Author: ocd web master

January 2017 marks the most blessed month of the Vicariate of the Regional Vicariate of West Bengal, North East India of the Discalced Carmelites of the South Kerala Province.

God granted us the first four OCD Priests from North India for our Mission Vicariate. They are Fr. Joel Sarkar OCD, Fr. Arvind Tigga OCD, Fr. Anil Tirkey OCD and Fr. Anil Kerketta OCD.

The very First Priestly Ordination was of Deacon Joel Sarkar, took place at our Mission Centre at Dhupguri, north of West Bengal through the hands of Bishop Clement Tirkey of  Jalpaiguri Diocese on 20th January 2017. He is from a West Bengal Family speaking Bengali language. We do remember Rabindra Nath Tagore, the great mystic poet of India and Nobel Laureate and Mother Teresa of Calcutta who is called the “Saint of the Gutters” who lived in this State. Let us thank the Lord for this historical moment that lets us grow on a firm foundation.  He hails from the Diocese of Raiganj in West Bengal.

Deacons Arvind Tigga OCD and Anil Kerketta OCD  were Ordained at Saunamara Parish in the Rourkela Diocese, Odisha on 23rd January 2017 through the hands of Bishop Kishor Kumar Kujur. Fr. Arvind hails from Jaspur Diocese of Chattisgarh State. Fr. Anil Kerketta is from Rourkela Diocese, Odisha State. The fourth Priestly Ordination was of Deacon Anil Tirkey at Gaibira Parish in the Rourkela Diocese on 25th January 2017.  These three Priests are from Adibasi People and speak Oram language. Yes, the Lord calls “the Shepherds after His own heart” for His people from all the peoples and nations. By the grace of God, we will have Priestly Ordinations every year from East and North East India for the growth of the Church and Our Holy Order in West Bengal and North Eastern States of India. Our Order is new to most of these States of India.

The Priestly Ordination ceremony in Odisha State is impressive. It is a grand feast of the people of the area. People both Christians and non-Christians in big number take part in it. It is like a big marriage celebration. The Deacon walks over the baskets supported by his parents or most dear ones before the ceremony of Ordination to the altar and handed over to the Bishop. It is to mean, he is taken from the ordinary society for a radically new life as minister of the Church for all. Thus, they show the loftiness and sanctity of Priestly life. After the Holy Mass, two elderly women bring him to the stage and put the priest on the lap and others wash his hands, legs, put oil on his head, comb his hair, and beautify his head. It is to mean that here after the priest is a part of all the people, loved and cared by them. What a wonder blessing of the Priest! Then the priest is crowned as a king or honoured like a leader of the people. It impresses especially the minds and hearts of the young and children and can inspire them to aspire for priesthood. People, in great numbers, dance together with banging instruments before, during and after the Mass. The Ordinations in Odisha started by 7.30 in the morning and got over by 12.30 noon. After the meals, again they continued with felicitations and dancing which would last until night. The priest is carried to his own village in his re-entry. The First Mass takes place in at a prepared place near his home, participated by the neighbouring villagers. They sing and dance for him. At a convenient time, he goes to bless the families of his village.

Rejoice with us and thank the Lord for “the beginning of this harvest” from the vocational seeds sown 13 years back and the solid and native growth of our Mission. Yes, the Mission will grow from within to greater heights and at God’s time will become an independent Province of our Holy Order.

The Calcutta Mission was opened on 6th June 1998 in the city where Mother Teresa of Calcutta worked for the poorest of the poor. It was Fr. Bernadine M. Louis OCD, then Provincial who put up the first Aspirants’ House (Seminary) Flos Carmeli Ashram at Lakurdi, Burdwan in the Asansol Diocese in 2003. We started the first batch of seminarians in a tent made of haystack. The first Priestly Ordinations from our mission have taken place after 13 long years of formation both in the Mission and Kerala. The number of Ordinations in India is on the increase in spite of all the cultural and adverse conditions of our Country. We have around 80 brothers in different stages of formation only for our Mission Vicariate from East and North East Indian States.

Our Mission Centre at Kumari, Arunachal Pradesh, which was taken up from the Diocese of Miao, a border State of India to China in 2009 got finally a beautiful Parish Church at the hard work of Fr. Jaison Kaimathuruthy, OCD, in charge of Kumari Centre. The Church was blessed on 28th January 2017 by Bishop George Palliparambil of the Diocese, inaugurated by Fr. Benjamine Elias our Provincial and dedicated to the Public by the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh in the presence of thousands of people. It was a mega celebration day with the participation of Priests, Religious, People Catholics and non-Catholics. The church is dedicated to our Lady of Mount Carmel.

