O.Carm
Livestream of Opening Mass of the General Chapter
From the General Chapter | September 9-26, 2025
Livestream of Opening Mass of the General Chapter on Tuesday, September 9 at 8:30AM (GMT +7)
The Opening Mass of the 2025 General Chapter will be livestreamed from Malang, Indonesia courtesy of the Communications Office of the Indonesian Province. A recording will also be posted on the Order’s Youtube channel for the convenience of those who would like to watch it later.
The livestream starts at 8:15AM (GMT +7). The link to the Indonesian province’s YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/live/mBsVy3BWqn0
Carmelite General Chapter Set to Begin
The 2025 General Chapter of the Carmelite Order begins on Tuesday, September 9, in Malang, Indonesia. It will be the first General Chapter outside Europe. It will take place at the Harris Convention Center and Hotel. The Chapter is scheduled to run through Friday, September 26.
On Sunday, September 21, the Chapter members will travel to Saint Albert Dempo High School for celebration of Indonesian Day. Monday, September 22, is designated Carmelite Family Day—a time for conversation with cloistered nuns, active sisters, Third Order, and youth. Another highlight will be a retreat day with Bishop Henricus Pidyarto Gunawan, O. Carm., of the Diocese of Malang, on Thursday, September 18, a day prior to the start of the elections.
On the afternoon of September 26, the Chapter will move to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Malang for a closing Mass and the signing of the Acts of the Chapter.
The Communications Office of the Order in conjunction with the Indonesian Province Communications Office plans on bringing periodic updates from the Chapter to subscribers to CITOC and our other social media platforms throughout the Chapter.
In the meantime, we invite you to join with the members of the General Chapter in prayer. You can download the Chapter Prayer in English, Spanish, or Italian from the OCARM website (ocarm.org).
Celebrating At Home - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Real Reality
(Luke 14:25-33)
There is very little that is real in so-called ‘reality TV’. We know that, in fact, situations and circumstances are highly contrived and rather artificial. People are deliberately set up to fail, tensions are fuelled and contestants often exploited emotionally and physically.
Today’s Gospel contains a rather heavy dose of real reality about what is required in order to be a disciple of Jesus.
The words of Jesus have to be read against the background of the Kingdom life God is inviting us into and the central message of Jesus that we need to place God in the centre of our hearts.
The language about hating family members and even our own lives comes from a Semitic idiom which expresses preference. If you prefer one person or thing over another you are said to ‘love’ the first and ‘hate’ the second. The Gospel is not calling us to hate either our relatives or ourselves.
When we let the presence of God flood our hearts and minds all other aspects of our lives, including our relationships, find their proper place. Relationships become more genuine and less exploitive; possessions have less hold over us and we begin to share them more generously, our need for power and status fades.
To do this, however, is no easy thing. It requires many daily decisions, choosing to see with God’s eyes, to feel with God’s heart and to act according to God’s vision for human life: to choose love over hate, generosity over hoarding, to let go of power and status and be of real service to our sisters and brothers. That is what ‘carrying the cross’ is all about.
Jesus warns that this is a difficult and demanding way, and that a disciple needs to be clear-eyed and ready to take up the task.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](4.28 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](4.87 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XXIII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(353 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XXIII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(478 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XXIII Domingo do Tempo Comum(505 KB)
Vitam Coelo Reddiderunt
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18-07-25 |
05-03-35 |
14-01-68 |
20-05-71 |
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04-08-25 |
20-08-30 |
15-08-61 |
15-08-64 |
26-07-67 |
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07-08-25 |
29-06-37 |
22-08-57 |
22-08-60 |
18-08-63 |
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21-08-25 |
16-02-36 |
10-03-54 |
05-03-57 |
26-07-59 |
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30-08-25 |
29-09-02 |
28-06-2025 |
Causa Nostrae Laetitiae
INITIUM NOVITIATUS
19-07-25 Christopher Castañeda (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
19-07-25 Brandon Pals (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
19-07-25 Walter Vladimir Díaz Romero (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
19-07-25 Oscar Alejandro Méndez López (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
19-07-25 Hugo Alexander Ramírez García (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
19-07-25 Nick Jeffery (PCM) Tlalpan, CDMX, Mexico
PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA
15-07-25 Theodorus Tonda (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
15-07-25 Jilbertus F. Samo Langoarang (Indo-Est)
Indonesia
15-07-25 Samuel Yulson Nitti (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Aloisius Sipa (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
