Fr. Desiderio García, new Prior General of the Carmelites: “Our origins are Asian”

In an interview with omnesmag.org, the recently elected prior general of the Carmelite Order, Fr. Desiderio García Martínez, gave insight into his vocation as a Carmelite and where he believes the Order is moving. An online magazine, OMNES is self-described as a Catholic media dealing with current issues from an analytical and reflective point of view, with a Catholic perspective. The interview was published in multiple languages.

Noting that the recent Carmelite General Chapter was held in Indonesia, the prior general remarked on the Carmelite Order’s origins being in the Holy Land. “We came from there, and now the Holy Spirit is taking us back there,” Fr. Desiderio said.

He described the strong growth of the Order in Asia as “only a round trip” since the Order started there. Statistics distributed at the Chapter show that the Asia-Australia-Oceania geographical area contains 722 of the Order’s approximately 2,000 members. Some 263 of these men are in formation. The area is still relatively new to the Order. The oldest Carmelite reality in the area is Australia, founded in 1881, followed by Indonesia in 1923. The Philippines followed in 1958. The Indian Province, the Vietnam Commissariat, the Indian General Commissariat, and the Eastern Indonesian Province are all more recent realities. 

The Dutch Province founded the Order in Indonesia in 1923, 102 years ago. Today, in the largest Muslim country in the world, where the Catholic population is only 3%, the Carmelites province recently split, establishing an Eastern Indonesian Province while retaining the Indonesia Province covering the rest of the country. But the prior general cautioned, “The important thing, of course, is not the numbers, nor the strategies, nor the calculations. Rather, it is to see how the gift of the Carmelite charism, its values, its spirituality, under the action of the Holy Spirit, continues to bear fruit.”

Later in the interview, Fr. Desiderio spoke of “contemplation as not only the heart of the Carmelite charism, but also in itself the best gift we can offer to the world and to the Church.” Carmelites are involved in a broad spectrum of ministries and apostolates—“whatever we do, we pay special attention to people’s spiritual journeys.” The mission among the people is always carried out with “the richness of our contemplative life.”

“I believe that one of the great prophetic challenges of Carmel is to help today’s world cultivate the inner life. An inner life that does not distance us from the ordinary life of people, but on the contrary, immerses us more deeply in the sufferings of humanity. A person with a contemplative gaze is a person with compassionate hands.”

He then used the image, quoting the prophet Isaiah, of “the contemplative spreads his tent” to “make room for God and all who come with Him: humanity. Authentic contemplation leads us to tenderness and compassion, to touch the wounds of the Body of Christ and to heal wounds. I insist the quality of our compassion comes from the roots of contemplation.”

As for his priorities during the coming six years, the prior general spoke about his responsibility to watch over the common good of the entire Order, to ensuring that the Order grows in fidelity to its identity, as well as discerning creatively, looking at our world, the new paths along which God is leading us. This involves accompanying the entire Carmelite Family in cultivating our contemplative attitude in the life of prayer, fraternity, and service in proclaiming the Gospel. He reminds us that this is not done by remote control but “looking the brothers and sisters in the eye, getting to know the reality, and dialoguing with each culture. And above all, it involves deploying the “apostolate of listening.” Two areas of focus emerge from returning to our origins: “the renewal of community life as a place of accompaniment and unconditional welcome” and “the care of our mission, opening windows of hope to vulnerable, poor, and forgotten humanity.”

Although Fr. Desiderio is Spanish, he was born in Orange, France, an ancient Roman city and a World Heritage Site in Provence. “I am the son of immigrants,” he said explaining that his father worked at the vineyards of Châteauneuf du Pape, an important wine-producing center in France since the 14th century. When his grandparents grew old and needed assistance, the family returned to Spain. They settled in Onda, site of a major Carmelite foundation. That was where the future prior general was introduced to the Carmelites.

This article is based on an interview by Francisco Otamendi for omnesmag.org.

The full interview is available here in English.

Church Comes Together in St. Peter’s Square to Celebrate Jubilee of Consecrated Life

An overflow crowd of religious sisters and brothers, monks and contemplatives, members of secular institutes, the Ordo Virginum, hermits, and members of “new institutes” from around the world converged on St. Peter’s Square on Thursday morning, October 9, 2025, to join with Pope Leo XIV in celebrating the Jubilee of Consecrated Life.

During his homily, Pope Leo XIV urged religious men and women to be “truly poor, meek, hungry for holiness, merciful,” and to “seek, ask, and knock” for God’s gifts, embodying the prophetic role of religious life. The pope spoke of “God as the fullness and meaning of our lives. For you—for us—the Lord is everything.” He reminded us that “an authentic experience of God always gives rise to generous outpourings of charity.” This can be seen in the lives of the founders and foundresses of the various orders and congregations present.

The pope concluded by urging all the religious “to treasure and cultivate what you have received. … Keep the simplicity of the ‘least ones’ of the Gospel,” in the words of St. Paul VI. “May you succeed in discovering this anew in an interior and closer relationship with Christ and in your direct contact with your brethren.”