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At the age of 94 years, Mons. Luis Alberto Luna Tobar, Discalced Carmelite and Archbishop Emeritus of Cuenca, died last February the 7th in Quito, Ecuador.

Mons. Luna was born on the 15th of December, 1923, into a well-to-do family from Quito. He became acquainted with Carmel in a visit he made to the Sucumbios mission with some friends, three of whom entered the Order with him, out of admiration for the friars and more specifically, using their own words, attracted by “their life, their happiness, their training, what they were like”.

As it turned out, he was the only one to persevere and was sent to study in Spain. At that time he became the first Ecuadorian to take the Carmelite habit, which happened at Burgo de Osma on the 3rd of August, 1939. He was ordained priest on the 25th of July, 1946, in the Carthusian Charterhouse in Miraflores, Burgos. Once ordained priest, he went back almost immediately to Quito and was appointed Pastor of the church of Saint Therese, where for 22 years, he worked tirelessly up until 1968 as Pastor, becoming the “fashionable” priest, there being no baptism, confession or marriage that he did not do. He had a certain charism for inspiring confidence, he became advisor to numerous well-known political people and those of the social world in the Capital. He was also professor in the Catholic University and in 1972 was appointed a member of the Ecuadorian Academy of Language. From 1970 to 1973 he was Definitor General of the Order. In 1977 he was named Auxiliary Bishop of Quito. But this great Bishop, great shepherd, great friend of the poor and country folk was to emerge as Archbishop of Cuenca in 1981.  He was received with suspicion and distrust by the clergy in Cuenca, thinking him as rather elitist because of his origin and his term as Auxiliary of Quito. Accompanied by his rural Pastoral Vicar, Fr Hernán Rodas, he was to visit even the remotest corner of the diocese. In doing this he found conversion. The very spirit he had shown in Quito for receiving political personages, aristocratic and cultural people . . . was to become in harmony with the country folk: “My greatest pleasure is to be understood by the country people, we get on so well together”.

In this way, he became known as “the Bishop of the poor” and “the Bishop who makes no distinction” or by his own fellow Bishops, who acknowledged him as “the prophet of Ecuador!” His death has caused an enormous impact on the Ecuadorian Church and society, to the extent that President Correa himself publically lamented his death and gave the funeral elegy for Mons. Luna.

Together with Mons. Proaño, dead now for nearly 30 years and our Mons Gonzalo, who was recently taken from us, he formed the most notable group of Bishops involved in leading the reform that followed Vatican II, as well as the meetings of the Latin-American and Carribean Bishops celebrated in Medellin and Puebla.

May our brother rest in peace.

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On the coming 13th of February, the diocese of Coimbra in Portugal will conclude the diocesan section of the process for canonization of Sister Lucy Dos Santos, a Discalced Carmelite nun and one of the three Fatima visionaries. The Cause will now begin to be analyzed in the Vatican by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

For the occasion, after the ceremony of closing takes place, a thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated for all those in the Coimbra Carmel. Following this, there will be a concert in the city Cathedral.

Sister Lucy was a Discalced Carmelite religious for 57 years and, after her death in 2005, was buried in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in the Fatima Sanctuary.

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From the on-line Spanish religious periodical “Religión Digital”, we learnt of the news that our brother, Monsignor José Silvio Baéz Ortega, OCD, auxiliary bishop in Managua has been nominated Church personality for 2016 in his country of Nicaragua.

He has been awarded this distinction for his constant, evangelical condemnations of abuse with regard to human rights in Nicaragua, but also for his devotedness as a pastor: as a person of humility, he loves the most poor and teaches all to love God and Sacred Scripture.

According to the afore-mentioned article, the exercise of his episcopal ministry has been increasingly appreciated not only by the faithful Catholics of Nicaragua, but also by those who previously did not support the Church’s stance on different issues.

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We recently received a letter from our brother, Father Federico Trinchero, ocd, from the convent of Bangui in the Central African Republic. He sent news about our missionaries there, of which we provide a brief summary here.

Currently, the community has 21 religious: 4 priests, 11 students, 1 postulant, and 5 pre-novices, with a median age of 26 years. Once in a while, it is strengthened by the arrival of Father Anastasio Roggero, who, at 80 years old, still visits his beloved mission of “Carmel” from Prague, his permanent residence, from which he continues working for the missions in general and for this one in particular.

The formation of these young adults “is and continues to be our primary mission from the youthful heart of Africa and the Church; a mission that keeps us busy every day and is demanding… but which is also entertaining,” says Father Federico.

