In August 2009 a well prepared reorganization of the staff of in the Dutch Carmelite Institute (NCI) took place. Fr. Tjeu Timmermans has been appointed as the new director and Fr. Rudolf van Dijk as the academic secretary. The staff holds its monthly meetings of which a report will be given to the NCI commission. This commission functions as the daily board of the institute and reports to the Provincial Council of the Dutch Province.
The Dutch Carmelite Institute consists of seven main sections: 1) Carmelite library, 2) Carmelite archives, 3) Titus Brandsma archives, 4) documentations, 5) iconographic collection, 6) Carmelite scientific research and publication and 7) formation and education.
The staff of the institute decided to give high priority to the Titus Brandsma archives. Sr. Susan van Driel has been given the task of reorganizing these archives, to analyse and describe their contents and to digitise them. The Titus Brandsma archives contain material that can be used worldwide for publications on Bl. Titus and his inheritance.
Recently Fr. Harrie Reinders was appointed to work on listing, describing, digitising and opening up the iconographic collection. The collection contains several thousand Carmelite illustrations, cards, etchings, prints, pictures, slides and films. By reorganising the iconographic collection the NCI will be able to fulfil the growing need of Carmelites icons.

• Prioress:  Sr. Maria de Carmen Requena Pérez, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor: Sr. Maria de Lourdes Larios Reverte, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor: Sr. M. Felistas Syokau Maithya, O.Carm.
• 3rd Councilor: Sr. M. Paulina Mumbua Ngotho, O.Carm.
• 4th Councilor: Sr. M. Rosa M. Nduku Mbithi, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M. Rosa M. Nduku Mbithi, O.Carm.
• Treasurer: Sr. Maria de Lourdes Larios Reverte, O.Carm.
• Sacristan: Sr. Lucia Mutio Mbithi, O.Carm.

Victimae Paschali laudes
immolent Christiani.

Agnus redemit oves:

Christus innocens Patri

reconciliavit peccatores.

Mors et vita duello

conflixere mirando:

dux vitae mortuus,

regnat vivus…

Scimus Christum surrexisse

a mortuis vere:

Tu nobis, victor Rex miserere

Amen. Alleluia.

In Pascha Domini

A.D. 2010

Fernando Prior Generalis

Domusque Generalis Communitas

Image: Ivan Rupnik, La discesa agli inferi, Sacrestia della Cattedrale di Santa Maria Reale dell’Almudena (Madrid)

Carmelitae Sancti Eliae

In July 1985, three young men joined Fr. Yohannes Indrakusuma to live as hermits. After a year of discernment, the group decided to form a new religious community with the name Carmelitae Sancti Eliae. Weathering initial difficulties, the group has grown steadily.

The Congregation of Carmelitae Sancti Eliae was also affiliated to the Order on December 19, 2002.

Thirty years have passed since the death of Oscar Arnulfo Romero, archbishop of San Salvador, killed whilst at the altar celebrating Mass on 24th March 1980.  The Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm., remembered the anniversary in the celebration of the Eucharist during his canonical visit to the Province of Arago-Valentina in Onda, Spain. Last November, the Prior General visited the members of the Carmelite family in El Salvador and, accompanied by many lay Carmelites, celebrated the Eucharist in the crypt of the Cathedral of San Salvador near the tomb of Mons. Oscar Romero.  In his address, the Prior General also recalled the famous homily of Mons. Romero on the Carmelite Scapular.
On the occasion of the visit to El Salvador the Prior General received as a gift a picture portraying Mons. Oscar Romero with the scapular together with Our Lady of Mount Carmel (see the website of the Order: www. ocarm.org). As a reminder of his commitment to Justice and Peace and his devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the painting can now be found in front of the General Council meeting room in the General Curia.