01/2008-16-01
Council of Provinces

The General Council has decided that the XVIth Council of provinces will be held in S. Felice del Benaco from 4 to 12 September 2009.
The theme of the meeting will be decided in one of the next plenary sessions of the Council.
 


05/2008-01-02
News from the Provinces

During the Electoral Assembly at Aylesford on January 29th and 30th, the British Province elected:
Prior Provincial: Fr. Wilfrid McGreal
First Councilor: Fr. Joseph Chalmers
Second Councilor: Fr. Brendan Grady
Third Councilor: Fr. Antony Lester
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Francis Kemsley
The Provincial Chapter will be celebrated from 25 to 28 March 2008.
 

 
06-2008-05-02
Meetings of the General Council 2008

The Council has decided to hold plenary sessions on the following dates in 2008:
4 – 9 February
27 February – 8 March
2 – 7 June
10 – 26 September
1 – 19 December
 

 
07/2008-08-02
Grants from the General Council

In the course of its recent meetings, the General Council has examined several requests for financial help. Thanks to the generosity of the Society of the Little Flower, fundraising in Great Britain and Ireland, the Council is able to make grants totalling £ 450,000 (€ 622,000) in 2008 to the following provinces, commissariats and delegations:
Cameroon
Mozambique
India – Community of St. Thérèse
Pernambuco -
Colombia Delegation
Colombia Italian Province
Philippines General Commissariat
Democratic Republic of Congo
Zimbabwe Provincial Commissariat
Indonesian Province
Indian Province
 

 
08/2008-12-02
Celebration St. Andrew Corsini

Once again this year on the 4th  February last, the Feast of St. Andrew Corsini was celebrated in the chapel dedicated to him in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. The Eucharist was presided over by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and the music provided by the choir of the basilica.  Besides the Chapter of the basilica and other priests, many of the faithful participated including Prince Corsini and various members of the family. 
As in previous years, the Corsini family and the Corsini chaplain Mons. Franco Camaldo invited the Prior General, who was unable to attend, but delegated Fr. Giovanni Grosso, Postulator General, to represent the Order. Also present was Bro. Giovanni Frusteri of the Italian Province.
In his homily Cardinal Sandri considered the Carmelite saint, bishop of Fiesole, within an historical and religious context, using interesting references to the search for God typical of Carmelite spirituality.
 

 
09/2008-13-02
Carmelite Dictionary

Present at the launch of the "Dizionario Carmelitano" were the Prior General Fernando Millán Romeral O.Carm. and the Superior General, Luis Aróstegui Gamboa OCD. The academic presentation took place on 11th February at the Teresianum in  Rome. Other presentations were by Fr. Camillo Maccise, OCD, who during his time as General together with former General, Fr. Joseph Chalmers O.Carm., encouraged and promoted this enterprise, also present the Director of the Editioral House "Città Nuova", Dr. Falmi, and the directors of the project Frs. Emanuele Boaga, O.Carm. and Luigi Borriello, OCD.
This is a unique work of its kind, aimed at those wishing to have information on the themes and persons of the world of Carmelite spirituality and culture in both branches of the Carmelite Family (Carmelites and Discalced Carmelites).
The publication is the result of much colaboration with contributions from 121 scholars from the Orders. Many of the articules are, in fact, written from both perspectives. The Dictionary comprises 323 articles (each one with bibliographical reference and often notes relating to the text). A helpful way to read these articles (pp XVII-XXII) is to see them within four larger contexts: 1. Juridic and institutional, in which are gathred all the articles of a legal and institutional nature and the various ways they apply; 2. History and Biographies; 3, Theology, Spirituality, Pastoral and Liturgical; 4, Various topics mainly those relating to the arts and culture. Furthermore, reading and research is helped by an analytical index set out so that each subject takes one on to other articles were the same subject is dealth with.
The Dictionary is a fine example of colaboration between the two religious families who have come together to illustrate their common patrimony. As such, this is an extensive work that has the merit of a clear style and language common to all the contributors. In fact, it is a text of remarkable usefulness not only for study but also for catechesis and pastoral work.
Those wishing to obtain a copy, at present only in its Italian version, should contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

 
10/2008-17-02
Historic Ordination in France

On 2nd February last Yves de Sainte Marie Beaupere, O.Carm. was ordained at the Carmelite church of Notre Dame des Lumières, Nantes, France. It was an historic moment for many reasons. Yves was the first French Carmelite to be ordained to the priesthood, in France, for the Order since the French Revolution. The ordaining prelate was the Bishop of Nantes, Mons. Georges Soubrier.
Klaus Schenkelberger, O.Carm., General Delegate for France welcomed Yves’s parents and other members of the Beaupere family, also a very large congregation, including many local and religious clergy, the Abbot of Melleray and the Councilor General for Europe, John Keating, O.Carm. representing the Prior General.
This was a special moment not just for the new foundation in France, but very especially for the members of the two Carmelite communities at Nantes and Angers.
 

