Author: ocd web master

A Carmelite Youth meeting was held from August 4th through 6th in Ica, Peru, in which 130 young people participated. They were called together by Saint John of the Cross under the slogan “Reveal your presence.”

Rediscovering the person of the Holy Father was a rich grace. The young people learned about his life and his message and broached his poetry and spirituality. Presentations ran the gamut from simple talks to reading his works directly. It allowed them to discover the message of joy and hope that our father Saint John of the Cross offers and opened a door to fall more in love with God and grow in human love.

The meeting closed with a solemn Mass at the feet of the Lord of Luren in the provisional chapel in which the Discalced Carmelites of Ica celebrate parish life since the earthquake of 2017.

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Fr. Felipe has left us. It was not expected, because – despite his age and a few health issues, which he had – he was in good health and above all, because we never expect that someone like him could leave us.

I cannot forget the first time I met him. I had just entered Carmel. I was a postulant in Florence and Fr. Felipe came to preside a profession in the convent of our nuns. His powerful voice, his imposing figure: everything spoke of a true General. But at the same time, one could see his simplicity and fraternal dealings with us and with the nuns. As we were ccompanying Fr. General, we were able to enter the nun’s cloisters and his manner of joking with them about small pots and pans was a delight. I could see that he knew how to create a fraternal and family atmosphere, midst an atmosphere of mystery sacred and inviolable present in the rooms of the house.

This first impression as father of the family has been confirmed by everything I have come to know about him since, beginning with his tireless work during the eighteen years when he was in the General House, first as Vicar General and later as General. I can say that his presence, right up to the present day, has left an indelible imprint on the governement and life of the Order. For the last few years, we have been reading and re-reading the Constitutions, which were approved and revised at the time that he served as Superior General., We also owe the first missionary initiatives of the Order to his period of government, above all in Africa. Houses of formation for our young people was a constant concern for Fr. Felipe, who worked hard to make them a reality in several countries. It is not by chance that Fr. Felipe, when his second term as General, came to an end that he should have asked to be moved to Uraguay, where he was master of novices for many years, makng use of all his experience and wisdom.

We all know that the nuns’ Constitutions was one of the heaviest crosses that Fr. Felipe had to bear and that the text which was approved in 1991was the fruit of his own suffering, battles and tears. His affection and his generous surrender to the Discalced Carmelite nuns continued to the last stage of his life, as confessor and assessor in many Latin American countries.

Fr. Felipe, your departure makes us feel more alone and abandoned. Nonetheless, we know that we can rely even more on your friendship and strength now, which we so greatly need. You have left us an enormous legacy: you have given us a true love of our family and of the whole Church. Thank you, Felipe! We will never forget you!

 

Dear brothers, first thing this morning, we announced the death of our brother of Felipe Sainz de Baranda and his funeral which is to take place tomorrow. Finally, it has been put back to Friday, 28th July at 16:15, so as to make it easier for our brothers, who do not live in Spain, to be able to attend. We are awaiting the arrival of Fr. Agustí Borrell, Vicar General of our Order.

There follows a brief biographical resumé which we have prepared about our brother:

Fr. Felipe was born on 3rd October, 1930 in Baranda. The son of Eugenio and Leonor. He entered the Teresian School in Calahorra (La Rioja) in 1941, where he studied humanities until 1945.

On 4th October 1945, he took the habit in the Carmel in Burgo de Osma (Soria), at the start of his novitiate, which culminated with his religious profession on 5th October 1946.

He then went to Burgos, where he studied Philosophy for the first two years in the Monastery of the Order. He completed his studies in Oviedo in the year 1949.

He returned to Burgos to begin studies in Theology and after taking the course for the first two years and having made his Solemn Profession in October 1951, he was sent to the Order’s International College in Rome. On 19th December 1953, he was ordained priest.

On completing the Institutional course in1954, he obtained a degree in Theology, whilst studying for a Doctorate from 1954-1955.

From 1955 to 1958, he studied Sacred Scripture, where he received a degree in 1958.

In October 1958, he was designated Professor of Scripture and Patristic Studies in the Theological College in Burgos, a position which he managed at the same time as being Director  of the Mount Carmel Review from 1960.

In 1963, he was made Second Provincial Counselor and afterwards Master of the theologians and then Prior of the Community from 1966 to 1969, a period in which the new Church Carmelite in Burgos was being built.

In 1969, he was elected Provincial and re-elected to the same position in 1972. Before finishing the second triennium, he was elected First Definitor and then Vicar General of the Order, in the Chapter, which took place in 1973.

