Stewards of God’s Gift
(Matthew 21:33-43)

In last Sunday’s parable, Jesus addressed the Jerusalem priests and elders with a message that “action speaks louder than words”.
This Sunday, Jesus continues his address to them, building upon that message by using another parable.
This week’s parable asks us how we have used the gifts that God has entrusted to us. It is essentially a parable about stewardship.
God has entrusted the kingdom to us, individually and collectively. We are expected to cultivate and manage this Kingdom life in such a way that it bears good fruit, fruit that we can present to God, the ‘owner of the vineyard’.
There is nothing in the parable to indicate that there was any actual produce for the landowner to collect. It may very well be that the tenants had simply neglected the wonderful vineyard altogether and allowed it to fall into ruin.
Each of us has been given, not only the gift of life, but the wealth provided by God’s grace – the very kingdom of God. Indeed, we have been privileged. However, with this privilege comes responsibility and we are ultimately responsible to God for the way we use or neglect the Kingdom within. We have to become a people who produce the fruit of the kingdom: love, mercy, justice, forgiveness, tolerance, hope, joy, deeds of loving kindness.
What will we do with the Kingdom that has been entrusted to us? Let us pray that we may leave all the various ‘vineyards’ of our worlds in a better condition than how we were given them. Let us develop and sustain our awareness, seek out opportunities to contribute and then make judicious use of the gifts and grace that God has given us by letting God’s grace be seen at work in us; and, through us, at work in the world.
We are stewards of the Kingdom and of God’s grace. Let’s not waste such a great gift.

• Celebrating At Home - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF]
• Celebrating At Home - 27thSunday in Ordinary Time [ePub]
• Celebrando en Familia - XXVII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
• Celebrando in Casa - XXVII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario
• Celebrando em família - XXVII Domingo do Tempo Comum

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

October 1-8: Pleanary session of the General Council -- Rome 

October 9-14: Visitation of Dulce Nombre de María Province -- Burkina Faso foundations

October 15-17: Premier "Revista Misión" on the life of fray Pablo Ma de la Cruz, O. Carm. (+) -- Spain

October 19-23: Meeting of the Major Superiors of the Americas -- São Paolo, Brazil

October 24-27: Visit to the Province of Rio -- Brazil

Decree Establishing the Congolese Province on October 15th Approved and Signed

On October 1, the feast of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, with the consent of his Council, the Prior General, Desiderio García Martínez, issued the decree of canonical establishment of the Congolese Province, placing it under the patronage of Blessed Isidore Bakanja. This is the first Province on the African continent and will come into effect on October 15, the feast of St. Thérèse of Jesus.

In 1970, the then Roman Province decided to launch a missionary endeavor in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On February 6, 1973, the first three religious—Fr. Arcangelo Colandrea, Fr. Ubaldo Pani, and Fr. Domenico Fiore—departed to live and provide pastoral care at the parish of Jiba, in Ituri, within the Diocese of Bunia. On February 10, they were officially welcomed by the bishop, Monsignor Gabriele Ukec. The entire Roman Province rallied with great enthusiasm, accompanying the work of the three brothers with prayer and supporting them through a variety of initiatives. In the meantime, other religious joined or took over from the first group: Fr. Guido Sartori, Fr. Mario Serra, Fr. Nazareno Mauri, Fr. Teofano Scano, Fr. Gianfranco Tuveri, and Fr. Francesco Campagna.

When the Italian Province was established in 1991, the mission in the Congo—by then significantly developed—became the heritage and commitment of the entire Carmelite Family. At the same time, several Congolese brothers arrived in Italy to pursue specialized studies and offer their service in various communities: the “mission” thus became “missionary.”

The 12th Provincial Chapter of the Italian Province, held from June 17 to 22, 2024, approved the request to establish the new Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

On March 19, 2026, in agreement with his Council, the Provincial Prior of the Italian Province submitted to the General Council the request for the establishment of the Congolese Province, proposing Blessed Isidore Bakanja as its patron.

With the establishment of the new Province, the Prior General, with the consent of his Council, appointed:

Provincial Prior:  Jean Pierre Canisius Kasereka Kaniki, O. Carm.

First Councilor:  Georges Kabuli Ndiya, O. Carm.

Second Councilor:  Jean Marie Vianney Musongya Mahamba, O. Carm.

Third Councilor:  Lucien Kasereka Kahatane, O. Carm.

Fourth Councilor:  Innocent Djombu Dz’Djo, O. Carm.

The new Provincial Prior and his Council will remain in office until the first Provincial Chapter, which must be held within one year of the date of the Province’s establishment.

Rejoicing in this development of the Order on the African continent, the Prior General and his Council entrust the new Congolese Province to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and Blessed Isidore Bakanja, so that the Carmelite charism may continue to bear fruits of holiness.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
October 1 | Feast

Saint Thérèse was born at Alençon in France on 2nd January 1873. Her parents were Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin. Following her death on September 30, 1897, of tuberculosis at the age of 24, she became known around the world as St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face through the publication of her autobiography now known as Story of a Soul.   

