At the General Chapter (held every six years) four friars are elected to be the General Councillors representing the four geographical areas of the Order: (1) Africa, (2) the Americas, (3) Asia-Australia-Oceania and (4) Europe. The General Councillors are a link between their respective geographic areas and the General Council. Together with the other members of the General Council they also share in the responsibility of promoting the common good of the entire Order.
At the General Chapter in September 2019, Fathers Conrad Mutizamhepo (Africa), Luis Maza Subero (the Americas), Robert Thomas Puthussery (Asia-Australia-Oceania) and Richard Byrne (Europe) were elected as the General Councillors for the Order.
Fr. Luis Maza Subero, O.Carm. is the General Councillor for the Americas
Father Luis was born in Porlamar (Margarita Island), Venezuela, on December 27, 1959. He made his first studies in his island territory: Primary in the Kinder Gollito and the Zulia Group; Secondary at the Vicente Marcano High School and the Alejandro Hernández diversified cycle. From a very young age he participated in the pastoral activities of San Nicolás de Bari Carmelite Parish. He entered the Order in 1983, made his solemn profession in 1989 and ordained a priest in 1990. He obtained his philosophical studies at a Jesuit philosophy institute (Caracas), a degree in Theology at the Faculty of Theology of Catalonia and a degree in education at the Andrés Bello Catholic University (Caracas). He completed his Masters in Fundamental Theology in 2020 on “The just God in Latin America: discerning the present to prepare the future” using as a source of the investigation the document of Aparecida and the homilies of Oscar Romero.
He has exercised his priestly ministry in parishes, as a teacher in the area of Social Sciences in some secondary and university education institutes in Venezuela. He has been a formator in the pre-novitiate, novitiate and temporary profession stages. In addition, he has been Vicar Episcopal for Religious Life and military chaplaincy.
Father Luis was elected General Counsel for the Americas in the 2019 General Chapter for a period of six years 2019 -2025. His area of responsibility include the Commission for the General Coordination of New Foundations and the General Secretariat for Carmelite Laity.