From the 4th to the 6th of July, the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., took part in the 17th Meeting of the Carmelite Family in the Iberian Region which took place in Tarrasa (Barcelona, Spain) and this year was centred on the figure of Fr.. Bartolomé F. M. Xiberta. The Prior General gave two conferences on the theological profile of this great Carmelite of the 20th century. There was also an intervention by the diocesan priest Josep M. Manresa who spoke about the ecclesiology of Xiberta (the Edizioni Carmeitane in Rome will soon publish his doctoral thesis on this subject), and also a talk by Fr. Rafael M. López Melús O.Carm, and Mother Pilar Simón who presented a very moving and profound reflection on the personality of Fr. Xiberta.

On the 16th of July, accompanied by Fr. Josef Jancar, O.Carm., Procurator General and Delegate General for laity, and Fr. Dariusz Borek, O.Carm., Prior Provincial of the Polish province, the Prior General led the celebration of the Eucharist in honour of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the Carmelite shrine in Obory, as part of the meeting of lay pilgrims from different parts of Poland. Fr. Josef gave a talk on Carmelite laity and the Prior General emphasised the importance of this feast for the Carmelite Family throughout the world. Together with members of the Carmelite community he also gave the scapular to a good number of pilgrims.

From the 22nd to the 24th of July, he took part in the meeting of the members of the Third Order in the United States and Canada, which took place in Palmer House in Chicago. The meeting heard a conference titled, Blessed Titus Brandsma, inspiring figure for lay Carmelites today”, Following this he visited the monasteries of Carmelite nuns in San Cristoval, and Hudson as well as the Carmelite hermits in Cristoval, Austin, and in Lake Elmo. At a later date the Prior General sent a letter to the hermits encouraging them in their way of life within the great family of Carmel.

Lastly, on the 5th of August he took part in the 19th General Chapter of the Hermanas de la Virgen Maria del Monte Carmelo in Tales, Castellón in Spain. In his address to the Chapter he shared with the sisters some of the ideas and challenges for the Carmelite Family, followed by an exchange of opinions regarding the present and the future of Carmel, especially in relation to the affiliated Congregations.