7 August Feast

He was the first saint who received devotion in the Carmelite Order, and was even considered it patron and protector (or “father”), a title he shared with another saint of his time, Angelo of Sicily.

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On the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, July 16, Pope Francis published his Message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation (September 1), in which, without precedent in his ministry, he calls on all countries to take urgent and bold measures at the upcoming World Climate (COP27) and Biodiversity (COP15) Conferences. He makes a forceful call for the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.

Read the full message here

False security
(Luke 12:13-21)

All too often we are made aware of the vulnerability and uncertainty of life.

Things can suddenly change. We don’t know what will happen today, tomorrow or even in a few moments’ time. Such experiences can make us profoundly anxious, and we look for ways to protect ourselves and what we own against life’s adverse events. It is not only a problem for wealthy people like the rich man in the Gospel today. It can be a problem for all of us. We seem to have an instinctive need to build a sense of security by amassing goods and wealth.

A strong focus in the Luke’s Gospel is that nothing is more destructive of life and humanity than the need to acquire, hold on to and increase wealth.

The problem is not the riches we possess but that our need to possess them gets in the way of our relationship with God, our only true security. That same need also gets in the way of our concern for others. We become reluctant to share what we have in case we may need it one day.

In many ways the Gospel is about the fundamental orientation of a disciple’s life - do we live for ourselves and our possessions, or for God and the Kingdom? Do we own our possessions, or do they own us? What do we value most in life? 

Thirsting after material things distorts us, narrows our focus and corrupts our moral sense. As disciples of Jesus, we try to keep God at the centre of our lives. In Baptism and Confirmation we pledge ourselves to be willing workers with God in making God’s dreams and hopes for us all a reality.

A successful life in God’s eyes is not about storing up material treasure for ourselves (the parable of the rich man in this Sunday’s Gospel) but about being a source of real treasure for others (the servant parable in next Sunday’s Gospel). Quite often, the prayers of the Mass ask God to help us to use wisely the good things of the earth.

God’s wisdom always directs us towards using who we are and what we have to enrich the lives of others. 

Living according to the heart of God helps us keep all things in their right order and opens us up to God’s wider vision of reality.

• Celebrating At Home -  pdf 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF] (2.86 MB)
• Celebrating At Home -  default 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub] (1.85 MB)
• Celebrando en Familia -  pdf 18 Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (566 KB)
• Celebrando in Casa -  pdf XVIII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario (565 KB)

 27 July Memorial

Born in the Frisian city of Bolsward, Holland, in 1881, St. Titus Brandsma joined the Carmelites in 1898 at the age of 17. He made his first profession in 1899 and then he was ordained to the priesthood in 1905. On July 26, 1942, he was killed by lethal injection in the Dachau concentration camp by the Nazis. He was beatified as a martyr by Pope John Paul II on 3rd November 1985 and was canonized by Pope Francis on May 15, 2022, in St Peter’s Square.

A brief Biography

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International Hymn for the Canonization

Read here

Mass with the Carmelite Family - St. Paul Outside the Walls
May 14, 2022
Celebrant: Míċeál O’Neill, O. Carm. - Prior General of the Carmelite Order

Watch here

Mass of Canonization - St. Peter’s Square
May 15, 2022
Celebrant: Pope Francis

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Papal Homily on May 15 (in various languages):

[Arabic - English - French - German - Italian - Polish - Portuguese - Spanish]

Mass of Thanksgiving - Altar of the Chair (St. Peter’s Basilica)
May 16, 2022
Celebrant: Willem Jacobus Cardinal Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht

Watch here

The Highlights of the Canonization of St. Titus Brandsma
with Fr. Roderick Stories

Watch here

The feast of the Protectors of the Order is celebrated with special solemnity that is the feast of Saints Joseph, Joachim and Anne. The names of the parents of Mary are known from the apocryphal “Proto-Gospel of James” (II century).

