Dom Anscar Vonier, o.s.b.
The sins of Christians are offenses against a state, the state of the redeemed. By committing sin we walk unworthily of our calling, we prove ourselves to be bad children, people who are unmindful of their election. We sin against Christ, we hurt him in his brethren. Whether we be conscious or not of those implications, we cannot avoid having that kind of guilt on our souls every time we transgress. In his repentance the Christian has to think of many things which are exclusive to him. He has to remember his baptismal robe, he has to bear in mind his adoption as a child of God, the seal of the Spirit, the sweetness of the Bread of Life, the Blood of the Lamb, all of which mysteries he has more or less trampled under foot every time he has sinned grievously. He has saddened his brethren, he has brought shame on the Church, he has made the infidel blaspheme the name of the Lord, he has made the work of the Holy Spirit more difficult, he has been a dead weight on fervent men and women to whom nothing is dearer than the glory of Christ.
All these results and many more are infallibly associated with our sins. Therefore when we repent hosts of invisible powers are set in motion, all demanding to be satisfied and to be vindicated. Now it is the special merit of the Christianas poenitens that he is determined to make full amends for all past outrages, to give satisfaction to the whole hierarchy of the supernatural order, and to repair the gap he has made in the life of Christ's mystical Body. His repentance is more than a sorrow; it is a hunger and thirst after justice; it is an effort to fill up those things that are wanting to the Body of Christ through his guilty acts.
Dom Anscar Vonier, o.s.b.
Sister Ruth Burrows, o.c.d.
We find it hard to accept how involved God is with us, how vital we are—by his free choice—to his complete happiness. Scripture encourages us to find our analogies in human images. We are adopted children. Consider a blissfully happy couple finding all they need in one another. For no other reason than generosity and the desire to share their happiness, they decide to adopt children as their own. From then on their life undergoes a profound change. Now they are vulnerable; their happiness is wrapped up in the welfare of the children; things can never be the same again. If the children choose to alienate themselves and start on the path to ruin, the couple are stricken. They will plead, humble themselves, make huge sacrifices, go out of themselves to get their loved ones to understand that the home is still their home, that the love they have been given is unchanging. This perhaps gives us some insight into redemption. In a mystery we cannot fathom, God "empties," "loses" himself, in bringing back to himself his estranged, lost children. And this is all the Father wants. This is the only remedy for his wound. God is no longer pure God, but always God-with-humanity- in-his heart.
Father Gabriel of Saint Mary Magdalen, o.c.d.
There is no limit to God's mercy. He never rejects us because of our sins, he never grows weary of our infidelities, he never refuses to forgive us, he is always ready to forget our offenses and to repay our ingratitude with graces. He never reproaches us for our offenses, even when we fall again immediately after being forgiven. He is never angered by our repeated failures or weakness in the practice of virtue, but always stretches out his hand to us, wanting to help us. Even when men condemn us, God shows mercy to us; he absolves us and sends us away justified....
How far does our mercy go? How much compassion do we have for the faults of others? The measure of our mercy toward our neighbor will be the measure of God's mercy toward us....
God does not require us to be sinless that he may shower upon us the fullness of his mercy, but he does require us to be merciful to our neighbor, and moreover, to be humble. In fact, to be sinners is not enough to attract divine mercy; we must also humbly acknowledge our sins and turn to God with complete confidence. "What pleases God," said Saint Therese of Lisieux, "is to see me love my littleness and poverty; it is the blind hope I have in his mercy. This is my sole treasure." This is the treasure which supplies for all our miseries, weaknesses, relapses, and infidelities, because by means of this humility and confidence we shall obtain the divine mercy. And with this at our disposal, how can our wretchedness discourage us?
Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur
It is not pride, is it, to call myself your friend, one you have called, your chosen friend? I see the traces of your love everywhere, the divine call everywhere, my vocation everywhere. You made use of trials, suffering, and illness to make me completely yours and to make me holy, first drawing me to you solely by your action within me. You have done everything. Now complete your work; make me holy according to your will; use me for others, for my beloved ones, for all your interests; use me for your greater glory, and let all be done in silence and in an intimate encounter between us alone. From the depths of my being and my misery I say, "Lord, what will you have me do? Speak, your servant listens; I am the handmaid of the Lord; I come, Father, ready to do your will" (Lk 1:38).