Full text of the homily

An Invitation for All
(Luke 17:11-19)

A major theme in St Luke’s Gospel is that the message of Jesus is for all: men and women, rich and poor, old and young, healthy and sick, gentile and Jew. No one is excluded.
It is no accident that the one grateful leper in this week’s Gospel is not a Jew but a Samaritan – an outsider, excluded by race, religion and his illness. He joins the others in asking a Jewish Rabbi for mercy.
In curing the ten lepers, Jesus gives them back to their families, their communities, their religious practice. No longer confined to isolated places for fear of spreading disease, they are free to take up their lives again. In short, as well as healing them physically, Jesus gives them back their lives.
All ten are cured, but only one, the Samaritan, fully experiences his healing as a moment of salvation; a moment when the mercy of God has broken into his life. Jesus says that it is the Samaritan’s faith that enables him to see what the other nine do not. The man is so moved by this realisation that he turns back to Jesus breaking into shouts of joy, praising God at the top of his voice.
The Samaritan’s faith has drawn him deeper into his relationship with God who heals him and sets him free. And that is God’s great desire for each of us.
The way of Jesus (and, therefore, of his disciples) is not to exclude, but to proclaim God as the God of all by working for healing, restoration and the good of all people. And to recognise and celebrate the presence of God we read in the concrete realities of our lives.

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Many of those attending the recently concluded General Chapter in Malang, Indonesia, found themselves with a bit of time to explore the area. Some arrived a few days in advance to adjust to the time difference. Most took part in the scheduled Sunday free day at the end of the first week. All the excursions involved meals at local restaurants, courtesy of donors to the Indonesian province.

Those who arrived early were treated to a walking tour of Tumpang Valley with its Javenese statues and Koi fishponds on Saturday, September 6. Following that members took a journey up the mountain to the province’s retreat house—Carmel Mount of Peace—where they were again treated to a wonderful meal prepared by the sisters. While they ate, they enjoyed the incredible views.

The majority departed a few hours later for the monastery of Carmelite nuns in Batu. We then crossed the street to the Carmelite parish where Carmelite Bishop Henricus Pidyardo had just finished confirmation and was now with the parishioners celebrating the 90th anniversary of the parish. The Chapter members were invited to join in. This was followed by a short drive to the Carmelite novitiate in Batu with Mass and lunch together with the community.

Then it was off to the East Java Park and the Batu Secret Zoo. The group’s fascination with the animals could not overcome the heat and humidity (and perhaps jet lag for some) so most of the group waited on the steps while a few hearty souls ventured into the museum section of the zoo. This was followed by a welcome meal and drinks at a local restaurant owned by supporters of the Order in Indonesia.

On Sunday, September 13, a few members set out to celebrate Mass with the residents of the Indonesian province’s House of Mercy, a residence in Batu for elderly who have no family to take care of them. Two buses departed a few hours later with the other members to visit some of the cultural-historical sites of Malang and the Carmelites. Among these was the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel where the closing Mass and signing of the Acts of the Chapter would be held, the original Carmelite church in Malang, and the original dwelling of the Carmelites when they arrived from the Netherlands over 100 years ago. That building is currently being remodeled to hold the provincial offices and living quarters fo the Indonesian province.

But probably the highlight for everyone was the group’s experience at the Kolumbarium—a multi-purpose facility of the province. Visitors toured the guest house, the residence for the Carmelites stationed on the property, a museum of the province, a chapel containing the tomb of Bishop Franciscus Hadisumarta, O. Carm., and several areas dedicated to reserving the ashes of deceased Catholics as well as many of the members of the province. It provides a lot of open space and has become a popular spot for families to come and spend part of the day.

But it was when the Carmelite students as well as members of the St Albert’s Senior School community performed a Balinese dance based on the ancient Indian epic of Ramayana, that all the beauty of the Indonesian culture— its sounds, colors, and dance—came together. The epic of Ramayana narrates the life of Rama, the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is a prince of Ayodhya in the kingdom of Kosala. The epic follows his 14-year exile to the forest urged by his father on the request of Rama’s stepmother. His travels across the forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sinta and brother; the kidnapping of Sinta by the king of Lanka; and Rama’s eventual return to Ayodhya along with Sinta to be crowned as a king amidst jubilation and celebration.

The master of ceremony for the show was Dimas Pele Alu, a member of the province’s formation team and well-known performer. Dimas introduced the characters and action of the epic in a humorous fashion and in a variety of languages. There were many references to the action parallelling religious life. All the hard work of the performers and musicians made for a memorable experience for the Chapter members. The evening concluded with a buffet dinner at a local restaurant which afforded some of the braver souls in the group to perform with the local band.

On Saturday, September 27, following the Chapter’s conclusion, those members flying out in subsequent days adjourned to the main house of the Hermanas Carmelitas de Oriuela in Malang for a lunch of local dishes and a bit of singing and dancing.

