Directorate of the Institutum Carmelitanum Meets to Set Agenda
On Monday, May 4, the directorate of the Institutum Carmelitanum met at Centro Internazionale Sant’Alberto (CISA) in Rome to discuss their programming for the coming years. Participating where Boby Sebastian Tharakkunnel, the president of the Institute, Mario Loya, the Institute’s secretary, Giovanni Grosso, general archivist of the Order, and Augustinus Agung Wahyudianto, librarian.
The director of the Order’s communications office, William J. Harry, was invited to participate and give an update on the status of communications in the Order.
Currently the Institutum is preparing a circular letter to all the Major Superiors and leadership in the Order asking them to identify confreres, sisters, and lay associates who have pursued higher studies and specialized formation in various academic disciplines and fields of expertise. To facilitate responses, a Google Form will be attached to the letter, and it can be forwarded to other members with advanced degrees. Each participant will be able to complete the form online, enabling the information to be received promptly and systematically at the Institute.
Following the collection and organization of this data, there will be a series of meetings among members engaged in the various areas of study and research. Through this collaborative effort, the Institute intends to encourage and strengthen research, advanced specialization, scholarly publications, and high-quality academic conferences within the Order in the coming years.
This initiative will also greatly assist the Order in identifying and coordinating our intellectual and academic resources across different regions, cultures, and language groups. “We believe that such networking and collaboration can contribute significantly to the growth of academic excellence and mutual enrichment within the Carmelite family,” said Boby Tharakkunnel, the president of the Institute.
The Institutum will also coordinate the Scuola Carmelitana which is scheduled for September 14-25. The program is open to all students, sisters, and lay people who are interested.
A variety of topics are scheduled to be discussed including events in the 1st century of Carmel and its development; the evolution of the charism; the Rule; key papal documents and their importance for today; the Carmelite Rite; and essential works early in the history of the Order such as Ignea Sagitta (Fiery Arrow) and Institutio primorum monachorum (Institution of the First Monks).
Major figures in the Order, key to understanding Carmelite life, will also be discussed. These would include Mary, Elijah, and the “Fathers of the Order,” Saints Alberto of Sicily and Angelo of Licata.
The group will visit the churches of San Martino ai Monti and Traspontina as well as have a guided tour of “Carmelite” Trastevere.
At the close of the session, Fr. Boby asked, “We kindly request the cooperation and support of everyone involved so that this endeavor may bear lasting fruit for the good of the Order and its future mission.”