At the end of the six year term, he was elected Propositor General in1979 and again in 1985 until 1991.

In the same year, he left for America, where he remained as Provincial Delegate, a position he managed with his work as a formator in Paraguay and Uraguay successively, with great dedication to the diffusion of carmelite spirituality, by means of Spiritual Exercises to communities of Carmelite nuns the world over.

Since the end of 2015, he was part of the community of St. Joseph in Burgos from where he  followed all the events of our Order in Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay, with great interest.

At Trivandrum on the 1st July, 2017, and in the presence of the Definitor, Fr Johannes, the seven Indian Provincials had their first meeting of the triennium. They discussed programs organized in collaboration with all the provinces: a second novitiate, a meeting of the theology students, a meeting of young friars five years ordained. In particular, they also discussed in more detail the intensive course for the Indians engaged in formation which will be organized by the Definitory from the 25th of September until the 7th of October this year, in which it is expected forty-two friars will take part.

By means of the Secretariat for Missionary Cooperation, Fr General, together with his Definitory, decided to respond to the request made by the Bangui Discalced Carmelite student house for a gift of a collection of books which would contribute to enriching the Carmelite and theological formation of our religious who are in training there.

The €2,250 given enabled them to acquire 82 philosophy books as well as 3 copies of the complete works of Saint Teresa, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, as well as 3 copies of the book I want to see God by Blessed Marie Eugene.

This happy news allows us to see, in a concrete manner, the fruit of our solidarity with the Secretariat for Missionary Cooperation.

Between the 2nd and the 4th of June this year, members of the OCDS communities of Trujillo, Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Abancay and Cuzco gathered together in the seminary of the Discalced Carmelite friars in Lima for their national assembly.

Formation was a strong point of the meeting, with conferences on the person of Josefa Naval y Girbés, the relationship of Saint Teresa of Jesus with the laity, the importance of fraternity in the communities, the role of the President and the Council in the communities.

There was also time to weigh up life as it really is in the communities of the Peruvian Secular Carmel and to reflect, in turn, on the letter sent by the Superior General, Fr Saverio Cannistrà, to all the OCDS communities throughout the world.

Finally, there was the election of the new OCDS national council in Peru, for a period of three years. The results were as follows:

 

President: Lucio Muguerza Terrones, San José OCDS – Lima

Formation: Blanca Margarita Canale Romero, San José OCDS – Lima

Council Secretary: Hipólito Wilberto Rodríguez Chonta, OCDS –  Ica

Council Bursar: Lesly del Pilar Igreda Chaupis, San José OCDS – Lima

Councillor for Spirituality: Marianela Aneni Saavedra Abad, OCDS – Trujillo

 

The duty of this Council will be to promote the formation of the communities as well as drawing up a National Plan of formation for the OCDS, together with the preparation of the II OCDS National Meeting, which will take place in September in Abancay and the OCDS meeting of Bolivian CICLA.

The brothers and sisters of the Secular Carmel were assisted in their discussions by the Commissar, Fr Alfredo Amesti, as well others friars from the Discalced Carmel. The communion experienced in these days will continue on in the certainty that “we are, and will continue to be, united in prayer.”

The Carmelite nuns in Lithuania have had translated and published two works of our Holy Parents: the Way of Perfection of Saint Teresa and the Sayings of Light and Love of Saint John of the Cross. The translation was done by Sister Ieva of the Carmel of Calahorra, La Rioja, Spain and the introductions to both works by the Salamancan Discalced Carmelite friar, Fr Salvador Ros, who resides in the Segovia monastery.

Quite an influx of the public attended the presentations in two ceremonies celebrated on the 6th and the 7th of June in Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania.

At both presentations Fr Luis Aróstegui was present, who had been General of the Order from 2003 to 2009 and is now the Provincial of the St Joachim province in Navarre. He expressed his satisfaction with the translations done, which were well received by the public and thus emphasizing the universality of the doctrine of Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross.

Source: https://delaruecaalapluma.wordpress.com/

As you will have seen in detail on our web sites, the first congress of the Secular Order in the Congo took place from the 16th to the 19th of March this year. It was held in the reception centre of the Les Buissonnets monastery in Tabacongo, Lubumhashi.

With the Delegate General Fr Roger Balowe Tshimanga presiding, the members of the Secular Carmel in the Congo, accompanied by the Assistant of the Delegation and some Assistants from the communities, discussed the topic: “The Secular Carmel of the Congo: balance and perspectives”.