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In the year that saw the parish community celebrate the fifth centenary of the presence of the Carmelites in Mesagne, as well as the birth and inauguration of the "Beata Maria Teresa Scrilli" House of the Sisters of the Institute of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Minor Pontifical Basilica of Carmel in Mesagne welcomed, on the occasion of the beginning of the Novena in preparation for the patronal feast, the Prior General of the Order of Carmelites, Irish Father Míċeál O'Neill. In the course of his stay he met with the bishop of the diocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, His Excellency Msgr. Domenico Caliandro, and the mayor of Mesagne Toni Matarrelli.  Father O'Neill presided over the Eucharistic Celebrations of the first two days, Wednesday, July 6 and Thursday, July 7.

In particular, on the evening of July 6, in the presence of the members of the technical-scientific committee promoting the periodic study sessions of a historical, social and cultural nature of the past months and in communion with all the priests of the Messapian city, who were invited to the event, the parish was engaged in the General's welcoming party, enlivened - from 9:30 p.m. onward - by the presence of soprano M° Chiara Marangio and pianist M° Damiano Tamburrino.

On the morning of July 7, at Palazzo Celestini, seat of the Mesagne City Council, the Prior General visited the parish of Our Lady Most Holy of Carmel on the occasion of the beginning of the Novena in preparation for the patronal feast and met with the mayor of the Messapian city, Toni Matarrelli, and the president of the city council, Omar Ture.

Father O'Neill was accompanied by the parish priest, Father Enrico Ronzini, and Father Cosimo Pagliara, prior provincial of the Neapolitan Province, to which the Mesagna basilica belongs.

Matarrelli, who called the General's visit "a great honor for Mesagne and for the parish in which I grew up," expressed words of appreciation and thanks for the industrious presence of the Carmelites in Mesagne since 1521. He paid tribute to the Prior General with a copy of the historian Diego Ferdinando's "Messapography" (edited by Domenico Urgesi and Francesco Scalera) and one of the volumes "Still Appia" (a photographic book capturing images of the Regina Viarum between Rome and Brindisi). He added the philatelic cancellation of the postcard depicting the city of Mesagne on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Commissariato di Pubblica Sicurezza (Public Safety Commissariat).

In turn, the Carmelites made a gift to the city administration of the latest publications published by the Neapolitan Province, especially remembering the figure of St. Titus Brandsma, a Carmelite priest, theologian and journalist executed in the Dachau concentration camp for opposing National Socialist propaganda.

The Prior General, after the evening Eucharistic celebration (followed by a concert by internationally renowned harpist Claudia Lamanna), visited Mesagne in the late evening accompanied by a guide provided by the city administration.

The members of both the OCARM and the OCD General Councils met at Centro Internazionale Sant’Alberto on June 4. These bi-annual meetings have been held since the time of John Malley as prior general of the Carmelites and Camilo Maccise as superior general of the Discalced Carmelites. The purpose was to build connections between the two orders and develop area of cooperation.

This June meeting was structured around building fraternity among the two groups. The Discalced Chapter was held in September 2021. Following moments of prayer, the two groups discussed possible collaboration in common projects, the possible development of the Carmelite presence in the Holy Land, working together at the United Nations through our respective NGOs, possible pastoral situations and initiatives in the academic field with courses and publications. These projects will be discussed in more detail at their winter meeting.

The current superior of the Discalced Carmelites is Fr. Miguel Márquez Calle from Spain. He is assisted by eight definitors and eleven offices of the general curia.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Manila, Philippines, Jose Advincula challenged Catholics, especially the young people, to combat disinformation amid what he called “crisis of truth” in the country. Speaking at the Thanksgiving Mass for the canonization of St. Titus Brandsma on Saturday in the Cubao Cathedral in Quezon City, the archbishop asked the faithful to use social media as a “pulpit” to evangelize and defend the truth.

“If there are forces that use social media to deceive and spread lies, let us combat them by flooding it with the truth of God’s word,” Advincula said. While he acknowledged that the task is not easy, he stressed that when truth is at stake, “remaining apathetic and silent is a sin.”

“When we seem to be experiencing a crisis of truth, especially in social media. St. Titus inspires us to use social media as a pulpit from which we must proclaim, and if need be, defend the truth,” the archbishop added.

