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In 1936 seventeen Spanish members of various Carmelite communities gave their lives in defence of and in witness to their Christian faith and consecration to Jesus Christ.
During the night of 13 August in Vic, Barcelona, Sr. Mary of St. Joseph Badía Flaquer, an enclosed nun from the monastery of Vic, was arrested. She was killed the same night defending her chastity and witnessing to her consecration to Christ. Bro. Eufrosino Maria Raga Nadal, a sub deacon and member of the community of Olot, was killed on 3 October. Bros. Ludovico Maria Ayet Canós and Angel Maria Presta Batlle, Carmelites from the community of Terrassa (Barcelona) were arrested on 21 July and imprisoned in the Modelo jail in Barcelona. On 13 August they were shot in the cemetery in Terrassa. The prior of the community of Olot, Fr. Fernando Maria Llobera Puigsech, was killed in the ditches of Santa Elena of Montjuic (Barcelona) after a summary trial, and for simply being a religious. The process for the beatification of this group began in the diocese of Barcelona in September 1959. On 26 June 2006, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, signed the decree for their beatification. On 28 October 2007 the were declared Blesseds among a group of 498 Spanish Martyrs of the 20th Century.
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His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Stanislao Dziwisz, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cracow, who was secretary of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, has sent as a gift to Father Lucio Maria Zappatore, O.Carm., Parish Priest of S. Maria Regina Mundi (Rome), a Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel worn by the Servant of God John Paul II.
This scapular reminds us of the great devotion of the Pope to Our Lady of Mount Carmel through this sign (cf. article and letter to the Carmelites of the 25-3-2001 in which the Pope affirmed: “For a very long time I too have worn the Carmelite Scapular!”). Father Lucio received the brown scapular together with the declaration of authenticity signed by the Cardinal himself, on 6th October 2007 directly from Sister Tobiana Sobotka, "the guardian angel of the Pope". Father Lucio, several times and insistently had asked the Cardinal of Cracow for this remembrance, very precious for the Carmelite Order, but had always received a vague and negative response. Finally, during the Congress of the International Federation of the Pueri Cantores which took place in Cracow (Father Lucio is the National Ecclesiastic Assistant of the Italian Federation), Cardinal Stanislao promised that he would do everything possible to satisfy him.
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Those elected are: The new Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millàn, was born in Madrid, Spain, on 19 August 1962. At the age of nineteen years he joined the Carmelite Order in the Betica Province. After his year of noviciate, he made his simple profession on 3 October 1982. On completion of his studies in philosophy and theology, he was ordained priest on 21 January 1989. Fr. Millàn then continued his studies in Rome at the Gregorian Pontifical University and also in Ireland. He graduated in philosophy, completed a Master’s degree in theology and a doctorate in Dogmatic Theology. Until the time of his election, he was lecturing in theology at the Pontifical University of Comillas (Madrid) and was a member of the Carmelite Institute in Rome. Fr. Millàn has also served his Province and the Order in several commissions.
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Invited speakers and their topic for the 2007 Carmelite Communication Day are: Fr. Eli Cruz, S.D.B. (Rector, Don Bosco College of Mandaluyong): “Children and Media: A Challenge for Education”; Mr. Ruben Canlas (CEO of Dig It All Solutions Phils./PCIJ Staff): “Drupal OSCMS: A New Trend in a Systematic Community Plumbing”; Prof. Bingo Espinosa (Professor of Communications, University of the Philippines): “Video casting: A Challenge in Community Communication”; Fr. Franz-Josef Eilers, S.V.D. (Executive Secretary, Office of Social Communication FABC): “Religion Online: Online Religion”. According to Fr. Christian B. Buenafe, O.Carm., Director of Titus Brandsma Centre - Media Program, all talks will be on internet as from 1:00pm (Manila time). TVU assigned channel 61713 for the Carmelite TV.
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In the words of the Prior General: "Our world is changing at a very rapid rate but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13, 8). As an Order over the past few years we have been coming to a more profound understanding of our charism and at the same time we have been expanding into areas where we had not been present previously. A major challenge for the Church is to proclaim the Good News to the people of today in all the many cultures that make up our world. The Order has a part to play in this mission. We must seek to be faithful to our vocation as Carmelites in this rapidly changing world. Therefore the thrust of the General Chapter will be to listen to our world and seek to understand more clearly what God is asking of our Order at this particular stage in history." The General Chapter is the supreme authority of the Carmelite Order; it is also the principal sign of the unity of our Order, in all its diversity. Clearly the General Chapter is very important for the Order and all members of the Carmelite Family are asked to pray for its success. Let us pray that all Carmelites may be faithful to their vocation, inspired by the example of Our Lady and the Prophet Elijah, and that this General Chapter may be a moment of grace for the Carmelite Family.
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On 28 July at the railway station in Tarrega, twelve religious belonging to the Tarrega community were arrested. They were moved to Clots dels Aubens di Cervera and were shot at dawn on 29 July while they called on Jesus’ name and that of the Mother of Carmel. These men were: Fr. Ángel Maria Prat Hostench, the prior, Fr. Eliseo Maria Maneus Besalduch, novice master, Fr. Anastasio Maria Dorca Coramina, from the community of Olot (Girona) who had been preaching at Tarrega for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Fr. Eduardo Maria Serrano Buj, a professor. There were also philosophy students: Bros. Pedro Maria Ferrer Marin, Andrés Maria Solé Rovina, Juan Maria Puigmitjà Rubió, Miguel Maria. Soler Sala and Pedro–Tomás MariaPrat Colledecarrara and the lay brother Eliseo Maria Fontdecaba Quiroga, as well as the novices, Bros. Elías Maria Garre Egea and José Maria Escoto Ruíz.
On 13 and 14 September 2007, the members of the General Chapter, gathered in Sassone (Rome), elected a new general government of the Carmelite Order for the coming six years.
In a letter sent to all Priors Provincial, Commissaries General, Commissaries Provincial and Delegates General, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, Prior General of the Order of the Brothers of the BV Mary of Mount Carmel, informed that the General Council decided that the General Chapter will take place in the Istituto Il Carmelo, Sassone, Rome (Italy) from 4 to 22 September 2007. The theme for the General Chapter will be: "In Obsequio Jesu Christi – A Praying and Prophetic Community in a Changing World"