No. 18 - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2001
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THE MEMBERS OF |
Fr. JOSEPH CHALMERS, Prior General
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 5 April 1952, and a graduate in law, Fr.
Joseph Chalmers entered the Carmelite Order in 1975. He completed his philosophical
and theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) with
a licence in spirituality which won the Papal Gold Medal. In 1981,
a year before finishing his studies, he was ordained priest in Glasgow
by the Cardinal, Archbishop Thomas Winning. Before his election for the
first time as Prior General of the Order in 1995, Fr. Joseph was Prior
Provincial of the British Province of the Assumption. E-mail: jchalmers@ocarm.org
Fr. CARLO CICCONETTI, Vice Prior General Fr. Carlo (whose baptismal name is Mario) was born in Pianella (Pescara),
Italy, on 6 February 1934. He made his simple vows on 13 October 1951 and
his solemn profession on 25 April 1955. He was ordained to the priesthood
on 6 July 1958. He graduated in Utroque Jure from the Pontifical
University of the Lateran with the doctoral thesis on The Rule of Carmel,
Rome 1973. He qualified as Advocate of the Rota in 1973. In 1991 he obtained
his Licentiate degree in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian
University. His thesis was on the symbolism in the Rule of Carmel. He held
many offices during his religious life: Provincial of the Roman Province
(1973-1979), Procurator General (1979-1983), General Councillor (1983-1989),
Master of Professed Students of the Italian Province (1991-1997) and when
he was elected to the office of Vice Prior General he held the office of
Provincial of the Italian Province (from 1997). E-mail: pcarlo@pcn.net
Born in Minia (Egypt) on 1 January 1931. In 1951, after going to Australia,
he entered the Carmelite Order and was ordained priest in 1958. He graduated
at the University of Melbourne. His early pastoral life was dedicated to
the Maltese migrants in Sydney and to education. During the 70's he went
to Indonesia where he lived and worked in North Sumatra. In the meantime
he completed several studies in France, the United States of America and
England. Before he assumed the office of General Councillor for the first
time in 1995 he was the Vice Rector of a Catholic University in Medan,
Indonesia. Fr. Carlos was born in the Netherlands on 20 October 1931. In 1949,
while he was still a student in the Carmelite minor seminary, he and seven
other companions went to Brazil in order to become missionaries. He entered
the Carmelite Order in 1952, studied philosophy in São Paulo, Brazil
and pursued his theological studies from 1954 to 1963 in Rome at St. Albert’s
International College and at the University of St. Thomas (Angelicum).
He also did biblical studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and at
the École Biblique in Jerusalem. On his return to Brazil
in 1963, he was appointed professor of Scripture at the seminary until
1973. From 1973 to 2001 he worked among the Basic Ecclesial Communities,
helping the people of God to read and understand the Word of God. Fr. Carlos
is one of the founders of the Centro Ecumenico de Estudos Biblícos
whose director he was from 1977 to 1989. Since 1987 he has been a member
of the team that started the project Tua Palavra é Vida of
the Conference of Religious in Brazil. This project assists in the biblical
formation of religious. Since 1987 he also takes part in INTERCAB, inter-Carmelite
meetings in Brazil. E-mail: cmesters@ocarm.org
Fr. Rafael was born in Alcalá de los Gazules (Cádiz),
Spain, on 30 November 1942. He entered the Order in 1954 and in 1960 took
his simple vows. In 1968 he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Telesforo
Cioli, O.Carm., in St. Albert’s International College, Rome. He studied
philosophy in Osuna (Spain) and obtained his doctorate in dogmatic theology
at the Gregorian University in Rome. Before he was elected General Councillor,
he was Prior Provincial of the Betica Province (Spain). Born in Louisville, Kentucky (USA) on 31 August 1954, entered the Carmelite
Order in 1976 at Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada), after completing undergraduate
studies in history, education and philosophy at Marquette University. He
received a baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian
University (Rome) and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology with a specialization
in Spirituality. In 1996 he received a Doctorate in Ministry with a specialization
in communication. After ordination in 1983, Fr. William was a teacher,
campus minister at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, AZ (USA) and
the principal and then president of Carmel High School in Mundelein, IL
(USA) for 10 years. Before being elected to the General Council, he was
the Western Commissary Provincial for PCM Province of North America. E-mail:
wharry@ocarm.org
Fr. Josef was born in Tesov, archdiocese of Olomouc (Moravia), Czech
Republic, on 22 May 1951. He entered the Carmelite Order in secret during
the Communist regime while he was pursuing his studies at the interdiocesan
seminary in Litomerice. He did his Masters in theology at the Charles University,
Prague. He was ordained to the priesthood on 25 June 1977 in Olomouc. Because
at that time religious Orders were suppressed and functioned in secret