At the conclusion of the Chapter, the members of the General Chapter gathered in the Hall to hear from the Prior General, Desiderio García Martínez, as he addressed the group on his reflections of the Chapter and the road ahead for the Order.

In his message, Fr. Desiderio reflects on his role as a "service of love to God, to the Church, and to the Carmelite Order", rooted in the Carmelite tradition of contemplation and fraternity. Inspired by his spiritual mentors and the wisdom of Carmelite mystics, he emphasizes that love must guide all aspects of life—prayer, service, and community—and calls for renewed focus on formation and devotion to Mary as foundations of the interior life.

He shares four key insights from the General Chapter: the need to let God lead through contemplation; the balance of prayer and action, as symbolized by Martha and Mary; the importance of authentic community life; and the mission to bring hope to the world through compassionate evangelisation. He concludes by highlighting the Eucharist as central to Carmelite identity and invites the Order to deepen its life of communion, service, and spiritual renewal.

pdf To read the Final Words to Chapter members(199 KB) ...

Meeting between the Prior General, Desiderio García Martínez, O. Carm., and the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See in Indonesia

The Prior General, Desiderio García Martínez, met on September 27 in Jakarta, at the end of our General Chapter (Malang, September 9-26, 2025), with His Excellency Monsignor Piero Pioppo, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See in Indonesia and to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He was accompanied on the visit by Ignatius Budiono, O. Carm., and Stanislaus Lirmanjayasastra, O. Carm.

Archbishop Pioppo informed us that the Holy Father, after eight years in Indonesia, has appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and the Principality of Andorra. He confessed his admiration for the Spanish people and culture, as well as for Carmelite spirituality, which has helped and continues to support the Church so much. The Nuncio was interested in the career of the new Prior General and in how the General Chapter had gone. He congratulated us on the courage of the Order in daring to hold it in the East.

The Prior General explained the theme of the Chapter, the current challenges facing religious life, the significance of the Carmelite charism for the Church and the world, the expansion of our Order in Asia, the challenge of the Christian family and the associated pastoral care of vocations, how our charism is a word of hope for the suffering of the innocent, etc. He then informed him of the members of the new General Council and invited him to share a meal and visit the communities of our friars in Madrid. The Prior General, on behalf of the General Chapter, presented him with a seated image of the Virgin Mary.

Monsignor Pioppo, interested in the new evangelization, insisted that hope is still alive and that some Spanish bishop friends during World Youth Day in Lisbon informed him that there is a resurgence of youth in the Spanish Church. He showed his knowledge of the history of the Spanish transition period and recalled some illustrious figures linked to the Church at that time (among them Cardinal Tarancón). He congratulated us and asked about our brother, Monsignor Filippo Ianonne, recently named Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Does God Listen?
(Luke 17:5-10)

“Are you listening, God?” That’s the cry of the prophet Habakkuk in the first reading for this Sunday.
Everyone can resonate with the Habakkuk’s feelings of frustration and anger at the appalling injustice he witnesses. ‘Why is God so slow to act?’, he complains. God’s response to Habakkuk is a call to greater trust and faithfulness. God will answer, but not, perhaps, as quickly, or in the manner, Habakkuk would like.
The idea of faithfulness links the first reading with the today’s Gospel and the apostles asking Jesus to increase their faith.
What disciples on the ‘way of Jesus’ need more than anything is a deepening faith in the God of Jesus Christ who can and will rescue them from opposition and other destructive forces.
Jesus says that even a small amount of faith can bring about quite unexpected and seemingly impossible things - like uprooting a mulberry tree and planting it in the sea!
Essential to the faithful following of Jesus is letting go of the ego needs for power, wealth and position and living a life of faith in God and faithful following of Jesus which is expressed in true ministry to others.
Faithful disciples work diligently as servants of the Kingdom, not for rewards and honours, but keenly aware of God free graciousness to them and the need to extend that graciousness to others.

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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

Carmelite Monastery of the Annunciation on the Isla de Margarita-Venezuela Celebrates Elective Chapter

The Carmelite nuns of the monastery of the Annunciation in Porlamar on the Isla de Margarita-Venezuela held their triennial chapter on September 25, 2025.

The monastery was founded on January 7, 1983, by six nuns, four of whom came from the monastery in Barcelona, one from the monastery in Tarrega, and one from the monastery in Vilafranca del Penedés. The canonical erection was entrusted to the Bishop of Margarita.

The monastery is part of the Nuestra Señora del Carmen Federation.

Those elected to leadership are:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Suor Rosa Coromoto Pérez

1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Suor Mariela del Carmen León

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Suor Norma del Carmen Sánchez

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa
Suor Mariela del Carmen León

Formator | Formadora | Formatrice
Suor Ludys de Cristo Rey

Sacristan | Sacristana | Sacrestana:
Suor Norma del Carmen Sánchez