Letter of the Prior General of the Promulgation of the Rule for the Third Order
Curia Generalizia dei Carmelitani
Via Giovanni Lanza, 138
00184 Roma, Italia.
Prot. 115/2003
16th July 2003
Solemn Commemoration of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
To my fellow Carmelites,
The text of the Third Order Rule, which I have pleasure in presenting, has had a long history. It has been claimed that the first such rule was written by Blessed John Soreth in 1455. It was to him that Pope Nicholas V addressed the famous bull "Cum Nulla" in 1451, thus putting the official seal of approval on lay people being members of the Order, living our spirituality in their own situation.
It was decided after the Second Vatican Council to submit the Third Order Rule to a process of updating. This process has lasted for more than thirty years and has involved the input of many lay Carmelites. An international commission was appointed by the General Council after the General Chapter of 1995 to oversee the final stages of this process. A new text was submitted to a meeting of lay Carmelites held in Rome during the Jubilee Year 2000 and the comments of the participants were incorporated into the final draft. The new General Council, elected at the General Chapter of 2001, wrote the final document to be presented to the Holy See for approval. This approval was received in 11 April 2003.
It has been a long process but worthwhile because now I believe that we have a fine document that will help lay Carmelites as they seek to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ. I wrote in the letter, "Into the Land of Carmel" to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the papal bull 'Cum Nulla': 'The Rule of St. Albert is the charismatic document that stands at the beginning of all forms of Carmelite life. In this brief text are the essential elements of the Carmelite charism in embryo. These elements have been worked out more fully through the years that followed and the Carmelite tradition has been enriched by the lives of countless individuals and especially by our saints. Every person who is called to live according to the Carmelite way has some effect upon the tradition and passes it on to others. Carmelite religious have Constitutions by means of which the Rule of St. Albert is applied to the conditions of the present day. In the same way, the Third Order have a rule which, like the Constitutions of the religious, seeks to make the connection between the Carmelite ideal and the present reality of those who pledge themselves to live by it."
Therefore with this decree I promulgate the Rule of the Carmelite Third Order otherwise known as the Carmelite Order Secular of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. It is to be observed as from 8 December 2003. The time between the promulgation and the coming into effect (vacatio legis) is to provide an opportunity for studying the Rule and for adapting local statutes before it becomes obligatory. In order to reach as many people as possible in the shortest time, the promulgation of the text, and its publication, is through the medium of the internet. The original language of the Third Order Rule is Italian and this is the text which is normative in case of disputes over meaning. The General Curia will take responsibility for the translations into the other two official languages of the Order, namely English and Spanish, as well as Portuguese and French. These translations will be posted on the Order's web site as soon as possible so that as many lay Carmelites as possible will come to known the Third Order Rule as a source of inspiration for their life in Carmel.
The date of the promulgation (16 July) and the date of the coming into effect (8 December) were chosen in order to underline the position of Our Blessed Lady in the Carmelite's life. Mary is the Mother and Sister of all Carmelites, those consecrated in the religious life and those who live out their vocation as lay people. She teaches all of us to ponder over the events of life and to discern God at work in our world so that we can glorify God with her. May Our Lady of Mount Carmel guide us all as we seek to follow her Son faithfully.
Joseph Chalmers, 0.Carm.
Prior General
Los Laicos Carmelitas (Orden Tercera)
La Orden Carmelita se enriquece con los fieles que, bajo la inspiración del Espíritu Santo, regulan su vida según las enseñanzas del Evangelio conforme el espíritu del Carmelo. La Tercera Orden y las demás formas del laicado carmelita ejercen su influjo en la estructura y el espíritu de toda la familia carmelita (Const.2019 n. 114).
La Tercera Orden de la Santísima Virgen María es una asociación principalmente de laicos. Sus miembros, respondiendo a la especial llamada de Dios, se comprometen libre y deliberadamente a vivir en obsequio de Jesucristo según el carisma, las tradiciones y el espíritu del Carmelo en unión con el Prior General de la Orden Carmelita. Sus miembros, aunque no pertenecen a la vida religiosa, optan por vivir su compromiso bautismal según el espíritu de la Orden Carmelita. Los miembros son los hermanos y hermanas de la Familia Carmelita que comparten la misma llamada a la santidad y la misma misión del Carmelo.
La orden ha constituido un Secretariado para los laicos. El Consejero General responsable de esta área es el P. Luis Maza Subero, O.Carm. el plan global de este secretariado es el siguiente:
SECRETARIADO GENERAL PARA EL LAICADO CARMELITA
Luis Jose Maza Subero, O.Carm.
