The annual Carmelite Forum, with the theme “Carmel’s Quest for the Living God,” took place on June 16-20 at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana (USA). The theme was inspired by the popular book, Quest for the Living God, by Sr. Elizabeth Johnson. Some 250 people from the various branches of Carmel in North America (priests, brothers, cloistered nuns, sisters of the various congregations, Third Order, and laity from various groups) participated in the conference.
The three principle conferences were given by Camilo Maccise, OCD, who dealt with the theme from the biblical perspective; Ms. Dolores Leckey, who approached the theme from the lay point of view; and Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm., who spoke on Titus Brandsma and Edith Stein as examples of the quest for the living God in dramatic and dark times. These three addresses will be published in full in the next issue of The Sword, the journal published by the Carmelites of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM). In addition there were workshops on various themes in Carmelite spirituality and two roundtable discussions with representatives of the various participating groups.
This Carmelite conference marked the 25th anniversary of the North American Carmelite Forum’s annual seminars at St. Mary’s College. We congratulate Keith Egan and those who organized the congress for its valuable contribution to the growth of Carmel in North America.
