God enfleshed in us
(John 3:16-18)

A quick look at the readings for today shows very clearly that the Feast of the Trinity is a celebration of God's love for humankind. It is a day for reflecting on who God is, not for trying to figure out how there can be three persons in one God.

The Church’s focus today is on experience, not theology.

In intellectual terms, God remains a mystery. For people of faith, God is known not by the mind, but by the heart. That is what spirituality and mysticism are about - exploring our experience of God.

In the first reading God is proclaimed as a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and rich in mercy; a God who walks with his people.

Paul’s words in the second reading are born out of his belief that, having been made in the image and likeness of God, Christians must always act in the image and likeness of God.

Through our public liturgy, private prayer and contemplation we come to experience - to ‘know’ and feel in our hearts - that God loves us, accepts us, forgives us and constantly invites us into an ever deeper experience of love.

When we allow God’s heart to speak to ours in love we begin to absorb more of God’s life into our own.

We are being transformed. Our values and attitudes, our ways of looking at and being in the world start to change. We begin to see with God’s eyes and feel with God’s heart.

We become passionate about the things God is passionate about: speaking truthfully, acting with justice and integrity, looking out for each other and especially for the vulnerable, promoting peace and understanding, ending competition and discrimination, respecting life.

That makes us better people and our lives become a blessing for each other and for the world.

That is what it means to live out of God’s great gift to us, the Spirit of Jesus Christ which God has placed in our hearts. God becomes enfleshed in us and we become stewards of God’s grace and life.

• pdf Celebrating At Home - The Most Holy Trinity [PDF](5.53 MB)
• default Celebrating At Home - The Most Holy Trinity [ePub](2.81 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - Domingo de la Santísima Trinidad(486 KB)
• pdf Celebrando in Casa - Santissima Trinità(484 KB)
• pdf Celebrando em familia - O Domingo da Santíssima Trindade(579 KB)

In its fourth meeting (22-23 May), the international Communications Commission discussed future directions for communications within the Order. Among the directions planned are:

1. Forming a network of those working in communications at all levels of the Order – friars, nuns, TOC, affiliated religious and Carmelite laity - to share knowledge, information, technical expertise and explore ongoing formation needs and resources.
2. Online meetings of this network to develop a sense of communion among those working in communications, for ongoing professional and technical formation and to suggest ideas for future initiatives.
3. A survey of communications activity in the various Carmelite entities. For example, names of communications personnel, what communications resources (human and material) these entities have, what communications material is produced (print, video, audio, social media, web presence, and so on). This will provide an overview of communications activity in the Order and allow for the possibility of sharing resources.
4. Exploring the possibility of an ongoing formation course in Communications before the next General Chapter.
5. Developing a Communications plan for the Order.

Among other issues discussed was a new website for Edizioni Carmelitane in the three languages of the Order, ways to increase the visibility of publications beyond the Carmelite family, and the use of social media to increase sales of books, as well as the ongoing updating of the ocarm.org website.

Present at the meeting were: Richard Byrne (President), Manuel Freitas (Portugal), Mons. Janvier Marie Gustave Yameogo (Dicastery for Communications), David Hofman (Australia), and William J. Harry (Director, Office of Communications). Andreas Dedy Purnawan (Indonesia) was unable to be present. Marco Pellitero (Communications Assistant) also joined the meeting to discuss the issues relating to the new website for Edizioni Carmelitane. At the beginning of the meeting the Prior General, Fr Miċeál O’Neill, addressed words of welcome and encouragement to the Commission.

After having met six times online, the members of the Carmelite European Youth Committee (CEYC) were very grateful to be able to finally hold their first “in person” meeting in the General Curia (Rome) from March 25-27, 2023.

During the meeting, the members heard about some of the many initiatives that were taking place around Europe including the proposed arrangements by the General Commissariat of Portugal for World Youth Day, the online ‘Exploring Carmel’ programme in the United Kingdom, meetings in Salamanca and developments in the Italy-Malta Region. Some potential ecumenical aspects of our ministry with young people were discussed.

John Keating, O. Carm., joined the meeting and outlined the context of the previous European youth gatherings (the Pilgrimage of Hope and the Awakening Project) and led an exploration of what Carmel might have to offer to young people in Europe. After reflecting on this discussion, the Committee decided to organise a European youth gathering in the summer of 2024 and spent time on some of initial preparatory work. Details will be announced later this summer. At the end of the meeting, the members prayed with the Icon of the Pilgrimage of Hope (“Our Lady of Hope”) which was written by the Carmelite nuns in Ravenna (Italy).

