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Lay Carmelites The General Commission of the Laity

Lay Carmelite E-Bulletin II-No.2 MMXV

St. Teresa of Jesus 5th Centenary

SANTA TERESA OF AVILA: THE STAGES OF A LIFE

Letter from the Chair of the General Commission

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Carmel,

With great joy we present the new edition of the electron-ic bulletin for the Carmelite Laity. In this third publication we want to share a major event that gathered large crowds: the Congress of the Third Order of Carmelites of Asia and Australia held in the Philippines. This edition also highlights the figure of our sister St. Teresa de Jesus, Doctor of the Church, because the Carmelite Family all around the world is celebrating the V Centenary of her birth. We thank you for reading this E-bulletin and for the sugges-tions that you constantly send us for the next editions. God bless you!

Fr. Raúl Maraví, O.Carm.

Lay Carmelite E-Bulletin II-No.2 MMXV - 2

St. Teresa of Jesus was born in Avila (Spain) on the 28th March 1515, from a noble and reli-gious family. At 21 she became a Carmelite at the Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila.

The first years of her life, until her teenage years, were filled with religious fervor. She thought of God, of holiness, of seeing God but Teresa notes herself: “not so much for the love of God but to possess soon those great things that I read there are in heaven. And we were looking together for the means to realize our desires “(Life 1.4).

In 1531 Teresa is sent by her family as a pupil in the Augustinian monastery in Avila. The period of stay in the monastery ends, because of a disease, after about a year and a half.

It was 1533-34 when St. Teresa read the letters of Jerome, from which her religious

vocation blossomed (she also convinced her other brother, Antonio) (cfr. Vita, 3.7).

In 1535 she runs away from home to enter the monastery of the Incarnation of the Carmelites nuns in Avila, where she lived the first years of her religious life in a completely exemplary way: “When I took the habit, our Lord at once made me understand how He helps those who do violence to themselves in order to serve Him. No one observed this violence in me; they saw nothing but the greatest good will. At that moment, because I was entering on that state, I was filled with a joy so great, that it has never failed me to this day; and God converted the aridity of my soul into the greatest tenderness. “(Life 4.2).

Through frequent and severe diseases, many spiritual trials and generous response to the stresses of Divine Love, I came to that degree

of perfection in which the soul is ready to a particular service.

And because meanwhile the Protestant Reforma-tion hurt the heart of the Church, in the heart of the Church she wanted to work in a truly Carmelite action of sacrifice and love, something that would oppose to that reform. So she conceived and led out through endless adventures and conflicts and sufferings, the reform of the Order itself that took the name from her and that gave its origins to the Discalced Carmelites.

From 1558 to 1560, Teresa lives two years of abundant mystical graces: the first visions of the humanity of Christ that become her “living book” (cfr. Life 26.5; 27.2; 28.3; 29.13), the decision to form a reformed monastery (Life 32.10). In these years her writings begin.

On the 24 of August, 1562, in Avila, she founded her first monastery, dedicated to St. Joseph, where the nuns began to live in a spirit of love and self-sacrifice, a life as close as possible to that of the hermits of Mount Carmel and according to those norms that later Teresa of Jesus was to codify in her wise Constitu-tions.

The foundations of the monasteries of Discalced Carmelite nuns were numerous until 1582; in 1568 the Teresian Reformation reached the friars, after her meeting with St. John of the Cross, and so the first convent of Discalced Carmelite friars was founded in Duruelo.

The intensity of the spiritual life, the great work done, the severity of the diseases and sufferings of every kind, did not prevent St. Teresa from writing those stupendous works in which she gives us her mystical experience and her doctrine. Through the Autobiography, the Reports, the Way of Perfection, The Interior Castle, Foundations, the Thoughts, the Exclamations, Poems, Letters, St. Teresa of Jesus still plays, in Carmel and in the world, the flaming activity of her apostolic soul and she is always, to everyone, a Teacher and a Mother of spiritual life.

She died in the blaze of ecstasy, in Alba de Tormes, October 4, 1582, humbly repeating two expressions: “In the end, I die a daughter of the Church” and “It is now, my Spouse, that we will see each other.” An existence consumed in Spain, but spent for the whole Church.

Santa Teresa has had to realize that holiness was not a human achievement, but a divine gift; that is not an asceti-cism that tightens its fists in the fight but an openness to the gift of self to God; that it is not a façade of religious forms but an experience of salvation that takes man in his misery, to heal him and elevate him (J. Castellano).