Regarding the situation in the country, it remains precarious, especially in some regions (above all the north), although warfare is lessening and the situation in Bangui, particularly, is a lot calmer. The new president – democratically elected thanks to the help of French armed forces – is accepted by all factions in the country without argument; but unfortunately, mutual distrust between Muslims and Christians persists.

The number of refugees sheltered by our brothers in the mission has gone down considerably: from 10,000 in 2014 to 3,000. We will wrap up by sharing an enjoyable anecdote from Father Federico: “Frequently, when I travel along the roads down the center of town or kilometer 5, I am sidetracked by someone who recognizes my face, stops me, and shouts: ¡Bwa Federico, mbi lango na Carmel! Zone ti mbi 7 (Father Federico, I slept in Carmel! My area was zone 7). It has also happened that, excessively overwhelmed by memories, a child will proudly be lifted up with the words: So molengue ti mo! (And this is your son!). Luckily, due to the child’s dark skin color, I avoid malicious interpretations… but inevitably thoughts return, with some nostalgia, to those days when our refectory had been turned into an efficient delivery room and many children slept in the church or played in the chapter room.”

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On Saturday, January 7th, Father General left Rome heading for São Paulo, Brazil, to participate in the Chapter of the Province of Southeastern Brazil. The Chapter was celebrated from January 9th through 13th in São Roque. He was also able to meet with the Council of Associations of Brazil’s Discalced Carmelite nuns’ monasteries.

On the 15th he traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and presided over the Delegation’s Chapter, which was celebrated from the 16th to the 20th.

The last leg of his visit to Latin America will be between Paraguay and Uruguay, after crossing La Plata River, making a fraternal visit to our brothers, and participating in a Plenary Council from January 31st to February 2nd. He will be accompanied by the Iberian Provincial, Father Miguel Márquez Calle; the Vicariate of Bolivia – Paraguay – Uruguay is a dependency of the Iberian Province.

Father Saverio’s return to Rome is scheduled for February 5th. We commend these journeys and works to our good God.

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Recently, on the 16th January, Fr Giuseppe (Francisco) Caviglia, Discalced Carmelite, died in the San Vito hospital of Turin. He was a member of the Saint Teresa community in the same city. He had been suffering from a grave tumor of the liver.

A member of the Genoa Province, Fr Caviglia did his studies at the Teresianum in Rome and, after a brief period in his Province of origin, he returned to Rome, having been appointed as secretary of the Teresianum Faculty by the then General, Fr Anastasio Ballestrero. On weekends, free from the duties of his office and accompanied by some students and priests from the Teresianum, he became involved in the pastoral care of some villages near Rome.

On being consecrated Bishop of Bari, Mons. Anastasio requested that he be his secretary, forming a team with Sr Antonina Volpe from the Congregation of Charity of the Immaculate of Ivrea, who died at the end of last year. The two also assisted Mons. Anastasio in his time as Archbishop of Turin, Cardinal and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

They also accompanied Mons. Anastasio when he went into retirement at Bocca di Magra until his death in June 1998, when Fr Caviglia returned to his Province. There he became noted for his work as confessor to various communities of Discalced Carmelite nuns and also to many lay people who frequented their communities. In the last 19 years of his life he also had the opportunity to fill various offices in his Province: Superior in Arenzano and Genoa, director of the “Messaggero” the monthly magazine of the Child Jesus sanctuary in Arenzano and, finally, Superior of the Turin monastery where he died.

May our brother rest in peace.

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As you can imagine, it was with great joy that the General Curia received a letter sent to Fr General on 21st December from our nuns in Aleppo. We published the complete letter in French and Spanish on our social networks on the 27th of the same month.

In it they expressed their appreciation of the closeness of their brothers and sisters who had sent them help and, above all, for the prayers by which they felt sustained in the midst of the terrible situation through which they had to live. It is moving to know from themselves that the tiniest prayer, the word of encouragement in which they sensed our closeness, our love, helped them to be able to live their community life better, surrounded by the war which has so cruelly scourged Aleppo.

United to the suffering people, for whom they interceded continually in their prayer and sharing in their suffering, they continued their fraternal life, overcoming all obstacles: Our sisters installed in the choir a new icon of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – a gift from the Carmelite nuns in Harissa, Lebanon – which was blessed by a Word Incarnate priest, delegated by the Bishop. They were able to take part with the Church and the Order in the happiness for the canonization of Elizabeth of the Trinity and the beatification of Fr Marie Eugene, as well as celebrating their annual retreat and even the feast day of the Prioress on the 13th and 14th of November.

