This story begins with the Hermanas de la Virgen Maria del Monte Carmelo from Orihuela, Spain, who established foundations in East Timor many years ago when it was still a protectorate of Portugal. They remained there during the Indonesian occupation and are still there at present. Over ten years ago, several young men became interested in the Carmelite charism and spirituality and so went to the Sisters in Fatuhada, Dili, to find out more about Carmel. The Sisters began looking after these young men. From this group, some expressed their desire to join the Order. An agreement was then reached between the Sisters and the Indonesian Carmelite Province that the Sisters would look after these young men as pre-postulants. Those who were deemed to have a genuine vocation were then sent as postulants to Stella Maris in Malang. This has been going on every year to the present.

Because the Indonesian Carmelite Province has a second postulants’ house dedicated to Bl. Dionysius on the island of Flores, the young men are now sent to Flores which is closer to East Timor both in distance and in culture. The first fruit of the endeavour of the Sisters has been reaped this year with the ordination to the diaconate of the first East Timorese Carmelite, Fr. Agusto Sampaio Da Costa. Hopefully, Fr. Agusto will be ordained to the priesthood this year. Each year for many years to come it is foreseen that other Carmelite East Timorese young men will be ordained to the priesthood.

Due to these happy circumstances, the Indonesian Carmelite Province has decided to make its first foundation in East Timor, especially in the field of spirituality in co-operation with the Carmelite Sisters who have a retreat house in Bobonaro. The bishop of Dili, bishop Ximenes Belo SDB, has been quite agreeable in negotiations and has asked the Indonesian Carmelites to take a parish. For a start, the Carmelites accepted Maubara, one of the stations of Liquica. Thus, in 1998, two Carmelite priests were sent to East Timor, but as a result of the war of independence, this mission was completely destroyed and many people in East Timor were killed including ten religious sisters and four priests.

At present the two Carmelite priests are back in East Timor, working hard among refugees who live in deplorable conditions, particularly since the Indonesian government stopped its aid to refugees on 31 March. All the churches and religious Orders and Congregations in Indonesia are doing their utmost to help these refugees, but this is still far from sufficient to lessen their sufferings.

For further information:
E-mail: Hermanas Carmelitas
E-mail: Indonesian Carmelite Province

CARMELITE CHRONICLERS MEET
IN THE PHILIPPINES

Recently, a meeting of Carmelite chroniclers was held in the Philippines with the aim of systematising the Commissariat's archives, documentation and internet / web presentation.

The meeting of chroniclers of Carmelite communities, which took place on 15-16 February 2000 in Quezon City, was organised by the Secretariat of the Philippines Commissariat and the Titus Brandsma Centre - Media Program. The gathering saw the participation of twelve community representatives and one from the Carmelite Third Order. With the theme "Unleashing Our Collective Memory And Enriching Our Present Identity Towards A Dynamic Filipino Carmel", the meeting was able to identify the documentation needs of the Commissariat in matters concerning both chronicles and archives. It was reported that vital documents concerning the founding of Carmel in the Philippines by the Dutch Carmelite missionaries in 1957 to the early 1960's are in need of immediate preservation, while other documents have yet to be collected for the Commissariat's archives. Those present at the meeting also identified areas for specialised training in the preservation and evaluation of documents. It was agreed that an orientation paper on archives and a guideline for keeping chronicles will be drafted and discussed at the local community level before presenting it to the Chapter meeting in October 2000. The aim of these papers is to achieve a consensus among all community members on the values and requirements for the keeping of chronicles and archives.

Fr. Jose Femilou, OFM, provincial archivist of the Franciscans, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo (former Benedictine monk), a renowned Philippine historian, and Mr. Jason Banico of Andersen Consultancy, an IT Management Company, helped to enrich the two-day meeting of Carmelite chroniclers.

For further information:
E-mail: P. Reynold Caigoy, O.Carm.

TITUS BRANDSMA WILL HAVE A MUSEUM
IN HIS NATIVE TOWN

World famous Carmelite Fr. Titus Brandsma (Bolsward 1881 - Dachau 1942) will have a museum devoted to his multifaceted personality and remarkable life. The museum will open at the end of this year in his native town of Bolsward, Friesland, in the north of Holland. The exhibition will be largely based on the archives of the Brandsma-Hettinga family, which has been acquired by the Documentary Centre for Catholic Friesland Foundation. Museum and Documentary Centre are located in a three-storey house on the canal side in the historical centre of the Frisian Hanseatic city. The museum has so far received wide support from the Dutch society. A large fundraising campaign will soon start to finance the project.