Patience, gentleness, humility, silence, kindness. To hide all that I can of my physical suffering, and all my moral suffering, my spiritual deprivations. To cover everything with serenity and smiles: all my discomfort, sadness, and renunciations. To try to reconcile the tastes, desires, and needs of each and to take no account of myself, not to think of what I might wish; to sacrifice even my greatest hopes, when, misunderstood, they might irritate or displease another. I shall have all eternity in which to contemplate him whom I adore, to unite myself to him, and to pray. Here, I must think of my neighbor, of others; I must sacrifice myself, and practice contemplation in action. There is plenty of material for renunciation and profound and constant self-denial in this unending abandonment of all that is my deepest longing.
Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur
Monsignor Romano Guardini
Christ on the cross! Inconceivable what he went through as he hung there. In the degree that we are Christian and have learned to love the Lord, we begin to sense something of that mystery of utter helplessness, hopelessness. This then the end of all effort and struggle! Everything, without reserve—body, heart, and spirit given over to the illimitable flame of omnipresent agony, to the terrible judgment of assumed world—sin that none can alleviate and whose horror only death can end. Such the depths from which omnipotent love calls new creation into being....
Ardent with suffering, he was to plunge to that ultimate depth, distance, center where the sacred power which formed the world from nothing could break into new creation.
Since the Lords death, this has become reality, in which all things have changed. It is from here that we live—as far as we are really alive in the sight of God.
If anyone should ask: What is certain in life and death— so certain that everything else may be anchored in it? The answer is: The love of Christ. Life teaches us that this is the only true reply. Not people—not even the best and dearest; not science, or philosophy, or art or any other product of human genius. Also not nature, which is so full of profound deception; neither time nor fate.... Not even simply "God"; for his wrath has been roused by sin, and how without Christ would we know what to expect from him? Only Christ's love is certain. We cannot even say God's love; for that God loves us we also know, ultimately, only through Christ. And even if we did know without Christ that God loved us—love can also be inexorable, and the more noble it is, the more demanding. Only through Christ do we know that God's love is forgiving. Certain is only that which manifested itself on the cross. What has been said so often and so inadequately is true: The heart of Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of all things.
Monsignor Romano Guardini
Pope's Intentions
Universal: Families in Difficulty - That families in need may receive the necessary support and that children may grow up in healthy and peaceful environments.
Evangelization: Persecuted Christians - That those Christians who, on account of their faith, are discriminated against or are being persecuted, may remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, thanks to the incessant prayer of the Church.
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Saint Augustine of Hippo
Are you poor? Like Lazarus covered with sores, put your trust in him. Lazarus was poor, Abraham was rich. When we hear in the Gospel that that poor man with his sores died and was carried up by angels to Abraham's bosom, all the beggars, the sore-infested, the cripples, the rejects—when they hear that reading, what do they say? "He was talking about us." Perhaps a poor man in want, scarcely able to support himself, or a beggar perhaps, notices some rich man standing in God's house clothed appropriately to his station. When he hears that reading he says, "He was talking about me; I too, when I die, am going to be carried up by angels to Abraham's bosom." He hears the Gospel say in the same place about the rich man, that when he died he began to be tormented in hell. When the poor man hears this he says to himself, "He said that about me, this about him over there."...
He rewards loving kindness with a crown, not poverty. Sure, God is not going to say in his judgment, "Let the nobleman approach me, let the commoner depart from me." But neither is he going to say, "Let the commoner approach me, let the nobleman depart from me." What he is going to say is, "Let the just approach, let the unjust depart."
So, poor man, hold onto loving kindness if you want to arrive. If you really want to know that what the Lord chose is loving kindness, and it's not riches that he condemned— the poor man was carried up—but where to?—to Abraham's bosom. Read what Abraham was, and you will find he was rich. The rich man went ahead and prepared hospitality and a home for the poor man. That's just what you have in the psalm, all together, rich and poor (Ps 49:2).
Let us glorify God and our Lord Jesus Christ in our good works, and say from the bottom of our hearts, have mercy on me, Lord have mercy on me, because— not in gold, not in silver, not in honor, not in wealth, not in a powerful friend, not in a crowd of supporters, not in a retinue of servants, but—in you my soul has put its trust.