Beatified by Pope Paul V in 1614 and canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, and proclaimed “Doctor of the Church” by Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1970.


Why I Became a Third Order Carmelite

At first I thought this was a difficult question, but in reality it was very easy to answer… This is what God asked me to be. But reaching to this conclusion was part of a long process.

I studied at a Carmelite School in Madrid (my hometown) and when I was 11 years old I joined a group called JuCar (Carmelite Youth in Spanish). I joined JuCar, primarily, to have fun. But though since I was a little child I was taught in the Catholic faith, it was in JuCar where I learned a different way to relate to God, different from just repeating prayers, which is what normally we are taught when being children.

When I was 16 years old, I was going through a “faith crisis” and I had decided to leave the religious world. Then I went to a retreat with JuCar and while I was in confession I felt that there was someone else (beside the Priest and

me). I felt bad because of my lack of faith, but at the same time I felt that I was listened to and forgiven by God. One day after this experience, I was asked to be a JuCar leader. Although this surprised me, I accepted because I wanted to transmit to other people the experience of God that I had the day before. I think that God did not want me to leave Carmel.

Months later, I started my work as a JuCar leader as I was preparing to receive the Confir-mation Sacrament. When I was 17 years old I participated, for the first time, in the Youth Easter Celebrations. This is a tradition among the JuCar groups in Spain. They have a complete experience of Easter, praying, partic-ipating in the different traditions, and having a personal time with God during this important time. I remember that in these Easter Youth celebrations, during the Way of the Cross (Via Crucis), I was carrying the Cross, when at the station of the death of our Lord, a Carmelite priest asked me to put as high as I could the cross for everyone to see it. When I had the cross as high as I could I saw the cross, and in that exact moment I could contemplate all the love that God left in that Cross. Again, I felt forgiven of my faults and I discovered the great joy of Christ resurrection, a joy that lasts until today in my heart.

I received the Confirmation Sacrament in a Carmelite Parish and I continue growing in my faith. Little by little, I discovered that I couldn’t be happy only by being a leader for kids in JuCar, but that I needed to continue my job with the youth helping in the catechesis. At the same time, I continued learning about the Carmelite charism and I developed a strong bond with Carmel. Obviously, I continued with my “faith crisis” and I continued asking myself a lot of questions, thinking that my work as a


Daniel Egido Simon

Why I Became a Third Order Carmelite catechist was worth-less, but again and again God, by his words in the Bible or through a friend, gave me patience and confidence in his plan.

Since that time that I attended the Youth Easter Celebrations I try to live Easter as something special to me. During one of these celebrations, I raised the big question: What does God want from me? For a couple of months I continued thinking a lot about this, I even thought about being a Friar, but at the end, I discovered that what God asked of me was to be a good young Chris-tian and a layman with a commitment that can offer his services to the Church, and not neces-sarily as a friar or a priest.

Today I am 32 years old, and as a lay Carmelite I continue working as a catechist. I am part of a group called Fraternidad Sarepta (Sarepta Fraternity) where I keep learning about the Carmelite charism. I also participate in the Youth Mass for children as a member of animation team, and I put all my effort in orga-nizing the Youth Easter Celebrations and other activities during the summer. I am also part of Karit, the Carmelite NGO, where I can live my faith by helping the poor. When I was a kid, a friar did many of the things that I do today, but due to the lack of vocations in Europe, the Lord gave me the opportunity to assume many of these tasks as a layman. I know that all this is part of the plan that God has for me.

Some days ago, a friend of mine told me that I am a person who has done a lot for Carmel and that I am called to do more as a layman. I am not sure what this means, but I am sure that if it comes from God I will continue working hard to build his kingdom here in Carmel.

About the author:

Daniel Egido Simon is 32 years old an a Spanish Lay Carmelite. He is a member of the group Fraternidad Sarepta (Sarepta Frater-nity) and also a member of JuCar (Carmel Youth) of the Betica Province in Spain.


