The secretary of the Carmelite Family for the Americas organized a retreat for the Carmelite laity with the theme: "The Lay Carmelite in search of holiness". This retreat was held from November 18-20 at the Convento do Carmo in Sao Paulo, with the presence of Carmelite Tertiaries belonging to the Province of Rio and the Commissariat of Parana.

It was a moment of grace, where the brothers and sisters of the Third Order learned more about the vocation of the lay Carmelite, committing themselves to continue with these meetings-retreats to learn more about the Carmelite charism.

On November 10 and 12, 2022, two meetings of the members of the Carmelite Family were held in the cities of Tarija and La Paz (Bolivia). In both events, there was a good participation both in the Eucharist and in the formation: "The lay Carmelite listens to the Word of God”. These moments of fraternity help us to increase the fraternal bonds between the different sectors of the Carmelite Family.

14 December Feast

With all that the Eucharist is for a Catholic Christian, does John of the Cross have a Eucharistic spirituality? His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament or the Mass is not immediately evident. But, if in fact the Eucharist holds central importance for him, why is this obscure in his writings?

Well, there is evidence of his Eucharistic spirituality in some of the testimonies given by those who knew him during the canonical processes for his beatification and canonization. There are approximately thirty published works addressing John’s Eucharistic spirituality. Interestingly two-thirds of these (19 out of 27) focus exclusively on John poem La Fonte: Que bien sé yo la fonte que mana y corre.

John of the Cross focuses on the interior life in his writings. His exposition of spiritual, passive purification and his illumination of Christian mysticism eventually earned him the accolade “Mystical Doctor.” John devoted most of his writings discussing the interior life. A combination of factors contributed to a kind of breakthrough in the ability to understand and articulate the psychological, interior experience of being united to God, above all, in love.

His audience may also be a reason John’s works contain a small number of Eucharistic passages. His letters and “Sayings” were given to his closest friends. The Canticle and The Living Flame were written “at the request” of two women very close to him. He concludes the prologues of The Ascent explaining he is addressing “only some of the persons of our holy Order of the Primitive Observance.” His poems are written for himself and his Beloved. The people he wrote to went to Mass daily and received Communion frequently. So, the Eucharist was one point upon which John’s readers did not need extended instruction.

The fact that John of the Cross held the Eucharist in great esteem colors, it seems, his doctrine of “nada,” and adds a new consideration in the debate about the kind of purgation John recommends. The documentation associated with the Church’s declaration of John as “Mystical Doctor” is focused on his four treatises—explanations of his poems—and almost none of John’s poetry. Systematically looking at John’s poetry will, perhaps, modify the frequent perception of his theology as narrow and of limited value and application.

Seventy-eight primary sources offered approximately one hundred seventy-five different testimonies, and twenty-six different passages from John’s works declaring that John of the Cross has a Eucharistic spirituality. It can be stated with confidence and irrefutable certainty, and in John’s own words: the Mystical Doctor found his Eternal Bridegroom “within this living bread.”

Edizioni Carmelitane is proud to offer a new book on John of the Cross’ Eucharistic Theology:

Dr. John D. Love’s Within This Living Bread: Exploring the Eucharistic Spirituality of St. John of the Cross.  Dr. Love is a professor at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland (USA) since 2008. He received his doctorate from the Angelicum in Rome.

This book costs 22 euros and can be purchased at https://edizionicarmelitane.org/. To place your order, send an e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Read more here

Spirituality in Prison: Resisting the Logic of War
December 10 | 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Warren Borg Ebejer

In light of the fact that war and violence are increasingly on the rise in our world, on our own European doorstep, but not just, what is a Christian response to war and persecution? Specifically, what goes on in one’s mind when they have been unjustly imprisoned? Where lies the Christian hope in an otherwise bitter and anguished condemnation of war? In this seminar, we shall look at how three men of the 20th century faced imprisonment and the harshest conditions of war first-hand; three men who incarnate a spirituality in war, not comfortably from behind the safety of their desks, but hellishly from the darkness of prison.

By stepping into their shoes and walking their personal Via Crucis, we may understand (1) what is means to be trapped in war; (2) how they resisted the logic of war, and (3) how they transformed their suffering. While the three men were not impervious to despair, we will observe how they gave witness to their faith with great fortitude. Through prayer and righteous action, Br. Raphael Tijhuis, O. Carm. (1913-1981), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1904-1945), and Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan (1928-2002) discerned the science of the cross and gave peace to a world that could not return their love.

Venue:
Zoom

How to Register:
Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cost:

The seminar is free of charge. However, if you wish to make a donation, you can do so:

1. 1. Via bank transfer to our account
      [IBAN. MT 28 VALL 2201 3000 0000 400 1797 9621
      [Beneficiary “Carmelite Institute”]
       
   2. By cheque addressed to “Carmelite Institute” for amounts greater than €20 (as per directive n. 19 issued by the Central Bank of Malta)

Are you the one?
(Matthew 11:2-11)

• pdf Celebrating At Home - 3rd Sunday of Advent [PDF] (957 KB)
• default Celebrating At Home - 3rd Sunday of Advent [ePub] (4.08 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - Tercer Domingo de Adviento (463 KB)
• pdf Celebrando in Casa - III Domenica di Avvento (462 KB)
• pdf Celebrando em Família - Terceiro Domingo do Advento (462 KB)

5 December Optional Memorial

His date of birth is unknown. Already a priest of the Mantuan Congregation of the Carmelites, which had been approved by the pope ten years earlier, Bartolome joined the confraternity of the Virgin that existed in the church of Carmel. On January 1, 1460, he assumed the office of spiritual father and restorer of the group. He took his assignment to the confraternity seriously. He wrote its rule and statutes. Until his death 35 years later, it is known that he dedicated himself almost entirely to this ministry.

