On March 12, 2023, the Monastery of St. Joseph in the Diocese of Palangkaraya, Indonesia, held its second elective chapter.

Upon the request of the bishop of the Diocese of Banjarmasin in 1993, five nuns fom the Flower of Carmel monastery in Batu founded the monastery of St. Joseph. In 1993, when the Diocese of Palangkaraya was established, the monastery became part of the new diocese. The monastery was dedicated on October 7, 2001. The decree of canonical establishment was received on November 18, 2019.

The results of the elective chapter were as follows:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:  
Sr. M. Dorothea Yekti Handayani Edi Soediono, O. Carm.

1st Councilor  | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr. Yosepha Tinawati Kamsani, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera  | 2ª Consigliera: 
Sr. Bernadetta Nurahdiyati Soeharjo, O. Carm.

Formator | Formadora  | Formatrice:
Sr. Bernadetta Nurahdiyati Soeharjo, O. Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma  | Economa: 
Sr. Yosepha Tinawati Kamsani, O. Carm.

Sacristan| Sacristana | Sacrestana: 
Sr. Stefana Sugiyanti, O. Carm.

On March 15, 2023, the Monastery of the Incarnation-San Miguel in Huesca, Spain, held their triennial elective chapter.

The sisters wrote that "the Holy Spirit was clearly present in the communion manifested in the elections. We continue to ask for your prayers so that ... the community may be open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and faithful to the mission entrusted by God through his Church. May we enrich Carmel with our life and may everything be for the greater glory of God, the Church, Carmel, and our diocese ... of the whole world."

The monastery was founded by the Carmelite Peter Sobrino in 1622. From Incarnation, another monastery, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was founded in 1656.

The results of the elective chapter were as follows:

Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sor Ma Gloria de Dios Caballero, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sor Ma Blanca de la Eucaristía, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera  | 2ª Consigliera: 
Sor Ma Pilar Borau, O. Carm.

Director of Novices | Maestra de Novicias | Maestra delle Novizie
Sor Ma Blanca de la Eucaristía, O. Carm.

Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa: 
Sor Ma Blanca de la Eucaristía, O. Carm.

Sacristan | Sacristán | Sacrestana:
Sor Ma Pilar Borau, O. Carm.

PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA
15-01-23  Joao Gabriel Souza Viana (Par) Brazil
15-01-23  João Victor Campos Tomé (Par) Brazil

ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
17-02-23  Peter Trong Pham (SEL-VN) Saigon, Vietnam
17-02-23  Joseph Tam Nguyen (SEL-VN) Saigon, Vietnam
11-03-23  Eduardo Adolfo, Jr. (Phil) The Philippines

ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
27-12-22  Ebin Mathew (STSA) Kalamassery, Kerala, India
17-02-23  Joseph Long Bui (SEL-VN) Saigon, Vietnam

A pious medieval legend held that the Holy Family periodically visited and spoke with the hermits who lived near the well of Elijah on Mount Carmel. According to the mentality of the time, this affirmed a particular bond between the Carmelites and the Holy Family.

Once the Middle Ages had passed, these spiritual relations of the men and women of the Order continued until today, uniting veneration to the Virgin Mary with that to the one who for her and for Jesus sacrificed himself in the work and silence of his entire life. Thus were merged, in harmonious contemplation, the three great loves: of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

In Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth, people found a model for their own contemplative and active life. Devotion to Joseph flourished and he became invoked as “protector and patron” of the Order. In Europe during the 13th and 14th centuries, the Carmelites as well as the Franciscans and Servants of Mary spread devotion to St. Joseph. The liturgical feast of St. Joseph appears in the second half of the 15th century with an Office entirely of its own.

The Belgian Carmelite, Arnold Bostius noted this solemn devotion to St. Joseph in 1479. He wrote:

"We still celebrate St. Joseph, chaste and upright, guardian of the eternal God, providential and diligently considered to be father, beloved husband of Mary, most faithful witness and custodian of her virginity. Like his virgin bride, he was very solicitous for the salvation of all, perfect in all virtues" (De Patronatu BVM, n. 1694).

The Office of St. Joseph was printed in the Breviary published in Brussels beginning in 1480, while the Mass Proper was found in missals edited from 1500 onward. The quality of the readings and the hymns were considered eloquent testimony to the fervor with which the Carmelites honored St. Joseph at that time. The general chapter of the Carmelites in 1680 unanimously elected St. Joseph as the primary protector of the Order.

The feast was suppressed for the universal Church with the liturgical calendar reform after the Second Vatican Council. However, both the Carmelites and the Discalced Carmelites obtained permission to add “Protector of Our Order” to the title of the feast on March 19.

