CITOC Archive (588)
On the 15th of September, following the reading of the final message, which will be published in citoc-online in the next few days in the three official languages of the Order) the 2011 General Congregation, held at Mount Carmel Spiritual Center (Niagara Falls, Canada) came to a close. At the end of the closing Mass, the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. accompanied by the General Council, blessed a new chapel dedicated to Blessed Titus Brandsma in the Church of the spiritual center. The chapel which was designed by two Carmelites, Stanley Makacinas and John Benedict Weber, and built by a local artist, Nicholas Napolitano, illustrates various aspects of the life of Blessed Titus. The Provincials, Commissaries and General Delegates who were attending the Congregation took part in the dedication ceremony. As is well known, Fr. Titus visited this house in 1935 where he gave a number of conferences on Carmelite spirituality. In addition he wrote a very beautiful reflection based on the famous waterfalls that are only a short distance away.
Electoral Chapter of the Monastery of Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción, Huesca, Spain
Written byThe Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción, Huesca, Spain, was held 2 September 2011. The following were elected:
- Prioress: Sr. M. Inés Nthenya Nzyuko, O.Carm.
- 1st Councilor: Sr. M. Carmen Ibarra Lorea, O.Carm.
- 2nd Councilor: Sr .M. Concepción Durán Bestué, O.Carm.
- 3rd Councilor: Sr .M. Anastasia Kavuu Kiswili, O.Carm.
- 4th Couniclor: Sr .M. Jacinta Nthenya Wambua, O.Carm.
- Director of Novices: Sr. M. Anastasia Kavuu, O.Carm.
- Treasurer: Sr. M. Carmen Ibarra Lorea, O.Carm.
- Sacristan: Sr. M. Jacinta Nthenya Wambua, O.Carm.
5th Carmelite Communication Day event in the Philippines
Written byOn 24 August 2011 the Titus Brandsma Media Center, Manila, and the Center for Social and Pastoral Communications (the media ministries of the Order of Carmelites in the Philippines) held a successful 5th Carmelite Communication Day event. About 60 people attended the event from of religious orders/congregations, schools and media institutions.
This year the theme focused on “the impact of social medial and network gaming in the formation of youth”. In his presentation, Fr. Stephen Cuyos, O.Carm., pointed out how digital games can be used to proclaim God’s Word. He added “worship and morals can be embedded in the content of the game and games can be an instrument of inculcating friendship, solidarity, team-spirit and other positive values.” He showed the participants that network gaming could be used to evangelize today’s generation. Meanwhile, Mr. E stan Cabigas revealed some figures regarding the landscape of blogging and social networking in the Philippines.
The Titus Brandsma Center, founded in 2006, is a ministry of the Order of Carmelites (O.Carm.) in the Philippines. It serves the Church and the World in the pursuit of truth through Spirituality and Social Communication.
Just over 500 young people from Carmelite communities around the world were among the enormous crowd who attended the World Youth Day in Madrid. The special Carmelite Day on the 17th August was a wonderful occasion with about twenty countries represented.
The day, which was organized by members of the General Curia and the Spanish Provinces, saw the presence of the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millan Romeral, O.Carm. He invited all our participants to read a special letter he had written for the occasion (see the Order’s website: www.ocarm.org/madrid2011). This Carmelite day consisted of moments of prayer, the presentation of the different groups, discussion groups, workshops on different themes, exhibitions on the work of young people in Iberia (JUCAR), Karit (NGO), vocations, a prayer trail and a place of adoration. The icon of Our Lady of Hope (from the Rome Pilgrimage of Hope in 2010) was enthroned in a special place throughout the day. The next morning it was brought to the Carmelite Monastery at Maravillas in Madrid for a Mass for the Carmelite groups attending the WYD. This was indeed a Carmelite event, presided over by the Prior General and ending with a personal vocation witness by a young enclosed Carmelite sister of the Maravillas monastery, Sr. Brunilda de la Santisima Trinidad.
The icon of Our Lady of Hope will now travel throughout the Iberian peninsula in the coming year as a follow-up to the great success of the Madrid event. All are now looking forward to the WYD in Rio de Janeiro in 2013.
