From 1 January to 30 November 2025, the Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste registered 11.3 million views on Facebook, consolidating their place at the forefront of Catholic digital mission and—by many measures—potentially the most impactful Carmelite presence online today.
Relative, friends and members of the Carmelite Family gathered at Hera, Timor-Leste, to celebrate the Solemn Vows (life-long commitment) of Brothers Paulo Martins De Araújo, Celestino Soares, Elias Soares Sin, João Fernando Cabal, Fernando Gusmão and Samuel Lopes on 20 November.
On Wednesday 19 November, a further 9 brothers committed themselves to living the Carmelite Way for another year when they renewed their vows. The renewal ceremony took place during Mass presider over by Fr Bruce Clark (Prior Provincial) in the St Elias community at Hera, Timor-Leste.
On Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November the outdoor Sanctuary at Emera parish, Timor-Leste, was filled with thousands of people for the Ordination and Mass of Thanksgiving of Fr Agostinho Dos Santos, O.Carm.
More than 50 Carmelite, Diocesan and other religious priests concelebrated the Ordination Mass with Cardinal Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva (Archbishop of Dili) and Bishop Leandro Alves (Bishop of Bacau). Other religious and lay members of the Carmelite family joined Agostinho’s family as well as Emera parishioners, village leaders, government officials, police and civil protection officers.
On 14 November 2025, Brothers Manuel Xavier Gonzaga, Moises Soares and Constantino Barreto Amaral renewed their vows to live the Carmelite (O.Carm) way of life for another year. The ceremony took place during Mass celebrated by Fr Bruce Clark, Prior Provincial, at the St Elias Community in Hera.
This renewal marks another step in their ongoing formation as they continue to grow in the Carmelite vocation of prayer, community and service. Now in their fifth year of ministry studies, the brothers will begin their year of pastoral experience in early 2026, serving in various ministries in Timor.
In his Jubilee catechesis entitled “To hope is to bear witness”, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to reflect on the life of Blessed Isidore Bakanja, a Congolese martyr recognised for living his faith with joy and authenticity, even in hostile circumstances.
In a recent interview, Fr. Desiderio García Martínez O.Carm, Prior General of the Carmelite Order, reflected deeply on his personal vocation story, the Carmelite charism, and the spiritual needs of today’s world.
Fr. Desiderio shared his humble beginnings as the son of Spanish migrants, born in Orange, France, and later raised in Onda, a town with a strong Carmelite heritage dating back to the 1400s. It was there that he met Fr. Rafael María López Melús O.Carm — his spiritual guide from the age of 11 until 45. “To know him was to know the Carmelite Order,” he recalled.
“It was a joyous and jubilant moment for all of us,” said Fr Paul Sireh O.Carm, who travelled to Rome to witness the canonisation of Papua New Guinea’s first saint, Peter To Rot. “It was a God-touching moment as the proclamation was made. After thirty years, this special pronouncement has finally come to life.”
Standing in St Peter’s Square among tens of thousands of pilgrims, Fr Paul described a deeply moving celebration of faith and unity. “I was privileged to be among about 300 priests distributing Holy Communion to over 20,000 people. We had front seats with a clear view of the entire liturgy. The intercessions were prayed in many languages – and to hear our own Tok Pisin, the national language of Papua New Guinea, brought tears to our eyes.”
The Carmelite Order marked a historic milestone this year as it held its General Chapter outside Europe for the first time, choosing Malang City in East Java, Indonesia, as its host.
The gathering, which took place in September, opened with a Mass at a convention hall in downtown Malang.
As the Church prepares to celebrate the canonisation of Blessed Peter To Rot, the faithful of Papua New Guinea rejoice in the witness of one of their own — a lay catechist whose faith, courage, and love for Christ shone brightly in the darkness of persecution.
For Fr Paul Sireh O.Carm, a Carmelite priest from Papua New Guinea now serving in Australia, this moment carries deep personal meaning. “When I was a seminarian in Rabaul, we would go on pilgrimage to Rakunai, where Peter To Rot is buried,” he recalls. “He lived and died defending the faith — a model for every Christian and a true missionary disciple.”
