O.Carm
Bl. Ángel Hostench, Lucas of St. Joseph and Companions
The Commissariat of Catalonia was established in 1932. Almost immediately difficuties began. In February 1934 the Carmelite church was desecrated. In October Communist guards were placed at the door of the priory to prevent the religious from leaving. In June 1936 the mayor forbade religious from teaching in the schools and working in hospitals. Shortly thereafter, a Carmelite was stoned while walking on the street. The only newspaper to defend the religious was closed down on July 18th. The following day churches and monasteries were pillaged, ransacked, and burned. On July 20, the Feast of St. Elijah, the community disbanded.
The story of the Carmelites during this time and a biography of many of the martyred Catalonian Carmelites can be found in the book Profiles in Holiness I by Redemptus M. Valabek, O. Carm., published by Edizioni Carmelitane.
Prior General's Schedule for May 2026
Fr. Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., the prior general, has the following schedule planned for the month of May 2026:
May 4-8, 2026: Chapter of the Dutch Province
May 18-24, 2026: Provincial Chapter of East Indonesia
May 27-29, 2026: Assembly of the Union of General Superiors
May 30-31, 2026: Meeting of the TOC-Castellina and Florence Family
Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter
Jesus, Our Way, Truth and Life (Jn 14:1-12)
Jesus calls them to trust him as the way to God, the living truth about God and the very life of God.
In a sense, Jesus is our map, our road and the destination of our journey. But arriving at the destination is not something which only happens in heaven. We are meant to start arriving now through the gift of the Spirit.
It is the spirit of Jesus who holds us in communion with God, who reveals to us the truth about God and who is the very life of God within each of us. Jesus is the reign of God in person and that is what we are called to be, too.
We want to live true to the vocation God has given us, aware of the Spirit which has been placed into our hearts, allowing that Spirit to change us into true believers so that the face of God might be seen within our own.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter [PDF] (3.21 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - Fifth Sunday of Easter [ePub] (4.69 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Quinto Domingo de Pascua (855 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - V Domenica di Pasqua (857 KB)
- pdf Comemorando em família - Quinto Domingo de Páscoa (844 KB)
Carmelite Rep For Malta at Religious Leaders' Meet
Carmelite Represents Malta at Meeting of European Religious Leaders
Religious leaders from across Europe gathered in Croatia this past week for the biannual conference of Major Superiors, organized by the Union of the European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM). Representatives from numerous countries came together to reflect on the current realities and future direction of religious life in Europe. Among the participants, are Carmelite prior provincial of the Maltese province, Charles Mallia, member of the executive committee. He is representing Malta.
The conference hopes to foster dialogue, shared learning, and collaboration on key issues shaping religious communities today, particularly within the European context. Discussions focus on both emerging challenges and practical aspects concerning the governance and mission of UCESM.
Four themes, guiding the reflections, were covered in thematic sessions: safeguarding in religious communities, the digital world: challenges and tensions, youth culture and engagement, and interculturality in religious life.
(l-r) Fr Eric Cachia (president, Maltese Conference of Major Religious Superiors), Charles Mallia (provincial, Carmelite Maltese Province and member of the Executive Committee), and Fr. Jānis Malnikovs, SJ. (president of the Executive Committee of UCESM)Elective Chapter of the Commissariat in Portugal
General Commissariat of Portugal Holds Elective Chapter in Fatima, Portugal
The triennial chapter of the General Commissariat of Portugal as held April 21-23, 2026 in Hotel Casa São Nuno in Fatima. The theme of the chapter – echoing the theme of the General Chapter in 2025 – was: “You Must Do Some Work” (Rule 20). Our Contemplative Fraternity Discerns Its Mission in Portugal. Before the chapter, the preparatory commission did a lot of work synthesizing the reflections of the friars and the communities, as well as putting together the various proposals for the chapter to consider.
The afternoon before the chapter began, the gremiales were led in a reflection guided by the Reverend Father José Antunes, missionary of the Divine Word, under the theme, “International Religious Communities.”
In opening the Chapter, Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., the prior general, encouraged the friars to rediscover the beauty of the Carmelite charism especially with regard to our interior life. On the second day of the Chapter, the Prior General gave a presentation building further on the theme of spiritual renewal.
During the Chapter of the General Commissariat of Portugal were elected:
Commissary General | Comisario general | Commissario generale
Altamiro Tenório da Paz, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1o Consigliere
Agostinho Marques de Castro, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2o Consigliere
Fernando Manuel Afonso Araújo O. Carm
3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3o Consigliere
João Manuel Oliveira da Costa, O. Carm.
4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4o Consigliere
Pedro José Martins Monteiro, O. Carm.
Lectio Divina May, 2026
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus Christ is to us the way that leads to you and to one another, the truth that is good news of love and hope, the life which he sacrificed to give it.
Help us to show the way to him and to go his way to one another, to speak the truth that is encouraging and credible, to give life by sharing happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Nuns in Granada, Spain
Elective Chapter Held in Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Granada, Spain
At noon on April 15, 2026, the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Granada (Spain) held its triennial elective chapter. After celebrating the Eucharist and singing a hymn to the Holy Spirit, the nuns began the elective chapter with the election of the prioress.
