Letter of the Prior General on the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 2020

A letter to Carmelite Friars, Contemplative Sisters, Sisters and Brothers of Congregations of Apostolic Life, Members of the Carmelite Third Order, Lay Carmelites in general and all who celebrate the feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel with special devotion:

Mary kept all these things in her heart (Lk 2,52).

Dear sisters and brothers in Carmel:

On this day of celebration, as we rejoice in being brothers and sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, I reach out to each one of you, in the bond of love. These days we are thinking a lot, pondering like Mary, everything that is happening in our world. Mary kept all these things in her heart (Lk 2,19) and pondering what was happening in her world, she found the will of God. Mary the contemplative, Mary full of grace, full of God, full of Gospel: That is the type of person who can respond to what is happening in today’s world.

In our time of confinement, it is possible that we as people with a sense of God, capable of pondering, found in these new conditions new opportunities for solidarity and for the evangelization of the world. Here there are new manifestations of God’s will, helping us to grow and mature as custodians of our world and one another.

We have grown together in our communities. Forced to remain indoors, by pondering alone or with others, we have discovered so much of the truths of our faith and of our Carmelite vocation. While some of us had the Eucharist all the time, others had to rely on the internet and use the prayers for spiritual communion. This raised questions.... [article continues...]

From the Prior General...

This year’s message from Fr. Míċeál O’Neill, O.Carm, Prior General of the Carmelite Order, is a beautiful reminder to model ourselves after the Blessed Mother as we face our current trials and challenges. Fr. Míċeál reminds us that: “This is a great moment of grace.”

Listen to the Prior General’s entire message by viewing the video in the right column. Or click the button below to read his letter on the Carmelite Order’s website.