O.Carm
Elections of the Commissariat in Vietnam
On Thursday, November 24, 2022, voting for leadership took place during the second Chapter of the Commissariat of St. Joseph of the St. Elias Province in Vietnam.
The Province established houses in Vietnam in 1996, 2001, and 2008. The Commissariat was established during the Provincial Chapter of 2019. There are currently 60 members in Vietnam.
During the Chapter the following were elected to leadership:
Commissary Provincial | Comisario Provincial | Commissario Provinciale:
Fr. Joseph Hung Tran, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1° Consigliere:
Fr. Francis X. Chinh Nguyen, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2° Consigliere:
Fr. Joseph Thien Nguyen, O. Carm.
Image caption: left to right Joseph Thien Nguyen, Joseph Hung Tran, Francis X. Chinh Nguyen
Lectio Divina December 2022
Lord our God,
to those who trust in you
and live the gospel of your Son, you are a dependable rock.
In the storms and tensions of our times, may our faith never waver,
but give us the courage to live as we believe, consistently, radically,
that with your Son we may do your will and live in your love now and forever.
Celebrating At Home - 1st Sunday of Advent
Stay awake
(Matthew 24:37-44)
The great Advent journey begins. The Advent readings are a rich tapestry of images centered on the truth that God has come among us. We do not pretend that we are waiting for Jesus to be born in a stable. That happened once, a long time ago, and it will not happen again. We remember that birth as we remember our own birthdays.
The God who came among us is still among us. Advent’s invitation is to become aware of the all- pervading presence of the risen Jesus as Emmanuel – God among us.
In the first reading this Sunday Isaiah captures the sense of God’s presence among his people through the images of the high mountain and the Temple – the dwelling place of God among his people. The people’s response in the reading is to be drawn into God’s presence ‘that he may teach us his ways’ and ‘we may walk in his paths’, and be utterly transformed into a new way of living (making swords into ploughshares, etc). In the second reading St Paul reminds the Romans that they are already living in ‘the time’. They should ‘wake up now’ and ‘live decently as people do in the daytime’.
The early Christians believed that Jesus would return very soon as the Lord of Glory. As time passed, they had to re-think this belief and work out how to live in the meantime, the time in between the first and final comings of Christ. That’s our challenge, too.
This week’s Gospel calls us to “Stay awake”, to be vigilant and attentive to the signs of the times so that we do not miss the moment when God breaks into human history once again. The God who came among us is still among us. In Advent we train our eyes to
see the reign of God more clearly so that we may be totally caught up in God’s action in the world as we wait for the final manifestation of God’s glory.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 1st Sunday of Advent [PDF] (3.16 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 1st Sunday of Advent [ePub] (3.93 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Primer Domingo de Adviento (520 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - I Domenica di Avvento (522 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em Família - Primeiro Domingo do Advento (520 KB)
Ongoing Formation in Europe
The European Commission for Ongoing Formation has organized a series of three online sessions (via Zoom). This year, the Commission has chosen to focus on the religious (consecrated) life aspect of our lives as Carmelite friars. The first session is on Saturday, December 3.
Timothy Radcliffe, OP, will be the principal presenter. He is the former Master of the Dominican Order and the speaker at the recent Carmelite General Congregation in Rome. He has agreed to repeat his talks from the General Congregation on the vows of obedience and chastity to which he will also add a third talk on the vow of poverty. After each presentation there will be a brief opportunity to dialogue with Fr. Timothy.
The Commission sees these sessions as providing an opportunity for each of member of the region to explore what consecrated life means for us as Carmelite today: in one’s own life and in one’s experience of the life of the Order. The idea is to use these reflections to help us identify any gaps between what we profess as religious and how we actually live. The goal would be to find practical ways to help ourselves to overcome them.
The remaining sessions will be on February 4, 2023 and April 29, 2023.
Some further material for reflection will be sent before each of the ongoing formation sessions to help with individual and communal reflection.
Nantes Hosts On-Going Seminar: Françoise d’Amboise
On November 12, the Carmelite Centre d'études d'histoire de la spiritualité (CEHS) in Nantes organized the second seminar, in a series of formative talks on Carmelite Spirituality, conducted by Frère Martin de la Croix, O.Carm.
The seminar was entitled Françoise d’Amboise: Actualisation d'une sainte chef d'état et modèle de la vie religieuse. Frère Martin presented the history of a hagiographical representation of the Saintly Duchess, to engage the audience into an exercise of actualization of the person for today. As model for this actualization exercise, Frère Martin took the model and approach of Léon de Saint-Jean in the writing of the first ever biography of Blessed Françoise d'Amboise in 1630.
The upcoming events in the program of the conferences CEHS, Parcours "La Source du Carmel" Découvrir la Spiritualité Carmélitaine include conferences on the Rule of Carmel, the Prophet Elijah, John of Saint Samson and Titus Brandsma.
