O.Carm
Lectio Divina April 2025
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
You have quenched our thirst for life with the water of baptism.
Keep turning the desert of our arid lives into a paradise of joy and peace, that we may bear fruits of holiness, justice, and love.
Lord, hear our prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The Eastern Indonesian Province Formed
The Eastern Indonesian Province Established on March 25, 2025
The Eastern Indonesian Province of the Order of Carmelites has been established, separating from the Province of Indonesia. The Province of Indonesia is currently the largest province in the Order, having been established by the Dutch Province in 1923. Even after the division it will remain the largest province in the Order.
The new province will be under the patronage of St. Titus Brandsma. It comes into existence on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25, 2025. The General Council of the Order named Marselinus Barus, O. Carm., as the first prior provincial. They also named Dominikus Dinong, O. Carm., Ferdinandus Tay, O. Carm., Aloysius Roja, O. Carm., and Innosensius Inno, O. Carm., as the members of the first provincial council. The first Provincial Chapter will be held within the year.
Fr. Marselinus, the new provincial, reflected on the new reality saying, “"As a new province, of course, we Indonesian Carmelites, especially Eastern Indonesian Carmelites, are very happy with the establishment of a new province considering the large area of Indonesian territory. With this new province, it is hoped that the work of the Carmelites in eastern Indonesia will grow. My hope is that the Eastern Indonesian Province of the Carmelite Order will continue to build fraternity and cooperation with the mother province and with other provinces around the world."
The new province will consist of one hundred and seventeen (117) friars of solemn profession and sixty-five (65) friars of simple profession who choose to be members. The area of the new province covers the ecclesial provinces of Makasar, Ende, Kupang and Merauke.
The process of becoming a province officially began during the Provincial Chapter of 2009. The provincial council and the commissary council were tasked with studying the possibility of the Eastern Indonesian Commissariat becoming a General Commissariat by 2025. However, taking into consideration the new development in the commissariat, the Provincial Chapter in 2022 voted in favor of the erection of a new province in Eastern Indonesia. For 10 days in August 2023, the prior general, Míċeál O’Neill, and the general councilor for Asia, Australia, and Oceania, Robert Puthussery, conducted a canonical visitation of the Eastern Indonesian Commissariat.
The formation of the first group of postulants in Eastern Indonesia started on the Feast of the Prophet Elijah (July 20th). A year later, on July 12th, those students began their novitiate receiving their habits from then prior general, John Malley. In 2006, the East Indonesian region was upgraded to a provincial commissariat.
The new province will have four canonically erected houses and three formation houses.
Celebrating At Home - 4th Sunday in Lent
The Forgiving Father
(Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)
A wealthy father has two sons. Very cheekily, the younger son asks for his share of the estate which would come to him on his father’s death. This is a young man who has places to go and things to see!
Remarkably, the father gives him half of his estate, not the one-third to which the son was entitled. No wonder the older son is put out. The younger son goes off and has a great time until the money runs out.
Financially ruined he has to earn his keep feeding pigs. He decides to return home, beg forgiveness and ask to be only a servant in his father’s household.
The father is anxiously waiting for the son when he returns. He runs to embrace him. The son begins his confession, but the father takes no notice. He does not chastise or lecture. He refuses to treat his son as a servant and immediately sets about restoring him to his rightful place in the household with the ring, the robe and sandals. He orders a feast to celebrate the fact that his son is alive and has returned. No wonder the older son is angry and resentful. But the father sets about reassuring him that his place in the household and in the father’s affection is secure and urging him to be reconciled with his brother. We are left wondering about what eventually happened.
The Gospel offers not just the hope of God’s forgiveness but the certainty of it.
The message today is: Rejoice in God’s abiding mercy!
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 4th Sunday in Lent [PDF] (3.97 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 4th Sunday in Lent [ePub] (6.97 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Cuarto Domingo del Tiempo de Cuaresma (516 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - IV Domenica di Quaresima (510 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - Quarto Domingo Da Quaresma (509 KB)
Carmelites Discuss Challenges of Communication
Carmelites Gather to Discuss the Status of Communications Programs in the Order
The directors of the Order’s communication offices around the world gathered on Monday, January 27, in person as well as via zoom to participate in a discussion of the status of the various communications programs in the Order and the provinces. Each participant was asked to share three things they felt everyone should know about their ministry of communications.
They were also asked to complete a one-page survey which will be summarized to give a more complete picture of the state of our communications. There was quite a bit of enthusiasm generated during this meeting and future gatherings are being planned.
The Director of Communications for the Order, William J. Harry, spoke on the challenges and the opportunities we have to evangelize in today’s world with our new technologies. pdf That talk is available here in the three languages. (243 KB)
A second meeting via zoom is scheduled for May 21, 2025. The meeting will be in two parts, better accommodating the different time zones within the Order.