from http://www.gcatholic.org
Carmelites
Also known as: Ordens der Brüder der allerseligsten Jungfrau Maria vom Berge Karmel (Karmeliten) (Deutsch) / Ordre du Carmel (Carmélites) (français) / Ordine della Beata Vergine del Monte Carmelo (Carmelitano) (Italiano) / Zakon Braci Najświętszej Maryi Panny z Góry Karmel (Karmelici) (polski) / Ordem dos Irmãos da Bem-Aventurada Virgem Maria do Monte Carmelo (Português) / 加爾默羅會 (正體中文) / カルメル会 (日本語) / Ordo Fratrum Beatissimæ Mariæ Virginis de Monte Carmelo (latine)
Type: Mendicant Order of Pontifical Right (for Men)
Depends on: Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life
Statistics: 382 houses, 2,030 members (1,316 priests) (2013)
Address: Via Giovanni Lanza 138, 00184 Roma, Italy
Phone: 06.46.20.181
Website: www.ocarm.org 
History
- 1200: Established as Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmelites) (English) / Ordens der Brüder der allerseligsten Jungfrau Maria vom Berge Karmel (Karmeliten) (Deutsch) / Ordre du Carmel (Carmélites) (français) / Ordine della Beata Vergine del Monte Carmelo (Carmelitano) (Italiano) / Zakon Braci Najświętszej Maryi Panny z Góry Karmel (Karmelici) (polski) / Ordem dos Irmãos da Bem-Aventurada Virgem Maria do Monte Carmelo (Português) / 加爾默羅會 (正體中文) / カルメル会 (日本語) / Ordo Fratrum Beatissimæ Mariæ Virginis de Monte Carmelo (latine) / O. Carm. / O.C.
- 1568.11.28: Branched to create Order of Discalced Carmelites (Teresian Carmelites)
Superiors
|  Fr. Míċéal O'Neill O.Carm. (2019.09.17 – ...) |
|  Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm. (53) (2007.09.13 – 2019.09.17) |
|  Fr. Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm. (63) (1995.09 – 2007.09.13) |
|  Fr. John Malley, O. Carm. (1983.09 – 1995.09) |
| Fr. Falco Thuis, O. Carm. (1971.09 – 1983.09) |
| Fr. Kilian Healy, O. Carm. (1959 – 1971.09) |
| Fr. Kilian Lynch, O. Carm. (1947 – 1959) |
| Fr. Hilary Doswold, O. Carm. (1931 – 1947) |
|  Fr. Elijah Magennis, O. Carm. (1919 – 1931) |
| Fr. Pius Maria Mayer, O. Carm. (1902 – 1919) |
| Fr. Simone Maria Bernardini, O. Carm. (1900 – 1902) |
| Fr. Luigi Galli, O. Carm. (1889 – 1900) |
| Fr. Girolamo Priori, O. Carm. (1854 – 1863) |
| Fr. Giuseppe Raimondo Lobina, O. Carm. (1849 – 1854) |
| Fr. Agostino Maria Ferrara, O. Carm. (1843 – 1849) |
|  Fr. Giuseppe Palma, O. Carm. (later Bishop) (1841 – 1843.04.03) |
| Fr. Giuseppe Cataldi, O. Carm. (1838 – 1841) |
| Fr. Luigi Calamata, O. Carm. (1832 – 1838) |
| Fr. Manuel Regidor y Brihuega, O. Carm. (1825 – 1832) |
| Fr. Luigi Antonio Faro, O. Carm. (1819 – 1825) |
| Fr. Timoteo Maria Ascensi, O. Carm. (1807 – 1814) |
| Fr. Rocco Melchor, O. Carm. (1794 – 1805) |
| Fr. Giovanni Tufano, O. Carm. (1788 – 1790) |
| Fr. Andrea Andras, O. Carm. (1780 – 1788) |
| Fr. José Alberto Ximenez, O. Carm. (1768 – 1780) |
| Fr. Mariano Ventimiglia, O. Carm. (1762 – 1768) |
|  Fr. Gioacchino Maria Pontalti, O. Carm. (later Bishop) (1756 – 1761.11.27) |
| Fr. Luigi Laghi, O. Carm. (1742 – 1756) |
| Fr. Nicola Ricchiuti, O. Carm. (1738 – 1742) |
| Fr. Ludovico Benzoni, O. Carm. (1731 – 1738) |
| Fr. Antoine-Joseph-Aimable Feydeau, O. Carm. (1728 – 1730) |
| Fr. Gaspare Pizzolanti, O. Carm. (later Bishop) (1722 – 1727.06.25) |
| Fr. Carlo Cornaccioli, O. Carm. (later Bishop) (1716 – 1722) |
| Fr. Pedro Tomás Sanchez, O. Carm. (1710 – 1716) |
| Fr. Angelo de Cambolas, O. Carm. (1704 – 1710) |
| Fr. Carlo Filiberto Berberi, O. Carm. (1698 – 1704) |
| Fr. Juan Feyjóo González de Villalobos, O. Carm. (later Bishop) (1692 – 1698) |
| Fr. Paolo di Sant’Ignazio, O. Carm. (1686 – 1692) |
| Fr. Angelo Monsignani, O. Carm. (1682 – 1686) |
| Fr. Ferdinando Tartaglia, O. Carm. (1680 – 1682) |
| Fr. Francesco Scannapieco, O. Carm. (1674 – 1676) |
| Fr. Matteo Orlandi, O. Carm. (1666 – 1674) |
| Fr. Girolamo Ari, O. Carm. (1660 – 1666) |
| Fr. Mario Venturini, O. Carm. (1654 – 1660) |
| Fr. Giovanni Antonio Filippini, O. Carm. (1648 – 1654) |
| Fr. Leone Bonfigli, O. Carm. (1643 – 1647) |
| Fr. Alberto Massari, O. Carm. (1642 – 1643) |
| Fr. Teodoro Straccio, O. Carm. (1631 – 1642) |
| Fr. Gregorio Canali, O. Carm. (1623 – 1631) |
| Fr. Sebastiano Fantoni, O. Carm. (1612 – 1623) |
| Fr. Henry Sylvio, O. Carm. (1598 – 1612) |