Prayer for Peace in Ukraine on the Feast of S. Josaphat
On November 12, the prior provincial of the Polish Province, Wiesław Strzelecki travelled to the friary of Volodymyr-Volynskyi in Ukraine to celebrate the feast of St Josaphat. The homily for the Mass was delivered by the bishop of the Greek Catholic Church, who concelebrated with the local priests.
The priests of his Church and the bishop of the Orthodox Church in Kiev attended the Mass. At the end of Mass, the provincial thanked Fr Lech Koszlaga and Br Jan Rafiński for their self-sacrificing service in Ukraine, especially during this time of war. They have chosen to remain with the people instead of returning to Poland.
The mayor of Volodymyr Volynskyi thanked the Polish provincial for the aid for the people that has continued to flow into the area from from Poland. Carmelite houses and ministries from around the world have participated.
After the liturgy, all those present went to the altar of St Josaphat, where they prayed for peace and honored the martyr's relics.
On November 13, the prior provincial met the parishioners, who had gathered for prayer in the Carmelite church in Volodymyr Volynskyi. During the Eucharist, he prayed for peace in war-torn Ukraine.
The Polish province has two foundations in the Ukraine. Besides Volodymyr Volynskyi, the Carmelites are ministering in a parish at Sasiadowice.
Picture Captions:
Picture 1: A altar of remembrance for those from Włodzimierz Wołyński and the surrounding area who have died in the current war.
Picture 2: Relics of St. Josaphat.
Picture 3: (left to right) Fr. Wiesław Strzelecki and Br. Jan at the Greek Catholic church. The inscription on the plaque is about St. Josaphat.
Picture 4: The Polish prior provincial, Wiesław Strzelecki with the Greek Catholic bishop.
Picture 5: (from left) Fr. Karol Amroż, O. Carm., Fr. Wiesław Strzelecki, O. Carm., and Br. Jan Rafiński, O. Carm. Br. Jan has been working in Ukraine for 10 years.
Picture 6: A tribute to those from Włodzimierz Wołyński who have died in the current war.
Picture 7: (left to right) Father Wiesław Strzelecki, Father Lech Koszlaga, O. Carm., and Father Karol Amroż, O. Carm. Fr. Lech has been living and working in our monastery in Ukraine for 33 years. He is holding the relics of St. Josaphat.
Irish Carmelite Appointed Dean of Philosophy
Simon Nolan, O. Carm., a member of the Irish Province of Carmelites, has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth, Ireland. He took up his role at the beginning of September. At the annual University Conferring of Degrees on 12th November, the Chancellor of the University and Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamonn Martin, formally welcomed Simon and wished him well in this new role.
Simon is a doctoral graduate of Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University and has specialized in the study of the first Carmelites at the medieval universities as well as the Irish intellectual tradition in the 14th century. He also has a particular interest in the philosophical thought of St Titus Brandsma.
Simon is a member of the Scientific Council of the Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome and a Scholar at the Center for Carmelite Studies, Washington DC.
Philosophy has been taught at Maynooth since the founding of St Patrick’s in 1795, with the first professors coming from Paris’ Sorbonne University in the wake of the French Revolution. The Philosophy Faculty at Maynooth attracts students from both Ireland and abroad and has a strong reputation in both teaching and research, with good numbers enrolled in its masters, licentiate, and doctoral programmes.
Historically there have been connections between Maynooth and the Carmelites in Ireland, with some occasionally studying or teaching philosophy, theology, or science there. In September, three members of the Pernambuco Province (Brazil) and one member of the General Commissariat of St Thérèse and St Albert (India) commenced their studies in theology at Maynooth. Importantly, the certificate, diploma, B.Th. and M.Th. programs of the Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland (CIBI) are accredited by Maynooth.
Picture Captions
Top: (left to right): Dr Patrick Gorevan, Dr Philip Gonzales, and Simon Nolan, O. Carm., from the Faculty of Philosophy, Maynooth.
Bottom: The featured guests at the ceremony. Picture courtesy of St Patrick's Pontifical University (SPPU).
Message for the World Day of Cloistered Life
Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm., the prior general, has sent a letter to each enclosed Carmelite monastery in the world on the occasion of the Church’s celebration of World Day of Cloistered Life or Pro Orantibus Day (For Those Who Pray).
In the letter, dated November 18, 2022, the prior general says:
“By your dedication to God, you adorn and strengthen the Carmelite Order throughout the world and you offer to the Carmelite family, amid the many gifts that express Carmel’s love for silence and solitude, the example of cloistered life, as a way of making space for God in our lives and deepening our love for God.” He then reflects on family life today and calls on their communities to become one that “stands before God and finds its dignity in responding everyday not with marvels beyond us, but with the simple knowledge that God is love and in him we find love.”
