Author: ocd web master

The Carmelite Secular Order is present in 16 Hungarian cities.  Two OCDS Communities from Rumania have also been united with these 16 Hungarian ones.  In May this year, the OCDS National Council with representatives of the various OCDS Communities, met in Budapest to discuss important matters regarding their vocation and to spend time together so as to get to know each other better.  Their programme included prayer, conferences, shared discussion and time for recreation.

OCDS here is expanding rapidly, as more and more people from differing backgrounds are becoming attracted to Carmelite spirituality and the common life.   OCDS here promotes close relationships with the Carmelite Friars and Nuns and devotes great care to our integral formation, paying particular attention to the Carmelite Rule, the OCDS Constitutions and the Declaration on our Charism.

The Friars of the German Province met from 15 to 19 April 2024 at the Carmelite Spirituality Centre of Birkenwerder (near Berlin) for their annual Provincial ‘Week’.  For some years now, our Carmelite Nuns, members of the OCDS and Friars of other Provinces (Kerala) who reside in Germany, have also been invited to attend.  24 persons were at this year’s meeting but the Carmelite Nuns were unable to attend.

We concentrated on St. John of the Cross and were helped by the new German translation of the writings of the Saint by Fr. Ulrich Dobhan OCD and Sister Elisabeth Peeters OCD.  Although these writings are often distorted and erroneously translated, it was possible for us now to appreciate the treasures of the symbolic language of our Holy Father.

Apart from the formation aspect of our meeting, we were able to enjoy an excursion to the Zeiss Planetarium in Berlin, followed by lunch in its adjoining restaurant.

Being taught and praying together while meeting each other personally, notably enriches our Carmelite heritage and charism.

From 8 to 13 April, some 50 OCD Religious from the Provinces of Venice, Liguria and Central Italy and the Commissariats of Lombardy and Sicily, spent a week on Retreat at the “Santa Croce” Monastery of Bocca di Magra.

The theme chosen for the Retreat was “The Dark Night”. Fr. Giuseppe Pozzobon, the Venetian Provincial, gave two introductory meditations.  From the second day on, Fr. Gabriel Morra from the Central Italy Province was the official Retreat Master, giving all the lectures.

OCD theology students from the Northern Italy and Central Italy Circum-scriptions were also in attendance.  To facilitate them, a special concluding period of sharing and reflection on what they had heard and what the week’s experience had meant for them, was included in the Retreat programme.

There was unanimous agreement among the participants, that, despite our differences and varied distances of location, we shared a remarkable and spontaneous fraternity. One of the first things a Discalced Carmelite asks for at his profession of vows is the society of the brethren.  We are all companions in our journey!

60 years ago, 25 April 1964, the presence of the Discalced Carmelites in Colombia was established as a Province.  This new Province was born under the patronage of St, Therese of the Child Jesus and was composed of 6 Monasteries, with 45 Solemnly Professed Friars and 20 Students.  These sixty years of history invite us to thank the Lord for our particular part in that history.

On 26 April, this year, as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations, the Chapel of the Child Jesus was solemnly blessed by Monsignor Ismael Rueda Sierra, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga.   Discalced Carmelites of our various communities, the clergy of the Archdiocese of Bucaramanga,  Carmelite Nuns from the Monastery of  Floridablanca, the Secular Carmelites of Santander and the members of our Spirituality Centre, all participated in this celebration.

We give thanks to the Lord for this time of grace and for the blessing that it represents for us, as a Province, to have a living presence dedicated to Carmelite Spirituality and to Pastoral Ministry in the service of the Church.

 

Last year, the Discalced Carmelites celebrated 100 years of presence in the Philippine Islands, with the arrival of French Carmelite Nuns in Jaro, Iloilo, on 9 November 1923.  Now this year, the Archbishop has declared a “Special year of Grace” for the Monastery of Cebu, beginning on 13 May.  The presence of the Nuns in his Archdiocese has made a notable contribution to sustaining the  Catholic faith during these past 75 years.

From 10 to 13 May a triduum of prayer was held near the Monastery of Cebu, in reflection and gratitude for the founding Sisters who had arrived on 13 May 1949, as well as for all those who had followed in their footsteps.

 

Since August 2022, the Discalced Carmelite Order has been studying and preparing projects regarding the re-opening of St. Teresa’s tomb in Alba de Tormes.  Her tomb has not been opened since 1914 and it is now hoped to undertake serious research on the body of the Saint and on some principal relics.