No tengan miedo de ir y llevar a Cristo a cualquier ambiente, hasta las periferias existenciales, también a quien parece más lejano e indiferente… El Señor busca a todos, quiere que todos sientan el calor de su misericordia y amor. Y nos invita a ir sin miedo con el anuncio misionero, allí donde nos encontremos… siempre es bueno y oportuno compartir la alegría del Evangelio” (ChV, 177).
Todo laico carmelita es como una chispa de amor fraterno arrojada en el bosque de la vida: debe ser capaz de prender en cualquiera que se le acerque” (Regla T.O.C., 44).
La fecundidad del carisma carmelita es motivo de alegría, confirma la fidelidad creadora vivida bajo el impulso del Espíritu Santo acogida con gratitud y discernimiento. Son muchas las personas que se inspiran en la Regla de San Alberto conformando así la familia carmelita. En ella, encontramos una pluralidad de formas de vivir el carisma: frailes, monjas, congregaciones afiliadas, Terceras Órdenes y diferentes expresiones laicales que buscan inspiración en la espiritualidad carmelita.
La diversidad en la manera de vivir el carisma de la Orden nos impulsa a la tarea de abrir espacios a los laicos carmelitas, promover su propia vocación laical, que integre la trilogía formación, plegaria y acción y, los capacita para ser testimonio de su misión laical en la sociedad. Los laicos carmelitas están llamados a participar en la misión com62
partida de la Iglesia y de la Orden. En palabras de Francisco «caminar juntos para aprender a escuchar y discernir a través de la escucha y diálogo sincero de todos».
La misión del laico carmelita está comprometida con el servicio preferencial a los más pobres, acercándose a los vulnerables y excluidos de la sociedad. El laico carmelita debe patear las calles, ser fermento del Evangelio en sus espacios vitales, apoyando las iniciativas de la Iglesia y de la Orden para ser una Iglesia en salida, que como el Profeta Elías defendió el verdadero rostro de Dios, que denunció las injusticias y vivió en la presencia de un Dios que se manifiesta en la brisa suave, que «sabe discernir dónde está el Señor y el Señor lo prepara con el don del discernimiento [...] para la misión [...], cuando el Señor quiere darnos una misión, quieres darnos un trabajo, nos prepara para que lo hagamos bien, precisamente como preparó a Elías» (Francisco, homilía 13 de junio de 2014).
Los Projectos Concretos Del 2019al 2025 Son Los Siguientes
- Proporcionar -a través del Secretariado para el Laicado Carmelita- un manual de formación, divulgándolo a todas las comunidades laicales, formándolas en aspectos como la misión, oración, fraternidad, solidaridad, y cuidado de la casa común.
- Organizar encuentros de formadores de la TOC y de las otras expresiones laicales carmelitas a nivel local y regional.
- Acompañar a la familia carmelita a un proceso espiritual de sinodalidad y discernimiento que impulse a la conversión pastoral y misionera de los fieles laicos carmelitas.
- Organizar un Congreso Internacional de los laicos carmelitas en el sexenio, como un espacio para compartir
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- las experiencias de su vocación como Carmelitas, sus procesos formativos y la manera como en las diferentes realidades se vive el espíritu carmelita. Dicho Congreso será preparado con la elaboración de un instrumentum laboris, y servirá para formular propuestas para el Capítulo General de los Frailes 2025.
- Potenciar la comunicación y colaboración con la Comisión internacional de Jóvenes para trabajar los aspectos comunes de ambos grupos de trabajo.
- Fomentar el carisma carmelita en medio del pueblo, comprometiéndonos con el servicio preferencial con los pobres, con los vulnerables, con los excluidos.
- Concienciar en la misión compartida a las diferentes realidades de la Familia Carmelita, una acción evangelizadora que nos ayude a crecer en comunión de vida, de bienes, compartiendo lo que somos, lo que tenemos, el gran don del carisma carmelita.
- Actualizar el registro de los grupos de los laicos carmelitas, para fomentar la comunicación y la colaboración entre ellos.
- Desarrollar -a nivel laical- un plan estratégico de comunicación para afrontar el reto de la cultura digital como medio de evangelización con el fin de coadyuvar la formación y la comunicación entre las diferentes realidades del Orden.
Miembros del Secretariado para el laicado Carmelita:
- Luis José Maza Subero, O.Carm
- Maria Monica Feifei Enhudjiana, TOC (Indonesia)
- Amos Ochieng TOC (Kenia)
- Michele Bonanno, TOC (Italia)
- Rosario María Vera Martin, TOC (Betica, Spagna)
- Paolo Daher, TOC (Brasile)
- Aideen Ryan, TOC (Irlanda)
History
The History of the Carmelite Library
The Carmelite Library started in 1948 when books on Carmelite matters were separated from other works in the General Library of St. Albert’s International College in Rome. The first two librarians, Br. Otger Steggink and Fr. Serapion Seiger completed this task. In 1949 the Carmelite Library was in a room next to the then Chapter Room on the ground floor. Soon afterwards, on the orders of the then Prior General, Fr. Kilian Lynch, Frs. Pio Serracino Inglott and Ludovico Saggi added to this initial nucleus a large collection of books and periodicals from many houses in Italy and in other provinces.
