The Solemnly Professed in Australia-Timor Leste Province. In a ceremony the evening before the professions, the families brought their sons, in traditional dress, to the front door of the community and formally entrusted them to the Carmelites for the rest of their lives. The brothers were welcomed by Fr Bruce Clark, prior provincial, and other members of the community at Hera.

Los profesos solemnes de la Provincia de Australia-Timor Oriental. En una ceremonia celebrada la víspera de las profesiones, las familias llevaron a sus hijos, vestidos con trajes tradicionales, a la puerta principal de la comunidad y los confiaron formalmente a los carmelitas para el resto de sus vidas. Los hermanos fueron recibidos por el padre Bruce Clark, prior provincial, y otros miembros de la comunidad de Hera.

I professi solenni nella Provincia Australia-Timor Est. La sera prima della professione, durante una cerimonia, le famiglie hanno portato i loro figli, vestiti con abiti tradizionali, davanti alla porta della comunità e li hanno affidati ufficialmente ai Carmelitani per il resto della loro vita. I fratelli sono stati accolti da padre Bruce Clark, priore provinciale, e da altri membri della comunità di Hera.

PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA
10-09-25  Nzakumu Levi Précieuz (Ital-Congo) Bunia, RDC
10-09-25  Aling'Aka Jean-Claude (Ital-Congo) Bunia, RDC
10-09-25  Kambale Molo Barthelemy (Ital-Congo) Bunia, RDC
04-01-26  Arthur Paiva Gonzaga de Almeida (Flum) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  João Marcos Marques Arruda (Flum) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  Carlos Eduardo da Silva Barros (Pern) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  José Carlos Bezerra de Lima (Pern) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  Germán Luis de Santa Maria (Par) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  Andrés Felipe Gomes Salamanca (Par) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  José Henrique Couto (Par) Graciosa, Brasil
04-01-26  Mateus Fernandes Bezerra (Par) Graciosa, Brasil

PROFESSIO SOLEMNIS
14-09-25  Silvi Michele (Ital) Albano Laziale, Italia
14-09-25  Francu Laruentiu (Ital) Albano Laziale, Italia
20-11-25  Paulo Martins De Araújo (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 
20-11-25  Celesino Soares (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 
20-11-25  Elias Soares Sin (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 
20-11-25  João Fernando Cabal (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 
20-11-25  Fernando Gusmão (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 
20-11-25  Samuel Lopes (Aust-TL) Hera, Timor-Leste 

ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
02-08-25  Kombi Kalihi Elysée (Ital-Congo) Butembo, RDC
02-08-25  Kasereka Kayilanda Elisée (Ital-Congo) Butembo, RDC
08-11-25  Juan Gabriel Arrieta Zambrano (Ital-Col)  Colombia
15-11-25  Agostinho dos Santos (Aust-TL). Emera, Timor-Leste

Meeting of the Leadership of the European Area in Rome in January 2026

The annual meeting of the priors provincial, commissaries general, delegates general and the regional presidents from the European Area took place in Rome over two days in January 2026. In addition, Joshy George Pottackal – the regional superior of the Carmelites from the St Thomas Province (India) who ministry in Germany – also attended. Joshy will be ordained auxiliary bishop of Mainz in a few months’ time and those present expressed their prayers and congratulations to him.

On the first day, Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., prior general, presided at the Eucharist in Traspontina and Gian Domenico Meloni, prior provincial of the Italian Province, presided at the Eucharist on the second day.

The meeting began with a short presentation of the history of Traspontina and of the envisaged project for Traspontina. After sharing with each other the current situation of each reality in Europe, the participants reflected on the recent General Chapter (2025) that was held in Malang, Indonesia last September. In particular, time was spent reflecting on the Final Message of the General Chapter and how it was being implemented in each reality. Much of the meeting was spent in proposing the key objectives for the European Area to be working on over the next six years. Finally, it was agreed that next year’s meeting would be in Salamanca in January 2026.

Most of the participants stayed in Saint Albert’s International College (CISA). The meeting itself was held in the residence of the nearby Carmelite community of Santa Maria in Traspontina. The participants were extremely grateful for the great hospitality and welcome offered by both of these Carmelite communities and by their priors, Tadeusz Popiela (CISA) and Giuseppe Midili (Traspontina).

During January 2026, two Carmelite hermits (Father John Mary, prior and Brother Chrisopher) from the Carmelite Hermitage of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lake Elmo, Minnesota in the USA, spent some time at the General Curia of the Order in Rome on their way to Venice, Italy. 

Their hermitage, founded on May 14, 2003, has run out of room and cannot accept any new vocations. As a result, they are building more hermitages and a larger chapel. For this purpose, the two hermits travelled to Italy in order to go to Venice and procure tesserae (glass tiles) which will be used to create the mosaics for the new chapel.

Photo: Desiderio García Martínez O. Carm., (prior general) with Fr John Mary (prior of Lake Elmo) and Brother Christopher.

