The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste have joined the National Redress Scheme. The Scheme provides acknowledgement and support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
We are committed to safeguarding all people in our care, particularly children, young people and vulnerable adults. We have policies and procedures which are mandatory for all Carmelites, our employees and volunteers who work with us. Read more about: Our Commitment to Safeguarding, Our Safeguarding Policies & the Redress Scheme.
The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste are committed to the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults from all forms of abuse and mistreatment.
We are committed to safeguarding all people in our care, particularly children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Our Commitment
The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste, committed to living in allegiance to Jesus Christ,
being pure in heart and stout in conscience and unswerving in the service of the Master (Carmelite Rule)
reach out to people in pastoral service. We are committed to making all our places safe and protected
spaces for all people, especially children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Our Policies & Procedures
Since 2017 we have been working with the Australian Childhood Foundation to develop policies, protocols and responses which promote a culture and a practice of providing a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults in our pastoral care.
These Policies and Procedures were formally adopted at the 2019 Provincial Chapter and are mandatory throughout the Province for Carmelites and the employees and volunteers who work with us in our ministries.
These Policies and Procedures include a Code of Conduct for Carmelites, employees and volunteers, reporting procedures as well as recruitment and employment standards so that only suitable people work with us in our ministries. We are committed to ongoing education and training in recognising abuse, responding with justice and compassion to allegations and to direct intervention when abuse is suspected.
National Redress Scheme
In September 2019 the Carmelites were admitted to the National Redress Scheme. The National Redress Scheme provides acknowledgement and support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
For more information on the National Redress Scheme, visit www.nationalredress.gov.au or call the National Redress Information Line on 1800 737 377.
Reporting & Healing
The Carmelites Australia & Timor-Leste are committed to helping those who have experienced abuse in the past find support and healing. Our Provincial is the designated Safeguarding Officer and can be contacted at the Provincial Office, (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone (03) 9699 1922.
We urge anyone with evidence of criminal conduct to contact their local Police so that it can be appropriately investigated.
When children are involved, many States in Australia have mandatory reporting provisions to the police or relevant state authority. Use the contact information below for further information:
pdf Mandatory Reporting Contact Details for each State and Territory
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS RESOURCE GROUPS
New South Wales/ACT – 1300 369 977
Northern Territory – 0418 736 890
Queensland – 1800 337 928
South Australia – 1800 139 020
Tasmania – 1800 356 613
Victoria – 1800 816 030
Western Australia – 1800 072 390
Read our pdf Safeguarding Policy & Procedures | pdf Complaint Handling Policy 2021 | pdf Risk Management Strategy
ACSL Safeguarding Audit 2022 pdf ACSL Media Release May 2022 | pdf ACSL Audit Report May 2022
ACSL National Catholic Safeguarding Standards pdf NCSS Version 2 2022 | pdf NCSS Implementation Guide Version 1 | pdf NCSS Version 2 2022 Compendium
During the Synod on the Amazon the Carmelite church of St Mary in Traspontina, near the Vatican, has been a focal point of daily prayer and pilgrimage. A display featuring various aspects of Amazonian faith and life is present in the chapels of the Church. Included in the display were several carved wooden statues of a pregnant Amazonian woman. Two men filmed themselves entering the church on 21 October, taking the statues from the chapels and throwing them into the Tiber River a short distance away. More story.
Mr Mark Murphy has been chosen to lead the Whitefriars College Community as Principal from the beginning of 2020. Mr Murphy, currently principal at Marcellin College, Bulleen (VIC), has been involved in Catholic Education for 33 years and attended Whitefriars as a student, graduating in 1982.
“It is evident that Mark will bring a wonderful breadth of knowledge, experience and energy to the position and will ensure that the College continues to provide our students with positive, challenging and rewarding school experiences,” said Fr Paul Cahill (Carmelite Provincial) and Mr Peter Duffy (Chair, Whitefriars College Board) in their letter announcing the appointment. pdf Read the announcement.
A new Timor-Leste chapel has been blessed and opened by Bishop Hilton Deakin at the Ta Pinu Shrine in Bacchus March (VIC). The Shrine, described as an ‘all nations Marian Centre’, aims to have a chapel representing every nation. Timor-Leste is the most recent to have a chapel built at the Shrine. The chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Our young Carmelites were present joining in the celebrations, assisting Bishop Deakin, reading prayers and doing one of the Scripture readings. More photos
Frs Bruce Clark and Nelinho Ferreira Soares have been elected by the Carmelites in Timor-Leste to form the Timor-Leste Council for the next 3 years. Together with Fr Carlito Da Costa Araújo (Provincial Delegate for Timor-Leste) they will share responsibility for fostering the growth of the Order in Timor-Leste, the pastoral care of the Carmelites and managing day-to-day affairs.
Fr Carlito is also one of the formators for the simply professed friars. Fr Bruce is also Director of Novices and Fr Nelinho is Chaplain to the nation's Police Force. Our prayerful congratulations are with these brothers as they begin their ministry.
Born in Avila in Spain in 1515 Teresa entered the Carmelites and eventually made great progress in her spiritual journey. Wishing to share in the spiritual renewal of the Church of her time, she began to live her religious life more ardently and soon attracted many companions, to whom she was like a mother. She also helped in the reform of the friars with Saint John of the Cross. She wrote books which are renowned for their depth of doctrine and which showed her own spiritual experiences. She died at Alba de Tormes in 1582. In 1970 Teresa was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. "Prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends" - St Teresa of Jesus.
Carmelite student, Br Cesaltino Dos Santos, was present when the President of Timor-Leste, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, launched the ‘One Citizen, One Tree’ initiative of the Global Association for the Prevention of Climate Change. The Association’s job is to plant trees in schools and in deforested areas in Timor-Leste. The President gave his support to the Association and asked that relevant institutions make Timor-Leste greener.
The Final Message from the 2019 General Chapter has just been released. Among the points addressed in the message are: The global nature of the Order, passing on the Tradition, living the Carmelite charism today, responding to new situations in the world, the mystical dimension of Carmelite life, tenderness and compassion, the Carmelite Family and continuing the journey in hope.
Recently, 18 current and past students, who have received a scholarship from the Carmelites, gathered together for the first ever Scholarship Student Retreat at our community in Hera.
While some students live with their families in Dili, or the Carmelite communities in Hera or Fatuhada, several past students travelled from their rural villages to participate in the retreat. The day was facilitated by Br Agostinho Dos Santos. More story & photos