This annual celebration on November 21 is connected to the Feast of the Presentation of Mary. The day is intended to support—both spiritually and materially—the gift of the cloistered and monastic life. Pope Francis has spoken of the day as “an opportune occasion to thank the Lord for the gift of so many people who, in monasteries and hermitages, dedicate themselves to God in prayer and in silent work.
In 1953 Pius XII first introduced the idea of the Church reflecting on those who have answered the vocation to cloistered life. It is celebrated locally in the monasteries of men and women. In 2018, Pope Francis held a convention organized by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life at the Pontifical Lateran University. Entitled “Deepening Vultum Dei Quaerere and Cor Orans,” the gathering of 300 cloistered women, studied the two relatively recent Church documents. Vultum Dei Quaerere, was written by Pope Francis and issued on June 29, 2016. The implementing instruction, entitled Cor Orans, was written by the Vatican Dicastery for Consecrated Life and issued on April 1, 2018.
These two documents introduce new aspects for the living out of this state of life in the Church. They also emphasize the importance of this vocation for the Church and the world. Pope Francis reminded contemplatives in Vultum Dei Quaerere that they intercede for the world like Moses. “Now, as then,” the Pope wrote, “we can conclude that the fate of humanity is decided by the prayerful hearts and uplifted hands of contemplative women." He has also said that those who devote the whole of their lives to the contemplation of God “are a living sign and witness of the fidelity with which God, amid the events of history, continues to sustain His people.”
Read the Letter pdf here (136 KB)
Letter of the Prior General for World Youth Day 2023
In less than 300 days thousands of young people from the four corners of the world will be gathered in Lisbon for World Youth Day 2023.
The invitation is open to join in singing and celebrating with one voice from August 1-6, 2023.
«Mary arose and went with haste» (Lk 1:39) is the bible quote chosen by Pope Francis as the motto of the World Youth Day that will be held for the first time in the capital city of Lisbon, Portugal.
On the occasion of WYD 2023, Míċeál O'Neill, Prior General of the Order, sends a message to encourage young people and Carmelites who work with them to participate in the celebrations.
In the words of Fr. Miceal, WYD "has proven to be the kind of event where young people find inspiration, companionship and nourishment for their lives".
Celebrating At Home - The Royal Shepherd
The royal shepherd
(Luke 23:35-43)
On this last Sunday of the Church’s year we celebrate the Feast of Christ, the King. Today is a day to give thanks to God for all the blessings received during the past year. Most of all, we thank God for the great gift of his son. We celebrate Christ as King of the Universe and look forward to the coming of his kingdom in all its fullness at the end of time.
We are also conscious of the reign of God here and now. The Preface of today’s mass says that Christ’s kingdom is
‘a kingdom of truth and life,
a kingdom of holiness and grace,
a kingdom of justice, love, and peace’.
Whenever we act like Christ, the Kingdom of God breaks into our world. Whenever we are moved by the Spirit to proclaim the truth, to respond to need, to work for justice, to transform and heal our society, the Kingdom of God breaks into human reality and the grace of God becomes clearly visible in our words and actions. May we be a people who always seek to bring the reign of God’s goodness into our world. That would be the very best way of celebrating this feast.
The first reading from the book of Samuel tells the story of David’s election as king of Israel. Under David all the twelve tribes of Israel gathered to form one kingdom. The reading recalls God’s commission to David to be ‘shepherd of my people Israel’. David is not to lord it over his people, but to be a shepherd to them.
Like David, Christ comes to gather all people into the one Kingdom of God. He, too, acts as a shepherd-king to God’s people.
The Gospel illustrates this clearly. Here is a king who gives up his life for his people. He has no fine clothes. His throne is the cross. His crown is made of thorns, not of gold. Even in the throes of death faith and forgiveness are at work and entry into the kingdom of God gained and granted. Indeed, the final act of the dying King Jesus is to grant forgiveness, mercy and admission to the kingdom – a gospel within the Gospel.
The Gospel readings throughout Ordinary time have lead us on a journey of accompanying Jesus on his earthly journey, listening to him unfold God’s desire for the human family, watching him restore health and wholeness to many, being taught how to pray properly, to be aware that the Kingdom is both ‘here and now’ and ‘yet to come’, the lengths God goes to in order to win us back, and how God meets us with mercy, forgiveness, healing and peace.
Our journey has been about discovering who God is and therefore, who Jesus is, and therefore, who we are called to be when we enter into a faithful relationship with him.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - Feast of Christ, King of the Universe [PDF] (3.67 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - Feast of Christ, King of the Universe [ePub] (2.81 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Solemnidad de Cristo, Rey del Universo (538 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo Re dell’Universo (540 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em Família - Solenidade de Cristo, Rei do Universo (384 KB)