Following this, provision was made for the acquisition of books published by various publishers from commercial bookshops and also from antiquarian booksellers. This is the practice that continues still. Another source of books is the application of the decree laid down by the 1953 General Chapter, and confirmed in 1995, that provinces and members of the Order should send two copies of their publications on Carmelite matters to the Carmelite Library.
After a reorganisation of the interior of the building, the Carmelite Library moved to its present position on the first floor.
The cataloguing and development of the library owes much to the labours of Frs. Pio Serracino Inglott (between 1953 and 1983), and Leo van Wijmen (from 1983 until 1999).
Since 1972 the Library has been entrusted to the Carmelite Institute.
Biblioteca
The Bibliotheca Carmelitana is a private research library belonging to the Institutum Carmelitanum of the Carmelite Order. The library is situated in the Carmelite International Centre of St. Albert (CISA) at Via Sforza Pallavicini, 10 in Rome, Italy, near Castel Sant?Angelo. 
It is on the near the end and on the Bus routes: The centre is close to the end of the number 40 bus route and the number 23 bus passes by the door.
A research library of Carmelite printed material dating from the late 15th century to the present. It contains over 22,000 titles and over 400 periodical titles from both the Ancient Observance and the Teresian (Discalced) branches of Carmelites. There is also a selection of microfilms and microfiches. The library is available for scholars of the Carmelite history and spirituality.
HOURS
The library is not open to the public, but we do welcome scholars and serious students who wish to do research in our library. The library is available by appointment with the librarian.
Monday to Friday:
Morning: 9.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
Afternoon: 4.00 p.m. - 6.30 p.m.
Saturdays: 9.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
Sunday: cloesed
Also closed from July 15 until the Monday after the first Sunday in September and from the Saturday before Christmas until January 6th. During the year it closes on designated civil and religious holidays.
For further information please contact the librarian:
Fr. Ton van der Gulik, O.Carm.
Biblioteca Carmelitana
Via Sforza Pallavicini, 10
00193 Roma, Italy
Tel.: [39] 06 - 681.00.824
Fax: [39] 06 - 683.07.200
E-mail: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
Fr. Boby Sebastian attended World Food Day at FAO Rome
On the 15th of October 2010, the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Rome organized World Food Day in which Fr. Boby Sebastian (James Tharakunnel), O. Carm., executive secretary of the JPIC Commission of the Order participated.This event was an international one in which the representatives from around 170 countries had their presence and the key note address was given by the President of Rwanda Mr. Paul Kagame, the chief guest of the day. The message of Pope Benedict XIV was read by Monsignor Renato Volante, the permanent observer of the Holy See to FAO. The Director General of FAO presented Agricola Medal (Post-humous) to Dr Norman Borlaug, the man behind the Green Revolution. The theme of this year is “United Against Hunger”. There are one billion people in the world suffering due to hunger and malnutrition and how can we sit ideal? This year’s World Food Day is an opportunity for stakeholders to agree on some concrete ways to high light the “1 Billion Hungry” project as an initiative to raise global awareness, and also an opportunity for individuals to take responsibility as part of the situation to end world hunger.
In the afternoon there was a World Food Day Civil Society Forum in which the activities of the NGO’s and other religious institutes were highly appreciated by the FAO and it was an attempt by FAO to collect the concrete action plans from the Civil Society to fight against hunger.
Presentation by Fr. Eduardo Agosta Scarel at UISG Rome on Climate Change
Fr. Dr. Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O. Carm., from the Spanish Province of Castilla in Argentina gave a presentation on “Carmel Caring for Environment” for the Integrity of Creation Working Group (ICWG) of the Union of Superior Generals (UISG & USG) in Rome 11 October 2010 from 10 a.m.-12 noon. He presented the scientific aspects of Climate Change in the first part of his presentation with diagrams, statistics and reports etc. In the second part he pointed out the spiritual roots of the ecological crisis, the ecological and personal healing path and proceeded in proposing some of the practical steps by which we can protect our mother earth. This presentation was a very informative, inspiring, and challenging, therefore, all the participants appreciated it so much what Fr. Eduardo has spoken to us about. He is a member of the JPIC Commission of the Order, and he is also part of the Carmelite NGO.