ENCOUNTER WITH A RELIC: The Walking Staff of St. Teresa of Avila

To mark the 500th birthday of St. Teresa of Avila, the walking staff which she used during her life landed in Kenya on 10th January 2015 on a global pilgrim-age organized by the Discalced Carmelites. Here in Kenya the staff was taken to different Carmel-ite monasteries and convents where Carmelites and other catholic Christians gathered to see and venerate it. One Lay Carmelite narrates her expe-rience of the encounter:

It was about 11.00 am on a busy office day when I received a call from Rev. Fr. Jacob OCD, the parish priest of St. Boniface Catholic Church Tindinyo.

“I am inviting you and all the other Lay Carmelites to a special mass with the presence of the walking stick relics of St. Teresa of Avila at 5.00 p.m. in the parish this afternoon which will be followed by another mass

tomorrow at the OCD Monastery chapel at 7

a.m. The relics will arrive at about 4.00 p.m. today from Nairobi and leave for Kisii at 9.00 am

Roselydia Shitabule TOC

tomorrow. I received the message in a short notice of time but see what you can do if you would wish to attend.” he said.

Tindinyo is 70 Kms away from where I work (Kakamega) and this therefore meant using public trans-port, seeking accommodation for the night and permission to be off duty. My mind was propelled to fight the time schedule that was against me. I could not afford to miss this rare opportunity of “getting close” to a saint I had only read of in books, heard about from retreat masters and seen pictures on pamphlets! I sent short messages to all the Third Order members of my community; Elijah the Prophet group in Kakamega, inviting them to the special occasion. However, due to the short notice, only one aspirant was able to join me. We beat odds on an evening journey


and arrived at Tindinyo Carmel at 8.00 p.m. Though we missed the parish mass, we were just on time to catch up with the last words of Rev. Jr. Jerome OCD, the bearer of the relics, surrounded by the nuns as he expounded on the challenges that he had encountered during his flight with the special luggage (relic) due to its length. He said that he had travelled so far under the intercession of St. Teresa and had experienced favours which he attributed to the relic.

I experienced the presence of pure holiness as together with the nuns, we held a veneration service late into the night. In the morning the whole Carmelite fraternity came together; the nuns, priests and lay Carmelites to celebrate mass. We were joined by Christians from the parish and also pupils from the Carmelite owned Christ the King Academy School.

Fr. Jerome retold the history of the relic preservation: “This brown walking stick, reinforced with metal ends kept in a brown wooden glass covered casket was the actual walking stick St. Teresa supported herself with through her journeys on rough terrain in days when the only means of transport were donkey driven carts. It is not a charm, he warned. We venerate it as a symbol of the faith that St. Teresa had and which she handed over to us. It is a powerful reminder of the zeal and authority which St. Teresa used to change her environ-ment. We should refine our selves and struggle with the difficulties on the way of our spirituality. The relic serves to lead us to reconsider the vows of our profession and rekindle the yearning for holiness. As we commemorate the 500 years of the birth of St. Teresa it is fitting that this relic may bring us closer to the ideals of our saints as we celebrate with conviction a re-birth of our charism in daily undertakings. The relic should then link us as a family as we reap the blessings of Carmel.”

That was a special message which culminated into a moment of personal

veneration of the relic by all those present in the mass. There was a general urge to possess the relic that the bearer, Fr. Jerome, had to whisk it away to another equally eagerly awaiting group – the seminarians at Tindinyo seminary. With our eyes still fixed on the departing vehicle, we could only but relive the only visible reminder of our beloved saint Teresa of Avila.

St. Teresa, Pray for us.


This experience narrated by: Roselydia Shitabule TOC

Roselydia is a member of Elijah the Prophet Third Order community in Kakamega Kenya. This is one of the Third Order communities in Kenya based in the Western part of Kenya. She is the chairlady of her community and also a member of the National Council.

News from the Philippines On Jan. 23 – 25, 2015, the members of the National Secretariat of the TOC had their annual

at the Flos Carmeli House of Prayer. The retreat was facilitated by Rev. Fr. Baltasar Ronato, OCarm. It delves about self-emptying or “kenosis” on leadership. Community prayers and spir-itual readings are some of the highlights of the retreat to be alone with the Alone.

The National Council, as part of its activity for the year, visited the TOC Bulacan comprising of 7 communities last 7th Fenruary. The visit was held at the Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Family in Guiguinto, Bulacan where the 1st TOC community was established. After the frater-nal visitation, a sumptuous lunch was prepared. After lunch, the National Council met with nuns to tackle some issues regarding the seminarians who belong to the TOC.

