April 30 - May 1, 2002: The Chapter of the Province of the Most Holy Redeemer of Catalonia was celebrated April 30-May 1 under the presidency of the Prior General, Joseph Chalmers and with the assistance of Councilor for the Mediterranean Region, Rafael Leiva.

The first of the Chapter, after the talk of the Prior General, the Prior Provincial’s report on the spiritual and material state of the Province was given as well as the Provincial Bursar’s report and those of the priors of the houses. Those who had been previously elected by mail were confirmed in office. The election involved everyone in the Province who is in solemn vows. The Provincial Council will be made up of:

Prior Provincial: Manuel Bonilla, O. Carm.
1st Councilor: Joan Güell, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor: Pere Soler, O. Carm.
3rd Councilor: Gaspar Borda, O. Carm.
4th Councilor: Lluís Bosch, O. Carm.
Joan Vilà i Canals, O. Carm., was also confirmed in the office of Commissary Provincial of Venezuela.

The following day, the Chapter has time to discuss and then vote on the proposals concerning community life, changes in the Provincial Statutes, formation and pastoral ministries. The results will be included in the program for the Province for the next three years which was recommended to the new Provincial Council.

The Provincial Chapter closed with some words from the Prior General, calling us to continue our journey with enthusiasm.

Pope John Paul II has proclaimed Sunday, May 12, 2002 as the 36th World Communications Day and dedicated the day to the theme "The Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel."

The Carmelite Order joins in this celebration by inaugurating three new websites to make your access to Carmelite information on the internet easier, faster, and more complete. We have even picked names which are easy to remember.

carmelitani.info is the Italian language Carmelite website.
carmelitas.info is the Spanish language Carmelite website.
carmelites.info is the English language Carmelite website.

Right now, these websites contain links to the website for CITOC, the Order’s Office of Communications. There are also links to the International Commissions of the Order. By going to the website in the language of your choice (http://carmelitani.info, http://carmelitas.info, http://carmelites.info , you can link to the full March – April 2002 issue of CITOC as well as to back issues. Or you can see who the members of the International Commissions of the Order are and what they are planning to accomplish in the next six years. As the commissions meet, the minutes of their meetings will be posted, allowing you to follow their discussions and the actions taken. Eventually each International Commission will be able to develop their commission website as a resource for you and other members of the Order.

In the coming months, these three "info" websites will be developed as a "subject index" of Carmelite websites throughout the entire Internet. This will enable you to see what information each Carmelite website contains about a particular topic. The entry for Titus Brandsma, for example, will have links to biographical information on any of the Carmelite websites. Another set of links will give you immediate access to all those websites with his writings. A third set of links will send you to websites on the internet with pictures, drawings, or icons of Brandsma.

In addition, we will be continuing to build the resources available on the Order’s traditional website: www.ocarm.org.

We hope you enjoy these new means of communication. Our goal is to facilitate easy access to the information you need and want. We believe that Communication Builds Community.

The General Council of the Order met with the General Council of the Discalced Carmelites on Thursday, May 16, 2002, at the Carmelite General Curia in Rome. The meeting is one of two that have been held for each of the last ten years to promote cooperation between the two Orders.

Among the topics discussed were the publication of a series of letters from the Priors General in the last several years and a reflection on the collaboration between the two Orders and the future of such joint efforts, the proposals of the Mariological Seminar that took place in June 2001, a review of the work of the Commissions made up of both O. Carm. and OCD members, and ways both Orders might celebrate the 800^th anniversary of the Rule of St. Albert.

The next meeting will take place on December 12, 2002 at the Discalced Curia in Rome

On 25th May 2002, Feast of St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, the Prior GeneraI, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, published a letter addressed to the whole Carmelite Family. This letter, entitled, "Into the Land of Carmel", marks the 550th anniversary of the Papal Bull "Cum Nulla".

The letter will be sent to all Prior Provincials, General Commissaries, Provincial Commissaries, General Superiors of the affiliated Congregations and Institutes, and every community and monastery in the Order as well as to the leaders of national associations of Lay Carmelites where these exists.

The Chapter of the Dutch Province was celebrated May 23-26, 2002, with the Prior General, Joseph Chalmers, presiding. He was accompanied by the General Councilor William J. Harry. Elected during the Chapter were: Tjeu Timmermans, O. Carm., Prior Provincial. Elected to the Council were: Huub Welzen, O. Carm., Cees Bartels, O. Carm., Ben Wolbers, O. Carm., Kees Waaijman, O. Carm., Eef van Vilsteren, O. Carm., Jos Huls, O. Carm., e Jo Goosens, O. Carm.

The Curia, having received an invitation from the nuns to participate in the May 25^th celebration of the Feast of St. Mary Magdelene di Pazzi, in the Monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Careggi (Florence) where the body of the saint is located, was represented by the Vice General, Fr. Carlo Cicconetti and by Fr. Rafael Leiva Sánchez, General Councilor for the Mediterranean Region and General Delegate for the nuns.

The ceremony was lead by Bishop Francesco Saverio Salerno, Bishop of Cerveteri and Secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Segnature. The Vice General concelebrated. In his homily, the Bishop recalled his days in the seminary, where the figure of Italian mystic saint was held up as an example for the seminarians. Numerous religious and laity were present for the celebration.

On May 24, the Vice General and Fr. Rafael visited the Carmelite hermitage of San Martino alla Palma (Florence), founded by the nuns from the monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi in Florence. It is a beautiful location, where anyone wanting prayer and silence can spend time.

The Prior General, Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm., announced that Fr. Mark Attard, O. Carm., completing six years of service as prior of the community of the St. Albert International Center (CISA) is being reappointed for a three year term.

He also announced that Fr. Mark would have the additional responsibility of "Delegate for Culture." As Delegate, he will be responsible for encouraging advanced studies and creating a climate of scholarship in the Order.

The Prior General also announced that Fr. Antonio Ruiz, O. Carm., currently the director of Edizioni Carmelitane, has been asked by his Province to accept a new ministry there. Fr. Antonio has served the CISA community as prior, treasurer, administrator of the Institutum Carmelitanum, member of the Permanent Formation team, as well as the director of Edizioni from its inception.

These announcements were made by the Prior General to the CISA community following the Eucharistic celebration for the close of the academic year in Rome on June 1, 2002.

The Chapter of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Province (USA / Canada / Peru / Mexico) was celebrated June 10-June 14,under thepresidency of the Prior General, Joseph Chalmers, and with the assistance of Councilor for the North America, William J. Harry.

Elected were:
Prior Provincial: John Russell, O. Carm.
Eastern Commissary Provincial: John Welch, O. Carm.
Midwest Commissary Provincial: Berhard Bauerle, O. Carm.
WesternCommissary Provincial: Stanley Makacinas, O. Carm.
1st Councilor:Daniel O' Neill, O.Carm
2nd Councilor: Michael Sgarioto, O.Carm.
3rd Councilor:EmmettGavin, O. Carm.
4th Councilor:David McEvoy, O. Carm.

The Provincial Chapter of the Neopolitan Province took place at "Trullo dell'Immacolata" June 24-28, 2002, under the presedency of Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm., Prior General, accompanied by the General Councilor, Rafael Leiva Sanchez, O. Carm.

Those elected to provincial offices are:
Prior Provincial: Mario Alfarano, O. Carm.
First Councilor: Nicola Barbarello, O. Carm.
Second Councilor: Cosimo Pagliara, O. Carm.
Third Councilor: Enrico Ronzini, O. Carm.
Fourth Councilor: Cosimo Soliberto, O. Carm.