On 3rd and 4th June members of the commission overseeing the Bibliotheca Carmelitana Nuova project met in Dresden, Germany in the offices of FOVOG – the “Forschungsstelle fur Vergleichende Ordensgeschichte". This is an institute in the University of Dresden which specialises in the comparative study of religious orders. The commission is made up of Giovanni Grosso (President of the Carmelite Institute), Ton van der Gulik (Carmelite Librarian), Paul Chandler (who participated via Skype), Edeltraud Klueting (Third Order Carmelite scholar), Kevin Alban (Bursar General), Gert Melville (Director of FOVOG) and Coralie Zermatten (researcher).

The project involves putting all the entries in Cosmas de Villiers’ Bibliotheca Carmelitana on a database, and in addition searching out other names and works of medieval Carmelites. So far about 1,200 names have been loaded on to the database which is now ready to be tested on the internet. This will be an important tool for all researchers in Carmelite studies.

Prayer deepens our intimacy with God and transforms us into our truest self – humbling us and creating us anew.

(St. Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi)

Prayer is a way to arrive at perfection, because in prayer God teachers the soul, and through prayer the soul detaches itself from created things and unites itself to God.

St. Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi.

Holy Father's Prayer Intentions

Mutual Respect. That a culture of dialogue, listening, and mutual respect may prevail among peoples.

New Evangelization. That where secularization is strongest, Christian communities may effectively promote a new evangelization.

Lectio Divina June - Junio - Giugno 2013

• Saturday, June 1, 2013  
  Lectio: Mark 11,27-33
• Sunday, June 2, 2013  
  Lectio: The Body and Blood of Christ (C)
• Monday, June 3, 2013  
  Lectio: Mark 12,1-12
• Tuesday, June 4, 2013  
  Lectio: Mark 12,13-17
• Wednesday, June 5, 2013  
  Lectio: Mark 12,18-27
• Thursday, June 6, 2013  
  Lectio: Mark 12,28b-34
• Friday, June 7, 2013  
  Lectio: Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Saturday, June 8, 2013  
  Lectio: Sacred Heart of Mary
• Sunday, June 9, 2013  
  Lectio: 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
• Monday, June 10, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,1-12
• Tuesday, June 11, 2013  
  Lectio: Saint Barnabas, Apostle Mt 10: 7-13
• Wednesday, June 12, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,17-19
• Thursday, June 13, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,20-26
• Friday, June 14, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,27-32
• Saturday, June 15, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,33-37
• Sunday, June 16, 2013  
  Lectio: 11th Sunday of ordinary time (C)
• Monday, June 17, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,38-42
• Tuesday, June 18, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 5,43-48
• Wednesday, June 19, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 6,1-6.16-18
• Thursday, June 20, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 6,7-15
• Friday, June 21, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 6,19-23
• Saturday, June 22, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 6,24-34
• Sunday, June 23, 2013  
  Lectio: 12th Sunday of ordinary time (C)
• Monday, June 24, 2013  
  Lectio: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
• Tuesday, June 25, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 7,6.12-14
• Wednesday, June 26, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 7,15-20
• Thursday, June 27, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 7,21-29
• Friday, June 28, 2013  
  Lectio: Matthew 8,1-4
• Saturday, June 29, 2013  
  Lectio: St. Peter and St. Paul
• Sunday, June 30, 2013  
  Lectio: 13th Sunday of ordinary time (C)

From the 22nd to 24th May 2013, the International Formation Commission of the Order met at the General Curia in Rome for its final meeting prior to the General Chapter this September. Having listened to the reports of the different members of the commission from around the world, they reviewed the work of the commission over these past six years in preparation for the Chapter. Attention was given to the information presented at the Council of Provinces (San Felice del Benaco 2009) and the General Congregation (Niagara Falls 2011). There was a positive reaction to the methodology used during the international formation courses organized by the commission in the Holy Land, 2009 (initial formation), Camocim, Brazil, 2010 (formators) and Holy Land 2012 (on-going formation). Initial preparations were made for the course of on-going formation which will take place in Salamanca and Avila in 2014 in preparation for the anniversary of the birth of St. Terena of Jesus being celebrated throughout the Carmelite Family in 2015. Details of this course will be presented during the General Chapter.

To conclude their meeting, the members of the commission travelled with the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. to Florence on the 25th May to celebrate the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi with the Carmelite nuns. They also were very pleased to have lunch with the community of our friars and “La Famiglia” at the Carmine in Florence.

The members of the commission during these past few years have been: John Keating, Councillor General (praeses), Mario Alfarano, Segretario Generale (secretary), Quinn Conners (PCM), Günter Benker (Ger), Vitalis Benza (Hib-Zim), Desiderio García Martínez (Arag), Giampiero Molinari (Ita), Dionysius Kosasih (Indo) and Romualdo Borges de Macedo (Par).

Once again this year the community of St. Albert’s International Centre and the Institutum Carmelitanum offered a series of lectures to the public. The theme this year was “Carmelites and the Second Vatican Council”. The lectures were given in the conference hall in St. Albert’s Centre and a good number of members of the Carmelite family and others attended each evening.

The series opened with a lecture by Claudemir Rozin, O.Carm., who shared the results of this doctoral research on, The Ecclesiology of the Carmelite Rule in the Light of Vatican II (December 13, 2012); this was followed by, Míceál O’Neill, O.Carm. on, The Carmelite Commitment to Justice and Peace (January 10, 2013), Giovanni Grosso O.Carm. on, Holiness and Carmel,(February 14), Emanuele Boaga on, The Carmelites who took part in Vatican II, (March 14) and Giuseppe Midili, O.Carm. on, The Change from the Carmelite Rite to the Roman Rite, (May 9). It was hoped to be able to launch a new publication on Bishop Donal Lamont on April 9, as part of the programme, but that unfortunately had to be postponed to another day.

It is planned to continue with this kind of spiritual and cultural programme in the coming years.

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Utrera, Spain, was held 13-14 May 2013. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. María del Carmen Requena  Pérez, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:   Sr. M. José Navarro López, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr. María de Lourdes Lario Reverte, O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor:   Sr. Rosamaría Nduku Mbithi, O.Carm.
• 4th Couniclor:   Sr. Ana María Reina Jiménez, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. Rosamaría Nduku Mbithi, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Felistas Syokau Maithya, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:  Sr. M. Lucía Mutio Mbithi., O.Carm.