The Titus Brandsma Museum, an initiative of the Documentary Centre for Catholic Friesland, wants to preserve permanently in a visual and tangible way the inspiration that the person of Titus Brandsma still widely exercises over people. The exhibition is mainly based on the elaborate archive which, during the last century, the Brandsma-Hettinga family gathered concerning the person, life and works of Titus Brandsma. The Dutch Carmelite Province has promised co-operation with regard to the use of the Order’s collection. Furthermore, the museum will provide a place for the present exhibition of devout objects, which the Documentary Centre has been exhibiting for some years. Finally the archive collections of the Documentary Centre will provide sufficient material for the creation of various temporary exhibitions.

Reconstruction and redecorating: The house acquired recently in the centre of Bolsward to serve as the Documentary Centre is at the moment under examination by the governmental Institute Collection Netherlands (ICN), which studies the mechanical and structural requirements necessary to guarantee appropriate museum conditions. Two of the three storeys in the main building will offer space for the exhibitions, the third will lodge the storerooms, the personnel and management offices and the Documentary Centre. Also a Meditative Centre will be created reproducing the atmosphere of the prison cell in which Titus Brandsma spent the last months of his life. The present building behind the house will be demolished to make place for a new entrance from the church square. A third exhibition wing can be constructed in due time in the large back garden. The organisation of the Titus Brandsma Museum will depend entirely on voluntary work.

Large fundraising campaign: The costs of the total project (acquisition, reconstruction, redecorating) will amount to an estimated investment of HFL. 1.3 million. A financial basis has already been laid through the loan of HFL. 100.000 by four Frisian institutions and one private person. The diocese of Groningen has supported the initiative and has made a generous donation. In April, the city council of Bolsward is to decide on a proposal by the College of Mayor and Aldermen to a once-only subsidy of HFL 80.000 to the Titus Brandsma Museum, and to guarantee the deficit for the first two years. The Provincial of the Dutch Carmelite Province has also promised support and co-operation, notably concerning contributing to the collection. Soon an elaborate action will start to acquire funds, sponsors and donors for the museum. Various persons have already been contacted to be members of a Recommendation Committee. The Mayor of Bolsward is willing to be Chairman of the Committee.

Right time and place: Even though any time would have been right to establish a Titus Brandsma museum, the Board of the Documentary Centre holds the opinion that now the time is ripe. It surely is no coincidence that recently the Dutch Catholic community proclaimed Titus Brandsma as Catholic of the 20^th century and that his canonisation by Pope John Paul II is expected in the near future. It is also logical to establish this museum in the city of Bolsward since it is the town of Titus Brandsma’s youth. Finally the city - throughout the last century known as "Rome of the North" - has a relatively large and vital Catholic parish.

Target groups: The Titus Brandsma Museum focuses on the tourist with a cultural penchant in general, and more especially on people from a Christian and humanistic background, interested in the spirituality of Brandsma. Besides adults who by tradition generally still know the impact of the person of Titus Brandsma, the museum will also attract young people. For that purpose an educational programme will be set up for elementary education. Finally any tourist enjoying the picturesque town centre of Bolsward and strolling between the 16th century city hall, the city boarding house and the 15th century Martini church and who happens to pass by the museum, naturally will be welcome.

For further information:
E-mail: Sr. Tjebbe T. de Jong MA

CARMELITE SISTERS CELEBRATE
THE 175^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FOUNDRESS

Maria Teresa Scrilli, foundress of the Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo, was born in Montevarchi (Arezzo), Italy, on 15 May 1825. To celebrate this anniversary, from 12 to 15 May 2000, the Carmelite sisters organised several activities. Among these were a conference entitled "The Church and the education of women in Tuscany of the 19^th century: the experience of Maria Teresa Scrilli" given by Prof. Sita Serenella Macchietti; many Eucharistic celebrations presided by eminent ecclesiastical figures; the inauguration of an exhibition and the placing of a memorial stone at the house where the foundress was born; the naming of a street after Sister Maria Teresa Scrilli and a play entitled "Maria Teresa of Jesus".