Last January 10, 2015 the new commu-nity of Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew celebrates the Temporary Profession of 9 members, 3 Novices, and 2 Aspirants held at San Bartolome Apostol Parish, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Rev. Fr. Baltazar Ronato, O.Carm, National Spiritual Director of Third Order Carmelites in the Philippines officiated the ceremony together with Rev. Fr. Orlando M. Valino, Parish Priest of the said parish.

Bro. Ruel Santos, the newly elected

National Prior also attended the ceremony together with Sis Carmelita Punsalan, Finance Director, of Domus Carmelitana, and Bro. Benjamin Syguan, councilor of North Luzon, and Prior of Tarlac Community. Also present were Prioress and Officers of Cabanatuan and Cubao Community.

Lunch were served after the ceremony at the Parish Social Hall for 120 guests, families, friends, and sponsors of the Carmelites.


Temporary Profession, Reception of Novices and Scapular Imposition of Aspirants

Last 21 February 2015, 17 seminarians had made their Temporary Profession and 1 semi-narian was received as a postulant to the Third Order of Carmelites Regular (TOC - Regular) in Saint Teresa of Avila Chapel, New Manila, Quezon City. The Mass and reception were altogether officiated by Fr. Christian Buenafe, O.Carm., the Superior of O.Carm. Philip-pines with the concelebrants Fr. Bal Ronato, O.Carm., the National Spiritual Director of TOC and Fr. Sirenio Jaranilla, O.Carm. who served also as a resource person to their forma-tion studies.

Bro. Ruel Santos, the TOC National Prior and Bro. Joe Generoso, the TOC National Formator were also present to formally received them to the Third Order Carmelite Family.

These seminarians are all resident students of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and they came from different Dioceses of the Phil-ippines. Though the university is a Domini-can bastion, many seminarians attracted to the Carmelite Spirituality had joined together to dedicate their vocation to the Mother of Carmel. Their vocation inspiration began from

their home Dioceses where they were molded to love and honor Mary whom the Carmelites consider the Lady of the Place.

As a community, these seminarians, voted to place their patronage under Pope John Paul II who had a great devotion to the Brown Scapular and who looked up to the Carmelites, even honoring them with the words, “Carmel is a School of Prayer where prayer becomes life and life flourishes in prayer.” The Pope John Paul II TOC Community of Santo Tomas had chosen also during elections Bro. Jan Chris Czar V. Tilaon as their community Prior.

With the entrance of the seminarians, they joined the myriads of Carmelites from differ-ent Dioceses who are attracted to the garden of Carmel and are serving as Priests and Brothers. Throughout the Philippine history, many Third Order Carmelites Regular had served our different Dioceses in the Philippines. In fact, two of these Diocesan Carmelites were consid-ered founders of Carmelite Women Congrega-tions and are hoped to become saints someday, they are Bishop Teofilo Camomot and Bishop Alfredo Obviar.

Temporary Profession of 17 Seminarians


Rome, Italy: On the 7th of February, a Saturday, during the celebration of the Eucha-rist, at 18:30 hours, presided by Fr. Gerardo Bonsignore, spiritual director of the Third Order, Sisters Carlucci Vanna and Laura Grimaldi, without vote, and Brother Claudio Garza, with the votes, have made perpetual profession in the secular fraternity of Santa Maria in Traspontina.

Admitted to the novitiate were Ms. Capasso Isabella and Ms. Josephine Santana.

Mariani Agostina, the regional president, was present; Bonanno Michele, Provincial President, and Fr. Ghiurca Adriano, spiritual director of the region, sent their best wishes. After the proclamation of the gospel, the local president Luciana Levato, invited those admitted and those professing to express their desire to become part of the confraternity.

After the homily the brothers returned to the altar; those professing confirmed their membership as expressed with the first profes-sion a few years ago; the postulants were admitted to the novitiate and the gospel was given to them, to better adhere to the truth, as the rule states; F. Gerardo imposed them their small scapular.

To the newly professed, it was imposed the final scapular, to wear in meetings, ceremo-nies and on all occasions indicated by the rule and statutes, and it was given to them also the Rule of the Third Order.

The celebration took place with much emotion by novices and professed, in simplic-ity, but with much devotion. The Eucharistic celebration was followed by a brief refresh-ment of fraternal meal during which the presi-dent gave the newly professed the badge to wear as a sign of belonging to Carmel and she gave everyone a book dedicated to Carmelite saints, blessed or simple servants of God.