+ Asia/Australia/Oceania (09.00-12.00 Rome time)
+ Africa/Europe/Americas (17.00-20.00 Rome time)
The meetings are primarily conducted in English. So those who will be attending and require translation into Spanish or Italian, please contact the office by May 15th, if you will be attending and require a translator.
Santa Croce Conference Focused on Evangelization
Santa Croce Offers Professional Development Focused on Evangelization
For six days, communications directors from various parts of the Order met in Rome to participate in three events related to communications. The first was a three-day conference at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce entitled Communication and Evangelization: Context, Attitudes and Experiences. One of the university’s focuses is communications. This was the 14th professional seminar for Church communications offices.
The goal of the conference was to explore the Church’s evangelizing. This is something present in each diocese as well as religious order on various levels. The form of dialogue used brings together characteristics such as the primacy of charity, love of truth, respect for the person and his or her freedom, and the promotion of pluralism. In addition, the various dimensions of the Church's communication refer to the horizon of evangelization: internal communication, relations with journalists, creation of media and channels, presence on social networks, listening, dissemination of content, and institutional relations. When put together and used appropriately, these activities make the Church capable of proclaiming Christ, the Good News.
To explore the theme a number of presentations as well as panels of experts from various parts of the world were provided. Presentations were in English, Spanish, and Italian (with simultaneous translations for the large gatherings). The breaks provided the opportunity to connect with fellow workers in this particular vineyard.
The full program can be found at en.pusc.it/csi/ucc2025/progr
The Commission for the Protection of Minors Meets
Meeting of the General Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons Held in Rome
The members of the General Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons held their third meeting at the General Curia in Rome on March 3-7, 2025. Members of the Commission are Fr. Michael Farrugia O. Carm., President and General Procurator of the Order; Ms. Julie McCullough (Hib-lay); Ms. Julie Courtney (Brit-lay) (Zoom on-line); Fr. Quinn Conners, O. Carm., (PCM); and Fr. Babu Payikkattu, O. Carm., (Ind)
The members would like to thank everyone who responded to the feedback from the Commission’s analysis of the original Safeguarding questionnaire (second phase). The Commission was impressed that many of the respondents had applied the recommendations made by the Safeguarding Commission. Presently over 70% of realties have an adequately appointed Safeguarding Delegate and almost 50% of realities have a sufficient local Safeguarding Policy.
Analysis of the safeguarding practices implemented locally throughout the Order provided the foundation for the development of a proposed universal Carmelite Safeguarding Policy with specific standards which will be presented to General Council later this year for their consideration and approval.
Causa Nostrae Laetitiae
INITIUM NOVITIATUS
31-01-25 Ansbert Ananta Malik (STSA) Kerala, India
31-01-25 Justin Sajan Nayak (STSA) Kerala, India
31-01-25 Gabriel Abhilash Naya (STSA) Kerala, India
31-01-25 Pius Prasanta Toppo (STSA) Kerala, India
02-02-25 Hannah Maria vom Wort Gottes (Sieg)
PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA
25-01-25 Mary Ann Nzilani Muia of the Passion of Christ
02-02-25 Aquinas Sumanth (STSA) Kerala, India
02-02-25 Lawrence Lazar Paltasing (STSA) Kerala, India
02-02-25 Sameer Simon Baliar Singh (STSA) Kerala, India
02-02-25 James Naik (STSA) Kerala, India
ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
14-02-25 Rolando Mamites (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
14-02-25 Dave Malinao (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
14-02-25 Adrian Vergel Ballares (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
14-02-25 Jaynor Mike Gomez (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
14-02-25 Romualdo De Los Reyes (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
14-02-25 Alexander Martinez (Phil) Quezon City, Philippines
Celebrating At Home - 3rd Sunday in Lent
The Patient Gardener
(Luke 13:1-9)
How do we get from temptation to transfiguration? Only with repentance and God’s forgiveness. That’s the road map for our Christian journey.
Oh, how we love a good story about disaster befalling someone else! The strength of Jesus reply to those who told him about the crucified Galileans seems to indicate that they shared this news with some delight.
Jesus reply tells us not to assume that bad things happen only to bad people and not to think that disasters are some kind of punishment for sin; stop thinking about the guilt of others and put your energy into repentance – turning back towards God.