15-07-25 Gregorius Mahur (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Emanuel Roberto Carlos Ngaku (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
Indonesia
15-07-25 Januarius Asa (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
15-07-25 Andreas Konsili Ndoa (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
15-07-25 Ignasius Alvedo Hasan (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Yohanes De Nggedu (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Agustinus Risno (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Yakobus Christiano Gado Tonda Bei (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
Indonesia
15-07-25 Yohanes Paolus Kenedi (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
15-07-25 Yoseph Yulius Wetu (Indo-Est) Weruoret-Nita-
15-07-25 Yohanes Samson Dapa Woda (Indo-Est) Weruoret-
Indonesia
16-07-25 Dante Briones (Phil) Cubao, Philippines
16-07-25 Jonathan Fernandez (Phil) Cubao, Philippines
16-07-25 Mark Montecillo (Phil) Cubao, Philippines
16-07-25 Rodnet Erick Abuel (Phil) Cubao, Philippines
09-08-25. Maria Cristina di Gesù Eucaristia Corso (CAR) Carpineto Romano, Italia
PROFESSIO SOLEMNIS
16-07-25 M. Veronica dell’Amore Misericordioso (OST) Ostuni (BR), Italia
06-08-25 George Mario Christianus Amak Doni Soge (Indo-Est) Maumere-Flores
Indonesia
06-08-25 Konstantinus Lalu (Indo-Est) Maumere-
06-08-25 Eusabius Soa (Indo-Est) Maumere-Flores, Indonesia
06-08-25 Ambrosius Robertus Ratu (Indo-Est) Maumere-
06-08-25 Ignasius Liberto Sando Kota (Indo-Est) Maumere-
ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
04-07-25. Davi Maria Santos (Pern) São José de Princesa, Brasil
15-06-25 Jander Maria de Jesus (Pern) Dublin, Ireland
15-06-25 Luiz Otávio Sebastião da Silva (Pern) Dublin, Ireland
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
27-06-25 Igor Ângelo Leite (Pern) Penaforte, Brasil
07-07-25. Richard Philip Green (Brit)
Prior General's Schedule for September 2025
Fr. Míċeál O'Neill, the prior general, has the following schedule planned for the month of September 2025:
September 01 - 03: Indonesia, Maurere, the island of Flores, for the celebration of the erection of the new province of Eastern Indonesia (Indonesia Timor)
September 4 – 7: Bali, Final plenary session of the General council
September 8 – 28: General chapter, Malang, Indonesia
September 29 – 30: Rome.
Celebrating At Home - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Invitation to Dinner
(Luke 14:1, 7-14)
It’s no accident that the Gospels contain many instances of shared meals, weddings feasts and miraculous feeding. In the Scriptures, meals always have something to do with the great meal – the eternal wedding feast.
We celebrate the sacred meal of the Eucharist anticipating the eternal feast of continual communion with God.
In this Gospel episode, Jesus has been invited to a meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. Luke tells us that they watched Jesus closely. No doubt, they are trying to make up their minds about him and his teaching.
Jesus, too, is watching closely and observes how those at the meal readily chose the places of honour for themselves. The fact that Luke calls the words of Jesus a ‘parable’ alerts us to the fact that this is more than just good advice about how to avoid embarrassment at a dinner party in the ancient world.
It turns out that the parable is about the feast in the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom the usual conventions of this world are completely reversed, such that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted; the last will be first, and the first last.
It is not wealth, power and social status that gains us a high place at the eternal feast, but the good treatment (humble service) of the most disadvantaged. Being hospitable to the poor and disadvantaged now gains
a person the only welcome that truly matters: the welcome into the everlasting hospitality of God.
The true disciple acts towards others with the same largeness of heart as God. Humility enables us to be open to God’s heart, and gentleness is the way of imitating his love.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.97 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](3.30 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XXII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(517 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XXII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(517 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XXII Domingo do Tempo Comum(517 KB)
Celebrating At Home - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Narrow Door
(Luke 13:22-30)
It is a horrible feeling to find yourself locked out of home. It can instil panic. What will I do now? It is even worse if those inside won’t let you in, or even recognise you. Worse still if the house is full of strangers.
There is no mistaking the sense of warning in this passage of Luke’s Gospel.
Over the last few weeks, the gospel has presented Jesus on the journey to Jerusalem and his teaching about how to live our lives as disciples and the hard choices involved. The readings this week continue in this vein and point to the difficulty in being authentic to God and being prepared. If we are not properly prepared, whoever we are, we will not see the Kingdom of God – remember the phrases of recent Gospel readings: ‘stand ready’, ‘lamps lit’, ‘dressed for action’.
Jesus’ teaching in the towns and villages sparks a sense that things are nearing a climax. This provokes the question about how many will be saved. Jesus refuses to speculate about numbers, instead turning the question into a warning not to miss the opportunity while it is still available. Otherwise, a person may very well find themselves locked outside.