The General Curia of the Order has approved the proposed plan, appreciating the importance and necessity of undertaking the project. Those responsible for it are a team of doctors and scientists who will work in collaboration with the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.  For its part, the Order is studying all the existing documentation in our archives that has any reference to the tomb or relics of our Holy Mother, particularly in the Discalced Carmelite monastery of our Nuns in Alba de Tormes.

A possible time frame will be established after summer 2024, depending on the availability of the scientific team and other personnel involved.  The project of expected identification foresees various canonical stages and will allow for the veneration of the tomb of St. Teresa during 2025.

 

Daily Chronicle

Sunday 14.04.2024

World-wide representatives of Discalced Carmelite Nuns gathered this evening at the Centro ad Gentes in Nemi, to commence work on the revision of their Constitutions.

They were accompanied by the OCD Fathers Miguel Marquez, Agustí Borrell, Rafal Wilkowski and Pablo Patino. Frs. Alfredo Amesti, Ramiro Casale, Angelo Lanfranchi and José Pereira to assist with simultaneous translations and Sister Lidia Burona, Carmelite Missionary, who would facilitate the meeting, were also in attendance.

After the evening meal, Fr. Miguel opened the meeting with a moment of prayer and some communications. All the Nuns were then introduced and a power point map situating each Federation geographically facilitated information about each group of monasteries.

To conclude the day, Sister Lidia announced 9 working groups, formed according to languages. She also showed a short video outlining the content of discussion for the first group reunions.

Monday 15.04.2024

Our day began with the recital of Lauds and celebration of the Eucharist at 7.00.

After breakfast, we assembled in the aula magna where Fr. Agustí Borrell gave a synthesis of yesterday’s events and Sr. Lidia, CM, presented and explained the programme for the coming day.

Fr. Salvador Ros, OCD, then gave a zoom conference on “The constitutional feelings and understanding of St. Teresa”, based on three documental fonts: the Carmelite Rule, the first Constitutions and The Way of Perfection.

In the light of this conference, discussions began in the various language groups, adopting the Synodal Method of ‘Conversation in the Spirit’. The morning programme concluded with a general synthetic sharing of each group’s discussion.

In the afternoon, Sister Simona Brambilla, a Consolate Missionary and Secretary of the Dicastery for Consecrate Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, presented a reflection on the significance of the renewal of Constitutions and the importance of such a moment in any spiritual family, as an opportunity for renewal.

After a discussion and brief dialogue, the language groups continued their work until it was time for the recitation of Vespers and our evening meal at 20.30.

Tuesday 16.04.2024

We began our day again with celebration of the Eucharist with Lauds. The Sisters of the Latin American Federations organized today’s Liturgy.

Back in the Meeting Hall, Sr. Lidia, Facilitator, introduced the agenda proposed for this morning’s work. Fr. Agustí then gave a brief resume of what occurred on Monday and we had a sharing of what the language groups had discussed in yesterday afternoon’s sessions.

Fr. General, Miguel Sanchez, gave an enlightened talk about “Teresian Carmel Today”, with sincere realism about its problems, challenges and hopes.

We were treated to an interesting discussion panel, organized by two of the Carmelite nuns, where they compared views and the realities about two different geographical regions: Holland and Indonesia.

The afternoon session began at 15.00 with a general sharing of reactions to what had taken place during the morning session. Fr. Rafal then presented a paper on the theme of Constitutions seen in the light of a Propositum Vitae (Resolution or Determination for Life) expressed in juridical format. This was followed by group discussions and a Plenary Synthesis. To conclude proceeding Sr. Lidia and Fr. Agustí recapitulated the day’s programme with brief resumes.

We recited Vespers and had our evening meal before the Sisters of the English speaking Federations conducted a rehearsal of tomorrow’s Liturgy which they are organizing.

Wednesday 17.04.2024

As on preceding days, at 7.00 we began with the celebration of the Eucharist with Lauds, led by our English speaking Sisters.

The working day’s proceedings began in the Assembly Hall at 8.45. Fr. Agustí gave us a synthesis of all that had taken place yesterday and Fr. Rafal made some brief complementary additions to his talk on Constitutions. He also answered some relevant questions on the theme.

Sr. Lidia then referred to today’s programme with some explanations. She reminded her audience of the need to be guided by the Synodal methodology of Conversation in the Spirit during their group sessions.