The parable of the Fig Tree which follows answers the question, ‘If we do repent, what sort of reception will we get from God?’ God will work with us like the gardener in the parable. He will treat us with kindness and tenderness and nurture us back to life so that we can produce good fruit.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 3rd Sunday in Lent [PDF] (3.07 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 3rd Sunday in Lent [ePub] (6.09 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - Tercer Domingo del Tiempo de Cuaresma (466 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - III Domenica di Quaresima (467 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - Terceiro Domingo Da Quaresma (466 KB)
Theatrical Event on St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
Valletta, Malta – In a unique collaboration, Charló Camilleri, in partnership with the Jesuits' Church Foundation, is set to present a theatrical event titled Il-Viżjonijiet ta' Santa Marija Maddalena de Pazzi on 20 March. This production follows the tradition of the monastic sacra rappresentazione, a form of sacred drama deeply rooted in religious history.
The event will feature a public lecture by Fr Charló Camilleri O.Carm., who will explore the performative mysticism of Santa Marija Maddalena de Pazzi. His talk will focus on the three 'ecstasies' of the Passion, offering an in-depth reflection on the saint's visionary experiences.
Renowned actress Sharon Bezzina will take on the challenging role of Santa Marija Maddalena de Pazzi, bringing to life the saint’s spiritual encounters. The production is under the artistic direction of Joseph Galea, ensuring a compelling theatrical experience. Complementing the performance, music director and composer Alexander Vella Gregory will provide an evocative musical score, enhancing the mystical atmosphere of the event.
This unique theatrical and scholarly event promises to be an enlightening experience, blending drama, history, and spirituality in an engaging presentation. The performance will be held at the Jesuits' Church in Valletta on 20 March.
Pope Meets with Communications Directors
Directors of Communications for Religious Orders and Bishops’ Conferences Come to Strategize
The Dicastery for Communications invited some 200 directors of communications in the religious orders and congregations as well as directors of communications for the Bishops’ Conference throughout the world to come together January 27-29, 2025. For three days, the group met at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome to reflect on various aspects of the Church’s program of communications.
January 27
To start off the conference, the participants were invited to meet with Pope Francis in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall. He spoke to the group about engaging the world and not remaining in an enclosure in which Catholics talk only among themselves. Genuine power of communication comes in building connections and crafting “narratives of our hope.” He proposed that Christian communication “conveys harmony” and needs to be an alternative to the disorder of modern communication. The pope sees modern communication as “new towers of Babel” where “everyone is talking, and they don’t understand each other.” Each member was able to greet the pope individually.
Among the speakers were Maria Ressa who had spoken on Saturday in the Paul VI Audience Hall. Speaking on Navigating the Contemporary Media Environment, she highlighted the most pressing challenges facing the contemporary media environment, including disinformation, polarization, and radicalization. She invited participants on how the Church’s communications might transform this context into a space of hope.
This was followed by a two person panel focused on “Change of the Communication Paradigm: The Rise of Social Media and Catholic Influencers.”
Fr Paolo Benanti, TOR, made an excellent presentation on artificial intelligence, providing insights into it future development, and explored its impact on the communication of the Church. Benanti teaches at the Pontifical Gregorian University, advises the pope on AI and technology ethics, and has been consulted by the Italian government on AI. This was followed by Eli Pariser, founder of New Public network, speaking about creating online communities that foster connection, facilitate pluralism, and encourage civic engagement.
In the afternoon, Cardinal Luis Tagle who works in the area of evangelization, gave a spiritual reflection on the Christian response in the midst of today’s communication challenges.
January 28
The following day, the third session began with the Irish writer Colum McCann discussing narratives and storytelling that can bridge differences, shatter stereotypes, and building communion among people. A five-person panel followed focused on their initiatives in storytelling. This was followed by another five-person panel with additional concrete examples of engagement with young people and those on the margins, bearing witness in challenging contexts, and standing up to disinformation and crises.
The 4th session in the afternoon, provided four parallel workshops with participants attending any two of them. The workshops were on platformization, best practices in broadcasting liturgy, strategies for communications offices, and, finally, formation.
The group then departed for the St. Peter’s Basilica where the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, celebrated Mass at the Altar of the Chair in the Vatican Basilica. The Mass was attended by about 200 communication officers from bishops' conferences and religious families who had been attending the conferences at the Urbaniana University.
Following up on the Gospel of the day, Jesus speaking of the scribes and Pharisees, the cardinal traced the symptoms of some rampant “spiritual diseases” and their respective “medicines.” He said, “I believe that none of us lacks the humble awareness to recognize that our hearts can also be affected by such diseases,” referring to the hypocrisy mentioned by Jesus in the Gospel passage.
Using the various tools of communication— voice, writing, images— “you are called to narrate,” but without ever disregarding “the primary value” of others, making use of a word that is “adequate and never shouted,” ensuring “confidentiality, magnanimity” and “discretion.” For the cardinal, this is responsible communication.
January 29
The final day was spent in small groups, divided according to language. Members were asked to highlight the most important questions that emerged over the previous days. These were then presented to the whole group in a plenary session. The day and conference concluded with the group picture taken by the papal photographer.
