. Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa
Sr. Veronica of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Hartley, O. Carm.

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice
Sr. Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart Sticka, O. Carm.

Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana
Sr. Veronica of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, O. Carm.

Today, November 11, we remember the end of World War I, the so-called "Great War," the "War to End All Wars," on this date at the 11th hour in 1918.

Listen to the guns go silent in an recreation of the moment based on based on actual recordings.

The war was not great nor did it stop future wars. As we find our world in conflict in at least 32 places 105 years after this armistice, let us make this Day of Remembrance also a Day of Prayer for the transformation of the hearts of all.

Let us realize the words of St. Pope Paul VI: "If you want peace, work for justice" is the task of each and every one of us.

The Center for Carmelite Studies at the Catholic University of America is hosting the 4^th Annual Lecture in Carmelite Studies on November 14, 2023. The lecture, entitled St. Thérèse and the Sacred Heart: History and Theology, will be given by noted theologian Sr. Mary Frohlich, RSCJ. The event will take place in Caldwell Auditorium on the campus of the university at 5PM. It will also be livestreamed.

Mary Frohlich, RSCJ, is a Visiting Scholar in the School of Ministry and Theology at Boston College. Her main areas of research include Carmelite spirituality, methodology for academic spirituality, and ecospirituality. She is the editor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings, in the "Modern Spiritual Masters" series (Orbis, 2003).

Carmelite Institute of North America Plans Webinar on Rule of St. Albert

The Carmelite Institute of North America (CINA) is hosting a webinar featuring author Michael Mulhall, O. Carm., discussing his recently published book Albert and His Rule. The webinar will take place on Saturday, November 18 at 2:00PM (Eastern USA Time).

Michael Mulhall. M.A., S.T.D. is a Carmelite with a degree in Semitic Ianguages and a doctorate in biblical theology. He taught at Mount St. Mary's Seminary until 1981 when he became director of the Mt. Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He taught at the University of St. Michael's College and at St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto. He also served on the board of the Canadian Catholic Biblical Association. He served as scripture consultant for the first two volumes of The Roots of Our Faith dealing with the Old and New Testaments.

To participate, register at https://carmeliteinstitute.net/event/a-journey-into-our-beginnings-the-rule-of-st-albert/?mc_cid=fcb2fbcfa1&mc_eid=44751dfbef 

There is a $10 fee to support the ministry of the Carmelite Institute.

Fr. Mulhall's book, Albert and His Rule, is available from various bookstores as well as from the Edizioni Carmelitane webstore and other online webstores.

In August, the Carmelite Province of the Philippines awarded the Titus Brandsma Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Napoleon Isabelo “Billy” Veloso Abueva. The award was given posthumously. Ms Amihan Abueva addressed the group on behalf of the Abueva Family.

Dr. Abueva is recognized as the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture. His modernistic approach is apparent in the monumental character of his outdoor and public sculptures and the promotion of Philippine themes. Some of his sculptures include movable components. His prolific artwork began in the 1950s. He was very consistent in his support of the ideals and cause of St. Titus Brandsma for truth, free speech and free press, justice and peace. Dr. Abueva was a man of integrity, honor and faith.

Abueva designed and made the trophy which is presented to winners of the award. He has also designed a well-known bust of St. Titus.

The ceremony, which took place at the Titus Brandsma Center in Quezon City, began with a welcome from the prior provincial of the Philippine Province of St. Titus Brandsma, Rico Ponce. Carmelite Christian Buenafe, the executive director of the Titus Brandsma Media Center and Institute of Spirituality in Asia, made the introductions. Anne Marie Bos, a Carmelite from the Titus Brandsma Institute in Nijmegen, Netherlands, addressed the gathering. Angela Blardony Ureta, aO. Carm., the director of the Carmelite Center for Social-Pastoral Communication and member of the Titus Brandsma Award. Marc Jozsef Lester G. Hallig, O. Carm., acted as master of ceremonies.

The Titus Brandsma Award Philippines is the country’s version of the international Titus Brandsma Award. In 1999 the Carmelites, along with the Titus Brandsma Media Center, established the award. The first award was given the following year. The award is given to professionals in media and educators and then was expanded to include leadership in journalism, culture and the arts, press freedom, among other areas.

Ready & Waiting
(Matthew 25:1-13)

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November 8 | Optional Memorial

Elizabeth Catez was born on 18th July 1880 in Campo d'Avor near Bourges, France. In 1894, she took a vow of virginity.

She made her religious profession on 11th January 1903 and 21st January the same year she was given the monastic veil. The five years that she spent in religious life brought her ever closer to God although the Lord tested her with many spiritual trials and severe physical suffering due to Addison's disease which finally brought about her death on 9th November 1906.

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