| Fr. Giovanni Stefano Chizzola, O. Carm. (1592 – 1596) |
| Fr. Giovanni Batista Caffardi, O. Carm. (1578 – 1592) |
| Fr. Giovanni Batista Rossi, O. Carm. (1562 – 1578) |
| Fr. Nicolas Audet, O. Carm. (1523 – 1562) |
| Fr. Bernardino Landucci, O. Carm. (1517 – 1523) |
| Fr. Giovanni Batista de Parme, O. Carm. (1516 – 1517) |
| Blessed Fr. Baptist Spagnoli, O. Carm. (1513 – 1516.03.20) |
| Fr. Pierre Terrasse, O. Carm. (1512 – 1513) |
| Fr. Pons de Raynaud, O. Carm. (1503 – 1512) |
| Fr. Guillaume de Domoquercy, O. Carm. (1481 – 1503) |
| Fr. Cristoforo Martignoni, O. Carm. (1471 – 1481) |
| Blessed Fr. Johannes Soreth, O. Carm. (1451.11.01 – 1471.07.25) |
|  Blessed Fr. John Soreth, O. Carm. (1451 – 1471) |
| Fr. Giovanni Faci, O. Carm. (1434 – 1450) |
| Fr. Natale Bencesi, O. Carm. (1433 – 1434) |
| Fr. Bartolomeo Roquali, O. Carm. (1430 – 1433) |
| Fr. Jean Le Gros, O. Carm. (1411 – 1430) |
| Fr. Matteo de Bologne, O. Carm. (1404 – 1411) |
| Fr. Jean Le Gros, O. Carm. (1389 – 1411) |
| Fr. Jean de Raude, O. Carm. (1386 – 1404) |
| Fr. Raymond de Vaquerie, O. Carm. (1384 – 1389) |
| Fr. Michele Aignani, O. Carm. (1381 – 1386) |
| Fr. Bernard Olery, O. Carm. (1381 – 1384) |
| Fr. Bernard Olery, O. Carm. (1375 – 1381) |
| Fr. Giovanni Ballistari, O. Carm. (1358 – 1375) |
| Fr. Pierre-Raymond de Grasse, O. Carm. (1342 – 1358) |
| Fr. Pierre de Casa, O. Carm. (1330 – 1342) |
| Fr. Giovanni d’Alerio, O. Carm. (1321 – 1330) |
| Fr. Guy Terreni, O. Carm. (1318 – 1321) |
| Fr. Gerardo de Bologne, O. Carm. (1297 – 1318) |
| Fr. Raymond de L’Isle, O. Carm. (1294 – 1297) |
| Fr. Pierre de Millaud, O. Carm. (1277 – 1294) |
| Fr. Radulphe, O. Carm. (1271 – 1277) |
| Fr. Nicolas Le François, O. Carm. (1266 – 1271) |
|  Saint Fr. Simon Stock, O. Carm. (1254 – 1265.05.16) |
| Fr. Alain, O. Carm. (1253 – 1254) |
| Fr. Gottfried, O. Carm. (1249 – 1253) |
| Fr. Berthold, O. Carm. (1237 – 1249) |
| Fr. Cyrille, O. Carm. (1232 – 1237) |
| Fr. Brocard, O. Carm. (1200 – 1232) |
| Saint Fr. B, O. Carm. (1154 – 1195) (Rule of #1) |
Living Bishops (4 Archbishops, 7 Bishops)
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Deceased Bishops (2 Patriarchs, 20 Archbishops, 181 Bishops)
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1664: Bishop Francisco Suárez de Villegas, O. Carm., Titular Bishop of Memphis |
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>1645: Bishop Jacobus Wemmers, O. Carm., Titular Bishop emeritus of Memphis |
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1548: Bishop Benoit de Rocha, O. Carm., Titular Bishop of Corone |
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1536: Bishop Johann Reuter, O. Carm., Titular Bishop of Hippus |
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>1528: Bishop Johannes Reuter, O. Carm., Titular Bishop emeritus of Hippo Zarytus |
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>1519: Bishop Giovanni Cerisier, O. Carm., Titular Bishop emeritus of Verissa |
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Other Former Prelates (2)
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1612: Fr. Enrico Silvio, O. Carm., Bishop of Ivrea (Italy) |
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by Rev. Daniel Merz
In the early Church and, to a lesser extent still today, there were two fasts. There was the "total fast" that preceded all major feasts or sacramental events. The ancient name for this fast was "statio" from the verb "sto, stare" to stand watch, on guard or in vigil. The second fast was a fast of abstinence from certain foods, e.g., meats or fats. This was more an act of self-discipline and self-control. The statio fast was total and a means of watching and waiting…i.e. for something. The fast of abstinence was more general and personal, to help oneself be more disciplined or self-controlled. The total fast is still kept today prior to reception of Holy Communion. Following Holy Communion, the total fast ceases because Jesus had explicitly stated that we don't fast when the bridegroom is here, in other words, what we're keeping vigil for has arrived, the wait is over. On the other hand, the fast of abstinence was allowed on Sundays because the continuity of abstinence can be important for it to be effective.
