Displaying items by tag: Province of Betica

The XXIX Meeting of the Carmelite Family of the Iberian Region was held in Fatima from June 28 to 1. The theme of the Meeting was: "This way is holy and good: follow it. Figures of holiness in Carmel". With this theme we sought to continue the increasingly conscious and current reflection that the vocation to holiness is common to all Christians.

In this context, the reflections made and the conferences presented were inspired by Carmelite figures and documents that, from our spirituality, encourage us towards holiness. Thus:

- Friar Pedro Bravo spoke on the Rule of the Third Order of Carmel;

- Cardinal Emeritus of Lisbon, Don Manuel Clemente, spoke about St. Nuño de Santa Maria;

- Sr. Angela Coelho, vice postulator of the cause of the visionaries of Fatima, spoke about the Carmelite traits of the spirituality of Sr. Lucia de Jesus, one of the 3 visionaries of Fatima and who lived most of her life as a Carmelite nun;

- Mariana Frazão and Carmo Diniz, two people who were in the central organization of the World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023, shared a reflection on the challenges of holiness launched by Pope Francis from his words and gestures during that Day.

In addition to the lectures, group work was divided into 7 workshops. Each one reflected on an inspiring figure of the Carmelite Order: St. Titus Brandsma, Friar Pablo Maria de La Cruz Hidalgo, Blessed Isidore Bakanja, St. Celia Guérin and Louis Martin, St. Nuño de Santa Maria, St. Teresa of the Child Jesus and Sister Lucia de Jesus.

In addition to the formative dimension, the meeting gave a central place to the prayerful dimension. The Organization provided a bilingual booklet that served as the basis for the liturgical moments. On Sunday, June 30, the participants joined the pilgrims from Fatima and participated in the celebration of the Eucharist at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima.

In the afternoon, the group celebrated the Way of the Cross in the space provided by the sanctuary for this exercise of popular devotion. In this Way of the Cross, the meditations for each station were written by the groups in the work previously presented and based on the life and spirituality of the respective inspirational figure.

On the evening of June 30, a fraternal meeting was held in which each participating group presented something about its place and entity. It was a very festive moment in which we gave thanks for the immense cultural richness present in the Order today.

About 150 participants from the following Carmelite entities, including friars, sisters and lay people, participated in this meeting: Carmelite Sisters of the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Carmelite Nuns, Province of Aragon, Castile and Valencia, Province of Betica, Province of Catalonia, General Commissariat of Portugal.

The Meeting took place in an atmosphere of great fraternity, prayer, exchange and healthy coexistence.

The XXX Meeting of the Carmelite Family of the Iberian Region will be organized by the Province of Catalonia.

Mariological Congress "Mary, Mother and Guide on the Way to Holiness" from June 25 to 28, 2024 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

On April 23, 1925, the Canonical Coronation of the blessed image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain took place. The ceremony and subsequent solemn procession remained in the collective memory of Jerez.

The Betica Province and especially the Carmelite community of Jerez de la Frontera, with the commission appointed specifically to organize the commemorative acts of the centenary, together with the Confraternity of Ladies and Knights of Carmel, the Third Order Carmelites and all the groups that make up the basilica, with the approval and absolute collaboration of His Excellency, the Bishop of the Diocese of Asidonia-Jerez, José Rico Pavés and Her Excellency the Mayoress of Jerez, María José García-Pelayo Jurado, believe that such an event not only can not go unnoticed, but has to bring onto the city as many spiritual gifts as Our Blessed Mother provides, the missionary evangelization of all those who want to hear the Word of God, and the revitalization and increase of faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ through the mediation of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel.

From the year 2022 until 2025, the anniversary of the Coronation, events are being held, whose pillars are worship, formation, and charity. With special follow-up, missions have been carried out every year in different outlying parishes of Jerez, the social work is carried out weekly through the "Meals of Mercy," and with regard to training, there have been several conferences and exhibitions.

After the opening in April 2024 of the Jubilee Year, on the occasion of the centenary of the canonical coronation of the Virgen del Carmen, the next event will be the Mariological Congress entitled "Mary, Mother and Guide on the Path of Holiness," which will take place June 25-28 this year.

Monsignor Luis Marin de San Martin, Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, Fr. Salvador Villota Herrero, O. Carm., Provincial of the Aragon, Castile, and Valencia Carmelite Province, to Gloria Falcao Dodd and Fr. Francisco María Fernández, will travel to Jerez de la Frontera to give different conferences on how we can approach the figure of Mary.

pdf To read or download (in Spanish) the announcement of the Mariological Congress (352 KB)

To learn more about the event you can consult the website: https://congresomarianojerez.es/