Among the conclusions of the congress, it was decided to strengthen the relationship between the various communities, to have more meetings of this type periodically, to establish in each of the friars’ communities time for formation meetings and the prayer of the Secular Carmel communities, as well as support being given from the Delegation to all the communities, in order to strengthen their life of prayer, fraternity and formation.

Also emphasized in the congress was the need for helping the Assistants of the communities so that they can carry out their work in a better manner, as well as interest in strengthening relationships of the OCDS in the Congo with their brothers and sisters present in neighboring countries.

On June 1, the medical board of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints gave a positive opinion concerning the cure of Angel Ramón (Paraguay, 2002) as a presumed miraculous healing through the intercession of the Discalced Carmelite Venerable Maria Felicia of the Blessed Sacrament, nicknamed “Chiquitunga”. It is an important first step for the recognition of the presumed miracle, which precedes the scrutiny of theologians.

For more information: www.postocd.org

Immediately after the end of the meeting of the General Definitory, our General, Fr Saverio Cannistrà, will make a visit to the Caribbean Commissariat from the 13th to the 27th of June. Being with our Caribbean friars during the few days of the Commissariat’s chapter took first place among the activities planned during these dates. The Commissariat is present in three countries: the Dominican Republic, Cuba and the USA (the associated State of Puerto Rico and Miami). Fr General will carry out various meetings with our friars and nuns and members of the Secular Carmel in the Commissariat, as well as giving conferences and taking the opportunity to preside at the thanksgiving Eucharist for the sixty years of the presence of the Discalced Carmelites in La Vega, in the Dominican Republic. After their arrival in the island in 1951, the Discalced Carmelite friars, from the now extinct Province of Castile, managed to establish the Cibao region in 1957 with two parishes, La Torre and La Llanada. This has been the source of abundant vocations, which include the present Definitor General for Latin America, Fr Francisco Javier Mena Lima. The celebration will take place in the parish of Santa Bárbara in La Torre on Thursday the 23rd of June.

If the difficult political circumstance permit, Fr Saverio plans to fly to Caracas (Venezuela) on the 27th of June, to visit the General Delegation in that country.

On the 21st of May last, during the message which accompanies the recital of the Regina Coeli in St Peter’s square, Pope Francis announced the celebration of a Consistory on the 28th of June for the appointment of five new Cardinals, among whom was Mons. Lars Anders Arbolelius, ocd, who since 1998 has been the Bishop of Stockholm.

Monsignor Arborelius was born in Sorengo, Switzerland, on the 24th September 1949, into the heart of a non-practicing Lutheran family. When his parents were divorced, he went with his mother to Lund, in Sweden, where he acquired the nationality of that country.

When he was converted to Catholicism at the age of 20, the writings of St Therese of the Child Jesus moved him to enter our Order, in the Flanders Province. He did his studies in Bruges, (Belgium) and in the Teresianum in Rome. He was appointed Bishop in 1998 by St John Paul II, and was ordained Bishop that same year.

From the coming 29th June, the day on which he will become Cardinal, he will be changed into a counsellor close to Pope Francis, called to uphold the Pope’s service as Bishop of Rome and universal Pastor of the Church, as well as being called himself to serve the ecclesial communion and be a joyful herald of the Gospel, as Pope Francis reminded us in his message.

Fátima, 28th to 30th April 2017

Secular Carmel vocational discernment

In Fatima’s Domus Carmeli was celebrated the twenty-fourth annual national meeting of the Portuguese OCDS with some 80 to 90 taking part from the various communities in Portugal, including the Isle of Madeira. Present was Fr Alzinar Debastiani, Fr General’s Delegate for the Secular Carmelite Order and Affiliated Institutes.

Some 16 communities exist in the Province, with around 600 members, the majority of whom reside in Madeira (400 members).

Among the more important conclusions of the congress we can point out the following: that the laity have a greater role in the fraternities and in coming meetings; that the fraternities deepen in the theology of the laity as set out in the second Vatican Council and has been developed since; that there is a greater turnover in the positions of the different communities; that the communities of Madeira be updated and renewed in accordance with the provisions of the present Constitutions of the Secular Order. To achieve this aim, Fr Alpoim Alves was appointed specific delegate for the region to help Fr Joaquim Teixeira, the Provincial Delegate, in his duties.

