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/

The Provincial Chapter of the Italian Province was held in Istituto Madonna del Carmine “Il Carmelo” (Sassone, Rome) from Sunday, 17th June until Saturday, 22nd June 2024.

The theme for this chapter was “Non temere … Alzati” (Mt 1, 20;3,13) which was seen as having three steps: dreaming, discerning, converting (sognare, discernere, convertirsi).  In the preparation for the chapter, the Province chose the figure and witness of St Joseph. During the first two full days of the chapter, various reports were presented from the Prior Provincial, the Commissary Provincial of the DR Congo, the delegate in Columbia and the prior of the community in Romania and the Provincial Bursar. 

On the third day (Wednesday), the gremiales joyfully approved the request to erect the DR Congo as a new province in the Order. They also agreed to take the steps necessary to establish the Carmelite presence in Columbia as a provincial commissariat. This same day, Professor Fabrizio Carletti (Centro Studi Missione Emmaus) gave a presentation to the gremiales regarding how the Province might initiate a pastoral process of discernment in order to create a vision for this age. 

On Thursday, the chapter was joined for the day by other members of the Carmelite Family who represented the nuns, Third Order, affiliated congregations, youth committees and other lay groups working within the area of the Italian Province. There was a strong desire that the communion of the Carmelite Family would be reinforced so that we could journey together in co-responsibility.

On Friday, the gremiales elected the new government for the next three years. They also worked to write a letter to the Carmelite Family outlining the joy of their week together.

The following members were elected to leadership at the meeting:

Prior Provincial | Prior Provincial | Priore Provinciale
Gian Domenico Meloni, O. Carm.

Vice Prior Provincial | Vice Prior Provincial | Vice Priore Provinciale
Giuseppe Midili, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1^o Consigliere
Giampiero Molinari, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2^o Consigliere
Henry Venecia Cerro, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3^o Consigliere
Nicola Sozzi, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4^o Consigliere
Francesco Sciarelli, O. Carm.

pdf Here is the Final Message of the Provincial Chapter of the Italian Province (236 KB)

1st Councilor  | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr. Cristina Conejero Rodríguez, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sr. Estela Santos Torres, O.Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa
Sr. Estela Santos Torres, O.Carm.

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice
Sr. Rosario Sivó Medina, O. Carm.

Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana
Sr. Cristina Conejero Rodríguez, O. Carm.

International Communications Commission Meets to Discuss Communications Plan and Study Communications Initiatives

Members of the International Communications Commission met at the General Curia May 27-29, 2024, for their annual in-person meeting. The first day was dedicated to a few items carried over from the previous meeting and a discussion of the various points contained in the report from the director of the Office of Communications.

On Tuesday, Fr. José Maria La Porte, a faculty member of the Pontifical University of Santa Croce’s Department of Communications, gave a presentation during the morning on developing a communications plan. Instead of a plan on paper, La Porte outlined the fundamental values for the plan touching three levels: global, provinces, and local houses. He encouraged members to look at the priorities (ex vocations, the scapular, communicating Carmelite spirituality with teachers, etc) and select one to begin working on a multi-year plan for implementation. The group continued to discuss the ideas presented and work on what steps we should take next.

On Monday, the members reviewed the topics carried over from the previous meeting is a video project on the Carmelite Saints, reusing content that is already prepared. The commentary would be put into the three official languages, preferably using voice over.

There is some interest in sharing resources among the local directors of communications. This would create some synergy among those responsible for communications as well as allow us to produce a true web among things we create. This sharing is already done to some extent with a number of initiatives and pictures from various events or personal collections. But sharing is often is limited because of language.

With the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in 2025, this would be an opportunity to begin working closer together, not only in social media but also in print. Other major anniversaries of provinces and ministries or projects of the Church such as the Jubilee Year could be identified. Committee member Manuel Freitas agreed to coordinate a project making available articles on the Carmelite charism for distribution every three months.

Richard Byrne updated the member on the liturgical texts approved by the General Council. These are a new Rite of Profession (ad experimentum) in English; a set of alternative readings for the Office of Readings for the Saturday Memoria of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Italian with translations into English and Spanish to follow; Ritual of the Third Order (ad experimentum); the full Mass and breviary texts for the celebration of St. Titus Brandsma as a feast (awaiting approval of the Dicastery); the text of the collect and second reading of the Office of Readings for the (Carmelite) Spanish Martyrs (awaiting approval of the Dicastery). It has been agreed that Edizioni Carmelitane will print the hardcopy of the Carmelite Propers in English.

William J. Harry, the director of the Office of Communications, had distributed a written report to the members and proceeded to highlight a number of the points.