In 2025, the Church celebrates the 100th anniversary of St. Thérèse's canonization. During his homily at the canonization, the Pope Pius, “If everyone follows this path of spiritual childhood, everyone will see how easily reformation of human society can be achieved, which we have proposed since the beginning of our pontificate. On the wall of the niche in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica where Pius XI is buried, there is a mosaic of the saint.

Thérèse’s simple yet powerful spirituality has captured the imagination of Catholics and non-Catholics alike for the last century. Her sense of commitment led her to a profound experience of the love of God and of neighbor. She never had an easy life, but she did live with a great sense of peace and joy.

Read more about the life of St Therese

St. Thérèse, Her Family and Her Spirituality

Proclamation of St. Therese of Lisieux as Doctor of the Church

Edizioni Carmelitane published a book to celebrate the 150th anniversary of her birth in 1873 and the 100th anniversary of her beatification as well as the 100th anniversary of her canonization in 2025. More information is available here:

Singing the Mercies of the Lord Writings on Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Also available as an ebook

Elective Chapter Held for the San José Carmelite Monastery in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico

The Carmelite monastery of San José in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, held its Chapter of Elections on September 22, 2026

The monastery originated in the city of San Juan Bautista on the island of Puerto Rico. In 1646, King Philip IV of Spain issued a decree for its establishment. The nuns from Seville in southern Spain could not accept this foundation due to the immense maritime dangers of that time. Dominican Nuns were called from the neighboring city of Santo Domingo and they began the process of forming the first candidates for religious life and Carmelite life.

In 1651, the monastery was canonically erected. In 1903, the community moved to the city of San Germán and in 1910 to a new location in the city of Santurce. Finally, in 1971, it was established in its current location in the town of Trujillo Alto.

The monastery is in the Diocese of San Juan and part of the Nuestra Señora del Carmel Federation of Carmelite monasteries.

The nuns elected to leadership roles are:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sor Carmen Noemí Marrero, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sor Linda María Pérez González, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sor Mildred María Rosario Rivera, O. Carm.

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice:
Sor Linda María Pérez Gonsález, O. Carm.

• Lectio Divina October, 2026 [Pdf]
• Lectio Divina October, 2026 [ePub]
• Lectio Divina October, 2026 [Mobi]

Former bishop of Rochester, New York, television personality in the 1950s, and renown preacher and speaker, Fulton John Sheen, was beatified in a ceremony in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 24, 2026. He was also a member of the Carmelite Third Order. He was professed by the Prior General, Kilian Lynch, in the chapel of Whitefriars Hall in Washington, DC., on July 17, 1948.

On the occasion of the beatification of this Third Order Carmelite, the prior general issued a letter to the Carmelite Family in the official languages of the Order. His letter can be found here.

In his homily at the beatification in St. Louis, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle began by greeting all present in the name of Pope Leo. Cardinal Tagle said, “Pope Leo rejoices at the beatification of his fellow countryman, his fellow Illinoisan, and brother bishop.”

At his regular Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope spoke about the beatification and held up Archbishop Sheen as an example for everyone engaged in evangelization. Known affectionately as “Uncle Fultie,” Archbishop Sheen had a national program on the relatively new medium of television. An estimated 30 million viewers regularly watched Sheen’s Life Is Worth Living which aired from 1952 to 1957. He won an Emmy Award for this work.

“Tomorrow in Saint Louis, Missouri, Venerable Fulton Sheen will be beatified,” the pope said. “May the example and intercession of this holy bishop, known for his evangelizing work through the media, inspire many others likewise to find new ways of spreading the Gospel message with joyful enthusiasm."

In his letter declaring Bishop Sheen Blessed, Pope Leo described him as “a tireless preached of the Gospel through the modern means of communications and a diligent shepherd animated by missionary zeal.”

Cardinal Tagle, in his homily, highlighted two aspects of Sheen’s life that stand out in particular: his identity as an evangelizer, or proclaimer of the Gospel, and his vocation as a missionary shepherd.

For the Cardinal the American bishop’s fame as a communicator was secondary to his vocation as a missionary. Cardinal Tagle spoke of Sheen as having a communion with Christ and a communion with people, especially the poor and vulnerable. Tagle noted that the Mass’s three readings likewise place evangelization and mission at the center.

Cardinal Tagle retold the story of a conversation between Sheen and Pope Pius XII: Asked how many conversions he could claim, Sheen replied that he had never counted them, lest he be tempted to think they belonged to him. He described himself instead as “simply a porter” who was sometimes able to lead people to the open door of God’s house.

The evangelizer, the Cardinal explained, does not own the people he encounters, nor does he take credit for what God accomplishes in them. He simply opens the door.

