International Lay Carmelite Commission Plans Congress During Meeting in Rome
The first in-person meeting and the seventh ever meeting of the International Secretariat for the Laity took place in Rome from November 27 to December 1. Participating in this meeting were: Amos Ochieng, T. O. Carm (Commissariat of Kenya), Maria Monica Enhudjiana, T. O. Carm., (Province of Indonesia), Paulo Daher, T. O. Carm., (Province of Rio de Janeiro), Rosario Mª Vera Martin T. O. Carm., (Province of Betica), Aideen Ryan, T. O. Carm., (Province of Ireland), Luis Maza Subero, O. Carm., (General Delegate for the Laity) and Tobias Kraus, O. Carm., (Province of Germany), who acted as translator. Michele Bonanno, T. O. Carm., (Province of Italy) was excused.
During these days they have been working on the organization of the next International Congress of the Laity to be held next year from September 15 to 21, 2024, in Sassone, (near Rome). This Congress will have a previous phase in which all the laity or those accompanying the laity can participate, which will consist in reflecting on the material and completing the following questionnaire: https://elink.do/congresocarm2024
With the collected contributions, an Instrumentum Laboris will be elaborated, which will set the guidelines for the Congress.
Among other items on the agenda, the Secretariat discussed the organization of an International Congress of Third Order leaders to be held from February 26 to March 2, 2025, in Fatima, Casa San Nuno de Santa Maria and also had the opportunity to share with Míċeál O'Neill, prior general who wanted to encourage the members of the Secretariat, with William J. Harry, O .Carm, director of communication of the Order, who discussed the web of the Order and the publications of Edizioni Carmelitane, and Michael Farrugia, Procurator General, who helped to clarify and correctly interpret various juridical aspects of the Third Orders.
