CITOC Archive (588)
On account of the celebration of the 400 years since the death of Fray Jerónimo Gracián (Valladolid, 1545 – Brussels, 1614), the General Councils of the Carmelites and the Discalced Carmelites have put together a programme of commemorative events. On the 20th of September, a solemn celebration of the Eucharist will be held in Brussels, to be led by the General Superior of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Saverio Cannistrà, O.C.D. On the 12th and 13th of November, a congress will take place in Madrid, on the biography and spiritual profile of Fr. Gracián. On Friday, the 14th of November, also in Madrid, a solemn celebration of the Eucharist will be held, led by the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. This celebration will mark the closure of the centenary.
At the same time, the two Generals are writing a joint letter, to be addressed to the Carmelite Family, to commemorate this important figure in the history of Carmel. More information about all these events will be given in later bulletins.
December 2013
Initium Novitiatus
- 08-12-13 Mary Lucy Nthule Mumo (MAC), Machakos, Kenya
- 08-12-13 Mary Assumpta Kamene (MAC), Machakos, Kenya
- 14-12-13 Cesaltino Dos Santos (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste
- 14-12-13 David Soares (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste
- 14-12-13 Juliao Dos Santos (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste
Professio Temporanea
- 14-12-13 Mª del Pilar del Espíritu Santo (VAL), Valencia, España
- 14-12-13 Inmaculada de la Stma. Trinidad (VAL), Valencia, España
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
- 14-12-13 Anthony Trung Nguyen (SEL), Middletown, New York, USA
- 14-12-13 Praween Lawrence (STSA), Vellappilly, India
- 28-12-13 Jijo Augustine Mattappillil (Ind), Sleevamala, India
*foto: Ordinatio Sacerdotalis de Anthony Trung Nguyen (SEL), Middletown, New York, USA
CHRISTUS NATUS EST NOBIS!
VENITE ADOREMUS!
NATALE HILARE ET ANNUM FAUSTUM
25.XII.2013
FERNANDO PRIOR GENERALIS
ET DOMUSQUE GENERALIS COMMUNITAS
IMAGE: Jörg Ratgeb (1480-1526), Karmeliterkloster Frankfurt, Germania
On 13 December 2013, the Maltese Province elected Fr. Alexander Vella to be prior provincial, to replace Fr. Michael Farrugia who was elected Procurator General at the General Chapter held last September.
November 2013
Initium Novitiatus
- 17-11-13 Alex Giovanny Arevalo Quinchanegua (Ita-Col), Salamanca, España
Professio Solemnis
- 30-09-13 Jan Maria Vianney Pavel Hanacek (BM), Kostelní Vydří, Česká republika
- 30-11-13 Raphael Mary Nhat Tran (SEL), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- 30-11-13 Nuno Miguel dos Santos Mendes (Lus), Fátima, Portugal
- 30-11-13 Jerry De Sousa, (Flum), Belo Horizonte, Brasil
Ordinatio Diaconalis
- 03-11-13 Isaias Ramirez Acosta (Ita-Col), Roma, Italia
- 03-11-13 John Harold Castañeda Herazo (Ita-Col), Roma, Italia
- 30-11-13 Angelino dos Santos (Aust), Middle Park, Australia
- 30-11-13 Martinho da Costa (Aust), Middle Park, Australia
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
- 15-10-13 Jomon Varghese Kalaparambathat (Ind), Karumalloor, India
- 23-10-13 Tom Thomas Varanath (Ind), Beemandy, India
* foto di Ordinatio Diaconalis de Isaias et John (Ita-Col)
Three weeks ago we sent out information on Task Force Carmel Cares, in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines. Today we are happy to report that over €100,000 ($135,000) has been collected by the Curia. Thank you to all of our communities of friars, nuns, sisters, and lay Carmelites.
We know many of you have also donated to the Philippines through your local charities and diocesan collections. Thank you for your support for our sisters and brothers in the Philippines.
Other donations that you forward to the Curia for the Philippines will be directed to Task Force Carmel Cares. May we continue to be solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Philippines and remember them in our daily prayers as they continue the recovery and rebuilding efforts.