At 13.00 we had our usual lunch time break and returned to a General Assembly at 15.30. Here we had a general discussion and sharing about what had been discussed in the morning groups. We were reminded again to pay attention to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

Before returning to group reflections, Fr. Miguel gave us some practical directives about Thursday’s programme and our audience with the Holy Father.

Our evening concluded with the recital of Vespers, directed again by the English speaking group. We spent some time in personal prayer before our evening meal which was followed by a sisterly get-together!

 

Thursday 18.04.2024

We had an early start to this special day with breakfast at 5.30. Immediately after breakfast the whole group of OCD Nuns, Friars and Sr. Lidia set off for the Vatican and our meeting with Pope Francis. After a short wait in St. Peter’s Square the whole world-wide phalanx of Carmelites were conducted into the Pope’s presence. His Holiness invited us to undertake “the task of new languages, new pathways and new methods that can energise the contemplative life with greater enthusiasm and enterprise. The Lord has called you to embrace this contemplative life in a way that preserves its charism – the charism remains the same – so that it may come to be appreciated more and attract many hearts, for the glory of God and the benefit of the Church”.

Following on the Pope’s Apostolic Blessing and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica, we returned to base for our midday meal.

It was back to work again in a General Assembly at 15.30. The Sisters were invited to spend some time in personal prayer and discernment about all they had experienced during these past few days – what had been shared in their smaller group work and at their plenary syntheses.

This momentous day concluded with Vespers and Mass, followed by and supper at 19.30.

 

Audience to Discalced Carmelite Nuns Superiors and Delegates

2024-04-18

Good morning and welcome!

 

I am pleased to meet with you as you gather for reflection and work on the revision of your Constitutions, those of 1991, or the previous ones, I don’t know, in any case those that you are working on. This is a significant undertaking, not only because it responds to a natural human need, the contingencies of community life, but also because it is a “season of the Spirit”, an occasion to devote yourselves to prayer and discernment. Remaining inwardly open to the working of the Holy Spirit, you are challenged to discover new language, new ways and new means to give greater impetus to the contemplative life that the Lord has called you to embrace, so that the charism of Carmel may be preserved – the charism which is always the same – and that it may become understood and attract many hearts, for the glory of God and the good of the Church. When a Carmel works well, it attracts, it attracts, doesn’t it? It is like light with flies, it attracts, it attracts.

Revising Constitutions means precisely this: recollecting the past – we must not deny this – in order to look to the future. Indeed, you make me think of how the contemplative vocation is not about tending embers, but rather about fanning into flame a fire that can continue to burn and provide warmth to the Church and the world. The memory of your history and the elements in the Constitutions that have matured over the years is thus a source of richness that needs to remain open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to the perennial newness of the Gospel and to the signs that the Lord shows us through the experiences of life and human challenges, and in this way a charism is preserved. It does not change, it listens and is open to what the Lord wants at every moment.

This is generally true for all Institutes of consecrated life, but you, as cloistered women, realize it in a particular way, because your lives embody the tension between separation from the world and immersion in it. Far from seeking refuge in interior spiritual consolations or a prayer divorced from reality, yours is a journey in which you allow yourselves to be touched by the love of Christ and union with him, so that his love can pervade your entire existence and find expression in all that you say and do. The path of contemplation is inherently a path of love. It serves as a ladder that raises us up to God, not to separate us from the world but to ground us more deeply in it, as witnesses of the love we have received.

This is the lesson that, with her wisdom and ardent faith, your holy Mother teaches you. She was convinced that the mystical and interior union by which God binds the soul to himself, “sealing” it, as it were, by his love, permeates and transforms our whole life, without ever withdrawing us from our daily responsibilities or suggesting a flight into spiritual matters alone. She made clear that time devoted to silence and prayer is necessary, yet need to be seen as the wellspring of the apostolate and of all the daily duties that the Lord calls us to carry out in service to the Church. As she says: “Martha and Mary must entertain our Lord and keep him as their guest, nor must they be so inhospitable as to offer him no food. How can Mary do this while she sits at his feet, if her sister does not help her? His food is that in every possible way we should draw souls to him so that they may be saved and may praise him forever” (SAINT TERESA OF AVILA, The Interior Castle VII, IV, 17-18). That is the quotation, which you know better than I do.

