On 30 May 2026, at the parish of Santa Maria a Ripa d’Arno in Empoli (Florence), the Province of Central Italy celebrated the start of the formation programme for a local group of people. It completed the ‘First Introduction’ course under the guidance of the OCDS Provincial Council and the provincial religious superiors, thanks to the commitment of the formators Cecilia Manuelli, Graziella Bacci and Maria Lupi.
The Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the Provincial Delegate of the OCDS, Father Basilio Visca, marked the start of a formation programme leading to the future establishment of a new OCDS community in Empoli, which will be dedicated to St John of the Cross.
The presence of the Provincial President of the OCDS, Laura Isotton, accompanied by a delegation from the OCDS Provincial Council, secular members from various nearby communities and numerous Carmelites, highlighted the communion within the Order and the beauty of a shared commitment.
On the eve of the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, this event was seen as a powerful and tangible sign of the work of the Holy Spirit, who continues to give life to the Secular Carmelite Order.