In their letter, the sisters also shared with us the joy which has resulted from the liberation of the city for the people, subjected for so long to great suffering; although there is a strong contrast between the western and eastern parts of the city. At the time they were writing their letter, the people seemed happy, with song and dance decorating the western part of the city to celebrate Christmas, even among the ruins. To the east, however, the situation is rather more painful, with great difficulties in facing winter and, even if the city could be reconstructed, the wounds in the hearts of the people who suffered so much in the conflict, would remain open for a long time. May the Prince of Peace be able to heal them!, our sisters pray, pleading with us to join them in their trusting prayer.

On 20th December, 2016, Pope Francis appointed as Bishop of the Lismore diocese, in Australia, our brother Fr Gregory Homeming who, since 2014, has been Regional Vicar of that area of jurisdiction, which is dependent on the Anglo-Irish province. Fr Greg, as he is familiarly known amongst us, also fulfilled this office from 1998 to 2002 and from 2005 to 2011.

Born in 1957, he made his profession on 1st February 1987 and was ordained priest on 20th July 1991. He has a degree in Economics and Law from the University of Sydney and completed his theological studies in the Catholic University of Melbourne.

May the Lord bless him and accompany him in this mission to which he has been called in God’s Church. It is absolutely certain that he will not lack the prayers of his Teresian Carmelite family.

The General Delegation of Egypt has established a new presence in Alexandria, that city which resonates so much in Christian history.

Present in Egypt for 90 years, the Teresian Carmel is exploring new growth because of the vocations the Lord is blessing us with in those lands.

There are already two entities under our responsibility in Alexandria: a school and a hospital. Now, with the permanent presence of two religious, Abuna Cyril and Abuna Anthony, the reach of our apostolate can extend to other schools as well as parishes. They will also focus on the specific pastoral work of our spirituality.

We pray for these brothers of ours, whose presence began precisely under the patronage of Saint John of the Cross, on his feast day, and for the entire Delegation. May the Virgin of Carmel assist them in their difficulties.

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On December 10, 2016, the Father General of the Order, Saverio Cannistrà, granted official permission to begin the foundation of a new mission of Discalced Carmelite friars in East Timor. Fathers Noé Martins and Antonio Gonzalez, ocd, have been there for a year already. As previously reported, the mission is under the responsibility of the Province of Portugal with the collaboration of the Iberian and Navarrese provinces.

On December 14th, feast of Saint John of the Cross, Fathers Miguel Márquez (Province of Iberia) and Jon Korta (Provincial Delegate of Navarre) arrived in Dili, East Timor, for a fraternal visit with our missionaries. Father Joaquim Teixeira (Provincial of Portugal), who accompanied them on their trip, had to return to Portugal from Bali, Indonesia – unfortunately – because of a problem with his passport.

Let us give thanks to God for this new mission of the Teresian Carmel!

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From 27th November to 2nd December 2016, the Superiors General of the Carmelites, Fr Fernando Millán O.Carm. and Fr Saverio Cannistrà OCD, together with the General Definitors or Councillors of both religious Orders, met together on Mount Carmel (Haifa, Israel), to spend time together and to discuss various matters. This initiative is part of the practice of dialogue and fraternal closeness that has been customary in recent years.

The central topic of the meeting was the relationships between consecrated life and the local Church, with regard to the new version of the document Mutuae Relationes, which is in an advanced stage of preparation in the relative Vatican congregations. The discussion was directed by Fr Agostino Montan, from the Congregation of St Joseph (Murialdo Josephites) a professor in the Lateran Pontifical University and a recognized specialist on the topic. Together with him they went over the history of the question, giving special attention to the viewpoint adopted by Vatican Council II and its evolution afterwards, with the rediscovering of the local Church and the ecclesiology of communion. The present situation was analyzed, as well as the prospects for the future, valuing, among other elements, the emphasis of the recent document Iuvenescit Ecclesia on the coessentiality (oneness in essence or nature) of the hierarchical gifts and the gifts of charisms.

The rich dialogue of these day took specially into account the experience of our Carmelite families in particular fields (parishes, missions, laity…). Also discussed was female contemplative life and the new directions of the Apostolic Constitution Vultum Dei Quarere and its implications at various levels (monasteries, federations, friars and nuns, diocese, Vatican congregations, etc).