Brandsma, whom Pope Francis declared a saint along with nine others on May 15, is being described as a journalist-martyr of the 20th century. Born in 1881, the Dutch Carmelite priest, theologian, journalist, and author wrote and spoke out against the Nazis’ anti-Jewish laws and propaganda. In January 1942, he was arrested after trying to persuade Dutch Catholic newspapers not to print Nazi propaganda. When Brandsma refused, he was transferred to the Dachau concentration camp in February 1942, where he died by lethal injection on July 27 at the age of 61.

The new saint is the titular patron of the Filippino province of the Carmelite Order.

Among those present during the Mass were Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, members of the Carmelite Order, and some representatives of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Manila.

Cardinal Advincula also exhorted the faithful to be inspired by the saint’s “unwavering pursuit of truth.” “Let us imitate St. Titus in his unwavering courage to proclaim the truth that can never be changed,” he said.

The Triennial Chapter of the Carmelite community of the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas in Madrid, Spain. The Chapter took place on July 18, 2022

The results of the elective chapter were as follows:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:  
Hna. Inmaculada Ochoa Blázquez, O. Carm.

1st Councilor  | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Hna. Noemí Temprano, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera  | 2ª Consigliera: 
Hna. Rosario Almohalla, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3ª Consejera | 3^a Consigliera: 
Hna. Grascia Mendoza, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4ª Consejera | 4^a Consigliera: 
Hna. Mª del Carmen Ruiz, O. Carm.

Director of Novices | Maestra de Novicias | Maestra delle Novizie
Hna. Mª Brunilda Rodríguez, O. Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma  | Economa: 
Hna. Mª del Carmen Ruiz, O. Carm.

Sacristan | Sacristán | Sacrestana:
Hna. Noemi Temprano , O. Carm.

The hospitality of God
(Luke 11:1-13)

Many people struggle with a name for God. For some, ‘Father’ is fine. For others, the image of God as Father evokes traumatic memories of their childhood experience of pain, suffering, neglect and even abuse.

Alternatively, some prefer terms like, ‘Creator’, ‘Redeemer’, and ‘Sanctifier’. But these terms describe functions, not persons, and they seem to lack the warmth and intimacy that we intuitively feel marks our relationship with God.

In today’s Gospel, one of the disciples, having seen Jesus at prayer, asks him to teach them. The prayer that Jesus teaches them is probably very close what he, himself, prayed.

The prayer has none of the formality of those used in Temple and Synagogue worship. Instead, it begins with a more informal, warm and intimate addressing of God as ‘Abba’ - not as formal as ‘Father’ and not as childish as ‘Daddy’, but somewhere in between.

However we choose to name God, the term we use needs to have the same sense as ‘Abba’ had for Jesus. The disciples also live in the same warm and intimate relationship which God and Jesus share. And it is out of this relationship as members of God’s household that Jesus teaches them to pray.

The focus of the prayer is initially on God alone (‘may your name be held holy’), then moves to what the world needs (‘your kingdom come’), then to what the disciples need (sustenance, forgiveness and rescue from trial, persecution and temptation).
A community which prays this prayer recognises its privileged closeness to God. But it also recognises that the hospitality of God calls the whole human race into this same closeness experienced as the coming of the Kingdom.

The shamelessly persistent knocking on a friend’s door is an encouragement not to be afraid to continually ask God for what we need to live as members of the kingdom. God will not fail to share God’s life and love through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If human beings, as flawed as we are, know how to give good things to our children, then how much more will the loving and gracious God give the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask? The Holy Spirit who is the bond of love between God, Jesus and us - the Holy Spirit who helps us sense and experience that we are deeply enfolded in God’s love, care and concern.

• Celebrating At Home -  pdf 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF] (2.92 MB)
• Celebrating At Home -  default 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub] (2.67 MB)
• Celebrando en Familia -  pdf 17 Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (586 KB)
• Celebrando in Casa -  pdf XVII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario (586 KB)
• Celebrando em Família -  pdf 17 Domingo do Tempo Comum (586 KB)