On 20th July Carmelites throughout the world celebrate the Solemnity of the Old Testament Prophet, Elijah. In the Carmelite tradition Elijah is regarded as the spiritual father of and a source of inspiration for Carmelites.

Fr. Míceál O'Neill, O.Carm., Prior General of the Order, invites all the Carmelite Family members to have a joyful and prayerful celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the 16 July 2021.

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Our Lady of Mount Carmel

There is nothing new in saying that the various Marian titles all speak essentially of a relation to Mary as Mother of Christ and Mother of Christians. The various names all speak of relation to her in the mystery of Christ and the Church. This is the case of the devotion to Mary of Carmel, who has dominated the Order throughout its history, from the earliest times of its foundation until our own days.

To say “Mary of Mount Carmel” is to say “Mary as venerated by the Carmelites.” And in saying “Carmelites” we must understand the whole Carmelite family: male and female religious, tertiaries, and those enrolled in the Scapular, because this enrolment also involves an aggregation to the spiritual benefits of the Order and a commitment to live up to its spirituality.

It was the conviction of Carmelites that they had a quite special relationship with Mary, their Patron, under the title “of Mount Carmel.” In honor of their Patron, Carmelites celebrated in a special way the feast of the Annunciation, that of the Immaculate Virgin, and then the Solemn Commemoration in July. This July celebration, the Solemn Commemoration, was instituted to thank Mary, its Patron, for all the benefits given to the Order: that is, as a remembrance of the descending action of Mary towards the Carmelites (protection) and as an ascending action of the Carmelites to Mary (thanksgiving). The feast began in England towards the end of the 14th century. The feast, therefore, is a manifestation of the “person” of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: of the Virgin Mother of God, advocate, patron of the Order.

The Solemn Commemoration of the glorious Virgin Mary, which is called the Feast of Blessed Mary of Mount Carmel or the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, was rightly instituted to be solemnly celebrated: because her holy company of Carmel was founded on Mount Carmel..., brought together for the sake of her name, by which it is especially ennobled; because of the special adoption of her sons, brothers, and confrères; because of the clothing with her glorious habit; because of her repeated protection of her own Order; and because of the endless benefits given to this her Order from the beginning until the present day.

Adapted from Ludovico Saggi, O. Carm., Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Santi del Carmelo. English translation by Paul Chandler, O. Carm.

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Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Ps 122, 2

Letter to the Carmelite Family for the Celebration of the Solemnity of the Blessed

Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel – 2021

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Carmelite Family

It is my particular desire this year to draw your attention to the bond that Carmelites have with the land of Jesus’ birth and earthly life and the land in which the Carmelite Order and Tradition was founded. It is the land that we continue to honour in our devotion to Mary, whom we recall and honour as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Lady of the Place. It is that land that pilgrims and crusaders longed to visit and to protect. It is a land that today cries out for an end to hostilities and the fulfilment of a dream of peace for the many nations and peoples who are represented among its populations.

The Place Where We Were Founded
Our Marian tradition has in roots in the dedication to Mary of the first oratory built by the hermits in the midst of their cells, close to Elijah’s spring, in one of the peaceful valleys on Mt Carmel. This meant that they were acknowledging her, the Mother of their Lord, as the Lady of the Place. Both oratory and spring, on that mountain in the Holy Land, continue to remind us that our forebears chose to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ, under the loving gaze of Mary and in imitation of her and of the prophet Elijah, whose solemnity we also celebrate in July.

Our forebears were among the many medieval pilgrims who flocked to the Holy Land. Like other pilgrims, they chose to remain there, and eventually sought to form an eremitic community on the slopes of Mt Carmel. Together they lead a life of penance, that is, of ongoing conversion, that they might «live in allegiance to Jesus Christ and serve him from a pure heart and a good conscience» (Rule, 2). The notion of allegiance as conceived and lived out in the Middle Ages, meant that these hermit-brothers of Carmel would have developed a living bond with the Holy Land that was then considered to constitute the actual patrimony and kingdom of their Lord. They committed themselves to remain in this land, in their hermitage, engaged in a spiritual battle (Rule, 18-19) in the service of their Lord.

From Mount Carmel to the Rest of the World
This commitment was put heavily under pressure when, in the 1230s, the political situation in the Holy Land became more precarious and some of the hermits of Carmel, fearing persecution, wished to leave the Holy Land and return to their native countries in Europe and make foundations there. It was not a trivial issue. Felip Ribot, in his The Ten Books on the Way of Life and Great Deeds of the Carmelites, commonly known as The Institution of the First Monks, from the title of its first seven books, gives us a vivid picture of a community chapter on Mt Carmel, in which the brothers discussed whether they could «leave the Holy Land or build houses of the Order outside it». It was so important an issue that they met to discern prayerfully God’s will for them seeking light from the Holy Scriptures. As if this were not enough, the story goes that only after being «warned by Christ and the blessed virgin Mary, his mother, in a dream», did the prior give «permission to some of the brothers to leave the Holy Land and return to their own countries and build monasteries of their Order there» (Book 9, chapter 3).