During several weeks since April, a part-time person helped prepare books for shipping and assisted in organizing the storage shelves according to the collections. In June the staffing returned to two employees with the Office of Communications coordinating both social media for the Order and the Edizioni Carmelitane publications house.

Reports were given on Edizioni publications that have been printed or are in some phase of preparation. There have been 11 publications since the commission’s meeting in May 2023 and 14 new publications are in process. A selection of the newer books are being offered as e-books.

The new website has simplified ordering books for the customers as well as providing a wealth of information about our sales and marketing strategies. This will continue to be developed, especially information provided to customers about the content of the books.

The director reported that the number of people receiving the CITOC messages is 3, 491 (a decrease of 26) while the monthly Lectio divina is sent to 18,832 (an increase of 1,500) with a number of provinces and parishes reposting the information. Requests for prayer has spiked in the last couple of months with the office receiving 17-25 a day with a lot of new people making the requests. These are forwarded to some of the enclosed monasteries for their generous attention.

The members then reviewed the revised norms for Edizioni Carmelitane having been approved by the General Council.

Those in the ministry of communications in the provinces will be invited to a meeting in Rome which will include the 3 day biennial conference at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce, the 3 day Jubilee of the World of Communications, and a one day meeting of Carmelite communicators. Information will be sent out to those who have been identified by their provincials or commissaries.

The members will meet again via Zoom on July 2, 2024. The next in-person meeting will be at the General Curia in Rome on January 29-31, 2025.

INITIUM NOVITIATUS
12-05-24  Fátima Azarias Mutevule (BAR) Barcelona, España

ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
07-06-24  Fabianus Gatin Belang (Indo)
07-06-24  Adelbertus Zakharias Kasman (Indo)
07-06-24  Gustavianus Mailino Tevi (Indo)
07-06-24  Alexander Raymond Dhena (Indo)
07-06-24  Heronimus Muga Wio (Indo)
07-06-24  Arnoldus Reban (Indo)
07-06-24  Bonefasius Afandi (Indo)
07-06-24  Wilibrodus Ironius Sebho (Indo)

ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
08-05-24  Dominik Norbert Smeja (BM) Olomouc, Czech Republic
25-05-24  Jonathan Steele (SEL-Trin) Lower Santa Cruz, Trinidad
06-06-24  Flor Vincent V. Taoc (Phil) Agusan del Sur, Philippines
06-06-24  Vincent V. Sumanting (Phil) Agusan del Sur, Philippines

Two years after the canonization of Carmelite Titus Brandsma, the relics and an image of the saint continue their tour around the Philippines. On May 14, the eve of the anniversary of Brandsma’s canonization, the relics were at the headquarters of ABS-CBN in Quezon City.

ABS-CBN Corporation is the largest radio broadcaster, entertainment television production, program syndication provider and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is Filipino owned and based in Quezon City which is in Metro Manila, Philippines. It employs more than 5,200 people.

Tuesday’s event was the first time a media company has hosted the nationwide pilgrimage of the relic and image of St. Titus. Known as a defender of truth and a martyr for press freedom, the saint's values and principles “perfectly align” with ABS-CBN’s mission, said Brother Lester Hallig, O. Carm., as quote in an online article on the ABS-CBN website. “That’s what makes his presence here very special. He resonates with the values that ABS-CBN represents.”

Members of the Philippine Province which is dedicated to St. Titus Brandsma led the visit to the media corporation’s Chapel of the Annunciation. The chapel’s chaplain, Fr. Carmelo “Tito” Caluag, presided over the Mass to celebrate the relic’s visit.

Following the Mass, ABS-CBN’s President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, Chairman Mark Lopez, and Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes signed a “pledge of truth.”

The pilgrim relic tour of St. Titus started in July 2022, two months after he was declared as a saint on May 15, 2022. It has been the subject of a previous CITOC online Update (134/2023).

St. Titus' relic has visited several provinces, including Pangasinan, Isabela, and parts of Mindanao, as well as different schools around the Philippines. Last year, the Order of the Carmelites brought the relic and image of the saint to Kalibo, Aklan, and introduced it to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

pdf Read here the the text of the interview conducted with Fr. Carmelo Caluag and Br. Lester Hallig, O. Carm. (85 KB)

Watch the Mass for St Titus Brandsma pilgrim relic visit to ABS CBN chapel | Philippine Carmelites | Philippine Carmelites · Original audio

Archivissima 2024 -- The Festival and Night of the Archives

On June 7, 2024, the General Archives and Library of the Carmelite Order held a discussion entitled Aut Pati Aut Mori: The Symbolism of the Heart in Carmelite Female Iconography at Centro Internazionale Sant'Alberto (CISA) in Rome.

