With a letter of 6 January 1999, the Prior General of the Carmelite Order, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, and Councillor General for Formation, Fr. Alexander Vella, in accordance with the Carmelite Constitutions, article 129, convened the international meeting of all the formators of the Order to revise and update the Ratio Institutionis Vitae Carmelitanae (RIVC - The Carmelite Guide to Formation) which is the document in which all aspects of the formative process are defined.

The meeting will take place at the Carmelite retreat centre of San Felice del Benaco (near Brescia, Italy) from 28 September to 5 October 1999. The meeting is for formators at all levels and vocations promoters. Each Carmelite Province, Commissariat and Delegation is expected to send at least one formator to this meeting. The formators in each region of the Order have already been involved in work to update the RIVC and at this meeting a final draft will be presented for discussion. The RIVC will then be presented to the Prior General and Council of the Carmelite Order for approval.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Alexander Vella, O.Carm.

25TH ANNIVERSARY
OF INDIAN CARMEL

Last December the Indian Carmelites celebrated the 25th anniversary of their existence as a group. The decision to start a foundation of the Order in India was taken during the 1973 Provincial Chapter of the Upper German Carmelite Province.

Fr. Joseph Kotschner, O.Carm., the then Prior Provincial, planned and organised this task with a long term vision. He went to India, visited many dioceses and talked with the bishops about the idea. As a result of all these contacts the first batch of Indian students arrived in Bamberg (Germany) on 29 December 1973. Two other groups followed in 1974 and 1976. From all these three batches only four candidates completed their Philosophical and Theological studies successfully in Germany. They were ordained priests during 1981-1983 and began their ministry in India. In the meantime, on 15 August 1982, Bishop George Punnakottil laid in Kerala the foundation stone of the first Carmelite house for the Order "Carmel Nivas". During the following years the Indian Carmelites increased in number and opened four other houses.

In 1991 the Indian foundation was made a region with Fr. Thomas Kizhakkemury, O.Carm., as regional superior and in 1993 the status was elevated to a Provincial Commissariat with Fr. Sunny Kodiyan, O.Carm., as first Commissary. At present the Provincial Commissariat of India has 60 professed members out of which 36 are solemnly professed. Among them, 27 are priests and all the rest are in priestly formation. There are also 10 postulants and 27 aspirants in various levels of formation.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Thomas Kizhakkemury, O.Carm.

APPOINTED TO THE DIOCESE OF BEJA,
PORTUGAL

On 25 January 1999 Vatican Radio announced that the Holy Father had accepted the resignation of Bishop Manuel Francoa da Costa de Oliveira Falcão from the diocese of Beja for reasons of age. In his place the Holy Father has appointed Bishop Antonio Vitalino Fernandes Dantas, O.Carm.

Bishop Antonio Vitalino was born on 3 November 1941 in Terras de Bastos (Oleiros, Parada de Gantim), in the township of Vila Verde, archdiocese of Braga. In 1957 he entered the Order of Carmel and was received in the Missionary Seminary of Falperra (Braga). He made his noviciate in Casa da Mata in Longra-Douro, Falgueiras (in the diocese of Porto), in 1960-1961.

He studied philosophy and theology at the Institute Sedes Sapientiae of the Dominican Fathers, in Fatima, from 1961 to 1966. He was then sent to the Carmelite College in Mainz, Germany, and to the University of Fribourg in Brisgovia, where he took a course on Religious life and on spiritual theology. He was in Germany for ten years. His specialisation is in Spiritual Theology and Religious Life.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Manuel R. Freitas, O.Carm.

5TH CENTENARY OF
THE BETICA CARMELITE PROVINCE

On 27 February 1999 in the house Buen Suceso in Seville (Spain) the programme of celebrations for the fifth centenary of the foundation of the Betica Carmelite Province (26 February 1499) was launched with a concelebrated Mass presided over by Fr. José Peralbo Ranchal, O.Carm., Prior Provincial. Before the Mass Fr. Ismael Martínez Carretero, O.Carm., gave a conference titled "A Meeting with History" in which he spoke of the key events and most notable religious in the Province over the last 500 years.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Antonio Carmona Márquez, O.Carm.

LAY CARMELITES
IN THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CARIBBEAN

The presence of Lay Carmelites in the English speaking Caribbean has a long history of more than 60 years. Throughout this period several people dedicated their life to spread the spirituality of Carmel among the people of God. At present the registered membership is approximately 400. There are 8 Lay Carmels in Trinidad and 3 in St. Lucia. Three new Lay Carmels are blossoming in the garden of the Caribbean, namely St. Vincent, Dominica and Antigua. In order to co-ordinate activities among these groups, a National Council for the Third Order was formed, with its first president Br. Frank Cooper and Regional Co-ordinator, Sr. Adriana Noel of the Congregation Corpus Christi Carmelites.

Members are actively involved in the parishes. As a community of Lay Carmelites they have accepted, at the request of the Archbishop, Mgr. Anthony Pantin, to continue the Apostolate of the Sick. The terminally ill, whose names are registered, receive a Certificate ensuring them of their prayers. On the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes many parishes celebrate Holy Mass for the sick and Lay Carmelites provide transportation for those who otherwise could not attend.