On the 6th of July, the Assistant Ambassador and person in charge of the Political Office of the German Embassy to the Holy See, Dr. Bernhard Schlagheck, invited the Vice-Prior General, Fr. Christian Körner, O.Carm., to a working lunch in order to hear about the presence of the Carmelite Order in the world and about the central administration of the Order in Rome.
On the 11th of July Fr. John Keating, O.Carm., Councilor General for Europe was invited by the Ambassador of Austria to the Holy See, Dr. Alfons M. Kloss and his wife, together with the Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Directory of the Centre for Laity (Foyer Unitas) and a member of the Anglican community in Rome to a meeting in the Austrian Embassy.
Finally, on the 10th of August, the new Ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, Doña María Jesús F. López-Palop paid a visit to the Carmelite Curia. After a long conversation in private with the Prior General Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., the Ambassador was welcomed by the other members of the Curia with whom she shared her first impressions of Rome and her projects for the cultural activities of the Embassy. The Prior of the community, Fr. Christian Körner, O.Carm., told her about the historical origin of the complex around the Curia (the Titulus and the Domus Ecclesiae in the time of the Roman Empire, the medieval basilica of S. Martino ai Monti and the new buildings, etc.) The whole visit took place in a very relaxed and cordial atmosphere and the Ambassador promised that it would not be her last visit to the Curia.
photo: the new Ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, Doña María Jesús F. López-Palop paid a visit to the Carmelite Curia.
Malang, Indonesia, from the 4th to the 7th of August, the first Congress of Carmelite Colleges of the Asia and Oceania region took place. The title of the congress was "Carmelite Schools Go Green". Its object was to create awareness of the importance of a culture of responsibility in relation to the environment in our colleges and surrounding areas. There were some forty participants including friars, sisters and lay people who represented our education institutes in Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia.
In the first part of the congress Sr. Jane Remson, O.Carm, principal representative of the Carmelite NGO at the United Nations was the speaker along with Fr. Eduardo Agosta , O.Carm., professor of physics and climatology. The two speakers helped the group to reflect on the lifestyle in our societies and the impact it has on the environment. The talks also gave interesting insights into the relationship that exists between Carmelite spirituality and the integrity of God’s creation. In the second part of the congress the participants focused their attention and their work on the practical things that people can do, such as recycling of plastics and paper, the production of carbon from residuals, and the production of natural foods and medicines etc..
Fr. Albertus Herwanta, O.Carm., Councilor General for Asia and Oceania, and Fr. Desiré Unen Alimange, O.Carm., Councilor General for Africa attended the congress and Fr. Raúl Maraví, O.Carm., Councilor General for Colleges and Youth, spoke at the beginning and at the end of the congress, encouraging the participants to continue to promote integral education and the knowledge of Carmelite identity in our centers of education.
This first Congress of Carmelite Colleges in the region of Asia and Oceania was organised by "SMA Katolik Santo Albertus" (Dempo), one of the three colleges that our order has in Indonesia. This was part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of their foundation.
As you already know, on the 17th August next a gathering will take place for all Carmelite youth in Madrid. Those who cannot be present in Madrid may participate through The Place of Prayer (http://ocarm.org/madrid2011/) or via Facebook (Lugar de oración EJC: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lugar-de-Oraci%C3%B3n-EJC/171363876267712. In this way, throughout the gathering on the 17th we will keep you informed of everything happening at the meeting. At 13.30h (Spanish time) we invite everyone to a moment of communion in prayer for our Carmelite young people that the Lord will grow in their hearts inviting them &ld quo;to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ".
Please, we need your participation! On the 17th we have a special moment and we are expecting thousands of Carmelite young people around the world to join with us.
