15 November Optional Memorial

From the Collect of the Commemoration of All Carmelite Souls

Lord,
you are the glory of those who serve you.
Look lovingly on our departed brothers and sisters,
united in following Christ and his Mother
by the waters of baptism
and the bonds of Carmel.
In your mercy
grant them everlasting sight of you,
their Creator and Redeemer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.

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14 November Feast

About the joys of heaven I dare not write inconsiderately. Isaiah and then Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote: Those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever entered the heart of man, these has God prepared for those who love him. How could I attempt to put into words what you cannot even imagine? I will however say something to urge you to desire to see those things that mortal eyes are unable to see. Such desire, by elevating the mind from earthly things to heavenly things, causes them, while still remaining earthly and mortal, at least in part to become heavenly. If it is true that where your treasure is, there will also be your heart, if our treasure is in heaven, it is necessary that our heart also be in heaven. If it is in heaven, it has heavenly dimensions, and it is necessary that heavenly be the desires of our heart, through the endeavor to meditate on great and infinite things starting from the smallest.

As heaven surpasses earth in size, height and beauty, so I do not doubt that heavenly goods are to be preferred to earthly ones. I say that I do not doubt them; and yet I do not know them, because they are superior to all our imagination. Man has two intellectual faculties: the intellect and the will. The intellect likes to know the truth, the will likes to have comfort, and to such a degree that there can be nothing more desirable in this life. Our knowledge is imperfect, and imperfect is our prophecy. We reason as children, we speak as children, for we see as in a mirror, in a confused way; in fact, a corruptible body burdens the soul and burdens the mind from many thoughts. But in Heaven man will see face to face and know perfectly as he is known; that which is imperfect will disappear, and our desire will be fully satisfied because the supreme essence, which is the truth first, will be revealed to our intelligence. Then the word “stop and know that I am God” will be fulfilled. Now the intellect, tormented by so many fantasies like a child in a marketplace, admires now this or that; it does not stop, it does not see God, but frets and toils in vain.

This homeland, on the other hand, insofar as we live holy, is the homeland of our hope and desires. Placed in it the prophet says: Wonderful things are said of you, city of God. And also: How lovely are your dwellings, Lord of hosts! My soul languishes and longs for the atria of the Lord. And: as a doe yearns for streams of water, so my soul yearns for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and see the face of God? Then God will be all in all, and as much as each one wants will be provided by God. God will creep so sweetly into our minds, that what the Prophet says will be perfectly fulfilled: I will be satisfied with your presence.

The blessed will hear resounding from all sides the highest praises of God, according to the word of the Prophet: blessed is he who dwells in your house: always sing your praises. They will see the heavens and taste all their harmony, they will see Christ and His Mother and all the glorious bodies of the blessed. These, now incorruptible and clothed in incomparable beauty, will be such a sweet spectacle to the beholders that they will not know what better to desire.

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November 13 | Optional Memorial in the Italian Provinces

Oh, What a Good Guide It Is to Enjoy Him, To Toil for Him: and Then Return to Rest in Him
From the “writings” of Bl. Maria Teresa Scrilli

The feeling of the Divine Presence had become to me as I already said continuous: in prayer I was not able to profit from books, nor to make it vocal: it was a most sweet union (if I am not mistaken of the prayer of stillness; I say give this the name of union, believing it to be such, according to my little knowledge) I said it was a most sweet union, from which I did not know how to detach myself ...

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Read about the life of Bl. Maria Teresa Scrilli ...

To learn more about the life of Mother Maria Teresa and her work and legacy, we suggest reading The Autobiography of Maria Teresa Scrilli, Foundress of the Institute of Our Lady of Mount Carmel published by Edizioni Carmelitane

Growing the Kingdom
(Matthew 25:14-30)

Continuing the theme of last week’s parable about the wise and the foolish women, this parable also concentrates on wisdom. The wise servants fulfil the bond of trust placed in them by the master by are being productive with an enormous amount of money entrusted to them. Like the perfect wife in the first reading, they are industrious in contrast to the third servant who uses fear as an excuse for doing nothing.
Like last Sunday, today’s Gospel is another ‘meantime’ parable - how do we live as disciples of Christ in the meantime as we wait for his return?
The master entrusts his property to his servants and goes away. On his return, he asks for an accounting of what they have done with his property. The servants who have been industrious and productive are praised.
Christ has entrusted us with the Kingdom of God. We are called to work industriously and productively with the Spirit so that the Kingdom, the Reign of God’s grace, may be seen and experienced through us, and that others also may come to believe. The Kingdom gifts of love, justice, mercy, compassion and forgiveness are multiplied. The Kingdom grows.
Both the first reading and the Gospel today praise busy, energetic people - those who produce much from what has been given to them. In these readings we find an image of how to wait in this ‘in between time’ for the final coming of Christ. The Christian disciple is called to watch and wait, not in a lazy or self-indulgent way, but eagerly doing the work of the Kingdom and producing its fruits of justice, mercy, peace, hope and love as we go about our daily tasks.
It is the ideal of responsible stewardship which is proclaimed in the Gospel. We have been entrusted with the very life of God. What are we doing/will we do with it?