From the 17th century to the present-day numerous Carmelite churches and monasteries were dedicated to St. Joseph. Credit for this diffusion of devotion to St. Joseph can be attributed above all to St. Teresa of Jesus, whose ardent expressions regarding St. Joseph are known:

"I took for my advocate and patron the glorious St. Joseph ... I saw clearly that his help to me was always greater that what I could have hoped for …. If my word could be authoritative, I would gladly take the time to narrate in detail the graces that this glorious saint has done for me and for others.” (Life, VI, 6-8)

Of the 17 houses Teresa founded, 12 were dedicated to St. Joseph.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux also had a great devotion to St. Joseph:

“I prayed St. Joseph to watch over me; since my childhood, I had a devotion to him that blended with love for Our Lady. … I was so well protected that it seemed impossible for me to be afraid.” (Ms A, 158)

Alongside the influence of St. Joseph on the life and piety of the Order, there are also the writings of the theologian Andrew Horuken in 1451 and the incredible poems of the Mantuan in Fastorum Libri XII and in Parthenice I. In the 16th-18th centuries, there was no lack of notable preachers and writers reflecting the importance of St. Joseph. In 1723, Raphael "the Bavarian" published a History of St. Joseph. This work had a considerable influence in the devotion of the saint in modern times at the convents and monasteries of the Order.

(from Dizionario Carmelitano, “Giuseppe, Santo”)

A conference on Titus Brandsma will take place at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands on October 3-6, 2023. The program brings together scholars from various parts of the world who will present on the multi-faceted life and work of Brandsma. The number of participants is limited to 30, providing an opportunity for all to become involved in the discussions.

The cost of the conference is free. Travel to the Titus Brandsma Memorial and to the Titus Brandsma Archives in Boxmeer will be Included at no cost. Participants are responsible for their individual travel, accommodations, and all meals. Conference organizers can make hotel recommendations. There is a celebratory dinner on October 6 for those who wish to participate. The cost is 60,00 euro.

Those interested in more information or those wanting to register should contact Dr. Elisabeth Hense, the conference coordinator: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.

The Carmelite General Library (BiGOC), located at the International Center of St. Albert (CISA), was born from the merger of the General Library and the Carmelite Library. It is governed by one librarian, Mario Alfarano, and practically started its activities last fall. In November 2022, BiGOC was enrolled in the Registry of Cultural Assets and is present on the BeWeb portal of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI). This enrollment made it possible to join the CEI's projects, particularly the computerized cataloging system, which will replace the two previous catalogs that have not been functioning for several years.

Since February, the librarian has been joined by an assistant, Sara Bischetti. The two are offering new services to BiGOC users: a) the updated Regulations ad experimentum on access and consultation; b) the BiGOC website: www.bibliotecaocarm.com; c) the mailing list to inform about the latest acquisitions (books and journals) and BiGOC activities. 

Those who would like to be added to the mailing list can write to the BiGOC email: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.

On February 15, Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm., spoke on “Titus Brandsma: Ethical Resistance in Turbulent Time” at the Loyola Institute of Trinity College in Dublin. The conference was cohosted by the Irish Province of the Carmelite Order.

Fr. Fernando is a noted expert on Titus Brandsma and has written a number of articles and one book on the new saint. He has also given conferences to groups in various parts of the world. The Dublin conference drew an audience of 150 people.

St Titus, a Carmelite of the Dutch Province, was noted for his resistance to the Nazis. He was arrested and transported to Dachau concentration camp, where he died in 1942. He was canonized in May 2022.

During his talk, Fr. Fernando’s drew attention to different aspects of the saint's life: as an academic administrator, helping to found a university; as a commentator on Carmelite mysticism, as a journalist; and as someone with passionate interest in drawing people together. His own physical frailty contrasted with the steadfast courage which he showed in the face of evil.

Fr. Fernando is a professor of theology at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid. He is also the director of the Institute of Spirituality at the University.

The presentation is available online on YouTube here.

In March, we find ourselves in the liturgical season of Lent, a special time to reconcile ourselves with creation, particularly by paying attention to social and ecological sins.

We have also launched the 2023 Season of Creation theme, "Let Justice and Peace Flow," which helps us to tune in to the cry of creation on the loss of biodiversity, being called to a change of attitude and actions. Laudato Si' Animators play a fundamental role in this process. If you are not yet part of this group, find out how to participate or help us by spreading the word about the new course, which begins in April.

Register to Become a Laudato Si' Animator

As you read through the following Lent materials and calendar, please consider incorporating almsgiving into your observation of Lent. Some of our readers have chosen to make a gift to help LSM’s program be more widely known; others tie their giving to the 40 days of Lent; and some of our network gives an amount comparable to what they will save through their Lenten fast. 