On the other hand, during the days of the meeting, those taking part took the opportunity to come in contact with the past and the present of Carmelite presence in the land of Israel. One of the special visits was to Wadi-es-Siah, the cradle of Carmelite life; there they were able to check and comment on the steps to be taken, little by little, to preserve and dignify the ruins of the first monastery and to facilitate pilgrimage to this enclave which is so significant in our history. They also visited the present Carmelite monastery of Muhraqa, tied to the tradition of the prophet Elijah and the destination of numerous pilgrims and visitors. The stay in the Holy Land was completed with a day of pilgrimage to places of special mention in the Gospel, such as Mount Tabor, Nazareth, Capernaum and the lake of Galilee.

The experience of these days served to strengthen the cordial and fraternal relationship between the general governments of our religious families and to renew the desire to continue living and transmitting this style of gospel life which was born in the land of the bible and is now spread throughout the whole world in many forms and nuances. We all felt called, in the spirit of the Rule given by St Albert to the first hermits on Mount Carmel, to “live in allegiance to Jesus Christ, serving him faithfully with a pure heart and a good conscience”, meditating day and night on the law of the Lord”.

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From the 2nd to the 20th November 2016, the Delegate General for Secular Carmel carried out a fraternal visit to the communities of Secular Carmel in Venezuela and other lay groups inspired by Carmelite spirituality, as well as to the religious communities of Discalced Carmelite friars and nuns. The present time is one of particular difficulty for the country, with lacks in in essential sectors, such as food and medicine.

In each one of the communities visited in company with Fr Daniel, OCD Delegate General in Venezuela, in the cities of San Cristóbal, Mérida, Valera, Maracaibo, Barquisimeto, Valencia, San Joaquín and Caracas there could be sensed that there is a growth in canonically erected communities with 5 canonically erected and 8 more in formation. In each one of them the members have pastoral activities or others concerning the charism.

Among the many lay groups of Carmelite inspiration there stand out the Teresian Carmelite University of Barquisimeto with its presence in the UCLA university of medicine, the youth groups (“Project of Love”) and those at the service of families (for example, “Emmaus” and “Holy Family”) as well as those involved in music, such as the “Vinyard of Carmel”. In Barquisimeto there is also a School of Christian Spirituality, which offers classes in theology and spirituality and collaborates a great deal in the Christian formation of the faithful in general and of the members of Secular Carmel.

Concerning the whole of the journey, we can see images in a video made by Fr Daniel for the web: https://youtu.be/nTwEdxGNczI

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Between the 7th and 11th November the European Conference of Provincials met in Linz, Austria. Taking part at the meeting were the Major Superiors of the various European areas of jurisdiction together with Fr Agustí Borrell, the Vicar General and Fr Lukasz Kansy, the second Definitor General.

During the first day, the Superiors reflected on dependence on the internet, assisted by Fr Giovanni Cucci, s.j. This is an argument of enormous pertinence in our time involving, as it does, not only religious in formation but also adults.

On the morning of 9th November, Fr Agustí Borrell gave a presentation on the situation of the Teresian Carmel in Europe as well as the progress of the re-reading of Constitutions, of great worth at this time of crisis, as we seek to invigorate our own identity as Carmelites.

The same day, in the evening, Fr Lukasz Kansy presented to the assembly a proposal from Fr General: to set up a year in the Salamanca monastery (Spain), together with an adequate community, for the European students in formation. This has the purpose of deepening knowledge of our patrimony of the Teresian charism, as well as assimilating the fundamental elements of our spirituality. The proposal will be studied in the provincial seats so that dialogue on the subject with the General Government can be continued.

On the 10th, the delegates were able to enjoy a day of rest and fraternal sharing by visiting the city of Vienna, and on the morning of the 11th they returned home.

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November was marked by some unforgettable events of the Teresian Carmel. If on the 19th November, in Avignon, Fr Marie Eugene was beatified in a massive ceremony at which attended Fr General accompanied by a good number of religious, the impact of the canonization of Elizabeth of the Trinity produced the celebration of two important congresses in CITeS (Avila) and the TERESIANUM in Rome.

From the 10th to 13th November, in the CITeS University of Mysticism, the thought and doctrine of St Elizabeth of the Trinity, as well as her simplicity sensitivity and depth were presented, which was a source of enlightenment for the more than 100 who attended. The on-line transmission allowed some 80 or so Discalced Carmelite nuns to follow the congress closely in their own monasteries from such diverse countries as Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Venezuela, Morocco, Lebanon, Portugal, and the Czech Republic.

On its part, the Teresianum organized a congress for the 22nd and 23rd November, with great public participation. The new saint was placed in her historical context and after presenting a spiritual-biographical outline, the speakers explained some of the fundamental elements of her doctrine: relationship with St Paul, Christology and Trinitarian spirituality. The grand finale of the Congress was Mass celebrated in the Teresianum chapel at which presided Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

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