Inside this issue

Prior Provincial's Message: Journeying together in hope

In his message for this issue, Fr Bruce Clark (Prior Provincial) recalls that, like us, the early Carmelites were on a journey of following in allegiance to Jesus Christ and that Pope Francis urges us to be pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee Year. We are conscious that we do not undertake our pilgrimage alone. Rather, we are deeply conscious of all of you who journey with us and support us so generously, so that, together, we may bring hope to others. One sign of hope is the 10 young men who have begun their Pre-Novitiate year with us in Timor-Leste, and another 11 who are in our vocations program.

This increase in Vocations has put a strain on our accommodation in our formation houses. Recently, we were fortunate to secure a new property to accommodate some of our students. It is much closer to the Seminary than our house at Hera and will vastly reduce travel times for the students.

Two anniversaries

This year we are celebrating 35 years of Carmel Contact - a way of staying in touch with the members of our Carmelite Family, sharing stories of hope, news updates, prayer requests and spiritual reflections. We are also celebrating 80 years of our annual Mothers' Mass. What we now call the Mothers’ Mass began towards the end of the Second World War in 1945 as the ‘Warriors’ Mass’. It was a way of entrusting service men and women to Mary’s maternal protection, especially those who had lost their lives in the fighting. At the end of the war, the Warriors’ Mass became the Mothers’ Mass, entrusting all mothers, living and deceased, to Mary’s maternal care.

Introducing Aida Da Costa, our new Community Development Coordinator

We warmly welcome Aida who will manage all our development programs on the ground in Timor-Leste.

Beginnings and endings

We mark the beginning of their Carmelite journey for our 10 pre-Novices at the beginning of this year, and the Ordination of Fr Anacleto Guterres Da Costa on 3 May. We also mark the passing of Pope Francis into God's eternal care.

Thank you for your support

We pay tribute to longtime supporter, Des McGrath, and to Rose Harland, an English teacher from Perth (WA). Rose recently volunteered for some month teaching our young Carmelites in Her, Timor-Leste. Thank you both for your friendship and support.

New Leaders

Following our recent Provincial Chapter, we have a new leadership team of Fr Bruce Clark (Prior Provincial) and Frs Paul Cahill, Martinho Da Costa, David Hofman and Januario Pinto (members of the Provincial Council. After some 15 years of leadership of the Carmelite Centre by Irene Hayes and Damien Piele, Luke Edwards has been appointed Leader and Br Daryl Moresco as Carmelite Delegate for the Centre. The Carmelite Centre offers a variety of programs including Lectio Divina, Prayer, Meditation, Centering Prayer, Carmelite Conversations, Eco-Spirituality Reading Group, Scripture Study Circle as well as opportunities for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Supervision. We wish Luke and Daryl every success in their new ministry.

  pdf Download your copy of Carmel Contact.