Whether or not it is historically true, this account shows how medieval Carmelites conceived their relation with the Holy Land. It was not simply their cradle, which they could leave once they grew up. They were bound to remain there by vow.

Eventually the brothers began to leave the Holy Land and settle first in Cyprus and then in various parts of Europe. Finally, in 1291, the whole of the Holy Land came under Muslim rule and the original monastery on Mt Carmel, together with two other foundations in the Holy Land, in Acre and Tyre, was destroyed. Thus the Carmelites were eradicated from Mt Carmel and from the Holy Land. But by now, they had already made numerous foundations all over Europe. Wherever they went, they carried with them the memory of Mt Carmel and the Holy Land and kept hoping that one day they would return. Mt Carmel gave them their name and became their major spiritual symbol. The pilgrimage to the Holy Land undertaken by their forebears now became a parable of their spiritual journey. They held on with some nostalgia to the memory of the Holy Land by taking with them the Rite of the Holy Sepulchre. For many centuries and up to the liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council, the Rite was the Order’s living bond with the Holy Land. Another way in which they kept alive their relation with the Holy Land was the retention of a Province of the Holy Land in Cyprus, and when even the foundations on that island were lost, the title of Provincial of the Holy Land, that, even though only titular, continued for various centuries to be given to a friar who then had the right to take part in the General Chapter. Some of the early foundations of the Order, even today, include the Latin cross of Jerusalem in the Carmelite crest.

Keeping the Original Spirit Alive
What does the Holy Land represent for the Order today? It certainly reminds us of our origins. But this should be more than a mere sentimental bond with the past. Recalling the Holy Land, we are invited to keep alive the spirit that animated those men who left their countries in pilgrimage to the Holy Land and vowed to settle there, living in allegiance to Jesus Christ. These three aspects, being on pilgrimage, remaining, and living allegiance to Christ lie at the core of our vocation. They no longer have the concrete local meaning that they had for the first Carmelites. But we still see ourselves as people on a journey, people who need a stable abode, and people completely dedicated to Christ and to his service.

A Journey of Transformation in Community
Our journey is above all an interior one, “a journey of transformation.” This is the core of our vocation and mission. But there is also another aspect. As the pilgrimage of our hermit fathers to the Holy Land was transformed into the itinerancy of mendicant friars, so journeying for us today implies our walking side by side with the men and women of our times, sharing their joys and their difficulties, sharing with them Christ and the richness of our spirituality.

With the transformation of the order from hermits to mendicant friars, settling down in one place, and even more establishing themselves exclusively in the Holy Land, was no longer the case. But the idea of «remaining», of having a stable abode, persisted and is still part of our vocation. The Rule calls us to remain in our cells, «meditating day and night on the Law of the Lord and keeping vigil in prayer» (Rule, 10). The spirituality of remaining in our cell has always been an important aspect of our spirituality and it needs to be fostered.

Abiding in our cell reminds us of Jesus’ own invitation to abide in him (cf. Jn 15: 4-10). God is our true abode, whether we are in the solitude of our cell, in community, or serving the people. The idea of settling down, «remaining», having a stable abode, reminds us also of our call to community. The first Carmelite community on Mount Carmel bore the image of the early community of Jerusalem and had it is psyche the idea of being a representation of the New Jerusalem.

These aspects form the concrete way in which we, as Carmelites, are called to live our allegiance to Jesus Christ. He is and remains the foundation stone of Carmel that cannot be replaced. As we celebrate the solemnity of Our Lady of Mt Carmel and that of the Prophet Elijah, and recall our origins on Mt Carmel in the Holy Land, we are invited to commit ourselves to live in a renewed way the propositum of our founding community.

A Question of Identity
The living memory of Mount Carmel located in the Holy Land is manifested in our continued use of that name when referring to who we are. We continue to hold that mountain in our hearts and minds. This living memory reminds us that we are still a people of that mountain, even as we find ourselves caught up in the busy-ness of the city. This tension is life-giving. It calls us back again and again to our identity as contemplatives. For that reason, we see in our saints, Angelo Paoli, the father of the poor, Teresa of Avila the wandering foundress, John of the Cross, poet and spiritual companion, Edith Stein, professor and martyr, and Titus Brandsma, a man for all season, Carmelites all of whom lived with this tension, all of whom were lovers of the name Mount Carmel.
Our July celebrations take us back, as if on a spiritual pilgrimage, to Mt Carmel and the Holy Land. This year in which we have witnessed again political unrest and war in the Holy Land, as we recall the special bond that binds us to that land, our heart goes out to all the people involved in that difficult situation. We earnestly pray that a just solution be found so that all may enjoy stability and safety and live in peace. We are also saddened by the continuous exodus of Christians from the Holy Land and from the whole Middle East, due to the great difficulties in which they live. We want to support them by our prayers and in any other possible way.

