Letter to the Carmelite Family for the Celebration of the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel – July 16, 2019
Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O. Carm., Prior General of the Carmelites
Dear brothers and sisters of the Carmelite Family:
One more year, the solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is approaching and, therefore, I would like to send very warm greetings to all those who, in one way or another, are part of the great family of Carmel. On these days we not only remember and celebrate the Mother of the Lord under the beloved title of Carmel, but we also feel part of a family that lives its faith with that special aspect, “as Carmelites”, at the service of the Church and of humanity.
This year, my greetings have a special tone, since, after twelve years of service to the Order as Prior General, I will soon leave this post in the General Chapter that we will celebrate in Sassone (Rome, Italy) from September 9 to 29. And this is the first message that I would like to send you this year: that all of us (religious, contemplative nuns, active women religious, tertiaries, lay people of different groups, etc.) will feel and be very united in prayer that the General Chapter will be a time of grace, of deep reflection, of discernment and fraternity. The theme we have chosen for our Chapter, as you probably already know, is: “You are my witnesses” (Isa 43:10); from one generation to the next: called to be faithful to our Carmelite charism”. This theme that has been proposed came about by the reality that the Order has grown a lot geographically in recent decades. This growth has been a true blessing for the Order and a source of joy for all of us. But these “missions” or new presences are also a challenge, especially with regard to the formation of future Carmelites, a formation that should combine the specificity of local cultures with the most genuine tradition of the Order to which we must be faithful and of which we must be transmitters.
It is, without a doubt, a fascinating challenge, but also a complex one. Likewise, it is a great responsibility that we must face with great seriousness, since the configuration and vitality of the Carmel of the 21st century will to a large extent depend on it. For this reason, it is important that our Chapter discuss this question (among others) with depth, with evangelical criteria, with seriousness and generosity. [article continues...]
Photo of Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm: By Jtthoc - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia
ARTICLE SOURCE: Carmelites website