On the 27th and 28th of November, the Prior General, Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., took part in the 82nd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General, held in Rome. Some 120 Generals of orders and congregations attended. The theme chosen for this assembly was, Pope Francis: The Challenge of Gospel Leadership. This theme was in line with that of the previous assembly in May 2013, Leadership in Religious Life, 50 years after the II Vatican Council. For the two days, the generals reflected on the challenges that they face in fulfilling their mission in the style (speeches, gestures, message) of Pope Francis in view of a more gospel-like exercise of authority. On the 27th, Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CIVCSVA), celebrated the Eucharist for the participants. On the same day, Mauro Jöhri (Minister General of the Capuchins) was elected Vice-president of the USG.
On Friday, the 29th, the generals were received by Pope Francis in what is call the Synod Hall, in the Vatican. For more than three hours, he engaged in conversation with them, answering questions in the most spontaneous and fraternal way, looking at some cogent issues in religious life today (the witness that is expected of religious life, relations with bishops, the importance of formation, mission on the frontiers, the work of the consecrated life in education, inculturation etc.)
At the same time, Pope Francis announced that 2015 will be a year dedicated to consecrated life, and as he said goodbye to all he thanked them for the service that religious life gives to the Church.
Electoral Chapter of the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chester, USA
Written byThe Elective Chapter of the Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chester, USA, was held 19 November 2013. The Prioress was elected:
Sr. Theresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Face
On 21 November 2013, the American Province of Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) elected Fr. William Harry to be prior provincial, to replace Fr. Carl Markelz who was elected Bursar General at the General Chapter held last September.
Electoral Chapter of the Monastery of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Written byThe Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was held 15 November 2013. The following were elected:
- Prioress: Sr. M. Arelys D'Oleo, O.Carm.
- 1st Councilor: Sr. M. José Bernal, O.Carm.
- 2nd Councilor: Sr. Diomedis Maria Duran, O.Carm.
- 3rd Councilor: Sr. Teresita Maria de la Cruz, O.Carm.
- 4th Couniclor: Sr. M. Esperanza Mane, O.Carm.
- Director of Novices: Sr. Diomedis Maria Duran, O.Carm.
- Treasurer: Sr. M. José Bernal, O.Carm.
More...
We have been informed in the Curia of a number of significant events taking place throughout the Carmelite world in preparation for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Saint Teresa of Jesus. Our General Curia, through its International Formation Commission, will hold an on-going formation course in Spain from the 7th - 17th of September 2014. Details of this course will be sent to the provincials, commissaries and delegates in the near future.
In the English speaking countries, the Carmelite Forum of Britain and Ireland (O.Carm./O.C.D. friars and nuns) are holding a series of important events, including conferences in London and Dublin. The former Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Rowan Williams, is among the speakers taking part. A joint letter of the provincials and presidents of the two nuns associations can be read at www.teresaofavila.org. The Carmelite Institute in the United States has already begun a programme that will lead up to the 500th anniversary, entitled “Walking in her shoes for a day”. The will also hold a symposium on St. Teresa in Chicago in June 2015.
The Neapolitan Province held a congress in Bari on the 12th of October, 2013, with the title "Il Cielo è dentro di te" (Heaven is within you): Five lay people gave a presentation of the “Way of Perfection”, from the stand-point of lay people. The previous year, in the month of October, as always, a congress was held on "L'attualità pastorale del Libro della Vita di S. Teresa" (the pastoral relevance of the Autobiography of St. Teresa) with talks by Aniano Alvarez Suarez, O.C.D., in Bari, and Luigi Borriello, O.C.D. in Foggia.
In Portugal, a committee was set up for the Centenary. This committe includes the O.C.D. Province of Portugal, and O.Carm. General Commissariat of Portugal, and other Carmelite Congregations. The first event to be organised was a congress held in Fatima from the 17th to the 19th of October, last, on the Carmelite-Teresian school of prayer. A very good number of people from various Portuguese speaking countries attended.