The members of the Committee are Antonella Brincat, Christian Brincat, Richard Byrne, O. Carm., João Manuel Oliveira da Costa, O. Carm., Kurt Mizzi, O. Carm., Daniela Pereira, Alfredo Pisana, O. Carm., Sr M. Resurreccion Ronquillo Diamat, O. Carm., and John Toryusen.

MA Spiritual Companionship

(being offered from October 2023)

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Malta, in collaboration with Carmelite Institute Malta, is offering again the Master of Arts in Spiritual Companionship a professional programme aiming to train and empower candidates in discovering and practising the art and profession of spiritual companionship. The course aims at responding to the need of ongoing formation of pastoral ministers and school religious counsellors.  

The different study-units of the programme cover the following topics: 

Introduction to spirituality; 

Dynamics of growth and maturity in the spiritual life; 

Foundations of spiritual companionship;

Foundational theories of psychology;

Principles of spiritual discernment;

Emerging contexts in spiritual companionship;

Practicum in spiritual companionship;

Psychospiritual growth;

Counselling in a pastoral setting;

Helping skills in spiritual companionship;

Supervision in spiritual companionship;

Ethical issues in spiritual companionship.

The third year is wholly dedicated to the writing of the dissertation.

The course is recommended for those wish to be involved in the spiritual formation of others by providing the service of spiritual companionship and direction. It is also recommended to those engaged in pastoral ministry, particularly family and youth ministers, chaplains, spiritual directors in schools, and group leaders. 

Course duration: 6 semesters part-time (evening) 

Study mode: taught (2 years) and research (1 year) 

For more information go to: https://www.um.edu.mt/theology/prospective/mainspiritualcompanionship/ or contact the Course Co-ordinator: Rev. Dr Charló Camilleri, O.Carm. on 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• pdf Lectio Divina June 2023 [PDF] Download here(977 KB)
• default Lectio Divina June 2023 [ePub] Download here(279 KB)
• default Lectio Divina June 2023 [Mobi] Download here(1.17 MB)

Sent to be God’s love in the world
(John 20:19-23)

At Pentecost we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first group of Christian believers - the disciples.

This gift of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

It would be wrong to think that this gift happened only once, in one moment of history. In fact, the gifting of the Holy Spirit is a continuing event in the life of every believing person and, therefore, in every age of human history. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God with us - the enduring way in which Jesus remains present in the Church and in the life of each person.

Today we do not pray to receive the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us has been affirmed and proclaimed in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Instead, we pray to grow more aware of the Spirit’s presence in our lives and to allow that Spirit to grow within us, gradually re-shaping our minds and hearts in the image of Jesus.

Pentecost brings to a close the fifty days of the Church’s Easter celebrations. Soon we will begin Ordinary Time again. So, our feast today helps us understand that we take the Holy Spirit with us into the ordinary events and tasks of each day. That is how we allow the sacred to touch, heal and transform us and the world around us.

The spiritual search is for the heart of God within our own. When we enter into relationship with Christ through the Spirit, the gifts begin to flow more abundantly. The Spirit is the source of reconciliation with ourselves and with each other. Reconciliation is essential if we are to ‘hold and guard’ each other in the midst of all that life throws at us, especially at the moment.

The Spirit brings gifts of wisdom, courage, understanding, right judgement, knowledge, reverence, wonder and awe in God’s presence. May we be graced by them all as we discern and decide how we can best work together to build up each other and to let God’s love be seen at work in each of us.

• pdf Celebrating At Home - Pentecost Sunday [PDF](3.58 MB)
• default Celebrating At Home - Pentecost Sunday [ePub](4.00 MB)
• pdf Celebrando en Familia - Domingo de Pentecostés(735 KB)
• pdf Celebrando in Casa - Domenica di Pentecoste(734 KB)
• pdf Celebrando em familia - Domingo de Pentecostes(741 KB)

The Opening of the General Archives and Library of the Order of the Carmelites to the Public

The 2023 edition of the Days of Enhancement of Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage was held on May 13-21. Its theme was "Beyond the Slide. Church Cultural Heritage: From Accessibility to Inclusion." The Carmelite General Archives and Library took part with an even on May 19 at Centro Internazionale San Alberto (CISA) in Rome. Both library and archives are houses at CISA.