The monastery is part of the “Mater et Decor Carmeli” Federation and is located in the Diocese of Granada. Originally an ascetery (asceterium), in 1508 it became an enclosed monastery of the Order through the efforts of Mary Anne of St. Sebastian, a nun of the city of Ecija. The Venerable Joan Ursula of St. Joseph lived at Incarnation in Granada.
The nuns elected to leadership roles are:
Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sor Ma. Lourdes Santos, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sor Ma. Dolores Montes, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sor Ma. Jeanette Monica Santos, O. Carm.
Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa:
Sor Ma. Dolores Montes, O. Carm.
Formator | Formadora | Formatrice:
Sor Mary Jeanette Monica Santos, O. Carm.
Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana:
Sor Gretchen Marie Cabalquinto, O. Carm.
April 23 Marks International Book Day Worldwide
April 23 the World Celebrates International Day of the Book
This annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educations, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) promotes reading and publishing. Books are like a window onto another world – with each new page, they introduce us to new people, new cultures and new ideas. World Book Day is celebrated in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures.
April 23 was chosen as the date of the celebration as it is the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilasco de la Vega as well as less prominent authors. In an historical coincidence, Miguel Cervantes is also listed as dying on the same date – April 23, 1616 – as Shakespeare but in fact they died 11 days apart since Spain was using the Gregorian calendar and England was using the Julian calendar at the time.
Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter
The Good Shepherd Calls His Own by Name,
and They Recognise His Voice (John 10:1-10)
This year, the Gospel reading talks about Jesus as the ‘gate of the sheepfold’, that is, Jesus is the one through whom we truly enter into the fold of God. The reading implies that those who get into the sheepfold some other way bring only disaster and destruction. Those who enter the fold through Christ, the Good Shepherd, will be safe, will be led to good pasture and have life in all its fullness.
Jesus acts towards us like a good shepherd: feeding, nurturing, defending and even laying down his life for us. Our Good Shepherd is deeply concerned about us, the flock and there is a deep sense of warmth and intimacy in the realisation that Jesus knows each one of us by name. Like a good shepherd Jesus is the source of life, nourishment, and safety for the sheep.
Any reflection about Jesus as the Good Shepherd also serves as a reminder that shepherding each other in Jesus’ name is part of the vocation of every disciple. We are very used to thinking about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, but we also need to think about being/becoming good shepherds to each other.
One of the very encouraging things about the pandemic was the number of people who became good shepherds to others, providing safety and security to vulnerable people, supporting health workers, providing meals and companionship. Yes, there were the ‘thieves and brigands’ too who preyed on others by hiking prices, selling goods which were never delivered and various other online scams.
But, like Jesus, we are called to bring life in all its fullness to one another.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter [PDF] (2.90 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - Fourth Sunday of Easter [ePub] (2.63 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Cuarto Domingo de Pascua (754 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - IV Domenica di Pasqua (741 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - Quarto Domingo da Páscoa (753 KB)
British Province Holds Chapter at Aylesford, England
The British Province held its 20th Provincial Chapter since its restoration in September 1969. The gathering was held April 13-17, 2026. The elections took place at an assembly in February. All those election were confirmed by the prior general, Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., on the first afternoon of the Chapter proper.
In opening the Chapter, Desiderio García Martínez, O.Carm., the Prior General remined the participants that our identity, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, is free and that “each member of the Carmelite family must find their own place.” He continued saying,
“We are proud of the individuals and groups (friars, nuns, sisters, TOC, lay people, Carmelite lay people, Carmel youth, Congregations, OCD) who are inspired by the Rule of Carmel, its tradition and the values of its history and spirituality, which constitute the Carmelite Family. Nobody has a monopoly on charism.”
The members of the province together with other members of the Carmelite Family spent the Chapter reflecting together on the previous three years while planning for the next triennium. A great fraternal spirit was evident throughout the week, as the participants shared their common concerns both in the Chapter Room, the Chapel, and at table.
After considering the usual reports, the Chapter considered its ministries (especially regarding the shrines within the province) and how they might be Carmelite in the future. Time was spent looking at vocations and communications while also exploring the role of partnership and collaboration.
The participants received updates and reflected further on the province’s Youth Centre Project. At the centre of this project will be the “Simon Stock Community”: a residential community made up of young adults (aged 18 to 30 years) who will live together in a purpose built house on the grounds of The Friars (Aylesford). Construction is currently underway and it is hoped that it will be complete by January 2027. These young adults will live, pray and serve together, supporting retreats, programmes and events for children and young people. During the chapter, the participants had a tour of the works that are underway.
The participants spent time (both in personal reflection and together in conversation groups) considering the next three years under four themes: Me as a Carmelite; We are Carmelite Community; Our Carmelite Family; and, Carmelites on Mission.
The following leadership elected or confirmed:
Prior Provincial | Prior Provincial | Priore Provinciale
Brendan Grady, O. Carm.
1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1o Consigliere
Gerard Walsh, O. Carm.
2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2o Consigliere
Paul de Groot, O. Carm.
3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3o Consigliere
Richard Green, O. Carm.
4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4o Consigliere
Pat O'Keefe, O. Carm.