The ceremony was held at The Dome at America’s Center in Saint Louis, Missouri. An estimated 50,000 were in attendance, “exceeding all expectations and hopes” according to one commentator. The entrance procession alone took some 26 minutes.

Read the Circular Letter to the Carmelite Family On the Beatification of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen here

Elective Chapter Held for the Carmelite Monastery in Batu, Indonesia

The Carmelite monastery of Flos Carmeli in Batu, Indonesia, held its Chapter of Elections on September 24, 2026

The monastery of Flos Carmeli was founded in 1962 by two Indonesian nuns from the "St. Mary Magdalene" monastery in Boxmeer, Netherlands, together with three nuns from the "Holy Trinity" monastery in Schlüsselau, Germany. This undertaking was carried out with the approval of Antonius Everardus Ioannes (Avertanus) Albers, O. Carm., the bishop of that diocese.

The Batu monastery is the first Carmelite monastery in Indonesia. In 1993, nuns from this monastery established a daughter foundation at Palangka Raya, Indonesia.

The website of the monastery is: www.floscarmelibatu.org

The nuns elected to leadership roles are:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sr M Brigitta Gitasianiningsih Purnama, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr. M. Gerarda Suwarti Jokasemo, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sr. M. Rosa Sukatmi Rahayu Moensarip, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3ª Consejera | 3ª Consigliera:
Sr. M. Laura Inacentia Sulistiowati Widjajakusuma, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4ª Consejera | 4ª Consigliera:
Sr. M. Angelina Wiwik Andriani Koesman, O. Carm

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice:
Sr. M. Gabriela Sri Wiharti Solichin, O. Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa:
Sr. M. Elisabeth Widhi Habsari Soetadi, O. Carm.

Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana:
Sr. M. Lusia Dwi Estina Waluyaningrum, O. Carm.

New Leadership Elected for the General Commissariat of Paraná

The Fifth Chapter of the General Commissariat of Paraná is taking place from 21 to 25 September 2026 in Maringá, Brazil, under the theme "Carmel: Presence and Mission" and the biblical motto, "Lord, in your light we see light" (Ps 36:9).

During the Chapter, Frei Edmilson Borges de Carvalho, O. Carm., was elected Commissary General. The Chapter also elected Frei Flávio Barbosa dos Santos, O. Carm., First Councilor; Frei Cleidimar Vilela Roquim da Silva, O. Carm., Second Councilor; Frei Vagner Sanagiotto, O. Carm., Third Councilor; and Frei Romualdo Borges de Macedo, O. Carm., Fourth Councilor.

In 1951, the Upper German Province of the Order began missionary work in the city of Paranavai, in the Brazilian state of Paraná, and within a few years sent fifteen missionaries to the new foundation. The friars immediately fostered local vocations, and as early as 1953, they established a second foundation in the city of Graciosa, where a minor seminary was built.

In 1965, the Paraná mission was raised to the status of a Provincial Commissariat. In 1967, the friars assumed pastoral care of the parish of Saint Joseph in Cidade Gaúcha and the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin in Fanny-Curitiba; at this latter parish, they also established a novitiate and a minor seminary. In 1968, following the division of the Cidade Gaúcha parish, the friars took charge of a new parish in the city of Tapira. The following year, the friars established the Saint John of the Cross Seminary and middle schools in the city of Paranavai. In 1984, the friars took over the Good Jesus parish in the city of Dourados, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. In 1994, the friars relinquished the parishes they had been serving in Cidade Gaúcha and Tapira in order to launch a new mission in the northern region. Consequently, they assumed pastoral care of the parish of Our Lady of Aparecida in the city of Rolim de Moura, in the state of Rondônia (Amazon region).

In 1996, a house of formation was founded in Barrio Novo, Curitiba; there, the Blessed Titus Brandsma friary for postulants and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel friary for professed friars studying theology were also established. At the beginning of the third millennium, communities were established in Manaus and Navegantes [2009] and in Florianópolis [2011]. On October 20, 2012, the Prior General, with the approval of the Council of the Order, canonically erected the General Commissariat of Paraná.

After successful congresses of the Titus Brandsma Circle held in 2023 in Nijmegen (Netherlands) and 2025 in Rome (Italy), another congress on research into Titus Brandsma will be held from November 17-20, 2027 in Freising (Germany). 

The Congress is as always open for all aspects in relation to Titus Brandsma. Because of the location the focus if the next Congress will be the death of Titus in Dachau, including a one day trip to the Dachau concentration camp.

The Draft of the programm is available: https://titusbrandsmacircle.org/program-congress-2027/

Registration is possible: https://titusbrandsmacircle.org/congress-registration/

Call for Papers Congress 2027

If you would like to give a presentation at the 2027 congress, submit a proposal on the Call for Papers page: Call for Papers | Titus Brandsma Circle