On June 7, 2016 the Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops met to discuss the cause for beatification of the Servant of God Mother Maria Elisea Oliver Molina (1869-1931), foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (HVMMC) . We are happy to inform you that the outcome of the vote was positive. We now await the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Card. Angelo Amato, to submit to the Supreme Pontiff the conclusions of the Ordinary Session and to authorize the Congregation to promulgate the Decree on the heroic virtues of Mother Maria Elisea, who will have the title of Venerable. We are joyfully united therefore with this dear Carmelite congregation. As Venerable no cult is allowed, but this is a key step forward on the path to final canonization. We pray to God that, through the intercession of Mother Elisea, there will soon follow a miracle for beatification.

On May 27 (in session 144) General Council of the Order, at the request of the Maltese Province, gave a positive response to the introduction of the cause of beatification and canonization of Fr. Avertano Fenech, O.Carm. (1871-1943).

On June 22 the Diocese of Jundiaí (Brazil) will host the opening session of the supplementary Inquiry into the life, virtues, reputation for holiness and extraordinary facts regarding the Servant of God Dom Gabriel Paulino Bueno Couto (1910- 1982), Carmelite bishop.

The Carmelite Order is once again delighted to announce today, 8th June 2016, that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has nominated bishop of the diocese of Cajazeiras, in Brazil, the Secretary General of the Order, Fr. Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista, O.Carm., of the Province of Pernambuco. Fr. Francisco de Sales was born at Araripina in Brazil, on 17th April 1968. Following his profession in the Order on 24th January 1988, he was ordained priest on 25th November 1995. Among his many responsibilities in the Order, from 2005 to 2011 he served as Prior Provincial, from 2012 to 2013 as Subprior of the “Centro Internazionale S. Alberto” (CISA) in Rome and from December 2013 until today as Secretary General of the Order.

To Fr. Francisco de Sales we offer our warmest congratulations on behalf of the whole Carmelite Family.

The International Commission for Evangelization and Mission of the Order met at the Casa Generalizia in Rome from the 27th to the 29th April 2016. On the agenda for the meeting was the feedback from the Order regarding the booklet “To be a Carmelite today: A joy ever new, a joy to be shared”. It was distributed to the provinces, all members of the Carmelite Family via CITOC-online and on the Order’s website. It was noted that the booklet was used in many different parts of the world by different communities and evoked a positive response. The Commission is most grateful for the feedback. The second booklet entitled “Joy in being contemplative Community” is now available on our website https://s3.amazonaws.com/ocarm.org/ebooks/evaen.pdf

The intention of the commission is to engage with communities, groups belonging to the Carmelite Family and individuals so as to reflect on the relationship between the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, and the spiritual tradition of the Order. The third booklet for the year 2017 will have the theme “Joy in Proclaiming the Word.” It is hoped that these booklets, containing seven moments of reflection would be of value for community meetings of friars, nuns, affiliated sisters, Carmelite institutes, local chapters of Third Order groups and all connected with our spirituality and charism.

During the meeting, the commission was addressed by Mr. Jean Luc Moens (Emmanuel Community) on different approaches to evangelization. They also began initial preparations for a special international workshop on the Proclamation of the Gospel as outlined in chapter three of Evangelii Gaudium (110-175). Further details of this workshop will be communicated in the coming year.