The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Batu, Indonesia, was held 28 September 2011. The following were elected:

• Prioress: Sr. M.Rosa Sukatmi Rahayu , O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:  Sr. M. Elizabeth Widhi Habsari, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor: Sr .M.Lidwina Koeatmadja , O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor: Sr .M. Brigitta Gitasianinningsih, O.Carm.
• 4th Couniclor: Sr .M.Laura Inacentia Soelistiowati , O.Carm.

The second regional bursars meeting was held in the Carmelite Missionary Retreat House, Tagaytay City, Philippines on 17-22 October 2011. Seventeen participants (bursars, mission procurators, and fund-raisers) from India (2), Philippines and Papua New Guinea (7), Indonesia (4), Australia (2), Fr. Kevin Alban (General bursar) and Fr. Albertus Herwanta (General Councilor for Asia-Australia-Oceania) were present. The meeting discussed the questionnaire and preliminary considerations on fund-raising prepared by the Regional Fund-raising Committee which met in Jakarta in January 2011.

The main topic of the meeting was fund-raising, where each province, commissary, and delegation presented and shared their experience and method of raising-fund. This sharing was very enriching and encouraging. An ad-hoc regional task-force was formed which consists of Fr. Jim DesLauriers (Aust), Fr. Paul Poovan (Ind), Fr. Aris Escobal (Phil), Fr. Alexander Agung (Indo). A member for this task-force from Vietnam is still to be named. The responsibility of this task-force is to gather, analyze fund-raising data in the Asian area, and to prepare material for the third Asian bursars meeting to be held in Sassone, Italy, during the triennial international bursars meeting in October 2012.

Broadcast journalist Kara David and veteran writer-educator Asunción Maramba are this year’s recipients of the Titus Brandsma Award, a biennial recognition for outstanding media and communications practitioners given by the Order of Carmelites in the Philippines. Fr. Albertus Herwanta, O.Carm., General Councilor, and Fr. Kevin Alban, O.Carm., Bursar General, presented the Titus Brandsma trophy, at Award ceremony on October 17 at the Titus Brandsma Center in Manila. The ceremony was attended by Carmelite confreres from the Asia- Australia & Oceania region, members of the Carmelite Family, members of various media groups and institutions in the country and the Friends of Titus Brandsma (journalists and artists).

Kara David received the “Titus Brandsma Award for Leadership in Journalism” for her powerful documentaries on social issues and her personal advocacies for education and community outreach programs to remote villages that have minimal access to government service. Prof. Maramba received the “Titus Brandsma Award for Communications and Literature”, in recognition of her achievements as journalist, author, editor and educator. Her work shows her positioned consistently as a “critical moderate” in expressing her views on two major topics: socio-cultural change in civil society and adult faith, and Church renewal.

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On the 8th of October last, the members of the Supervisory Board of the Carmel Foundation visited our Curia. The Foundation is an association that coordinates 24 colleges with more than 35,000 students in the Netherlands. The origins of the association go back to 1922, when Bl. Titus Brandsma and other Dutch Carmelites began to work in education by setting up the first Carmelite colleges in that country. The members of the Board were accompanied by Fr. Falco Thuis O.Carm. and Fr. Kees Waaijman, O.Carm. as the representatives of the Carmelite Order. They explained to the members of the General Council the nature and objectives of the association. The Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., in reply reiterated the commitment of the Order to the field of education, telling the group about the various initiatives that are in train in this area. On behalf of the Order, he thanked the group for the work they are doing.