These initial observations, then, teach us that the Eucharist is always the end of a preparation. It is always the fulfillment of an expectation. In the Orthodox Church during Lent, they have Eucharist only on Saturday and Sunday. But because Wednesdays and Fridays are total fast days, those two days are also days for the Communion service (Liturgy of the PreSanctified) which are held in the evening, i.e., after the day of preparation. Fasting is always preparatory.
But how did fasting become such an important means of preparing for the Eucharist and of learning virtue through self-discipline? Christian fasting is revealed in an interdependence between two events in the Bible:the "breaking of the fast" by Adam and Eve; and the "keeping of the fast" by Christ at the beginning of his ministry.
Humanity's "Fall" away from God and into sin began with eating. God had proclaimed a fast from the fruit of only one tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17), and Adam and Eve broke it. Fasting is here connected with the very mystery of life and death, of salvation and damnation. Food perpetuates life in this physical world, which is subject to decay and death. But God "created no death." (Wis. 1:13) Humanity, in Adam and Eve, rejected a life dependent on God alone for one that was dependent rather on "bread alone." (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4; Lk. 4:4) The whole world was given to man as a kind of food, as a means to life, but "life" is meant as communion with God, not as food. ("Their god is their belly." Phil. 3:19) The tragedy is not so much that Adam ate food, but that he ate the food for its own sake, "apart" from God and to be independent of Him. Believing that food had life in itself and thus he could be "like God." And he put his faith in food. This kind of existence seems to be built on the principle that man does indeed live "by bread alone."
Christ, however, is the new Adam. At the beginning of his ministry in the Gospel of Matthew, we read, "When He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He became hungry." Hunger is that state in which we realize our dependence on something else—when we face the ultimate question: "on what does my life depend?" Satan tempted both Adam and Christ, saying: Eat, for your hunger is proof that you depend entirely on food, that your life is in food. Adam believed and ate. Christ said, "Man does NOT live by bread alone." (Mt. 4:4; Lk. 4:4) This liberates us from total dependence on food, on matter, on the world. Thus, for the Christian, fasting is the only means by which man recovers his true spiritual nature.In order for fasting to be effective, then, the spirit must be a part of it. Christian fasting is not concerned with losing weight. It is a matter of prayer and the spirit. And because of that, because it is truly a place of the spirit, true fasting may well lead to temptation, and weakness and doubt and irritation.In other words, it will be a real fight between good and evil, and very likely we shall fail many times in these battles. But the very discovery of the Christian life as "fight" and "effort" is an essential aspect of fasting.
Christian tradition can name at least seven reasons for fasting:
From the beginning, God commanded some fasting, and sin entered into the world because Adam and Eve broke the fast.- For the Christian, fasting is ultimately about fasting from sin.
- Fasting reveals our dependence on God and not the resources of this world.
- Fasting is an ancient way of preparing for the Eucharist—the truest of foods.
- Fasting is preparation for baptism (and all the sacraments)—for the reception of grace.
- Fasting is a means of saving resources to give to the poor.
- Fasting is a means of self-discipline, chastity, and the restraining of the appetites.
This article draws in part on the writings of Alexander Schmemann, "Notes in Liturgical Theology," St. Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 1, Winter 1959, pp. 2-9. Rev. Daniel Merz is a former Associate Director of the USCCB Divine Worship office.