Similarly, with a view to the Centenary, the publishers of the collection, Textos para un Milenio (Texts for a Millennium) published the work of Tomás de Jesus (d. 1582), the “Suma y compendio de los grados de oración” ( Summa and Compendium of the Stages of Prayer), one of the first attempts to systematise the thought of St. Teresa, as well as the "Sermones en honor de Santa Teresa de Jesús” (Sermons in honour of St. Teresa of Jesus) by the Carmelite Cristóbal de Avendaño (d. 1629). In addition, Edizioni Carmelitane in Rome, published the second edition, with many additions, of “Santa Teresa, San Juan de la Cruz y los Carmelitas Españoles” (St. Teresa, St. John of the Cross and the Spanish Carmelites) by Pablo Garrido, O.Carm.
Sisters and Brothers in Carmel,
As you know, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines last weekend. As the Carmelite Family, we want to express our solidarity and closeness to our Brothers and Sisters in this tragic situation. The Prior Provincial of the Province of Blessed Titus Brandsma, Christian “Toots” Buenafe, has let us know that our Carmelites are safe, but there is destruction to some of the convents and priories, along with devastation to the people they serve.
The Carmelites in the Philippines have set up Task Force Carmel Cares. If you wish to donate through the Curia in Rome please send your donations via your provincial bursar and we will make sure it reaches our Carmelites in the Philippines. We recognize some provinces and countries will be donating through their local charities.
Please keep all the people of the Philippines in your prayers as they work to rebuild their lives and mourn the loss of loved ones.
General Council
October 2013
Initium Novitiatus
- 01-10-13 Emmanuel Roland Poo Onana (Ger-Cam), Efoulan, Cameroun
- 01-10-13 Barthélemy Fouda (Ger-Cam), Efoulan, Cameroun
- 01-10-13 Nicolas Blaise Owono (Ger-Cam), Efoulan, Cameroun
- 01-10-13 Marie Victoire Bibake Alipe (Ger-Cam), Efoulan, Cameroun
- 01-10-13 Diudonne Benon (Baet-Bur), Efoulan, Cameroun
- 20-10-13 Bladimir Ramos Ramos (Cat-Ven), Salamanca, España
Professio Temporanea
- 23-10-13 Ana M. de Jesús Govea Niño (VAL), Valencia, España
Professio Solemnis
- 05-10-13 Janer Fernando Gomez Torres (Ita-Col), Roma, Italia
- 12-10-13 Jorge da Costa (Pern), Recife, Brasil
- 12-10-13 José Adriano Gomes (Pern), Recife, Brasil
- 19-10-13 Paul Jenkins (Brit), Aylesford, England
- 19-10-13 Luc Janssens (Neer), Nijmegen, Nederland
Ordinatio Diaconalis
- 01-10-13 Paulo Luiz Fernandes da Silva (Pern), Icó, Brasil
- 01-10-13 Daniel Marie Abada Zengue (Ger-Cam), Yaoundé, Cameroun
- 12-10-13 Guy Martial Djomandji Zofiet (Ger-Cam), Yaoundé, Cameroun
- 15-10-13 Francesco Ciaccia (Neap), Palmi, Italia
- 20-10-13 Tobias Kraus (Ger), Mainz, Deutschland
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
- 06-10-13 Wilibaldus Gebo (Indo), Maumere, Indonesia
- 06-10-13 Yohanes Wilson Bei Lena (Indo), Maumere, Indonesia
- 06-10-13 Ferdinandus Tay (Indo), Maumere, Indonesia
- 06-10-13 Yohanes Martinianus (Indo), Maumere, Indonesia
*foto: Ordinatio Diaconalis di Tobias Kraus (Ger), Mainz, Deutschland
Liturgical memorial of the Carmelite Martyrs of the Twentieth Century in Spain
Written byThe liturgical memorial of the Carmelite Martyrs of the Twentieth Century in Spain has been established for the present, according to the Church’s General Calendar, for the 6th of November.
On that date we celebrate all the martyrs beatified up until now, that is the three groups of Blessed Angel Prat and his 16 companions, Carmelo Moyano and his 9 companions and Alberto Marco Aleman with his 8 companions.
The Order, in agreement with our provinces of the Iberian Region and the Spanish Discalced Carmelites, has asked the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments to move the memorial to another date in order to be able to celebrate a memorial shared by all these blessed Carmelites. We are awaiting the reply of the Congregation, and as soon as we receive it we will inform you.