In this way, the contemplative life will not risk degenerating into a spiritual inertia that withdraws from the tasks of daily life – a priest who did not know this type of mysticism called them “the drowsy nuns”, who live in sleep – and it will continue to provide the interior light needed for discernment. And what is the light that you need to revise your Constitutions and address the many concrete problems of monasteries and of community life? That light is none other than the hope of the Gospel, yet always rooted in your founding fathers and your Mother foundress and in Saint John of the Cross.

Evangelical hope differs from illusions based on human calculations. It entails surrendering ourselves to God, learning to read the signs he gives us to discern the future, having courage to make certain bold and risky decisions, even without knowing where they will eventually lead. Above all, it means not thinking only in human and defensive terms when reflecting on whether to preserve or close a monastery, on structures of community life, on vocations. Defensive strategies are often the fruit of a nostalgic longing for the past – that does not work, nostalgia does not work – whereas evangelical hope grants us joy in contemplating our history up to the present, but also empowers us to look ahead to the future with those roots that we have received. And that is called preserving the charism, the dream of moving forward, and that really works.

Look ahead. That is my wish for you. Look to the future with evangelical hope, with unshod feet, that is, with the freedom born of abandonment to God. Look to the future with roots in the past. May your complete immersion in the Lord’s presence always fill you with the joy of sisterhood and mutual love. May Our Lady accompany you on this path. With all my heart, I bless you, your deliberations in these days, and your communities. I bless the nuns in the monastery. I ask you, too, to continue to pray for me; for me, not against me.

 

Source: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/04/18/0308/00657.html#it

Friday 19.04.2024

This morning’s work focused on an International Commission for the revision of the Constitutions. The groups discussed the criteria for the Commission’s composition, its tasks and work programmes, as well as the profiles and possible nominations of members.

The Assembly approved a final message to be addressed to all Carmelite Nuns world-wide and to the entire OCD Order.

All the participants were asked to compile a personal evaluation of the meeting in all its various dimensions.

Finally, Fr. Miguel, our General Superior, who had convoked the Assembly, explained the steps that would be initiated immediately, especially with regard to setting up the international working team as soon as possible. He then expressed his personal joy and appreciation for these days and brought the meeting to a conclusion. He sincerely thanked those who had made it possible and all the participants.

 

Saturday 20.04.2024

We assembled at 6.45 for our final celebration of the Eucharist in thanksgiving to the Lord. We then set off on our return journeys to our homelands. We carried in our hearts the joy of having shared an intense and enjoyable experience of communion in the family of Teresa.

The process of renewing our Constitutions continues, with renewed enthusiasm. We have established some concrete steps to be taken as well as a working methodology. Above all, we want to transmit and infect everyone who will be concerned with the style of dialogue that we were introduced to and experienced ourselves: we have learned that when we open ourselves to listen sincerely to the Spirit and to our Sisters, our lives are enlightened and transformed. May “the spirit of Nemi” continue to guide us in a continuing renewed manner of living our Teresian Charism.

On April 2-6, 2024, the General Councils of the OCD and of the OCarm met at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Santa Croce, Bocca di Magra, Liguria.

As has become the tradition since 1991, the two Councils meet twice a year, in June and December, to update each other on developments in the two branches of Carmel and discuss matters of mutual concern. Every three years, the Councils meet for an extended length of time to reflect on an agreed theme. This time they reflected on some lessons from the life and writings of St Therese of the Child Jesus with the guidance of Fr Emilio J. Martinez, OCD, professor at the Teresianum, Rome. Father Emilio reflected on two themes concerning St Therese: abandonment and mission.

At the same time, we shared and discussed a wide-range of topics about issues of mutual concern ranging from information sharing and areas of possible cooperation and collaboration: Carmelite Formation; formation of formators in the Carmelite tradition; collaboration in the renewal of Mariology and Marian life of the two traditions of Carmel; the updating of the Constitutions of the Nuns of both traditions, etc.

To read the Final Message: https://www.carmelitaniscalzi.com/en/2024/04/23/st-therese-of-the-child-jesus-and-the-holy-face-invitation-to-growth-through-abandonment-love-and-mission/

 

Members of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites in Peru met for their annual Retreat from the 23 to 25 February 2024.  This year’s venue was the Spirituality Centre of the Dominican Missionaries of the Rosary in Lima.  This annual Retreat was organized by the OCDS Council of the St. Martin de Porres Commissariat.

The Spiritual Exercises saw 80 members convene from the 6 Communities of Peru:  Abancay, Arequipa, Cuzco, Ica, Lima and Trujillo.  It was hoped that it would be a special time of prayer and meditation and that the results would be expressed in concrete undertakings in each of our Communities.