• Celebrating At Home - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF]
• Celebrating At Home - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub]
• Celebrando en Familia - XXXIII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
• Celebrando in Casa - XXXIII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario
• Celebrando em família - XXXIII Domingo do Tempo Comum

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

November 2-5: Canonical Visitation to the French Delegation

November 9-14: Canonical Visitation of Province of Catalonia

November 15-18: Canonical Vistation of the Province of Malta

November 25-27: Union of Superiors General (USG) Meeting - Rome

November 28: OCARM-OCD Celebration: 800th Anniversary of the Formula Vitae - Rome 

November 30: Start of the General Council Plenary Meeting - Rome

Chapter Elections at the Monastery of Carmel of Mary in Wahpeton, North Dakota (USA)

On November 3, 2026, the Carmelite nuns of the Carmel of Mary in Wahpeton, North Dakota (USA), held their triennial Chapter elections in the presence of Bishop John T. Folda of Fargo.

Mother Madonna of the Assumption, O. Carm., was reelected prioress.

The community also elected Sister Veronica of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, O. Carm., as first councilor, bursar and sacristan, and Sister Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart, O. Carm., as Second Councilor and Formator.

The monastery was founded in October 1954 with Sr. Rose of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and six nuns from the monastery in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

We congratulate Mother Madonna and the sisters and wish them God's blessings as they continue their contemplative life and service to the Order.

Photo (from left to right): Sister Jacinta Marie of the Queen of Heaven, O. Carm. (novice); Mother Madonna of the Assumption, O. Carm. (Prioress); Sister Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart, O. Carm. (Second Councilor); and Sister Veronica of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, O. Carm. (First Councilor).

Not pictured: Sister Marie of the Eucharist, O. Carm., and Sister Marie Therese of Jesus, O. Carm., who are both residing in a nursing home.

November 8 | Optional Memorial

Elizabeth Catez was born on 18th July 1880 in Campo d'Avor near Bourges, France, and she was baptized four days later. 

On 2nd August 1901, she entered the Carmel at Dijon where she was clothed in the habit on 8th December 1901. She made her religious profession on 11th January 1903 and 21st January the same year she was given the monastic veil. The five years that she spent in religious life brought her ever closer to God although the Lord tested her with many spiritual trials and severe physical suffering due to Addison's disease which finally brought about her death on 9th November 1906.

Read more about the life of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

From the Writings of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity: Trinity I Adore

November 6 | Memorial

Nuno Álvares Pereira was born in Portugal on June 24, 1360, most probably at Cernache do Bomjardin, illegitimate son of Brother Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, Hospitalier Knight of St. John of Jerusalem and prior of Crato and Donna Iria Gonçalves do Carvalhal. About a year after his birth, the child was legitimized by royal decree and so was able to receive a knightly education typical of the offspring of the noble families of the time.

When King Fernando died, without an heir on October 22, 1383, his brother João, became involved in the struggle to win the Lusitanian crown, which was being contested by the King of Castile, who had married the daughter of the dead king. Nuno took João’s side. He wanted him as his constable, that is commander-in-chief of the army. Nuno led the Portuguese army to victory on various occasions up until the battle of Aljubarrota (August 14, 1385), which brought the conflict to an end.

The military capabilities of Nuno were, nevertheless, tempered by a deep spirituality, a profound love of the Eucharist and of the Blessed Virgin, the main foundations of his interior life. Totally dedicated to Marian prayer, he fasted in Mary’s honour on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and on the vigil of her feasts. The banner he chose as his personal standard bore the image of the cross, of Mary and of the saintly knights James and George. At his own expense he built numerous churches and monasteries, among which was the Carmelite church in Lisbon and the church of Our Lady of Victories at Batalha.

Read more about the life of St. Nuno

Read about St. Nuno's Life as a Carmelite

5 November Optional Memorial

Bl. Frances D'Amboise was born in 1427, probably at Thouars, France. At fifteen years of age, she was married to Peter II, Duke of Brittany and crowned with him in the cathedral at Rennes in 1450. She was widowed in 1457 and, not wanting a second marriage, she turned towards religious life. For this purpose, she built a Carmel for sisters at Bondon in 1463 following the advice of Blessed John Soreth, Prior General of the Carmelites.

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