 
11/2008-24-02
Chapter of the Philippine General Commissariat

During the Chapter of the Philippine General Commissariat held on 14-18 February 2008 were elected:
Commissary General: Fr. Artemio D. Jusayan O.Carm.
First Councilor: Fr. Christian B. Buenafe O.Carm.
Second Councilor: Fr. Modesto Malandac O.Carm.
Third Councilor: Fr. Rico Palaca Ponce O.Carm.
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Pedro M. Manilag O.Carm.

Electoral Chapter of Carmel of “Mary, Star of the Sea”, Tanay, Philippines
The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Carmel of Mary, Star of the Sea, di Tanay (Rizal), Carmel of Mary, Star of the Sea, Tanay (Rizal), Philippines, was held on January 15, 2008. The following were elected:
Prioress: Sr. Maria de los Angeles de Jesus, O. Carm.
1st Councilor: Sr. Ma. Esperanza Cecilio, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor: Sr. Maria de Jesus Hervas, O. Carm.
Director of Novices:  Sr. Silvana Cristina Gameiro, O. Carm.
Treasurer: Sr. Mary Grace Bruno, O. Carm.
Sacristan: Sr. Ma. Carmela Necodino, O. Carm.
 

 
12/2008-27-02
Translation of the remains of Fr. Engelbert van Visteren

On Tuesday 19 February the remains of Fr. Engelbert van Visteren were moved from the cemetery of San Francisco in Agusan del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines, to a chapel constructed in his memory by the local group of the Knights of Columbus. Fr Engelbert was killed in the Philippines in 1973 by a group of radicals while he was helping an ambulance to take away the body of a teacher who had been killed by the same group. The people of San Francisco remember Fr. Engelbert with much affection and respect. The General Commissariat “Titus Brandsma” of the Philippines is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Carmelites and this ceremony was a sign of gratitude to the Dutch Carmelites who began this mission in 1957.
The transfer of Fr Engelbert’s remains was an emotion-filled occasion: some of his Dutch confereres spoke, as well as a layman who survived the massacre. There were present: the Prior General, Most Rev. Fernando Millán  Romeral, the Councillor General for Asia, Australia and Oceania, Very Rev. Albertus Herwanta, as well the recently reelected Commissary General, Very. Rev. Artemio Jusayan, many members of the Commissariat and various Carmelite Family groups in the Philippines.
 

 
13/2008-29-02
Vitam coelo reddiderunt (R.I.P.)

12-02-08: P. Leander Troy, PCM
13-02-08: Sr. M. Eucaristía Bueno Ramírez, CAN
17-02-08: P. William Smith, PCM
18-02-08: P. Anton Haarhuis, GerI

02/2008-20-01
News from the Provinces

In the Betica province, Fr. Rafael Leiva Sánchez was recently elected prior provincial. He was Councilor General from 2001 to 2007. The provincial chapter will be celebrated from 17 to 19 March 2008.

On 14 December, the chapter of the Upper German province elected Fr. Dieter Lankes to be prior provincial, to replace Fr. Christian Körner who was elected Vice Prior General at the General Chapter held last September in  Sassone. Later the provincial council appointed Fr. Michael Plattig to be 4° councilor and Bro. Günter Benker to be assistant provincial.

On January 9th, the Province of Pernambuco elected a new Provincial Council:
Prior Provincial: Fr. Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista (reelected)
First Councilor: Fr. José Roberval Mendes Pereira
Second Councilor: Fr. João José Costa
Third Councilor: Fr. Sormani José Barbosa Lima
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Paulo Fernando de Moura

On January 15th, the Provincial Commissariat of Paraná, Brazil, elected:
Commissary Provincial: Fr. Francisco Manoel de Oliveira
First Councilor: Fr. Ivani Ribeiro
Second Councilor: Fr. Vilson Rech
Third Councilor: Fr. Edmilson Borges de Carvalho
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Güerino Mendonça
 


03/2008-22-01
Vitam coelo reddiderunt (R.I.P.)

21-12-2007: Sr. Agnes van den Hoek, BOX
23-12-2007: Sr. Anna Habermann, ERL
29-12-2007: P. Venanzio Orrù, ITA
04-01-2008: P. Brocard Connors, SEL
11-01-08: P. John Larkin, PCM
15-01-08: P. Frans Bos, Neer
15-01-08: P. Martin Farragher, HIB
 


04/2008-28-01
News from the Provinces

In the Catalonian Province, Fr. Raül V. Masana i Peiró was recently reelected Prior Provincial. The Provincial Chapter will be celebrated from 14 to 16 April 2008.

During the Provincial Chapter on January 24th, the Province of Rio de Janeiro elected at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, a new Provincial Council:
Prior Provincial: Fr. Felizberto Caldeira de Oliveira
First Councilor: Fr. Geraldo d´Abadia Pires Maciel
Second Councilor: Fr. Carlos Mesters
Third Councilor: Fr. Alberto Fernandes
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Alonso Gustavo Malaquias