O.Carm
Blessed Bartolome Fanti
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.
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Celebrating At Home - 2nd Sunday of Advent
Prepare a way for the Lord
(Matthew 3:1-12)
The magnificent first reading from the prophet Isaiah this weekend looks forward to the appearance of one ‘on whom the spirit of the Lord rests – a spirit of wisdom and insight, counsel and power and knowledge of the fear of the Lord’.
He gives judgement in favour of the poor. His judgement is not influenced by appearances or hearsay. He judges with integrity. His word strikes the ruthless and his sentences bring death to wickedness.
In his day extraordinary things happen: ‘the wolf lies with the lamb…’ All creation is at peace. Even natural enemies (symbolised by the animals) live together in peace. No hurt or harm is done because the whole country ‘is filled with the knowledge of the Lord’. John the Baptist sits at the centre of this week’s Gospel and next week’s. He is the ‘one who cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord; make his paths straight’.
John was preparing the people for the coming of Jesus.
Moved by his preaching many sought baptism in the river Jordan. This ancient water-rite symbolised dying to the old way of life and rising to a new way of life.
That’s what repentance is about: turning away from sin and turning towards God. It is about true conversion of heart. It’s about making straight the pathways of our hearts. The fruit of our repentance and true conversion shows itself in good works.
Our preparation for the coming ‘day of the Lord’ is a continual cycle of dying and rising; of turning away from sin and towards God; of remaking our minds and hearts after the mind and heart of Christ. The good works we do give Christ presence, form and shape in the concrete reality of human life. So, Christian life is a constant act of preparation through repentance and good works.
Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus long ago.
It’s also about giving birth to him in our lives every day.
- 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 - Call for Articles
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.
An earthquake in Indonesia damages a Foundation
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.
Carmelites reinforce presence among the Poor in Indonesia
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.
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.