In the light of the next World Youth Day a number of Carmelite youth from Latin America (Venezuela and Puerto Rico) spoke on Vatican Radio about their experiences in preparation for the WYD with regard to their expectations and dreams. Also interviewed were Brother Santos Martínez O. Carm. and Father José Oliveras, O.Carm., who will lead the group, outlining the programme for the “Carmelite Day” on 17th August in Madrid. This interview can be heard (in Spanish only) through the following link:
http://www.radiovaticana.org/spa/Articolo.asp?c=508774
Letter from the Committee for the Carmelite Day during the WYD
Written byFrom 16th to 21st of August next, young people will gather in Madrid, Spain, for the World Youth Day celebrations. These events have become an important feature in the life of the Church today. As previously indicated (citoc-online 75/2011) the Carmelite Order will host a Carmelite Day on 17th for young people from the Carmelite Family attending the gathering in Madrid. The Spanish team organizing this day are asking Carmelite communities around the world to join in prayer with our young people, creating a world-wide “place of prayer” on the 17th August and to share with each other on the Order’s website. Each community might find its own way to involve locally as many young people as possible in a moment of prayer together with all young people of the Carmelite Family gathering in Madrid.
The letter of the committee can be found in the attachment in different languages. A place to share this “place of prayer” will be activated on the website of the Order at the beginning of the World Youth Day gathering: www.ocarm.org/madrid2011.
A Visit by the Major Archbishop of the Siro-Malabar Catholic Church
Written byHis Beatitude, Georg Alenchery, Major Archbishop of the Siro-Malabar Catholic Church, on the 17th of July, 2011, paid a visit together with the Archbishop of Thrissur, Andrews Thazhath, to the Carmelite house in Chettupuzha, the headquarters of the Province of St. Thomas in India. The Major Archbishop, who is head of the Siro-Malabar Catholic church was welcomed by the community to whom he offered his good wishes for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and his thanks and appreciation for the pastoral service given by the Carmelite friars to the diocese and to the Church in India.
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Discalced Carmelite Renewal Course at Stella Maris, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.
Written byThe Discalced Carmelites (OCD) are holding a renewal course for Carmelite Friars in the Spanish language, beginning at the end of November 2011 and concluding in February 2012. They have kindly left a few places for O.Carm. friars and in their letter of invitation they state: "Our aim is to place at the disposal of the whole Carmelite family Mount Carmel, the Cradle of the Order and its unique context of the Holy Bible for our spiritual renewal and nourishment. The Course will harmoniously blend the Biblical and Carmelite dimensions of the spiritual life though prayer, study, Lectio Divina and pilgrimage." Those friars interested should make contact directly with Secretariat for Formation of the Casa Generalizia dei Carmelitani Scalzi Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo. or Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.. For those requiring a Visa for entry to Israel they will need at least three months to receive it. Contact ought to be made immediately with the Secretariat for Formation (OCD) by those friars interested in joining this programme.
A Meeting of the Formation Directors of the Carmelite Family in Brazil
Written byFrom the 27th of June to the 2nd of July, a meeting of the formation directors, men and women, of the Carmelite Family in Brazil took place in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The sessions were directed by Fr. Jaldemir Vitorio, S.J. and Frei Carlos Mesters, O.Carm. The theme of the meeting was, The challenge of coming under the spell of Jesus Christ and the mission of the formation director in this calling. The days were intense with formation, prayer, fraternity, and, above all, the time to take a good look at what is happening in Carmelite Formation in Brazil. The meeting was attended by members of the Carmelite Province of St. Elias, the Carmelite Province of Pernambuco, the Commissariat of Paraná, the Carmelite Missionary Sisters, the Carmelite Sisters Daughters of St. Teresa, the Carmelite Sisters of Divine Providence and the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.
From July 4 to 8 July around 40 members of the Carmelite Family gathered in the ODC house in Karen, Nairobi, Kenya to take part in a seminar on “Carmel and Mary:
Carmel’s Marian Spirituality and its Importance for the Church and World Today”. The participants came from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and included OCarm. and OCD friars, OCD active sisters, OCarm. nuns and a number of lay people. The seminar was organised by Fr Steven Payne OCD, director of the Institute of Spirituality at Tangaza College, Nairobi, and led by Fr Kevin Alban O. Carm., Bursar General and lecturer in mariology in Rome and London.
