Following the day of retreat and reflection by Bishop Henricus Pidyardo, the members of the Chapter spent some time reflecting on the possible candidates for the Order’s government. This morning, following Morning Prayer and Eucharist, the members of the Grneral Chapter assembled in the Chapter Hall to begin the voting process. 

The 2025 General Chapter has elected four members of the Order's central government on Day 1 of the elections. The positions filled were prior general, vice prior general, procurator general, and general bursar.

The next day, the Chapter elected the 4 General Councillors responsible for the 4 geographic regions of the Order.

Photo shows the members of the General Council in traditional Javanese headdress and shawls. First row: Frs Michael Farugia, Hariawan Adji, Desiderio Martinez, Richard Byrne. Second Row: Frs Robert Puthussery , Christian Körner, Rolf Willemsen and Eric N'Do

Scroll to the end to see more photos: 1 Fr Erik N'Do, General Councillor for Africa. 2 General Chapter 2025. 3 New General Council.

Vice Prior General

Later in the morning Fr Franciscus Xavarius Hariawan Adji, the current prior provincial of Indonesia, was selected to serve as Vice Prior General. Fr Hariawan holds a Bachelor degree in English Linguistics (1992), a Bachelor in Industrial Management (1993), a Bachelor in Christian Philosophy and Theology (2006), a Masters degree in Biostatistics (2000), a Masters degree in Christian Philosophy and Theology (2009), and a doctorate in Inter-religious studies (2017).

He is a lecturer at the Airlangga University Surabaya (1992 - present) and director of Studies at Access English Centre Surabaya (1993-2000). He served as Provincial Secretary (2009-2012), Head of Indonesian Carmelite NGO (2010 - present), Asian Representative of the Carmelite NGO (2006 - 2024), Member of the General Commission of JPIC: 2013 - 2025, Vice Prior Provincial of the Indonesia Province (2015-2018 and 2018–2022), and as Prior Provincial of the  Indonesian Province (2023-present).

Procurator General

Fr Michael Farrugia was postulated for the position of Procurator General which he has held for 12 years (2 terms). Michael studied Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, in Rome.  In 1986 he was ordained to priesthood by Saint Pope John Paul II.  Fr Michael continued his studies in Canon Law at the Pontifical Lateran University where he earned his doctorate.

In the Province, Fr Michael served as Provincial Bursar, Provincial Councillor, Prior, Parish Priest and member of the formation team. In the year 2009 he was elected Prior Provincial and re-elected in 2012. He was president of the Italy-Malta Region. He was councillor and President of the Conference of Religious Major Superiors in Malta as well as serving in various Archdiocesan positions.

Bursar General

Fr Christian Körner was born in Würzburg (Bavaria), Germany. He entered the Carmelite Order in 1981, following his studies at the school of the Carmelite Theresianum in Bamberg. He completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology in Bamberg and Rome. After he was ordained a priest in 1988, Christian worked in a parish as vice parish priest. He was master of novices from 1992 to 1997 and for the next three years from 1997 to 2000 master of the students. Before his first election as prior provincial of the German Province in 2000 (to 2007) he was prior of the community of Bamberg and provincial counsellor. From 1994 to 2007 he was member of the International Commission for Formation of the Order.

At the General Chapter 2007 Fr Christian was elected Vice Prior General of the Order to serve for six year term 2007-2013 and at the General Chapter 2013 he was re-elected to serve for the second term 2013-2019. Then at the General Chapter in 2019, he was elected Bursar General of the Order to serve for six year term 2019-2025.

 General Councillor for Africa

Born in Koudougou, Burkina Faso, Eric Chrisostome N'Do entered Carmel in Bobo Dioulasso. On 16 July 2008, he made his simple profession and on July 4, 2011. After his ordination, he was assigned to the Postulancy House in Ouagadougou. In September 2013, he was sent to the community in Madrid to undertake a specialized studies in philosophy with the topic of Humanism and Transcendence at the Pontifical University of Comillas.

After completing a thesis on Edith Stein in June 2017, he returned to the community in Ouagadougou, where he is teaching philosophy at the Catholic University of Saint Thomas Aquinas and at the Private Institute of Philosophy, where Carmelite postulants attend classes.

General Councillor for the Americas

Rolf Nepomuk (Nepi) Willemsen, O. Carm., originally from Germany, is a member of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM) and serves as First Counselor of the Province.

He is also prior and Director of Formation at Whitefriars Hall in Washington, D.C. Nepi has professional experience in social work, community organizing, and international health. Within the Order, he previously taught theology for six years and now oversees the Carmelitana Collection, promoting research on Carmelite spirituality. His ministry focuses on formation, theological education, and vocational accompaniment.

General Councillor for Asia, Australia, Oceania

Robert Thomas Puthussery was born in Kerala, India. He had his schooling in his home town Mookkannoor in Kerala. After his philosophy and theology studies he was ordained a priest in 1994.

He did a Bachelor’s degree (B.A. 1990-93) and a Master of Arts (M.A. 1994-96) in English Literature and taught as an Assistant professor (1996-97) at Christ College Bangalore, India. From 1997-2000 he served as prior and rector for the Carmelite minor seminary at Carmel Nivas, Kothamangalam. From 2000-2002 he did a Masters Degree in Applied Theology at the University of Middlesex, London. Thereafter he served as Chaplain to the immigrant Syro-Malabar Catholic communities in London, Liverpool, and Manchester, United Kingdom. From 2006-2007 he served as the student director of the British Province of the Carmelites. While serving as the sub-prior of the international Carmelite community at East Finchley, London he completed his doctorate (PhD 2006-2010) at the University of Liverpool in pastoral psychology.

After his return from the United Kingdom in 2011, he served as prior and spiritual director of the Carmelite major seminary at Carmeljyoti Study house while lecturing at Christ University (2011-2014) Bangalore, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Language and Media Studies and the School of Law. 

General Councillor for Europe

Richard Byrne was born in Dublin and was educated by the Carmelites in Terenure College. Following his philosophical and theological studies at the Milltown Institute, he was ordained a priest in 1996. He was a member of the Terenure College Carmelite Community for over twenty years holding a variety of roles: subject teacher of accounting and religious education, school chaplain, rugby coach, and school principal. During those years, in University College Dublin, Fr Richard also completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree (BComm) and his Doctoral Studies (PhD) on the distinctiveness of Catholic education.

In 2015, he was elected prior provincial of the Irish Province and was re-elected provincial in 2018. In Ireland, Richard was appointed as the chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership which provided a national service of support for Catholic schooling in Ireland. In his spare time in Dublin, he was a rugby referee and refereed school and adult matches all over his home province of Leinster.

At the General Chapter in 2019, he was elected General Councilor of Europe to serve for a six year term 2019-2025. His areas of responsibility are the Commission for Liturgy and Prayer and the International Communications Commission.