The Provincial Chapter of the Province of Great Britain was held April 17-21, 2023, in Aylesford, Kent (England).
Carmelites arrived in England about the year 1241 and quickly established a province. Records indicate a certain “W. provincial in England," in the years 1256-1257. At the time when the province was most flourishing, there were about a thousand brothers and about 37 houses. The first division of the province into two, namely, England and Ireland-Scotland, was recorded already in 1291 or 1294; which division, apparently, lasted until the year 1300. The autonomous province of Ireland was established in 1305. The establishment of the province of Scotland, established in 1321, was finally carried out in 1324.
In the course of time the Province of England was greatly reduced and it finally ceased with the suppression of Henry VIII (c. 1538). Some failed attempts were made to restore houses until c. 1926, when the brothers of the Province of Ireland opened the houses of Faversham and Sittingbourne in southeastern England.
Other houses were later added. Among these was ancient monastery in Aylesford which had been founded by 1242 but lost in Henry VIII suppression. On January 1, 1952, the general commissariat was established; and on September 12, 1969, the province of England and Wales was established under the title of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The name of the province was changed to 'Great Britain' in May 1999.
The following members were elected to leadership:
. . .
Provincial | Provincial | Provinciale
Fr. Brendan Grady, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1o Consigliere
Fr. Kevin Melody, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2o Consigliere
Fr. Gerard Walsh, O. Carm.
3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3o Consigliere
Fr. Michael Cox, O. Carm.
4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4o Consigliere
Br. Paul de Groot, O. Carm.
