A friar of the British Province of Carmelites, Fr. Tony Lester, O.Carm., has been appointed a "Chaplain of Honour" by the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Mons. Jacques Perrier, in recognition of his promotion of the "Message of Lourdes and pilgrimage to the Grotto". The announcement was made on 12th July by the President of the Catholic Association Hospitalité.
The first Honorary Chaplains were appointed on the 50th Anniversary of the Apparitions and the use of the pectoral cross was granted by Pius X in 1909. The conferral of this honour is an expression of gratitude for the enthusiasm and generosity of the recipients in the service of the pilgrims and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fr. Tony will receive the pectoral cross at a celebration of the Eucharist at the Grotto on 23rd August.
On the 26th of June a group of bursars of the Iberian Region met with the Bursar General at the Carmelite house of Ayala in Madrid. Present were: Frs.Vicente Arranda Guillén (Arag), José Ramón Medina Madueño (Bet), Marín Antonio Lozano Moreno (Cast), Joan Gúell y Casademont (Cat) and Ricardo dos Reis Rainho (Lus). There were two main topics on the agenda: the economic situation of each of the provinces and the compiling the annual economic report for the Curia. Another meeting with the bursars of the Asia-Australia-Oceania area is planned for October 2010.
Don Antonio Muniz Fernandes, O.Carm., metropolit
an archbishop of Maceió, has sent an urgent letter in order to publicize the grave situation that has arisen from the floods in the State of Algoas in the north east of Brazil. The Carmelite Archbishop who recently visited the General Curia in Rome and has informed us of the dreadful situation that has arisen as a result of these floods that have caused hundreds of deaths, numerous people missing and left thousands homeless. Many churches and other buildings are now serving as diocesan centres. The archdiocese has set up a solidarity fund to which various international religious organizations are contributing. At this dramatic moment in time, we are united in fraternal support and spirit with Don Antonio and with the people of the State of Algoas.
Recognition of the martyrdom of Fr. Carmelo Maria Moyano Linares and 9 companions
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Another group of Carmelite martyrs from the time of the religious persecution in Spain in 1936 will now join those of the Catalonian Province who have already been beatified. Pope Benedict XVI during an audience granted to His Excellency, Archbishop Angelo Amato, SDB, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 1st July, authorized the Congregation to promulgate, together with a number of others, the decree of martyrdom of the Servants of God, Carmelo Maria Moyano Linares and 9 Companions of the Order Carmelite. They belonged to the monasteries of Hinojosa del Duque and Montoro, in the Betica Province.
Fr. Carmelo Maria Moyano Linares, who had been provincial of the Betica Province, was killed on September 23rd, 1936, and prior to him, Fr. José Mª González Delgado was martyred on the July 27th 1936. On 14th August 1936, Brothers Eliseo Mª Carmargo Montes, José Luis Mª Ruíz Cardeñosa, Antonio Mª Martín Povea and a postulant Pedro Velasco Narbona were killed.
At Montoro on July 22nd 1936, Fr. José María Mateos Carbadillo, Fr. Eliseo Mª Durán Cintas, Brother Jaime Maria Carretero Rojas and Brother Ramón Mª Pérez Sousa were killed.
Regarding the beatification ceremony, the advice of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will be followed.
The judgment on two other groups of presumed martyrs are pending and are presently with the congregation: namely, those of Castile, which is in the hands of the General Postulator of the Brothers of Christian Schools, and those of Arago-Valentina Province, who form part of a larger group of martyrs of the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón. Our Postulator General is presently completing this Positio.