The Gentleness of the Lamb
(John 1:29-34)

Ordinary Time in the church’s year begins with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which celebrates his identity as the ‘beloved Son’. On this second Sunday in Ordinary Time we move from the baptism to the mission of the one baptised.
John the Baptist names Jesus as, ‘the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.’ In doing so, he links Jesus with a number of Old Testament passages about the lamb of sacrifice and the suffering servant of God. As the first reading this Sunday says, this servant has a universal mission to gather and restore God’s people, to be the ‘light of the nations’ and to proclaim God’s salvation ‘to the ends of the earth’.
In speaking about Jesus, John also tells us about his own mission: to proclaim that someone greater than he is was coming, one who would baptise with the Holy Spirit - the Chosen One of God.
Perhaps our reflection on the identity and mission of Jesus also tells us something about who we are meant to become as his disciples.
There is a gentleness we associate with lambs. They are not regarded as aggressive creatures. They do not kill, even to eat. In a world which often praises and rewards violence and aggression, the Lamb calls us to a different way of life.

• pdf Celebrating At Home - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF] (3.30 MB)
• default Celebrating At Home - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub] (5.57 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - II Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (737 KB)
• pdf Celebrando in Casa - II Domenica del Tempo Ordinario (734 KB)

First Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery Mater Carmeli in Biella, Italy

The Carmelite community of the Mater Carmeli monastery in Biella, Italy, held its first elective chapter on January 9, the feast of St. Andrew Corsini. The monastery was founded on June 4, 2005, from the monastery of Carmelo S. Anna in Carpineto Romano, Italy. On June 4, 2025, the foundation received the Decree of Canonical Erection.

The monastery's website is www.carmelitanebiella.it

Those elected to leadership are:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sr. Maria Aurora della Risurrezione, Pierconti

1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr Rita Mary dello Spirito Santo e di S. Elia, Otorho

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sr. Maria Cristiana del Crocifisso, De Gaspar 

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa
Sr. Maria Rosa dell'Eucarestia, Fois

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice
Sr. Maria Aurora della Risurrezione, Pierconti

Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana:
Sr. Maria Veronica del Volto dell'Amore, De Simoni

The prior general and his council nominated Fr. Michael Farrugia, O. Carm., general procurator as the general delegate for the Third Order.

During the last General Chapter, held during September 2025, Fr. Michael Farrugia was re-elected as the Order’s procurator general for a six-year term, from 2025 to 2031. Fr. Michael is also the president of the General Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons.

He previously served as Prior Provincial of the Maltese Province.

“The Cross Is My Joy, Not My Sorrow” Documentary on Spanish Carmelite Pablo María de la Cruz Premiers

The Carmelite Order begins the new year with the premiere of a documentary entitled: The Cross Is My Joy, Not My Sorrow’ the story of Pablo María de la Cruz, a young Carmelite from Salamanca who died in July 2023 at the age of 21. His death came a few weeks after making his religious profession as a Carmelite at the priory of St. Andrew (El Carmen de Abajo) in Salamanca.

The production narrates the young man's life through the testimonies of family members, friends, priests, friars, and monks who had a close relationship with him and were direct witnesses to the work that God in him. It also includes several excerpts from an interview with Pablo that was recorded a few days before his death.

“Heaven exists, Jesus is alive” is the main message that Pablo conveys in this documentary. He makes this clear in the words he speaks openly to the camera: “Through suffering in illness, I found God, and through death in illness, I will go to Him. And that makes me immensely happy.”

Pablo offered his life to God for three intentions: for the conversion of young people through their encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist; for the unity of the Church; and so that the offering of his life might help us all to overcome our fear of death.

The premiere of the documentary will take place in the St. John Paul II Auditorium at the Pontifical University of Salamanca on Friday, January 16th, at 7:30 pm. This production is suitable for all audiences, as the life of this young man will captivate both believers and non-believers alike.

The original audio of the video is in Spanish, but we have added English subtitles. To see a preview of the documentary is on the Carmelite YouTube, go here:

January 9th | Feast

Born in Florence at the beginning of the 14th century, St. Andrew Corsini  entered religious life in the Carmelite house in his native city. He was appointed Provincial of Tuscany in 1348 by the General Chapter meeting in Metz and the following year he was named bishop of Fiesole, near Florence. He governed his diocese well, becoming a model of charity and an eloquent preacher. 

He was distinguished by his zeal for the apostolate, his wise judgement and his love for the poor.

Read more on St. Andrew Corsini here

The Chapel of St. Andrew Corsini in the Lateran Basilica

Fr. Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., the prior general, has the following schedule planned for the month of January 2026:

January 8: Visit to the Carmelite monastery of Carpineto Romano. Meeting with Sr. M. Valentina Rita Rossin, president of the St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi Federation of the Order's monasteries in Italy. 
January 12-13: Meeting of the priors provincial, commissaries general, and the general delegates of Europe.
January 18-23: Provincial Chapter of the Province of Pernambuco (Brasil) 
January 25-30: Provincial Chapter of the Rio de Janeiro Province