only, Fr. Josef ministered officially as a diocesan priest in various parishes
in the archdiocese of Olomouc. When the Communist regime fell (1989) and
religious life experienced a renewal, Fr. Josef was appointed General Delegate
of the Delegation of Bohemia and Moravia. He held this office for six years
and in 1997 went to Rome to specialise in Canon Law at the Pontifical University
of the Lateran where in 1999 he obtained his Licentiate degree and a diploma
in Iurisprudentia et Praxis I.V.C.S.V.A. from the Congregation for
Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life as
well as in Praxis Administrativa Canonica from the Congregation
for the Clergy. He is now preparing his doctoral thesis on the theme "Parishes
entrusted to Religious". Before his recent election as Procurator General,
Fr. Josef completed the six-year period in the same office of Fr. Lucio
Renna who, in 1999, was consecrated bishop of Avezzano. E-mail: jjancar@ocarm.org
Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Los Angeles, California (USA) where he attended St. Raphael's Carmelite Parish and Mount Carmel High School. A member of the North American Province of St. Elias, he was professed in 1954 and ordained in 1960. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and Iona College in New York and Whitefriars Hall, Washington, DC. His ministry began in Zimbabwe, Africa. He later served in the St. Elias Province as Formation Director, Prior Provincial, Director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Director of Development. For the past two years he has ministered in the Australian Province. E-mail: jdelaurier@ocarm.org |
Fr. ANTHONY SCERRI, General Councillor for Asia,
Australia and Africa
Fr. CARLOS MESTERS, General Councillor for Latin
America
Fr. RAFAEL LEIVA SÁNCHEZ, General Councillor
for the Mediterranean Area
Fr. WILLIAM J. HARRY, General Councillor for N.
America and North - Central Europe
Fr. JOSEF JANCÁR, Procurator General
Fr. JAMES DES LAURIERS, Bursar General
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A GROUP OF CARMELITES |
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On 9 July 2001, five Carmelite friars from the North European Region joined Fr. Míceál O'Neill, O.Carm., in celebrating the triduum of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the former Carmelite house in Linkuva, in the diocese of Siauliai on the Lithuanian-Latvian border. There were many memorable moments during the visit. The Lithuanian people love to sing and their beautiful melodies filled the church and the friary with great joy when they gathered to pray. During the first week the friars set off in twos with a translator to visit the people of the parish. This was for them a most humbling experience. They met people who had been imprisoned during the Soviet regime for their faith and their desire to be Lithuanian not a Soviet clone of a good citizen. They were so glad that the friars had returned to their home. The Carmelites are part of their history and they want the friars to be part of their future. Many of the homes visited were poor in the extreme. Some had no furniture and earthen floors, but the friars were received with a gentle and proud dignity and the householders were generous in sharing what they had. The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was celebrated on 15 July. In Linkuva it is always a great celebration with many homes welcoming their extended family from throughout the land. The bishop of Siauliai presided over the celebration of Mass and Blessed Sacrament procession. The Carmelites introduced the people to the scapular - 500 were enrolled in the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The day ended with a pilgrimage to the 'Hill of Crosses' just outside Siauliai. This was the focus of Catholic resistance to the Soviet regime. A small hill outside the city is festooned with crosses. During the Soviet occupation people would leave a cross on the hillside. It was a sign that faith cannot be imprisoned. The Soviets tried everything to eradicate the hill, but the people always returned no matter how difficult it was made for them to do so. John Paul II placed his own cross on the hill when he visited Lithuania in 1993. From Linkuva the Carmelite friars went to Pastova to celebrate the Solemnity of Elijah with Discalced Carmelite sisters there. During the week they also visited Vilnius and Kaunas two cities with a proud history. The Carmelites who were part of this pilgrimage felt that the people are calling us to share in their life and to minister amongst them. It would be a good idea if a team of Carmelites were to return to Lithuania for another visit next year and share the Carmelite story with others throughout Lithuania. There seems to be a ready audience of young people who wish to hear about Carmel. One young man will be spending some time in the Upper German Province to learn more about the Carmelite life. |
On 16 July 2001, the foundation stone of the new monastery of Our Lady
of Mount Carmel in Machakos, Kenya, was laid and blessed by bishop Urbanus
Kioko. Present at this simple but significant ceremony for Carmel in Africa
were the Ambassador for Spain and his wife, the secretary of the Apostolic
Nuncio for Kenya, some twenty priests of the diocese of Machakos and from
other dioceses and about 200 lay persons.
INTERNATIONAL CARMELITE INFORMATION CENTRE (CITOC)
RUSSELL, John, O.Carm.,
