With a decree dated the 21st of November, 2014, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life established the fusion of the Suore Carmelitane delle Grazie (SCG) and the sisters of the Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo (INSC).  The Carmelitane delle Grazie was the most ancient affiliate of the Order. They were founded in 1724 in Bologna by the Venerable Maddalena Mazzoni. To celebrate the amalgamation, the Prior General assisted by the General Delegate for Affiliated Institutes, Fr. Mario Alfarano, O.Carm., and  by Fr. Alberto De Giuli, O.Carm., Prior of the Carmelite community in Bologna, celebrated the Eucharist in the motherhouse in Bologna on the 13th of December last. During the Mass the Superior General, Sr. Angelisa Spirandelli, recalled the steps that led to the amalgamation, highlighting the many points of affinity that bind the two institutes. Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., for his part, congratulated the two institutes for the decision that they took,  which is an expression of the deep communion that exists among the different sectors of the Carmelite family. He encouraged the sisters to continue in their service to the Church, with enthusiasm and hope.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the beatification of the ten martyrs of the Betica Province (Carmelo Moyano and companions) and the nine martyrs of the Province of Castile (Alberto Maria Marco y Aleman and companions), the Prior General, Fernando Millan Romeral, O.Carm. has written a letter to the whole Carmelite family, with the title, “Thank you for the martyrs that you have given to the church”. This expression is contained in a message that Pope Francis directed to the Superiors General (USG) at the end of the meeting he had with them on the 29th of Noveber, 2013, shortly after that same beatification in Tarragona (Spain) on the 13th of October, 2013. In this letter, the Prior General reflects upon the message that the witness of these brothers of ours offers to Carmel in the 21st century. It can be read in Spanish on the Order’s website, http://ocarm.org/es/content/ocarm/gracias-por-m-rtires-que-dan-iglesiaand it will soon appear in Italian and English.

CHRISTUS NATUS EST NOBIS!
VENITE ADOREMUS!
NATALE HILARE ET ANNUM FAUSTUM
25.XII.2014

FERNANDO PRIOR GENERALIS
DOMUSQUE GENERALIS COMMUNITAS


IMAGE: Natività, Autore ignoto Sec. XVIII, Centro Internazionale S. Alberto, Roma

From the 29th of November to the 2nd of December last, the first meeting of the International Secretariat for Carmelite Nuns took place in the Carmelite monastery of the Incarnation in Zaragoza in Spain. Those who attended were, Fr. Mario Alfarano (General Delegate for the Nuns), Sr. M. Pilar Simon i Blasco (BAR), Sr. Inés M. Carmona Ortiz (TRU), Sr. M. Elena Tolentino (BUR, Federal leader of the Philippines), Sr. Liliana Campos Rosa (ANT), Sr. Marianna Caprio (VET), Fr. Paul Denault (SEL). The points that were discussed at the meeting included the following:  communication at the service of communion between the monasteries and the federations of the Order, and between the nuns and the General Curia; formation initiatives at the international level; the process for updating the Nuns’ Constitutions. The first session was attended by the prioress of the community in Zaragoza, and the assistant to the Mater Unitatis Federation who having welcomed the participants, spoke about their situation and responsibilities. The Prior General who attended the last session, encouraged the work of the Secretariat as a service not only to the nuns but to the Order as a whole.

The Carmelite NGO has prepared a short prayer service and is making it available to those interested in celebrating World Human Rights Day on December 10. The service is entitled “We Are In Awe of the Human Person” and uses selections from the Scriptures as well quotes from Carmelite saints.

The prayer booklet can be downloaded from the Carmelite NGO’s website and freely distributed. The website is: carmelitengo.org.

The Carmelite NGO is a project of the men and women of the Carmelite Family around the world. It is a non governmental organization with special status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) and is affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI) of the United Nations. It also has representation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Carmelite NGO is at the service of the people the Carmelites serve.

please download here: http://carmelitengo.org/dayofprayer/dayprayer.december2014.pdf

Prayer Intentions from the Holy Father

Christmas, hope for humanity. That the birth of the Redeemer may bring peace and hope to all people of good will.

Parents.  That parents may be true evangelizers, passing on to their children the precious gift of faith.

Lectio Divina December - Diciembre - Dicembre 2014

From the 26th to the 28th of November, just gone by, the Prior General, Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., took part in the 84th Biannual Assembly of the Union of Superiors General (USG) in Rome, the theme of which was, “Towards new relationships for a culture of encounter”. On the first day, various speakers, both lay and religious, shared their experience of the extraordinary synod on the family and they evidenced the different challenges that became very clear in the synod. The second day was devoted to a study of the 1978 document, Mutuae Relationes, on the relationship between bishops and religious in the Church. This was with a view to a possible renewal or perhaps a re-writing of the document, as Pope Francis had suggested in the meeting he had with the General Superiors in 2013. The reflection on this was given by Mons. Gianfranco Gardin, OFMConv, Secretary of the CIVCSVA from 2006 to 2009 and current bishop of Treviso, and Robert P. Geisinger, SJ, Promoter for Justice of the CDF.

The third day was spent in working on a synthesis with which to continue the reflection on both of these topics, since there will be further work on both of them in the near future in different Church gatherings, including the ordinary general assembly of the Synod which will take place in October 2015 and for which the USG elected its ten representatives for presentation to the Holy Father, at this meeting.

The second meeting of the Commission on Prayer & Liturgy took place in the Curia on Friday and Saturday, November 21-22, 2014. The members of the Commission are Fathers Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista (Secretary General), Chairman, Edmondo Caruana (Mel), Giuseppe M. Midili (Ita), Michael Farrugia (Procurator General), Giovanni Grosso (Postulator General), Robert Pius Malik (Indo), and Mario Esposito (SEL), Secretary. The Commission continued its work following the mandates of the General Chapter and General Council, by drafting a revision of the vow formula for solemn vows to be submitted to the General Council, as well as the liturgies for simple and solemn profession and the reception of novices. Attention was also given to the revision of the Carmelite Calendar, the Carmelite Missal and Liturgy of the Hours, the Rite for Funerals, the texts of the newly beatified and canonized members of the Order, and the various rituals associated with the life of the Third Order of Carmel. Because of the lengthy wait for decisions in the Congregation for Divine Worship, many of these projects have been delayed a long time. Still, the Commission is pressing on to pay good attention to all matters having to do with Liturgy within the Order. A Congress on Liturgy in Carmel is also planned for 2016. The Commission will meet again in April to continue its work.

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Villalba, Spain, was held 21 November 2014. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. M. Pilar Martín Gómez, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:  Sr. M. del Mar Domínguez Castizo, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr. M. del Carmen del Toro Medina, O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor:  Sr. M. Consuelo Pérez García, O.Carm.
• 4th Couniclor:  Sr. M. Inés Vázquez Gallardo, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M. del Carmen del Toro Medina, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Inés Vázquez Gallardo, O.Carm.