 

An OCDS Community is present in the city of Tamale and holds its meetings in the Monastery of the Carmelite Nuns there.  Some of the OCDS members will pronounce their temporal vows shortly.  All of them are deeply involved in their formation and life of prayer and community.  The call to become Secular Carmelites has also been heard by other groups who are meeting in parishes around Tamale. They have already asked for assistance in beginning their official programme as members of the OCDS.

Last month a new OCDS Community was officially established in Accra, the capital of Ghana.  It is composed of a group of people who have wanted to become Carmelite Seculars for quite a while.  The title selected for their new Community is Our Lady, Beauty of Carmel, and it will be assisted by the OCDS Delegate for Nigeria and Ghana and by the OCDS community in Tamale.

May the good Lord continue to bless Ghana with other vocations to the OCDS and help them to be witnesses of the mercy and love of God.

 

Last February, representatives of the OCDS Communities of Nigeria met in Benin City to discuss some important matters relating to their life as members of the Carmelite Secular Order.  The General OCDS Delegate as well as the Delegate for Nigeria and Ghana were also present for this meeting.

At the moment OCDS Communities are present in the cities of Abuja, Benin, Ekpoma, Enugu, Ibadan, Nsukka, Onitsha and Owerri.  The OCDS in Nigeria is noteworthy for its dedication to prayer and fraternal life.

During the February Assembly participants stressed the importance of  preparing their own  OCDS Statutes with a view to having helpful guidelines for living out  those Constitutions in their own region.  A commission will be set up presently for this purpose.  It was also thought that the programme for formation needs to be reviewed.

The Lord has blessed Nigeria with numerous vocations to the OCDS and continually more people are finding in this vocation a certain fulfilment and a means of growing in their relationship with God and with others.

 

 

Father Aloysius Deeney, OCD (Geoge Joseph Deeney), died, as a result of cancer, in Indonesia, on 14 March 2024, at the age of 75.

Father Aloysius was born in 1948 in Pennsylvania and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on 18 May 1974.  He began his initial formation with the Discalced Carmelites of the Washington Province and made his First Profession on I May 1984 in our Oklahoma Province.  In 1990 he was elected Provincial in Oklahoma and served as Provincial for six years, before being postulated for a third triennium.  After just a year and a half of that triennium, however, he was moved to Rome.  As Provincial he supported Hispanic vocations and introduced bilingual liturgy to the Province.

In 1998, he was nominated as the General Delegate for the OCDS. He was prominent in the preparation of the new Constitutions for the OCDS and wrote a book entitled “Welcome to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites” (ICS Publications).  When his role in office concluded he went to Indonesia and played a major part in establishing the OCDS in Indonesia. RIP.

 

Due to terrorism, many people have had to be evacuated in Dedougou and are now homeless.  Many of these are women and children and some are relatives of the OCD Friars of our Delegation.  Being aware of the needs of these brothers and sisters, the Carmelites have come to their assistance on Sunday 25 February in the presence of our Provincial Delegate, with an initial distribution of food and drinks.  About twenty families numbering over 160 persons were grateful beneficiaries.

According to the Prior of our Community, Fr. Alphonse Yonli, with the help of our Provincial ONG Solmun, the Community hopes to keep assisting about 100 homeless of Dedougou throughout the year. We wish to extend the gratitude of these homeless people to all the generous benefactors of our ONG Solmun.

 

This year the Diocese of Segovia commemorates the 450th anniversary of St.  Teresa’s foundation of the Monastery of St. Joseph on 19th March 1574.  It was the 9th foundation of St. Teresa.

In celebration, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Segovia, the Iberian OCD Province, the Municipality and the Diocese organized a series of religious and cultural events on the 15, 18 and 19 March:  a Teresian lyrical recital performed by the soprano Montserrat Marti Caballe and the baritone Luis Santana, accompanied by the pianist Victor Carbajo; and a conference entitled “History of the Foundation of St. Teresa of Jesus in Segovia”, organized by Fr. Salvador Ros OCD.  On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, 19th March, the Bishop of Segovia, Mons. Cesar Augusto Franco Martinez, presided at the Mass of the 450th anniversary, in the presence of Fr. Francisco Sanchez Oreja, Provincial of the Iberian OCD Province and numerous Discalced Carmelites.