Fr Fernando Millián (Prior General of the Carmelites) has written a special message to the whole Order as we approach the Novena and Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
In his letter the Prior General addresses the important event of the year of the Consecrated life and three great figures of Carmel whom we celebrate this year, and who had great devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel: St Teresa of Jesus on the 5th centenary of her birth; St Simon Stock on the 750th anniversary of his death, and Bl. Bishop Oscar Romero, who was beatified in May this year.
For the full text of fr Fernando's letter click the "read more" link below.
Click here for the Novena Prayer for each day from 7 - 15 July.
The prayers will also be available each day on our social media sites: Facebook & Twitter.
Making a novena (from the Latin for nine) has a long tradition in the Church. Typically, it means nine successive days of prayer. Each year, on the nine days before the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (7-15 July) Carmelites offer their prayers for those in need.
For the first time we will post the prayer for each day of the Novena from 7 July on our social media sites Facebook, Twitter, & Tumblr. The prayers are also available by clicking the 'Read more' link below.
We are encouraged in our prayer by Fr Fernando (Carmelite Prior General) who says:
“I believe that we too, as people devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, are called to bring freedom to those who suffer the purgatories of our times - hunger, unemployment, war, terrorism, drugs, depression, loneliness, poor education, exploitation and abuse."
This year we will be celebrating the 70th annual Mothers’ Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middle Park (VIC).
Mass celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (16 July) was originally offered for all Australians serving or killed during World War II.
With the dawn of peace in 1945 this Mass was then offered for all mothers, living and deceased.
Welcome to this special issue celebrating the 70th anniversary of our annual Mothers' Mass.
First celebrated in 1945 this mass has been offered for all mothers (living and deceased) every year since. Join us at 10.30am on 19 July at the National Shrine, Middle Park for this year's special anniversary Mass.
Also in this issue we celebrate the life of Fr Noel Kierce who died recently and Fr Pat Harney who is still 'going strong' at 94 years of age!
You can also join us in our annual Novena of Prayer for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel using the prayers in this issue. These 9 days of prayer are offered for all the members of our Carmelite Family in Australia and Timor Leste.
Pope Francis has approved decrees permitting the canonisation of the parents of St Thérèse of Lisieux.
Louis and Zélie Martin will be the first couple to be canonised together as husband and wife. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, said the canonisation would testify to their “extraordinary witness of conjugal and familial spirituality”. (Source: Catholic Herald UK)
This teacher genuinely relates to struggling students.
As part of a special promotion in The Weekly Review (June 10-16 2015) Br Sean Keefe from Whitefriars College was interviewed by reporter Cheryl Critchley.
'Now a youthful 68, Sean is the perfect fit for a Carmelite school that prides itself on a strong community and social justice ethos. He has also been asked to mentor several Carmelite students, mostly from East Timor, as they train for the priesthood. It is a far cry from the days when he thought he was “a stupid boy from Louisville”', the article says.
Read more of Br Sean's story by clicking pdf here .
The Sisters of Mount Carmel's mission work in Timor-Leste has been enormously blessed since its foundation on 18 July 2013.
Four young Timorese women have entered the formation program in The Philippines. They are becoming acquainted with Carmel in the Philippines and began their postulancy program of studies at the end of May. Pictured from left: Sister Mailyn Batocabe, who accompanied the postulants to the Philippines; Natalina Exposto, Maria Sirene, Rosita Dos Santos, Anastacia Lima, Sister Remedios Natonton and Father Bruce Clark, OCarm., Regional Prior and Novice Master.
(Adapted from Contemplatives In Action, newsletter of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, US, Philippines & Timor Leste)
Monthly newsletter of the Carmelite Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Commission.
This month's issue is all about Pope Francis' new Encyclical, Laudato Si' - On the care of our common home.
It contains some reflections on the Encyclical from a Carmelite point of view together with a 10 point summary of the main message.
Download this issue by clicking the link below.
You can download the full text of the Encyclical pdf here .
Pope Francis has released his long-awaited encyclical on climate change and the care of the earth, Laudato Si (Praise be to You).
The document “will emphasize that the option for stewardship of the environment goes hand in hand with the option for the poor,” said Carmelite, Eduardo Scarel, a climate scientist who teaches at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and the National University of La Plata in Buenos Aires.
“I think the pope wants us to become aware of this,” said Scarel, who was involved in preparatory consultations about the encyclical. “He is aiming at a change of heart. What will save us is not technology or science. What will save us is the ethical transformation of our society.” (Source: Crux)
You can download the encyclical using the link below.
Welcome to the latest issue of The Vine, our Lay Carmelite Newsletter for Australia and New Zealand.
In this issue:
- Peter White introduces the new-look issue of The Vine
- Fr Paul Gurr reflects on the need to be people of the future, not of the past
- Christine Wade talks about the 2015 Provincial Assembly
- Tribute to Fr Noel Kierce RIP
- News from our communities
- Getting to Know You: Fr Matthew McPhee
- St Teresa of Avila: Sr Paula continues her article about St Teresa
- International News & Notice Board
Click to download The Vine 26 2 June 2015
