The Kingdom of God has not yet come in its fullness and the Spirit continues to call men and women to commit themselves to the Kingdom in the bosom of the Carmelite Family. Indeed, in recent times, the Carmelite Family has experienced an increase in religious and lay vocations..... and, at times, even in countries where the Carmelites are not present yet! In order to face the challenge of these young people and to welcome them into the Family, the Carmelite Order is committed to several missionary activities.

ASIA - Project no. 1 - Indonesia 

The Carmelites have been in Indonesia since 1923. In recent years, the Indonesian Carmelite Province has been experiencing a veritable phenomenal influx of vocations. At present, the Province has 140 solemnly professed religious and some 150 in formation, students and novices. For the upkeep all these young religious in formation, the Indonesian Carmelites are assisted by the Dutch Carmelites. However, these resources are not sufficient..... consequently the number of novices accepted each year is limited to about 20!

Needs of the mission:

The project has been given the name "in pectore" because in the country in question, religious freedom is very limited. There are many good vocations to the Carmelite Order and now there are a number of professed local vocations as well as novices, postulants and aspirants. They do part of their initial formation in the Province that has taken responsibility for this mission, and partly in their own country.

Needs of the mission:

Needs of the mission:

AFRICA - Project no. 4 - Mozambique 

Through the presence of the Spanish and Portuguese Carmelite Sisters, several young men in Mozambique have been attracted to the spirituality of Carmel and wish to become Carmelites. The project has been entrusted to the Brazilian Carmelites with the assistance of the Irish and Portuguese Carmelites. The Irish Carmelites also support a mission in Zimbabwe . The first two Brazilian Carmelite missionaries took up their post in Gorongosa in Mozambique towards mid 1998. In 2003 the Carmelites also took a parish in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. There are now four Carmelite friars in Mozambique and a good number of local vocations.

With the help of many generous people the friars in Gorongoza have worked miracles. They have rehabilitated the community house, the church, the dormitories for school children and they have built a kitchen for the children. Now, however, the friars will be concentrating their efforts in the field of formation of young Mozambican to the Carmelite Order in Maputo. They have recently bought a piece of land and are looking for funds to build a formation house for novices and students.

One of the problems of the area is disease, especially malaria, and lack of medical facilities and of medicines.

Needs of the mission:

On 17 January 2000 the Carmelites from Spain started the first mission of the friars in Burkina Faso. Six friars are working there now. Until now they live in a borrowed house which is too small for the many vocations applying for admission to the Order. At present the students and novices live in rented houses. They therefore need to build a proper house of formation immediately. They have acquired a good piece of land and, as they receive the means, will start building soon.

Needs of the mission:

With the help of the sisters of the Missionary Family “Donum Dei”, who generously nurtured vocations to the Order, in 2001 it was decided to make a foundation in Cameroon through the collaboration of the German, Italian and Congolese Carmelites. The Carmelites have accepted a parish in the diocese of Mbalmayo where we also have a house for novices and postulants. In 2004 land was acquired and a formation house built in Yaounde for Carmelite friars who are studying philosophy and theology at the Catholic Colleges there. There are now two Italian and three Congolese Carmelite friars looking after the mission, and about 40 Cameroonese young men in formation.

Needs of the mission:

In October 1999 two Spanish nuns and five Kenyan nuns came from Spain to establish a Carmelite enclosed monastery in Machakos. At present this community has grown to 17 nuns in various stages of formation. The members of the Carmelite Missionary Family "Donum Dei" also have a foundation in Kenya. There are four professed sisters and seven postulants.

In 2005 another monastery of Carmelite enclosed nuns was started in Nairobi from Spain. At present there are three nuns who live in a rented house while waiting to build a proper monastery and who already have two aspirants from Kenya.

The Carmelite friars from India with the support of the Upper German Province started a mission in the Ngong diocese in 2001. In 2005 they completed building a house of formation, which it is hoped will not only serve vocations from Kenya itself, but also from other parts of Africa. In Kenya there are four Indian friars one ordained Carmelite Kenyan from the Province of Catalonia and many young men starting their formation. Two more ordained Carmelite Kenyans from Catalonia and from Arago-Valentina will be joining the mission in 2006.

Needs of the mission:

In the Carmelite monastery in Naples (Italy) there are 6 young men from Tanzania in different stages of formation. The first student was ordained in September 1999. The Carmelites in Naples are a small group, yet this community is willing to take another four Tanzanian students with the intention of establishing the Carmelite Order in this African country.

Needs of the mission:

Some thirty years ago, the Carmelites from Italy started a mission in the Congo, then known as Zaire. Today there are some 80 Congolese Carmelites, of whom 50 are in various stages of formation, and who are completely in charge of the mission. The Congo is a country of very poor people and the situation has been aggravated by wars between rebels and the central government, between rebels and rebels and between tribes, especially in the East where most of the Carmelites live. In this situation it is very difficult for the Congolese Carmelites to seek means of support. Yet, they are trying to get some projects going such as a plantation, animal husbandry, etc. It is not easy.

Needs of the mission:

If, in some way, you would like to help
to make these projects come true,
you are invited to contact: