Happy New Year from the Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste! On New Year's Day we also celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. So, we begin the new year with Mary. May she accompany us throughout the year with wisdom and love on our journey into God’s heart.

May the New Year be filled with an ever deeper awareness of God's presence around us and in us. We continue to pray for all those affected by COVID-19 in Australia and throughout the world. May we reamin safe and continue to support each other. View larger image here.

The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste wish you a very happy Christmas and thank you for your friendship
and support throughout this difficult and challenging year.   

At Christmas we reflect on the mystery of 'God with us'
in the person of Jesus, born in one moment of time
so that God can be born in every moment of time through us.

May you and your loved ones have a safe, happy and blessed Christmas.

Circumstances change, but the message of Christmas remains the same: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” Jesus came as the Saviour and brother for all.  This Christmas, 2020 will find us changed. We are poorer, sicker, more frightened that we can ever remember. But we are also stronger, strengthened by what we have seen of the goodness of people who sacrifice themselves every day in order to help others, in the very difficult circumstances brought about by the Coronavirus. Read the full message & watch the video

Two of our scholarship students, Sabino and Julito, have graduated with Bachelor degrees in Timor-Leste. We feel very proud to see these young people achieve success with their studies and to have played a role in supporting them over several years. Carmelites were present and celebrated these important life milestones with both students. Read more & see photos

It’s surprising just how quickly Christmas seems to have come this year! Someone said recently, ‘There was the beginning of the year, then it was March, and March, and March and, suddenly, it’s Christmas!’ Just 5 days to go. Unfortunately, news about a new COVID outbreak in Sydney has somewhat dampened spirits, especially for those, like me, hopeful of meeting up with family and friends there this Christmas. Read more & download Lectio Divina for this Sunday.

Celebrating At Home 4th Sunday of Advent 20 December PDF
Celebrating At Home 4th Sunday of Advent 20 December EPUB

On the last day of her visit to Melbourne, Timor-Leste Ambassador Inês Maria de Almeida and her delegation met with Carmelites, Timorese Carmelite and Salesian Brothers, students and members of the Timorese community at the Carmelite Community, Middle Park (VIC). The Ambassador also met with a young Timorese seasonal worker who was hospitalised soon after he arrived in March 2019. Fr Hugh Brown, the Carmelites and Timor-Leste Association have been caring for the worker since his discharge from hospital earlier this year. Ambassador Inês expressed her gratitude for the immense generosity of Fr Hugh, the parish of Port Melbourne/Middle Park and the Carmelites in caring for seasonal workers in need of pastoral care. See photos

The great Christmas feast is almost here. As always in Advent, what is promised in the first reading is brought to fulfilment in the Gospel reading. We began Advent with the cry, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’. We will end it with the joyful shout, ‘God is with us!’ In the first reading King David wants to build a house (temple) for God, but God is not about building temples to himself and it’s not dwelling-places made of wood or stone that God wants. God is about building dwelling-places in human flesh. God is about building a people among whom and in whom he can live. Read more

More than 3,000 people gathered at the Carmelite community in Hera, Timor-Leste, to celebrate the Solemn Profession (life commitment) and First Profession (initial commitment) of 9 Carmelites.

Brs Amandio Soares Salsinha, Narcizio da Costa Vilanova, Silvestre Alves and Agostinho Dos Santos made their Solemn Profession and Brs Virgilio de Jesus Brites, Honorio Pereira Babo Lobato, Ponciano Norberto de Deus, Natasio de Jesus Maia and António Preto da Costa Soares made their First Profession. Read more & see photos

There’s a lot to rejoice about at the moment in Australia. New cases of COVID are almost unknown. Restrictions are being eased. Vaccines are becoming available. Most of us can gather with family and friends for Christmas. Life is slowly returning to normal. The Church is rejoicing this Sunday, too. The idea that the Church rejoices might seem strange. Often we have an image of the Church that is more like a stern-faced person with a wagging finger than the smiling Pope Francis. Read more & download Lectio Divina for this Sunday.

Celebrating At Home 3rd Sunday of Advent 13 December PDF     
Celebrating At Home 3rd Sunday of Advent 13 December EPUB

The Prior General of the Carmelites and the Superior General of the Discalced Carmelites have released a joint letter marking the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. St Joseph has for centuries been considered the patron and protector of the Carmelites. Long before devotion to St Joseph became popular in the universal Church Carmelites had been celebrating him in their liturgy. The letter helps us understand that the development, and perhaps even the origin, of devotion to St Joseph in the life of the church owes a great deal to Carmelite liturgical and spiritual tradition.
Read more  |  Read the pdf Letter from the Carmelite Generals