A year ago, on 11 April 1999, the Carmelite sisters started a new foundation in Manila, Philippines. The community is made up of Sr. Angelina, Sr. Jessy, Sr. Alby and two postulants. The house where they live is a house of prayer and formation for young people who wish to share in the charism of Carmel, "A praying community in the midst of the people". The sisters were encouraged to realise this project in the Philippines because some young people there asked to join their Institute. And, according to the Church’s directives, the Institute decided to form their young candidates in their own land, among their people where, in the future, they will develop their own apostolate in ways suggested by their charism: education of youth, from the earliest years to the end of their adolescence.

The Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo is committed to a life of constant prayer, contemplation and service of youth, the sick, the aged and parish work. Today the ideal of Maria Teresa Scrilli is carried on by her daughters spread throughout the world, in Italy, Brazil, Canada, India, the Philippines, Poland, the United States and the Czech Republic in some forty houses.

For further information:
E-mail: Istituto di Nostra Signora del Carmelo

7^TH MEETING OF THE CARMELITE FAMILY
OF THE IBERIAN REGION

From 2 to 5 July 2000, the 7th Meeting of the Carmelite Family of the Iberian Region will be celebrated in the Diocesan Seminary of Avila (Spain). The following conferences will be given: "Carmelite Avila" by Fr. Balbino Velasco, O.Carm., "The Eucharist in Carmelite mystical authors" and "The Eucharist in Edith Stein" by Fr. Francisco Javier Sancho Fermin, OCD, "Biblical foundation of the Eucharist" and "Theological reflection on the Eucharist" by Fr. Pelegrin Blazquez, O.P., "Anthropological expressions of the Eucharist" by Fr. Celso Prieto Bermejo, O.Carm., "The Eucharist, centre of the ecclesial community" by the Bishop of Avila, Mgr. Adolfo González. The programme includes a visit to the city and the museum of St. Teresa and will conclude with a concelebration presided by Mgr. Adolfo González, Bishop of Avila.

For further information:
E-mail: P. Tomas de la Camara, O.Carm.

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

In the jubilee year of 1500, the confraternity of leather merchants, together with many Neapolitans, made a pilgrimage to Rome carrying with them the icon of the Bruna Virgin. On their way there and back, prodigious events took place by the intercession of the Madonna. On 24 June of the same year, by order of Frederic II of Aragon, many sick people gathered in the Carmelite church to implore, by the intercession of Mary, the wished for health. As a result, cures were reported. Because the day was a Wednesday, to this day the uninterrupted practice grew of the "Wednesdays of the Carmine".

To commemorate the fifth centenary, the Carmelite community of the Carmine Maggiore in Naples has set up the following programme: 17 May – Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Filippo Iannone, O.Carm., Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Naples; 24 May – Eucharistic celebration presided by Mgr. Lucio Renna, O.Carm., Bishop of Avezzano; 31 May – Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Joseph Chalmers, Prior General of the Carmelites; 7 June – Eucharistic celebration presided by Mgr. Enzo Pelvi, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Naples; 14 June – A pilgrimage of the Carmelite Family of Campania with a concelebrated Eucharist presided by Cardinal Michele Giordano, Metropolitan Archbishop of Naples; 23 September – Diocesan pilgrimage to Rome with the icon of the Bruna Virgin led by Cardinal Giordano.

For further information:
E-mail: P. Beniamono Resta, O.Carm.

40 THEOLOGIANS AND SCIENTISTS TO MEET
IN ENGLAND

Fr. Gregory Klein, O.Carm., has been awarded a John Templeton Foundation fellowship in Oxford, England for July 2000. He is one of 40 theologians and scientists from the English speaking world who will gather at the Ian Ramsey Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religious Beliefs in Relation to the Sciences and Medicine at Oxford University, England. The purpose of this program is to (a) provide assistance and collegial support for the development of sound pedagogy in science and interdisciplinary courses in religion; (b) present theories and methodologies relating to religion and science; (c) explore frontier thinking and examine critical issues in science, theology and philosophy; and (d) foster a community of teachers and scholars in the exploratory field of religion and science.

For further information:
E-mail: P. Gregory Klein, O.Carm.