Our Prayer for Peace
As we spiritually share the joy of our pilgrim fathers and of the pilgrims of every age, whether Jews, Christians, or Muslims, on arriving in the Holy Land, and sing with them: «Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!» (Ps 122: 2), we listen attentively to the psalmist as he exhorts us: «Pray for the peace of Jerusalem» (Ps 122: 3). Let that be our special prayer intention this year as we celebrate Our Lady and St Elijah. While on the one hand we often think that it would be wonderful if the Carmelite Family and particularly the friars had a greater presence in the Holy Land, let us remember that we are there in the presence of the two communities of the Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo, the Italian Carmelite Congregation founded by Beata Teresa Scrilli, and the women and men of the Discalced Tradition. Their safety and the success of their work is also a reason for us to pray.

As we renew our devotion to Mary, we honour her again as the Lady of the Place and place the people of the Holy Land under her motherly care in the confidence that the more fervently we show our desire for peace, that peace that only our God can give, then the surer we are that our prayer will be heard, and there will be peace.

A blessed and joyful Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to all!

Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm.

Prior General

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Letter to the Carmelite Family for the Celebration of the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel – 2021

Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm., Prior General of the Carmelites

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A Video Message from Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm., Prior General of the Carmelites 

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Why We Celebrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel from the writings of Ludovico Saggi, O. Carm.

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Due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, there was no triennial chapter for the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) in June 2020. A Chapter of Affairs was scheduled for June 2021 at the Monastery of Mount Carmel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with the hope that the quarantine required by the pandemic would be over and members could meet to discuss issues and celebrate together. When that possibility failed to materialize, the decision was made to hold a virtual convocation of the province June 22-24, 2021.

Many members of the province gathered individually or in small groups, for the two-hour sessions over the three days. Despite some initial technical difficulties, the province heard from Fr. Míceál O’Neill, the prior general, Fr. Luis Maza, the general councillor for the Americas, and Fr. Carl Markelz, the prior provincial on Day 1.

In his spoken remarks, Fr. Míceál O’Neill, the prior general, emphasized community life, the value of authentic community meetings, justice in our relationships, and the witness we are called to give as Carmelites.

Fr. Luis Maza highlighted seven “attitudes” to create fraternal life, what Fr. Maza called “a pedagogy for fraternal and community life.” In the second portion of his presentation, Fr. Luis presented activities taking place in the geographical area of the Americas which is where Fr. Luis is general councillor and the PCM province is located. These are focused on formation, the youth (JUCAR), and Conferences for the Carmelite Family.

The prior provincial, Fr. Carl Markelz, outlined the Provincial Council Goals for 2020-2023. These are formed based on the Province’s Strategic Plan for 2020-2026. Primary focuses are vocations, fraternal integration of all Carmelites of the province, revitalization of community life, advance our ecological stewardship, and the promotion of Carmelite spirituality.

On June 23, the first part of the online convocation focused on the finances of the province and the vocation ministry from each area of the extensive PCM province: Canada, United States of America, Mexico, El Salvador, and Peru.

The final day was an opportunity to for members to reflect and share experiences of life and ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants also had the opportunity to interact live in small groups.

We are pleased to present the official translations into Italian and Spanish of the book "From Contemplation to Action", which is the Carmelite Order's first manual to promote justice, peace and care for creation in today's world.

This manual was developed by the Carmelite Order General Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) in the period 2013-2019, following the International Congress of the Carmelite Family, held in Fatima in July 2017.

As an official document, the original English text of the handbook was approved by the General Chapter of the Order in September 2019 and published by Edizioni Carmelitane in February 2020. In this work readers will find both the biblical, theological, spiritual, ecclesiological, and Carmelite tradition foundations and tools for action to carry out our ministry of justice, peace and care for the creation of the Church.

The translations of the Handbook into Spanish and Italian were coordinated by the new members of the Carmelite Commission for JPIC. Deserving special mention are Fr. Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O. Carm, Fr. Aureliano Pacciolla, O. Carm, and Mr. José Luis Gutiérrez.

Appreciation and gratitude go to all the members of the Commission, in particular to Fr. Conrad Mutizamhepo, O. Carm (Praeses), Fr. Franciscus Hariawan Adji, O. Carm and Fr. Christian Buenafe, O. Carm.

Click here to download in English

Click here to download in Italian

Click here to download in Spanish

The first gathering of the JUCAR America took place on July 4, 2021 over the internet. Young people from around the America Region and beyond participated, including representatives from Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Perú, El Salvador, México, Argentina, Chile, the United States of America, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Italy, and Spain.

