From September 10 to 28, the General Chapter of the Order of Carmelites is taking place in Sassone (Rome). You can follow its course HERE.
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Prayer for the General Chapter
Prayer for the General Chapter
Lord, you have chosen and called
each of us to the land of Carmel,
to bear witness to Your love from generation to generation.
In You we trust, for we know
that together with the prophet Elijah we can proclaim
that the Lord is the true God,
and seek Your face in the heart of the world.
Send Your Spirit,
that as once at the spring on Mount Carmel,
our brothers and sisters of our Order may continue to be renewed
in true life and in their mission.
Together with the entire Carmelite family, we pray
that our upcoming General Chapter
may be under the protection of Our Lady,
to preserve faithfulness to the Gospel
and to provide an authentic evangelical response
to our calling amid Your people.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Message of Pope Francis to the Carmelites
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Final Message of the General Chapter
Final Message of the General Chapter
FINAL MESSAGE OF THE GENERAL CHAPTER
ORDER OF BROTHERS OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF CARMEL 2019“You are my witnesses” (Isaiah 43:10)
From one generation to the next:
called to be faithful to our Carmelite charismWe, the Carmelite brothers who gathered from around the world at the General Chapter in the Carmelite house Il Carmelo in Sassone, Italy (from September 10–27, 2019), greet our brothers and sisters of the Carmelite family: grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Worldwide Order
We rejoice that we gather as brothers in Carmel. In the diversity of our Order, the General Chapter is a fundamental sign of its unity. It is a fraternal assembly where we listen to the Holy Spirit and our Lord Jesus Christ to discern God’s will for this generation, and thus serve the Church as best we can (cf. Const. 255). In his address to us, our archbishop Antonio Muniz posed a question from our own tradition. He helped us understand the question, “What do you want here?”, which God posed to Elijah, as a question directed to the chapter members: “What do you want here, Carmelites?” In the following days, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we sought to find an answer. Unity in diversity was very evident in this truly universal assembly. Some parts of the Order are experiencing a decline in membership, while many others are experiencing lasting growth. Closer examination reveals that demographic studies are a promise of a favorable future for the Order.
We felt joy in the presence of many brothers from the Order in newly developing areas and gratitude towards the ever-creative Holy Spirit, our former and current missionaries, and founding provinces for their foresight and generosity. The diversity in our chapter enriched our discussions and negotiations, fraternal fellowship, and prayer.
Transmitting Tradition
Through debates, personal reflection, and shared experiences, we contemplated the theme of the chapter, namely the transmission of tradition from one generation to another. We thank God for the charism and richness of the tradition that has come to us throughout our history. However, we realize that “tradition remains alive as long as one generation passes it on to another” (from Michael Casey OCSO’s address to the chapter). It is a responsibility that urges us to a deeper understanding and a more fervent drawing from our tradition directly in life. We cannot pass it on to succeeding generations without claiming it, without internalizing it and making it our way of life. As demonstrated by the summary of responses to the Instrumentum laboris presented by the Preparatory Commission of the chapter, we ourselves are aware that “there is a difference between the Carmelite ideal of life to which we are called and the reality of our lives.”
The reports from the members of the outgoing General Council directed our attention to the urgency of setting priorities in matters of initial and ongoing formation. This awareness resonated through our discussions. It was emphasized that Carmelite formation cannot be limited to the novitiate, but must continue throughout our lifetime, from the initial formation process onward. We often speak of formation as a priority, but for it to truly be so, clear and concrete decisions must be made.
The topic of transmitting tradition was thoroughly and richly developed by Bro. Saverio Cannistrà, the General Superior of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, in his address delivered on the day dedicated to the Carmelite family. Bro. Saverio placed particular emphasis on the necessity for formation not to be limited to the transmission of ideas and information. It should primarily aim at transmitting a way of life. It should change hearts, not just minds. However, this can only be achieved by communities and religious who have made Christ the center of their lives and who often unwittingly radiate the experience of Christ. Formation occurs in an honest dialogue between the formator and the candidate undergoing formation, in a meeting of the questioning heart of the formed person with the experience of the student who has been walking the way of following Christ for some time. In this meeting of two spiritual experiences, both are enriched, as each develops discipleship.
The chapter confirmed that community is essential to the Carmelite way of life. Our communities are seen as countercultural signs of hope for a fragmented and highly individualistic world. Despite the diversity that manifests itself at many levels among us, we bear witness to the possibility of achieving communion. This is especially true in the case of international communities. The chapter encourages creating even more international communities within the Order. We spoke about how many Carmelites are needed to create a healthy community, a community capable of maintaining the proper structure of liturgy, common meetings, and shared meals. The proposed numbers of members for such a community varied, but concern for its viability was universal. The chapter calls on all communities to take seriously the renewal of the quality of their life and to work towards building truly fraternal relationships.
Tradition Always New
In his address to the chapter, Bro. Michael Casey OCSO spoke about the dynamics of traditions. We are aware that
Tradition remains itself through constant transformation. It is always new while losing nothing of what it was. Tradition is a process of continuous re-formatting of what is received, in accordance with the currently emerging situation. Transformation is not a random necessity; it is an integral part of the process. The form of this new shape is not determined solely by what existed before it; it is a response to new challenges and tasks.
The various reforms that enriched our tradition testify to its development. Just as the issuing of new statutes and their amendments throughout our history. In this chapter, after thorough reflection and discussion, we approved additions to the Statutes from 1995 to update them in line with newer documents from the Church and the Order. This was also necessary to respond to new situations and challenges that the Order faces in today’s world.
We thank the commission that has been working on the proposed changes to the Statutes for the past six years. We hope that we all are familiar with the amendments that the chapter has approved so that they can become real guidelines for the Order.