Three rounds of tours were given. Some 50 people attended, including employees of the General Curia, professionals in the field, scholars, as well as people curious seeing the doors to the library on Via Sforza Pallavicini open for the first time in 40 years.

The tours consisted with the librarian and archivist, Mario Alfarano, O. Carm., giving an introduction to the history and organization of the archives and library. Sara Bischetti showed the library’s holdings and research tools, highlighting some of the older items preserved in the library, including incunabula (books printed before 1501) and cinquecentine (books printed in the 16th century. The visitors were then able to explore the three floors of the libraries holdings.

In the archives, Simona Serci provided a short history and evolution of the Order using a display of papal bulls and letters, records from both general chapters and provincial chapters, documentation on the Carmelite house at Traspontina which was relocated decades after the unification of Italy at what is now CISA but at the time was the International College of St. Albert.

The tours ended in the storeroom of the documentary section of the General Postulation. This department is involved with the processes for the causes of the Carmelite saints and blesseds. 

The visits ended with the blessing of the library by Tadeusz Popiela, prior of CISA, inaugurating the new opening to the public. Refreshments in the houses main hall followed with music by Loredana Birocci on the piano. 

For 2023, 136 events took place around Italy. Thirty-nine of these were done by museums, 33 by archives, 42 by libraries, 9 by churches, and 13 by dioceses. The days are promoted by the National Office for Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage and Worship Buildings of the Italian Bishops' Conference together with AMEI - Association of Italian Ecclesiastical Museums, AAE - Association of Ecclesiastical Archivists and ABEI - Association of Italian Ecclesiastical Librarians and under the patronage of ICOM Italia (International Council of Museums), ANAI- Italian National Archival Association and AIB - Italian Library Association.

May 25 - Feast

From her childhood, she had a deep sense of the presence of God, a great love for the Eucharist and a longing to live a penitential life.

In addition to her deep spiritual life, she observed conscientiously her religious vows and led a hidden life of prayer and self denial. She was filled with a burning desire for the renewal of the Church: keenly aware of the urgent need for reform, yearning to see it spread, and offering herself so that the "anointed ones" (i.e. priests) would once again be a witness to the world and that the lapsed would return to the Church. 

Read more ...

PROFESSIO SOLEMNIS
20-03-23  José Lucas do Nascimento (Flum) Roma, Italia
19-05-23  Francisco Javier Giraldes (ACV-Argentina) Lomas de Zamora, Argentina

ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
29-04-23  Ecson Gabriel Ramírez Alvárez (Baet) Jalí, Venezuela

ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
16-04-23  Jefferson Ferreira Sousa (Flum)  São Paolo, Brasile
16-04-23  Lucas de Melo Pires (Flum)  São Paolo, Brasile
29-04-23  Oreste Maria Manzi (Ita)  Gragnano (Napoli), Italia

Seminar

Spirituality, Broken Hearts, and Broken Relationships

Clive Mifsud SDB – Robert Falzon SDB

Relationships form us; for good and for bad, they shape our understanding of ourselves and of each other. Letting ourselves come into contact with others opens us to all sorts of possibilities. Some relationships mature us, enrich us, and help us to grow on the path of authenticity. Others can be traumatizing and hurtful; especially those relationships that are most meaningful to us can even break our hearts. In such situations of hurt and vulnerability, in broken-heartedness, spirituality helps us ask the right questions, making it possible for us to find an approach that supports us, provides inner peace, and (if and when possible) also reconciliation.

In this seminar, after looking at some foundational concepts from both theology and therapy, Christian spirituality will be presented as a support in dealing with situations of broken-heartedness, while Gestalt Psychotherapy will support the reading of the concrete situation and the processing that is needed. The seminar aims to be engaging and interactive such that, apart from the level of information, there is also a level of personal processing.

Programme: 
Friday 26 May 2023, 06:00 p.m. – 08:00 p.m. [online] 
Saturday 27 May 2023, 09:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. [onsite]

Venue: 
Friday session will take place online via Zoom. 
Saturday session will take place onsite at the Carmelite Priory, Mdina.

Language: 
English & Maltese

How to Register: 
Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
(or click the "Book Now" button below)

Payment: 
The seminar is being organized free of charge; however, if you wish to donate, you may do so:

(1) via bank transfer to our account [IBAN] MT 28 VALL 2201 3000 0000 400 1797 9621 [beneficiary "Carmelite Institute"]

(2) via cheque addressed to "Carmelite Institute" for amounts greater than C20 (as per directive n. 19 issued by the Central Bank of Malta

(3) via Revolut to 79060733