In artwork he is usually shown with a group of novices to whom he speaks fervently of the Holy Eucharist. This was, in fact, his particular devotion along with devotion to the Blessed Virgin to whom he also professed a very tender devotion. The tradition that Bl. Bautista Spagnoli was Fanti's novice appears to have no basis in fact: Fanti appears to never have held the office of Master of Novices and Baptista Spagnoli made his novitiate year in Ferrara and not in Mantua.

The rule written by Fanti for the confraternity is in twelve short chapters. It is very simple and concise, and its style resembles the rule given by St. Albert to the first Carmelites on Mount Carmel. He also wrote the statutes of the Confraternity of Carmel and created a register of notable events. One can find these writings, along with an exhaustive introductory examination, in the 1957 Ephemerides Carmeliticae.

In 1516 the Blessed’s body was transferred from its tomb in the church to the Chapel of the Virgin, and in 1598 it was placed under the altar. When in 1783 the convent was suppressed, his remains were transferred to St. Mark's and from there, almost ten years later, to the cathedral where they are still preserved, in an incorrupt form, in the Chapel of the Crowned Virgin. The decree of confirmation of his cult was ratified by St. Pius X on March 18, 1909. His feast is celebrated on December 5.

Read more here

Prepare a way for the Lord
(Matthew 3:1-12)

• pdf Celebrating At Home - 2nd Sunday of Advent [PDF] (1.38 MB)
• default Celebrating At Home - 2nd Sunday of Advent [ePub] (1.97 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - Segundo Domingo de Adviento (467 KB)
• pdf Celebrare a Casa - II Domenica di Avvento (496 KB)
• pdf Celebrando em Família - Segundo Domingo do Advento (468 KB)

Carmelus 2023 will focus on Synodality from the perspective of Carmel. 

If you would like to make contributions on a scientific level and format, 

please contact Michael Plattig O.Carm.: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Of course, as always, all other articles on Carmelite topics are welcome as well as book reviews.

Deadline for the articles: July 1, 2023.

On Monday, November 21, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake stuck the Cianjur region of the island of Java in Indonesia. The area struck includes the area where the Carmelite affiliated Putri Karmel sisters and the Carmelitae Sancti Eliae are located. One building in Cikanyere suffered extensive damage to its roof. There were no injuries. 

An estimated 22,000 homes and buildings in a highly populated area of West Java province were toppled. An estimated 268 people were killed with at least a thousand injured. Some 150 people remain missing. Some 58,000 people have been displaced. 

The majority of those who died are thought to be children, many attending school. More than fifty schools are said to have been impacted.

The Society of the Little Way Jakarta, an Indonesian lay Carmelite group inspired by St. Therese of Lisieux, held a social ministry in Gempol Sukun, Malang, Indonesia on October 1st, 2022. They involved the Carmelite students in Malang were also involved in this social ministry.

The area of Gempol Sukun Malang was chosen as the location for this social ministry because it is the area where the Carmelite friars started their social ministry back to 1970s. The decision to become socially involved was made following the general chapter which discussed the preferential option for the poor. In 1973 the Indonesian Carmelite friars were entrusted by the local government of Malang to help empower the homeless people living under the bridges and in the slum area of the city. The local government gave a piece of land intending it to be the center for the Carmelite ministry.

The Carmelites did fundraising in the Netherlands and in Jakarta to fund the project. They built simple houses in the area and distributed the house to the poor. The Carmelites also invited the sisters of various congregation to educate and to receive the children in their boarding schools. Some of the people who accepted the efforts of the Carmelites 50 years ago now are living better lives. The next generation of the neighborhood number many teachers and nurses. However, the acceptance of the program was not universal. Those who did not want to follow the empowerment program and some of those continue to be poor and live below standard. They became the focus of the social ministry of the Society of the Little Way Jakarta.

In doing this social ministry, the members of the Society of Little Way, accompanied by the Carmelite students, visited the poorer families, going house to house. They talked with the families, gave them a package of items for their daily needs, and encouraged them to struggle for development. Although at that time the weather was not good and it rained heavily, they continued walking around the area, following the narrow path to the various houses.

The people were very happy to spend time with the Carmelites. They said that they felt really touched by the visit and the friendliness of the members of the Community of the Little Way.

After doing the social ministry, the members of the Community of the Little Way and the Carmelite students joined the mass in St. Therese of Lisieux chapel which is located in the heart of the area. They experienced that in the Church, they all belong to the same family: the family of the Lord, there are no more differences among them; they all are one regardless their race and ethnicity, educational background, social status, and political tendencies.