New Conditions in Our World
The dialogue between our tradition and the context in which we live is particularly urgent in new cultures where the Order now finds itself, but it is not limited to them. Inspired in our work by the Spirit, moving in the Church in every age, we enter a new historical epoch and strive to adapt our way of life to new conditions.
Our world is full of possibilities and opportunities. It is in a state of constant growth and development, but it is also full of contradictions, and yet we rejoice in the achievements being made in the world. We strive to understand the signs of the times and to examine them in the light of the Gospel, our charism, and our spiritual heritage so that we may realize this way of life in different cultures (Const. 13).
Faced with prevailing injustice, violence, abuse, rejection of those who are different, and the destruction of the environment, we need to return to faith in solidarity, proclaiming the truth, and putting our own comfort at stake. We were saddened to hear about the suffering of the people of Venezuela and the Congo, and it urged us to concrete acts of solidarity. Through the amendments to the Statutes and the issuing of a decree, the Order also strengthened its commitment to maintain a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults. In her inspiring address, Professor Bruna Costacurta reminded us that the prophetic witness we are called to convey, following the example of Elijah (1 Kings 19:5), stands as a bulwark against the temptation to fall into lethargy or to concede defeat.
As Bro. Casey urged us, if we are to be prophets, we must cast off the shackles of capitalism, consumerism, and exploitation. “But more is needed. It is necessary to allow the grace of our charism to flourish and bear fruit in our individual and communal life. To be who we are called to be. In the midst of banal everyday realities.”
Mystical Dimension
Throughout the course of the chapter, we emphasized the need to achieve a certain balance in our charism. On the day designated for reflection before the election of our new leadership, Sister Anne-Marie Bos from the Netherlands reminded us that Blessed Titus Brandsma received Carmelite tradition, studied it, loved it, and internalized it. He lived it in a very personal and creative way, maintaining a true state of contemplation even in his very active way of life.
Blessed Titus understood mysticism as a call to everyone and spoke of everyday mysticism in the conviction that God is the essence of our being and can be encountered always and everywhere, even in our neighbor. He became an example of a new synthesis of the individual elements of our charism, to which each generation is called to keep our tradition alive and in an appropriate form. The example of Blessed Titus also urges us to share our tradition with all.
In his message to the members of the chapter and representatives of the Carmelite family, the newly elected General Superior of the Order, Bro. Míceál O’Neill, spoke of the beauty of Carmel:
The name Carmel evokes beautiful and fascinating images of mountains, loving encounters, community, and justice. It is a beauty rooted in what is most important in human life. Carmel knows how to speak of God and helps people better understand that the Lord is our God, that there is no other, and that we must love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. In Carmel, there is a beauty that can inspire us. We feel that Carmel could be exactly what people are searching for everywhere today.
Message of Pope Francis
During the audience with Pope Francis, the Carmelites were urged to recognize the face of the living God through prayer, community, and service. The Pope explained what he called the “three lines of action” of the Order:
Faithfulness and Contemplation:
The Holy Father reminded us that when the Church thinks of Carmel, the school of contemplation comes to mind. Carmelites need to establish a personal relationship with God that is strengthened through solitude, contemplation, and separation from the world. This way allows Carmelites to serve God’s people, regardless of their spiritual office or apostolate. For us, it is a challenge to pay special attention to the spiritual journey of people.Accompaniment and Prayer:
The Holy Father quoted St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, who warned of the danger of routine and “lukewarmness.” We need to live more “within” ourselves to be able to go “out” and accompany people on their journey to God. The characteristic marks of our work with people should be peace and joy.Compassion and Mercy:
We primarily need a loving and compassionate heart to remain sensitive to the suffering of the people around us. If we are not truthful in our inner lives, we can no longer perceive this suffering. The Holy Father quoted Blessed Angelo Paoli, who said: “Whoever loves God must seek Him in the poor.” And Pope Francis reminded us that “loving in the style of Jesus” protects us from “pseudo-mysticism,” “Festival solidarity,” and the temptation to distance ourselves from the wounds of Christ’s body. “The wounds of Jesus are visible today on the bodies of our brothers and sisters who are robbed, humiliated, and enslaved.”Carmelite Family
On one of the last days of the chapter, we had the pleasure of welcoming various members of the Carmelite family, both religious and lay, and listening to some of them as they shared their experiences of witnessing the charism of the Carmelites.
The General Superior asked us to reflect on what binds us together as a family:
People in various parts of the Carmelite family recognize the values of this family and still today identify themselves as Carmelites. The Carmelite in me speaks to the Carmelite in you, resonates with the Carmelite in you, and through this resonance of the gift of the Holy Spirit draws people together, closer to one another, and they want to mutually support and shape their lives together in accordance with this gift.
A Journey in Hope
We would like to conclude our message, brothers and sisters, with a challenge posed to us by Archbishop José Rodriguez Carballo, OFM, Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In his homily to the chapter, based on the story of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19, Archbishop Carballo called us to follow the three divine commandments given to Elijah: Arise and eat, for you have a long journey ahead. We cannot give in to despondency; we must rise in hope, convinced that God is still acting in Carmel, in the Church, and in the world, even in these difficult times. Drawing strength from the Word of God, the Eucharist, and the sacraments, we continue on our path faithful to our Carmelite identity and the Church, always ready to bear our witness further.
May Mary, our Mother and Sister, Star of the Sea, show us the way and walk with us in our endeavors to live faithfully to Jesus Christ, Her Son, and to pass on from one generation to another the joy of living according to the Gospel in a way that Carmelites have made their own.
Issued on September 27, 2019, in Italy, at Il Carmelo in Sassone
