Displaying items by tag: Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary

International Formation Course Brings Together 40 of Order’s Formators in Perú

The General Formation Commission organized an international course for formators and vocation promotors. The theme was “Constantly Renew Our Lives to Adhere Radically to Christ According to the Carmelite Way of Life” (RIVC. 19). The course took place on May 5 - 17, 2025 at the Carmelite Center Villa Carmelitas in Lurín, Perú. The participants were 40 persons from America, Africa, Asia and Europe. 

In the first week the participants were enriched by the talks given by invited speakers and the members of the General Formation Commission. Those talks were: Mary and Formation by Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm., Prior General, through Zoom. RIVC and Its Development by Fr. Alejandro López Lapuente Villalba, O. Carm., Formation and Synodality by Sr. Birgit Weiler, MMS., two talks Self-Care or Burn Out  and Accompaniment of the Gen Z & A in Carmelite Formation by Fr. Vagner Sanagiotto, O. Carm. (Brasil – Parana), and Theology of the Body for the Carmelite Formation by Fr. Benny Phang, O. Carm. (Vice Prior General).

In the weekend of the first week, the participants refreshed themselves by visiting the historical and the modern parts of the city of Lima and enjoyed the Peruvian delicacies.

In the second week the participants dedicated themselves to work in revising and updating the RIVC 2013, since according to the Constitutions 137, the Ratio needs to be revised every 12 years in responding to the development in the Order, Church and society.

pdf Read the report by Fr. Benny Phang, O. Carm. (Vice Prior General) ... (289 KB)

Religious Gathering for Young People in USA Has Tremendous Response

During the first days of 2025, annual SEEK conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah together with a satellite event in Washington, D.C. Members from both the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) and St. Elias (SEL) provinces participated along with more than 17,000 young Catholic adults. This conference, led by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), offers college students an opportunity to explore, grow in, and renew their faith. The SEEK experience demonstrates a vibrant revival among the younger generations of Catholics, serving as a powerful reminder: our faith is not merely a relic of the past but is a living, breathing force that continues to inspire and unite.

“In recent years, many people have expressed a fear that the Catholic faith is dying in the United States, pointing to the swiftly aging congregations of our Catholic parishes across the country. I am grateful to report that I have encountered a reason for hope that our Catholic Church will not fade away despite a future that is uncertain,” said the PCM vocation director, Michael Joyce.

It is in such moments, surrounded by thousands of like-minded individuals, that one can truly feel the heartbeat of a faith renewed. “These young faithful are not merely passive observers; they are active participants in a community that values connection, understanding, and spiritual growth. They are the torchbearers, carrying forward the light of their beliefs into a world that often seems darkened by doubt. Faith can adapt and thrive in contemporary society, embracing new forms of expression while remaining rooted in timeless truths. This resurgence among our youth is a testament to the enduring strength and relevance of the Catholic faith, offering hope and inspiration for the future,” he said.

While the clamor of the world may proclaim that faith is a folly, SEEK opens a divine doorway, whispering the reassurance, “you are not alone,” a message our Carmelite tradition proudly embraces. Perhaps this is why so many people stopped to ask about “The Carmelite Way” and what it means to “Listen to God’s voice in Silence, and act on God’s voice in the World.” Hundreds of years later, we still are driven from the din of the city and embark on a journey into the desert so that we may better hear and know the voice of God and be transformed by God’s love and mercy.

For five days, these vibrant souls absorbed the wisdom of esteemed speakers, like Arthur Brooks, a prolific writer and speaker, and Fr. Mike Schmitz, priest, speaker, author, and podcaster. They navigated “Mission Way” to connect with members of religious congregations and various Catholic organizations who were represented there. And they reveled in joyous nights filled with music, dance, song, fellowship and prayer. “I asked many who I spoke to, ‘What is the one thing you wish to carry with you a year from now?’ The resounding sentiment was that the most profound experience was not merely the words spoken, but the sheer joy of being amidst a multitude that shared their beliefs—a testament to the strength of the Catholic community,” Fr. Michael continued.

The seeds of this movement were sown 20 years ago in Denver when the original SEEK Conference emerged as a biannual gathering. Next year, the experience will unfold in three different locations in the United States.

June 22, 2024 | 2:00pm (Eastern Time)

The Carmelite Institute of North America (CINA) is hosting a Mariology Webinar by Br. Roberto Reyes Castillo, O.Carm. The webinar will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 2:00PM (Eastern USA Time).

The Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary held its triennial provincial chapter June 20-23, 2023. The gathering was held in Darien, Illinois at the Carmelite Spiritual Center. It was an open chapter with members from Canada, the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and the Provincial Commissariat of Perú participating. 

The Prior General, Míceál O'Neill, and the General Councilor for America, Luis Maza, attended.

Besides the reports by the prior general and the prior provincial, sessions were held on synodality and the papal encyclical Laudato Si’. A one woman play on the life of St. Thérèse was presented one evening to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Carmelite’s birth and the 100^th anniversary of her beatification.

Almost 160 years ago, two Carmelites from the monastery in Straubing (Germany) journeyed to Louisville, Kentucky, to work among the German immigrants. Unable to secure a parish, they moved to St. Joseph’s parish in what is now Sellersburg, Indiana and later to Leavenworth, Kansas. The Vicar General of the Order, Angelus Savini, appointed Cyril Knoll as the General Commissary and houses were established in Scipio, Kansas (1865) and then in Englewood, New Jersey (1869) by a Dutch Carmelite who had previously lived in Merthyr Tydvil (Wales). The Carmelites also worked among the freed Black slaves in Maryland. In 1870 the Carmelites established a base at Paducah serving a wide area of Western Kentucky, a part of the Jackson Purchase. They also accepted a parish in Louisville, where they had originally immigrated to from Germany.

The monastery of Niagara Falls (Canada) was founded in 1875 in a house overlooking the famous waterfalls. In 1881 all the houses of North America were united into one General Commissariat.

The Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary was established in 1890 with Pius Mayer serving as the first prior provincial. He would later serve as prior general of the Order.

From 1929 to 1949 the province had a house in Palestine; and then in 1949 foundations were made in Chile (now closed) and Perú. In 1995 a foundation was made in Torreón, Mexico. In 2014, the foundation in El Salvador was officially incorporated into the province. Today there are foundations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and a commissariat in Perú.

The following members were elected to leadership:

Provincial | Provincial | Provinciale
Carl Markelz, O. Carm.

Vice Provincial | Vice Provincial | Vice Provinciale
David McEvoy, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1^o Consigliere
Rolf Nepi Willemsen, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2^o Consigliere
Luis Jesús Paz Acosta, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3^o Consigliere
Jorge Monterroso Mérida, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4^o Consigliere
Samuel Citero, O. Carm.