These fraternal values find expression and nourishment in the Word, - in the Eucharist, - and in prayer. Carmelite Constitution 20.

"Dear Lord, let me not jump to conclusions about others, let me not judge by appearances, by manner or by circumstances. Let me show compassion and love to those less fortunate than I, because, there but for the Grace of God go I. Let me not criticise others for their actions but rather place them in Your care with my prayers. Keep me from gossip, that most evil of sins, and let my words about others be only of praise for the Christ within them.You are the potter, Lord, and through You the broken pot can be re-modelled and moulded into Your precious child again."

Contemplation begins when we entrust ourselves to God, in whatever way he chooses to approach us; it is an attitude of openness to God, whose presence we discover in all things. Carmelite Constitution.20

"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief! Let me accept the obstacles in my path as a learning experience and to be able to hand them all over to You. I know, Lord, that for every door that closes another will open. Help me to get through the trials and tribulations of disappointments and to look to You for the answers. Help me to face every challenge strong in my faith that You stand beside me always, guiding me on the right path."

For us to be brothers means to grow in communion and in unity, overcoming privileges and distinctions, in a spirit of participation and co-responsibility. Carmelite Constitution -19.3

"Lord, help me today and every day to curb my tongue, control my temper and watch my words. Surround me in peace so that situations will not activate an angry response. Help me to think before I react, to whisper a short prayer of peace before I respond, to take just a second to think before I say something I regret. Dear Lord, let my home and workplace be a haven of peace and joy, not one of tension and anxiety. Let my family and colleagues respect me not fear me."

You are to eat whatever may have been given you in a common refectory, listening together meanwhile to a reading from Holy Scripture where that can be done without difficulty. Rule 7

"Lord Jesus, in my rejections I cry out to You. My heart is heavy, I live in fear. Dear Jesus, help me to see myself as You see me - a beautiful creation in Your image. Give me the strength and courage to ignore my abusers and to value myself as You value me. Help me to learn to first like myself then love myself a little more each day. Help me to realise that I am Your lovely child and that You have a grand plan all laid out for me. I place my broken heart in Your loving care."

"I resolved to remain in spirit at the foot of the cross and to receive the divine dew, the blood falling to the ground with no one hastening to gather it up. I then understood that I was to pour it out upon souls." ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux s.11

"Lord, let my work be honest, my relaxation joyful, my example godly, my prayers sincere, my words truthful and my time with friends and family generous. Let every action of mine be through You and for Your glory so that the inheritance I leave behind will warrant Your words - 'Well done, good servant'."

"I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life." 1 Kings 19.14

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"Dear Lord, forgive my complacency, I take so much for granted. Let me praise and thank You daily for all I have. No matter how bad my situation may appear to me, it is nothing compared to that of others. Today I give You thanks for the blessings You give me in abundance and I pray sincerely for those who are less fortunate. I pray too for the governments of this world, that they will turn their weapons into ploughshares and value the peoples of every nation, improving their lot instead of degrading them or denying them their basic freedoms."

The Apostle would have us keep silence, for in silence he tells us to work. As the Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to foster holiness. Elsewhere he says: Your strength will lie in silence and hope. Rule 21

"Lord, I come to You in my weakness, in my pain, in my sorrow. I cry out - heal me! Give me the peace of mind and body I so badly need. Still my worrying heart, remove my anxieties, heal me of the hurts, hatred and angers I carry. Like the leper at the pool, I too need the gentle touch of Your healing hand. Lord, in Your healing, instill in me the reminders of my constant need for You, lest I forget that without You I am nothing."

Carmelites live their life of Allegiance to Christ through a commitment to seek the face of the living God (the contemplative dimension of life), through fraternity,and through service (diakonia) in the midst of the people. Carmelite Constitution - 14

to await these changes with patience and faith in Your holy providence. Help me also to praise Your Holy Name in the asking and in the receiving"

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, was held 28 March 2011. The following were elected:

• Prioress: Sr. M. Inés María Carmona Ortiz, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:  Sr. M. Lutgarda María Reyes, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor: Sr. M. Linda María Pérez, O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor: Sr. M. Genoveva Renta, O.Carm.
• 4th Couniclor: Sr. Magdalena María Alicea, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices: Sr. Linda María Pérez, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Lutgarda María Reyes, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:  Sr. Magdalena María Alicea, O.Carm.