Today, our brothers from the Spanish speaking group led the liturgy. In his homily Fr Carlos Alberto Ospina Arenas, Provincial of Columbia, told us that in our diversity we must be united by the Word of God. If we hold fast to the Word of God, there is no fear or narrowness, but the breath and the freedom of the Spirit. We are here for the Church founded on the love of Christ.
This morning Fr. Augsti Borrell, the Vicar General of the Order, presented the Charismatic Delcaration on the teresian-carmelite charism. This text is the fruit of a long journey for the the Order that began with the General Chapter of Avila in 2015. The first thing we did was to read the writings of our Holy Mother, then we reread of our Constitutions, and lastly the decision was made by the Extraordinary Definitory in Goa (India) in 2019 to write a Declaration of our charism. This text will be discussed and approved at the Chapter.
In the afternoon, at 4pm., the Chapter members met in the Chapel to invoke the Holy Spirit before the election of the new General. We began by singing the Veni Creator Spiritus, then listened to a reading from the Word of God and from the Rule of St Albert, and finally we spent time in silent prayer. After this we went to the Chapter room to proceed with the election of the new Father General. The Chapter Assembly elected Fr. Miguel Marquez Calle (Miguel de Maria) as the new General of the Order.
Fr. Miguel was born on the 5th October 1965 in Plascencia (Caceres), in Spain. He made his first religious profession on 21st October 1985, and solemn profession on 21st October 1989 and was ordained priest on 23rd June 1990.
After the election we returned to the chapel to sing the Te Deum. Every one then came forward in turn to greet the new General. We concluded by singing the Salve Regina.
We thank Fr. Miguel for accepting this office. We will accompany him and assure him of our prayers in his new mission in the service of the Order and of the Church.