The prior general, Fr. Míċéal O'Neill, spoke to the group first. He said, “through the Carmelite charism they will grow young in prayer, in contemplation, and compassion, to build a more just world.”

The theme of the day-long conference was entitled "The Youth of Jesus.” Fr. Luiz Maza, the General Councilor for the Americas, also addressed the group: “The protagonists of this day have been the young people who have known how to listen… Today, young people have heard the voice of Jesus Christ ".

A more comprehensive report will be posted soon.

If you were one of the Carmelite youth who participated and would like to share your reflections on what the day meant for you, you can contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Carmelite Province of St. Elias will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel this year with a common project. The goal is to collect food for "families suffering from hunger," said the prior provincial, Fr. Adailson Quintino dos Santos.

With the motto “Carmelite Feast of Solidarity: Nourishing Hope", various projects of solidarity will be carried out during the novena and solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in all the parishes, communities, and sanctuaries where the province serves.

The Province of St. Elias (Rio) comprises the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Tocantins, Rio Grande do Sul, and the Federal District in Brazil.

The initiative is inspired by Pope Francis' call on the Fifth World Day of the Poor, citing the words of Jesus: “The poor you will always have with you” (Mk 14: 7).

"Once again we will celebrate the feast of the Carmelites in the painful context of the Covid-19 pandemic. With a compassionate heart for our people caught in a difficult reality in 2021 and inspired by the ‘Christ’s love that compels us' (2 Cor 5: 14), we will place at the feet of our Mother and Sister, in addition to flowers, the generous offering of non-perishable food," said the prior provincial.

A novena will be celebrated in all the communities from July 7 to 15. On the day dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, Masses will be celebrated at various times. The province encourages all those who will participate to donate a kilo of non-perishable food to be distributed through the Carmelite social projects.

For more information about the celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the province’s Project of Solidarity, and the communities of the province, visit: www.carmelitas.org.br

The year 2020 will go into the history books! Like most countries, Kenya was not spared the Corona pandemic. Though compared to many other countries, especially in the West, they were not very badly affected.

Covid-19 arrived in Kenya early March 2020 and ever so slowly started spreading from the capital city, Nairobi, to the towns and villages. The country went into a severe lock down from April through July 2020. Businesses, educational institutions, and churches, among others, were most affected among others. Some institutions were closed.

The Carmelite Delegation in Kenya was not spared. When the lockdowns were announced, all the students in formation were sent to their families where they stayed for the duration. Other religious institutions and dioceses did the same to avoid infections and the spread of the disease. "We felt it prudent to have the minimum number of people around", remarked Fr. Boniface Kimondolo, O. Carm.

The General Delegation has six priests, three deacons, one brother with simple vows, three novices, and eight postulants. They are divided into two communities which are located near to each other. Nearby these communities they have one parish which also serves an outstation. This is a small church which is two kms away from the parish center and serves a population of around fifty families.

"It was not easy to live through such moments. We were without our people. We could only pray and do a few activities in the community", commented Fr Boniface.

A parish in Kenya is seen as a charity center. Covid-19 brought many difficulties to many families. "People came to us asking for financial help and food. We could only share the little we had. From time to time, we received donations from some generous people. This greatly helped those who were most affected!", stated Fr. Boniface.

Fr. Boniface revealed that "people were always at our door. The needs were great. Many people lost their jobs. Families were forced to live together for long periods of time. Arguments arose between children and parents as well as between the couples themselves. The church became a centre for counselling on a daily basis. Through it all, the Carmelites did their best. Still today we are ministering almost the same way with people coming to our door asking for help", he concluded.

After the lockdowns which were difficult, the government started slowly opening up some counties and towns. The students came back in July 2020 for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Since then, life started getting back to somewhat normal in the Carmelite communities. The churches were partially opened and people returned. Also the students “returned” to school through studies on-line.

In Kenya, as well as many parts of Africa, large numbers of people attend church on Sundays. The church in Nkoroi has a capacity of one thousand people. They used to celebrate three Masses every Sunday in normal times. When the church re-opened after the lockdowns were lifted, they followed the ministry of health protocols. Therefore the church only had seating for three hundred people.

"We had to create space in the church hall. But we still could not accommodate all the faithful. We came up with the idea for a drive-in Mass. This could accommodate any of the parishioners who drive", stressed Fr Boniface. 

The idea worked well and until today they have several celebrations, including the drive-in Mass. The people drive up in their cars to a prepared field. They park and listen to Mass from inside their vehicles through the speakers. They only leave their cars to receive Holy Communion. After receiving, they get back into their cars. When Mass is over, they drive out and others come in for the next Mass. They now have two drive-in Masses every Sunday.

"Life seems to be slowly returning to normal. We hope all will be well soon!", concluded Fr. Boniface.