In addition to discussions, there was time to meet the friars and the sisters of the Fatima monastery. All those taking part made a pilgrimage along the Hungarian Via Sacra, assisted by Marian texts and from the writings of the saints of Carmel. During these days, 3 members of the Paço d’Arco community in Lisbon made their temporary promises, as well as 4 lay people from the Fatima community taking part in the ceremony for entering the novitiate.

The closing Eucharist, which took place in the chapel of the monastery of the Carmelite nuns, was a beautiful experience of communion between the three branches of the Discalced Carmelite Order. The chapel is dedicated to Jacinta and Francisco, the young shepherds of Fatima, who were proclaimed saints by Pope Francis on the 13th of May this year, the day which marked the centenary of the apparitions.

On the 5th of May this year, there died in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, Monsignor Amancio Escapa Aparicio, titular Bishop of Cene and the emeritus auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo.

Monsignor Amancio was born in Cistierna, León, Spain on the 30th March 1938 and made his profession as a Discalced Carmelite in Segovia, in the old Province of Castile, on the 2nd of August 1954, together with his twin brother José Marie, who died some years ago. They took as their religious names Amancio de María and Amando de Jesús, respectively.

Monsignor Amancio was ordained priest on 22nd of April, 1962, and on the 31st of May 1996, he was appointed the titular Bishop of Cene and the Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Santo Domingo as well as the Vicar General of the Archdiocese. His ordination as bishop took place on the 6th of July 1996.

He never dissociated himself from the Order despite his episcopal appointment and, with the agreement of the Superiors, made the community of St Jude Thaddeus in the capital his place of residence.

He ordained many Carmelite friars of the Commissariat of the Caribbean as deacons and priests and on his visits to Spain took active part in the solemn celebrations in our churches, such as the solemnity of Our Lady of Mt Carmel and other feast days.

From 1965 he had been living in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) in the community of the St Jude Thaddeus College, where he was many times the Superior and Pastor. He also took on many pastoral duties in the Archdiocese and eventually was appointed Vicar General on the 17th December 1982. Of note was his assistance as a counselor during the years of the “Cursillos of Christianity”.

He died at 79 years of age as the result of grave lung cancer.

Masses for his eternal repose were celebrated in the cathedral, the seat of the “Cursillos of Christianity movement and in the Discalced Carmelite parish of St Jude Thaddeus. He was buried beside his brother in the “Gate of Heaven” cemetery of the Domenican capital.

May he rest in peace and let us give thanks to God for the intense and fruitful ministry of Monsignor Amancio.

As customary, also this year 46 students of theology belonging to 7 indian provinces met at Gandarvakottai Spirituality Centre, in the province of Tamilnadu for a week.

The primary intention of this gathering is to know each other and grow in fraternity. This is one of the initiatives taken by the Inter Provincial Council of India.

The Definitor for South Asia Fr. Johannes was present at this meetinng. He addressed the students and celebrated the concluding Eucharist on 22nd April.

Added to this, they organize every year two months  of second novitiate (for those preparing to make the Solemn Profession). They study about the charism and our holy parents during these special gatherings.

Father General met with 162 Discalced Carmelite nuns from monasteries in the United States from April 25th to 29th in St. Louis (Missouri). The meeting can be regarded as historic, and its organization was aided by some OCDS members.

Father Saverio gave the sisters two conferences based on the Apostolic Constitution Vultum Dei Quaerere. They were titled, “Contemplative life and cloister” and “Contemplative life and the Word of God.”

Father General described the life of the contemplative Carmelites as a life of “seekers of the ways of the Spirit,” who do not limit themselves to welcoming the guest as industrious housewives – in the style of Martha – to the point of forgetting him and neglecting their relationship with him.

Likewise, Father Saverio pointed out, it is obvious that a plurality exists in the cloistered way of life among Discalced Carmelites, but “it is preferable to have diversity that seeks accord than discordance that coerces uniformity.”

In his second conference, Father General insisted upon the need to establish a profound relationship with the Word of God, essential to the contemplative life.

The sisters had the opportunity for group reflection on the proposed topics in Father Saverio’s conferences, and he also had the opportunity to meet with the councils of the different federations.

Accompanying Father General from Rome were Father Daniel Chowning, Definitor, and Father Rafal Wilkowski, his personal secretary and the one responsible for the secretariat of the nuns.

Father Michael Berry of the Province of California-Arizona and Father Jude Peters, Provincial of Washington, also participated in the meeting.

A detailed record of the meeting in English with photographs may be found at this link:

http://ocdnunsnationalmtg.blogspot.com.au/