We wish all five a journey of faith to make the will of God, with the protection of our greatest models that we always try to imitate, i.e. Jesus and Our Lady of Carmel.

The Third Order in recent years is experi-encing the great grace to always have new postulants that feel attracted, perhaps by the scapular that TOC members wear in the Eucharistic celebrations or during the novena of July and in the days of All Saints and All Souls in which they can entrust their loved ones, living and deceased, to the pious union of the votes. With the hope that the number of TOC members will increase more and more, we expect new candidates entrusting ourselves always to the prayers and sweetness of Our Lady of Carmel.

PROFESSION IN THE THIRD ORDER AND ADMISSION TO THE NOVITIATE


USA: A brochure and registration infor-mation for the upcoming Lay Carmelite Convocation was mailed to all received and professed Lay Carmelites at the end of January 2015. If you did not receive the packet, please contact the Lay Carmelite Office:

Lay Carmelite Office8501 Bailey RoadDarien, IL 60561Telephone: (630) 969-5050The convocation will be held September

25-27, 2015, in downtown Atlanta and is open to members of both North American provinces: the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) and St. Elias (SEL).

The convocation theme, “Carmelite Transformation: A Lifelong Journey,” will be presented by these major speakers: Prior General Fernando Millán, O.Carm.; former PCM Prior Provincial John Welch, O.Carm.; Carmelite Historian Leopold Glueckert, O.Carm.; and SEL Coordinator of Lay Carmelites Rose Mary Lancellotti, T.O.Carm., with a panel of Lay Carmelites.

The program also includes a number of workshops focusing on practical topics for local communities. Topics for these work-shops include:

• Lay Carmelite’s Call to Holiness:What a Balancing Act!

• CarmeliteSpirituality:OurstoShare

In addition to the presentations and work-shops, there will also be a Leadership In-Service Day on September 25, 2015, for

all interested professed Lay Carmelites. (See separate handout in your packet for registra-tion and details about the in-service day.)

The packet that was mailed out contains information about the Atlanta Hilton, plus a registration form. Convocation registration is $175 and must be received by August 1, 2015. After August 1, the registration fee is $200.

All are encouraged to attend what will be an interesting and informative gathering of Lay Carmelites from the two U.S. provinces.

to download brochure please go to:

h t t p : / /www.o lmlayca rme l i t e s .o rg /news/2015-lay-carmelite-convocation-atlan-ta

2015 LAY CARMELITE CONVOCATION IN ATLANTA


Any news regarding lay Carmelites and Carmelite Youth, please send to us at [email protected]

The Second International Meeting of the Carmelite Laity in Asia-Australia-Oceania was held at the Carmelite Missionary Center of Spirituality in Tagaytay City, Philippines, on March 18-21, 2015. The gathering had very rich discussions and sharing based on the theme of the congress: “Living The Way Of Carmel For The New Evangelization”. There were over 130 delegates, from several countries in the region, representing different TOC communi-ties and Lay Carmelite groups. Among the main participants were Fr. Benny Phang, O.Carm., Councilor General of Asia-Australia-Oceania; Fr. Raúl Maraví, O.Carm., Councilor General for the Carmelite Laity; Fr. Christian Buenafé, O.Carm., Prior Provincial of the Philippines and Fr. Joseph Hung, O.Carm., Webmaster of the Carmelite Curia; together with other Carmelite religious and lay leaders.

Three keynote talks were given by

• Father Christian Buenafe (Philippines)speaking on A Carmelite Servant / Leader: Spir-

ituality and Christian Leadership;

•Ms.ChristineWade(Australia)whospokeon Living the Way of Carmel in the New Evan-gelisation, and

•Ms.YoanitaLaksmiBudilestari(Indonesia)whose talk was titled Methods of New Evange-lisation.

A highlight was an informal gathering of priors and formators, convened by the Philip-pino National Formator. This proved to be an invaluable sharing time and provided a possible model for electing some members of the National Council. This will be presented at the next meeting of the LCNCA.

The Congress was a time of prayerfulness, fun, sharing, learning and networking. It was a wonderful experience of the breadth of the Order, deepening our sense of belonging with Carmelites far beyond our own shores. The third congress is scheduled for January 2017.

The Second International Meeting of the Carmelite Laity in Asia-Australia-Oceania

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