Guardians of the Earth is Here!

Guardians of the Earth is here! It’s Laudato Si' Movement’s new space to tell real stories of how the encyclical Laudato Si' is changing the lives of many people around the world, and in different spheres of society.

Each episode will inspire people to live an ecological conversion, striving to make concrete changes in the lifestyles of individuals and communities in order to care for creation. The program will be available in Spanish and English.

March Highlights

Monday, March 13:
10th anniversary of Pope Francis' pontificate

Tuesday, March 14:
International Day of Action for Rivers

Tuesday, March 21:
International Day of Forests

Wednesday, March 22:
World Water Day

Friday, March 24:
St. Oscar Romero

Monthly Resources

• In the Laudato Si' Encounter we pray to live this Lent with true charity towards those most affected by the socio-environmental crisis. Download the PDF version here or view it online.
• Haven't seen the Lent Calendar yet? Download it here and start with the daily challenges before Easter.

Climate News

#Global: This interactive CNN report shows how our planet has changed over time. NASA's "Images of Change" project shows areas that have been directly affected by the climate crisis.

#Italy: A special program in schools focused on climate change, promoted by the local government. Watch the video.

#USA: New York experienced a "warm" winter and the last day of February saw one of the heaviest snowfalls of the season: 4.6 centimeters. Photos and videos here.

#Mexico: The Mexican long-nosed bat is a key pollinator for the plant used to make tequila, and it's endangered!

Seminar on Spirituality in Loneliness
Glen Attard - Michael Zammit 

In our post-Covid world that could not go back to being physically connected and socially visible any faster, loneliness emerges as one of the most real and devastating ‘epidemics’ of our time. Indeed, one shudders to think of the real effects of the Covid pandemic when already in January 2018 the British Conservative MP Tracey Crouch was elected Minister for Loneliness, the first ever of her kind in the entire world. Alas, in actual fact, as David Vincent points out, “Current anxieties about the ‘loneliness epidemic’ and the fate of interpersonal relations in the digital culture are reformulations of dilemmas that have surfaced in prose and verse for more than two millennia.”

One such reiteration is by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) who, in his eighth letter to F.X. Kappus, touches on a kind of transition or transformation that occurs within us when we befriend the fact that we are, really and truly, solitary beings. There is a dangerous insecurity, he says, in accepting this, which is so much more human than being imprisoned in all our other certainties. Only when one is lonely could one be attentive to one’s soul.

Basing ourselves on the fundamental distinction between loneliness and solitude, this seminar will take the form of a reading session during which we will be reflecting on the deep considerations that Rilke shares with the young Kappus on this theme.

Saturday 11 March 2023 
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 
Via Zoom

Language: English

How to Register: Send an email to Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.

Payment: The seminar is being organized free of charge; however, if you wish to donate, you may do so:

(1) via bank transfer to our account [IBAN] MT 28 VALL 2201 3000 0000 400 1797 9621 [beneficiary "Carmelite Institute"]

(2) by cheque addressed to "Carmelite Institute" for amounts greater than €20 (as per directive n. 19 issued by the Central Bank of Malta)

The members of the St. Titus Brandsma Province of the Philippines held their 4th chapter from March 5-10, 2023 at St. Scholastica’s Spirituality Centre in Tagaytay City, Cavite, Philippines.

It was the first open chapter of the province. Present were the prior general of the Order, Míċeál O'Neill and Robert Thomas Puthussery, the General Councilor for Asia-Australia-Oceania, as well as 64 solemnly professed members of the province working in the Philippines and abroad. Ten friars in simple vows and 14 full-fledged lay associates were also present at the chapter.

The theme of the Chapter was "Moving on as Synodal and Radical Witnesses of Being Disciples of the Risen Lord."

During the Chapter the following were elected to leadership:

Provincial | Provincial | Provinciale
Fr. Rico P. Ponce, O. Carm.

1st Councilor | 1er Consejero | 1^o Consigliere
Fr. Esmeraldo A. Reforeal, O. Carm.

2nd Councilor | 2do Consejero | 2^o Consigliere
Fr. Joseph Roque, O. Carm.

3rd Councilor | 3er Consejero | 3^o Consigliere
Fr. Rhen Caculitan, O. Carm.

4th Councilor | 4to Consejero | 4^o Consigliere
Fr. Christopher Labrador, O. Carm.

Other Members | Otros Miembros | Altri Membri

Student Friar | Frate Studente | Fraile Estudiante
Bro. Brandon Bahayanan, O. Carm.

Lay Associate | Collaboratore Laico | Colaborador Laico
Maria Angela Ureta