In order to experience community three activities are organised annually by the National Council: a General Meeting, a retreat and a social event. Lay Carmelites are also assisted in their formation by a quarterly magazine Carmeletter. In view of the third millennium, the Caribbean Lay Carmelites have a three fold program in On-going formation: (a) to become more Carmelite; (b) to make Mary, the Mother of Carmel, better known and loved; (c) to build lay communities who genuinely love God and their neighbour. At present the National Council is very active in conducting an out-reach programme to encourage young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty to become members of the Carmelite Third Order.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. John Horan, O.Carm.

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN CARMELITE PROVINCE IN PERU

In preparation for the commemoration of the first fifty years of the mission of the American Province of the "Most Pure Heart of Mary" in Peru, the local Carmelite community has a number of projects underway. Two very significant projects involve El Colegio Carmelitas (Our Lady of Mount Carmel School) in Miraflores.

Recently the school purchased a piece of property about 20 miles from the Colegio which will serve as a retreat house for the students and other Carmelite apostolates as well as a centre of recreation for the students and their families. Villa Carmelitas, as it has been named, can accommodate 60 students in six separate bungalows. It also has a very beautiful church with a seating capacity of 100 people and a dining room - conference hall complex. The property of 15,000 sq. ms. has a swimming pool, a volleyball / handball court, an outdoor dining pavilion and two separate picnic areas. A football / basketball court is also in the planning stages. In addition there is a small bungalow which will serve as chaplain's quarters and two small bungalows for the caretaker and the cook and their respective families. At present about 4,000 sq. ms. have been planted as a vegetable garden to supply the kitchen. In the near future chickens will also be added to help supply the kitchen with eggs and meat. There is room for future expansion because there is a large stable area that can easily be prepared to house an additional 30 people. The Villa is very attractive and is located in an area which is still in the developing stages. The previous owners had so designed the property that it resembles a small provincial town.

The second project involves the construction of a gymnasium with a seating capacity of about 3,000 people at the high school. The gymnasium complex is designed to incorporate into its structure a grandstand which already exists behind the goal posts of the soccer field. Approximately 450 sq. ms. of the building will be used for specialised classrooms and workshops. Construction of the gymnasium began during the month of October 1998. Hopefully the dedication of the gymnasium will coincide with the 50th anniversary celebration in July of 1999.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Jerry Payea, O.Carm

NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR CARMELITES
IN EAST TIMOR, INDONESIA

Since 8 years ago, the Indonesian Carmelite Province welcomes every year some candidates who come from East Timor, though no Carmelite Fathers / Brothers ever worked over there. They know the Carmelite Order through the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel who have been working in East Timor since 1974. After a long process of negotiation, the Bishop of Dili, East Timor, Mgr. Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, SDB, gave permission to the Indonesian Carmelite Province to send two priests to start a Carmelite foundation in his diocese.

On 5 January 1999, two young Carmelite priests, accompanied by Fr. Francis Sulistyo, O.Carm., vice Prior Provincial, set foot on the Island of East Timor to begin their ministry. They are Fr. Henry Gheta, O.Carm., and Fr. Matthew Siringo-ringo, O.Carm. Mgr. Belo appointed Fr. Henry Gheta chaplain of a retreat house in Maubara and Fr. Matthew Siringo-ringo pastor of a parish in Liquica.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Heribertus Heru Purwanto, O.Carm

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MALTESE CARMELITES
IN LATIN AMERICA

This year the Carmelite Province of Malta celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its missionary activity in Latin America. In recent years Maltese Carmelites worked in Peru and Bolivia, but today they are present only in Bolivia. There are also two religious from the Province working in the Peruvian mission of the American Province of the "Most Pure Heart of Mary".

To commemorate this anniversary and to understand better the situation and needs of Maltese missionaries, in January and February 1999, the Provincial, Fr. Amadeo Zammit, O.Carm., and the Provincial Councillor for the Missions, Fr. Albert Brincat, O.Carm., visited the seven Maltese friars and two Bolivian students in Peru and Bolivia. During his stay Fr. Provincial conferred the Ministry of Acolyte on Bro. Germán Mamani, O.Carm., and the Ministry of Reader on Bro. Milton Murillo, O.Carm., the first two Bolivian members of the Province.

On another occasion, 2 February 1999, at Villa Fatima (La Paz) in Bolivia, Fr. Provincial opened and blessed a Carmelite Centre for Spirituality (CECARE) and a retreat house, "Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus". According to Fr. Valerian Mercieca, O.Carm., Provincial Delegate and the one behind the initiative, the objectives and aims of this centre are two-fold: "It is a place where young people and adults can meet one another for spiritual retreats organised by the community. It also offers an opportunity to participate in and share Lectio Divina with the community. In order to reach these goals, courses have been arranged on the Bible, catechetics, theology, and so on.

For further information:
E-mail: Fr. Valerian Mercieca, O.Carm.

9TH MEETING OF YOUNG CARMELITES
IN VENEZUELA

From 13 to 16 February 1999, in the Carmelite house of Colonia Tovar, Estado Aragua, the young Carmelites of Venezuela (JOCARVE) celebrated their 9th meeting. It was co-ordinated by Bro. Javier A. Giraldo, O.Carm., Sr. Sayda and Bro. Gustavo Brito, O.Carm., and the main theme was "Examples of Holiness in Latin America". This proved to be of great value for the spiritual growth and the deepening of relations within the Carmelite Family. The young people attending realised the need to unify their efforts and progress together in the living out of the Carmelite charism, following Jesus Christ, for without the opportunity for a meeting such as this, it would be very difficult to build community.

For further information:
E-mail: Bro. Javier Giraldo, O.Carm.