Through what Jesus will accomplish in Jerusalem, all will have the opportunity to be part of his kingdom. He will open the door.
Being a disciple is not about following Christ in name only. Our relationship with Jesus is not gained by casual acquaintance with his words and actions but by thoroughgoing conversion (repentance) – the ‘narrow gate’. So, we need to honestly and purposefully attempt to live out our humanity, social concerns and faith through action and prayer, in the light of Christ, in his spirit and according to his teaching.
The disciple can only share fully in the life of Christ through true conversion of heart - that’s the ‘narrow door’ through which we enter the Kingdom, our true home.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.97 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](2.61 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XXI Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(511 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XXI Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(499 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XXI Domingo do Tempo Comum(500 KB)
Celebrating At Home - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Prophet's Anguish
(Luke 12:49-53)
Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by life. Feelings of fear, uncertainty and anxiety bubble away beneath the surface. Sometimes, those feelings reach the surface in an explosion of words and actions.
In this Gospel passage we encounter the startling image of Jesus in distress and anguish over his mission and what he is yet to face. His statement that he, the Prince of Peace, has not come to bring peace, but division, is confronting.
Right at the beginning of this passage, Jesus says he has come to bring fire to the earth and wishes it were blazing already. The ‘fire’ Jesus talks about is the fire of the Holy Spirit; the fire that melts away all that is not of God. But the Holy Spirit won’t be given until after Jesus has faced and endured his destiny (passion and death) in Jerusalem. Perhaps we, who now live with the presence of the Spirit, need to ask, ‘What has yet to be melted away so that only the real presence of God remains in us, purified of greed, ambition, selfishness, and so on? We could also ask, ‘Where is the passion of God in my life?’
Jesus also speaks about a ‘baptism’ he must yet receive. It is not the sacrament of baptism he means. ‘Baptism’ was a biblical word used to describe turbulent and potentially overwhelming events which, like a roiling sea, threaten to engulf us. Again, it is a reference to his approaching suffering and death. Jesus is distressed and clearly wishes it was already over.
Following from last Sunday’s Gospel, the disciple is called not only to stand ready and stay faithful to his employment (call), but also to stand firm in the face of opposition. Peace is not to be won at any price (e.g. compromising God’s word).
Christians should never expect that discipleship makes life easy. Far from delivering us from the difficulties of life, our discipleship is more inclined to plunge us into the difficult and confronting issues which affect us and those around us. There will be division and discord an account of the Word that is preached and the values that we hold – sometimes even among those who are closest to us.
To share Jesus’ baptism is to share with him in his passion and resurrection. It carries significant responsibilities (remaining faithful to God’s word) and sometimes means that we are misunderstood or even punished for meeting those responsibilities.
To follow Jesus is to speak God’s word, in what we say and in our actions.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.91 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](3.10 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XX Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(506 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XX Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(505 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XX Domingo do Tempo Comum(505 KB)
Celebrating At Home - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Being Prepared, Remaining Faithful
(Luke 12:35-39)
Sometimes in life we find ourselves captivated by a particular cause or project and devote great enthusiasm and passion to it. As time goes on, however, we can find that our enthusiasm fades and our passion cools. Other things begin to take priority. Like last week’s Gospel, being prepared and remaining faithful is the focus of this week’s Gospel passage.
Storing up treasure in the sight of God is good preparation. Hoarding your possessions into ever bigger barns is not.
To stand ready is to be open to the Lord’s coming. Being dressed for action with lamps lit and ready to open the door to him, is the antidote to focussing too much on material possessions, status and power.
The faithful servants who are ready when the master returns are remarkably blessed by the master who will, himself, sit them down and wait on them. A classic reversal of traditional roles.
Luke’s community (and other early Christians) were slowly growing used to the idea that the second coming of Jesus, which they had felt would happen ‘any day now’, seemed to be delayed. Problems were emerging in the community as officials and others seemed to be ‘going off the boil’. Hence, the words about ‘standing ready’, ‘busy at his employment’, ‘having lamps lit’ and being ‘dressed for action’.
The parable about the servants is a call to remain faithful and in a state of readiness for the master’s return. The parable begs the question, ‘How are the disciples to behave between the two comings of Jesus?’ Like homeowners, we need to be alert and on the lookout for the presence of Jesus.
While the text is about the final return of Jesus, we can also think about being alert and watchful for the moments when the presence of Jesus suddenly breaks into our lives - in a sick friend, a beggar on the street, a person in need, a moment of prayer or reflection. As believers we want to do everything we can to build up the community, the living Body of Christ in our world, and allow the Gospel to transform our lives – which is seen in our closeness to God and in good actions which serve others.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.85 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](1.82 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XIX Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(494 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XIX Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(485 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XIX Domingo do Tempo Comum(472 KB)
