23 – 25 January 2017 scholars gathered at Centro Internazionale Sant’Alberto (CISA) in Rome for the third conference on ‘Contemplation in the Carmelite Tradition’, organised by the Institutum Carmelitanum.
Contemplation is today understood as being at the heart of the Carmelite charism, and since 2010 this series of conferences has explored how the Order’s understanding of contemplation has developed since its medieval origins.
The focus of this third conference was the Early Modern period of the sixteenth century, which included major developments in Church and Society, including the Reformation and Counter Reformation, the Discalced Reform of Carmel, and exploration of the ‘New World’. Some Carmelite writers from this period are very well known, and others hardly at all.
The conference speakers came from a variety of nations, academic disciplines, and branches of the Carmelite Family. They addressed the following topics: Michael Plattig, O.Carm. (Ger), “Spirituality in Modern Times”; Edeltraud Klueting, T.O.C. (Ger), “Eberhard Billick”; Johan Bergström-Allen, T.O.C. (Brit), “Jean Cartigny”; Elisabeth Hense, T.O.C. (Ger), “Adrian Hecquet”; Macario Ofilada (Instituto Cervantes de Manila), “Teresa of Avila”; Jakub Walczak, O.Carm. (Pol), “John of the Cross”; Bruno Secondin, O.Carm. (Ita), “Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi”; Giovanni Grossi, O.Carm. (Ita), “Christophorus Silvestranus Brenzanus”; Mario Alfarano, O.Carm. (Neap), “Miguel de la Fuente”.
The participants received warm hospitality from the Prior and Community of CISA, joining them for prayer and meals.
In due course the papers from all the conferences will be published.