Art historian, teacher, and author of several books, Ruggiero Doronzo and Carmelite Charló Camilleri, spiritual theologian, dialogued rather than presenting as in a traditional conference format. The discussion centered on chalcographic engravings from the modern age (16th-18th centuries) kept in the General Archives of the Order. Special reference to the figures of St. Teresa of Avila, St. Maria Magdalena De' Pazzi and the Venerable Rosa Maria Serio.

Archivissima 2024--The Festival and Night of the Archives is a cultural initiative that took place throughout Italy from June 6 to 9.

Doronzo authored the book Iconografia Carmelitana al Femminile which was published by Edizioni Carmelitane.

View the conference on YouTube

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).

Life in the Kingdom of God
(Mk 4:35-41)

• pdf Celebrating At Home - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF] (314 KB)
• default Celebrating At Home - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub] (6.82 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - XII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (538 KB)
• pdf Celebrando in Casa - XII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario (556 KB)
• pdf Celebrando em família - Décimo Segundo Domingo do Tempo Comum (545 KB)

The Irish Provincial Chapter was held in Gort Muire Carmelite Centre (Dublin) from Sunday, June 9th to Friday, June 14, 2024. On the Sunday evening, the members of the Chapter gathered in the Chapel for a Liturgy to open the Provincial Chapter. After the service the members moved to the Chapter Room where the Prior General, Mícéal O’Neill gave an address. In his address he said:

“Dear brothers, the 2024 provincial chapter will be very different to previous chapters in this province. I am thinking mainly of the work of preparation.  The three words that are associated with the Synod of Bishops that now occupies so much of the attention of the Church, namely, participation, communion and mission, apply very precisely to this 2024 provincial chapter.”

The Prior General then proposed the appointment of Mr. Danny Curtin as the moderator – facilitator of the chapter. The members of the Chapter approved the proposal that members of the Order, not of the Irish Province, who are living in Ireland could attend and participate in the Chapter.  They also approved the proposal that our lay collaborators could attend and participate in the relevant sessions of the Chapter, including members of the lay family on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

The Prior Provincial, Michael Troy, then gave his Relatio during which he said,

“We need to respond to the invitation of Pope Francis — to have the courage to allow ourselves to be pushed beyond our securities, including the security we find in our pastoral activities. What does the Church in Ireland & Zimbabwe expect from Carmelites today? What do we bring to the Church and world today?”

The Prior General then confirmed the new Prior Provincial, Simon Nolan, in office. He also confirmed in office the Provincial Councillors, Fintan Burke, Simplisio Manyika, Brain McKay and James Eivers. The Provincial then confirmed in office the Commissary Provincial, Ezevia Murambiwa. The Provincial announced that he had asked Vitalis Chiromba, a member of the Zimbabwean Commissariat to be the Assistant Provincial.

This is the first time that a member of the Zimbabwean Commissariat had been elected as a Provincial Councillor (Simplisio Manyika) and a Zimbabwean appointed to be the Assistant Provincial (Vitalis Chiromba). In many ways, it reflects the desire for unity and deeper relationships between the two geographical parts of the province.

With Ms. Julie McCullough, the Province’s Director of Safeguarding, the members spent some time considering the area of safeguarding. Julie noted that the Province achieved all seven standards in the recent review by the National Safeguarding Board. 

Under the facilitation of Mr. Curtin, the Province developed a unified vision for the Province (in both Ireland and Zimbabwe) under three interconnected areas: (a) renewing the ways of we relate to each other as brothers; (b) working with a model of intentional encounter and accompaniments; and (c) working in a synodal way and in co-responsibility.

On Thursday, the members of the Chapter were joined by the lay people who had been invited to join in the common discernment. During this session the lay members of the Carmelite Family stated that they saw so much potential in the vision which they wanted to share with the friars. They wanted to work together and be co-responsible.

On Friday, after approving the revised Statutes for the Province, the proposals with regard to Zimbabwe and committing to the vision for the Province, the members of the Chapter returned to the Chapel for a closing liturgy. The Chapter concluded with the singing of the Flos Carmeli.

Prior Provincial | Prior Provincial | Priore Provinciale
Simon Nolan, O. Carm.

Assistant Provincial | Asistente Provincial | Assistente Provinciale
Vitalis Chiromba, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1^o Consigliere
Fintan Burke, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2^o Consigliere
Simplisio Manyika, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3^o Consigliere
Brian McKay, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4^o Consigliere
James Eivers, O. Carm.

Commissary Provincial Zimbabwe | Comisario Provincial Zimbabwe | Commissario Provinciale Zimbabwe
Ezevia Murambiwa, O. Carm.