O.Carm
Lectio Divina August, 2025
Opening Prayer
God our Father and protector, without You nothing is holy, nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life by helping us to use wisely the blessings You have given to the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Titus Brandsma, priest and martyr
July 27 | Memorial
A new awareness of Thy love
Encompasses my heart:
Sweet Jesus, I in Thee and Thou
In me shall never part.
No grief shall fall my way but I
Shall see thy grief-filled eyes;
The lonely way that Thou once walked
Has made me sorrow-wise.
All trouble is a white-lit joy
That lights my darkest day;
Thy love has turned to brightest light
This night-like way.
If I have Thee alone,
The hours will bless
With still, cold hands of love
My utter loneliness.
Stay with me, Jesus, only stay;
I shall not fear
If, reaching out my hand,
I feel Thee near.
Translated by Fr. Gervase Toelle, O. Carm.
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The Story of Anne and Joachim in Apocryphal Sources
26 July Memorial
According to some of the apocryphal traditions, Joachim was a very wealthy and generous man. However, he and his wife, Anne, were childless until they were advanced in years. One day, before Anne conceived Mary, Joachim arrived at the Temple to make an offering. It was rejected by a man named Rubim, most likely a Levitical priest, because Joachim was childless. Rubim rebuked Joachim for bringing offerings before he had a child. Children were exceedingly important at that time and someone childless was seen as in disfavor with God.
Distressed, Joachim left the Temple and studied the Scriptures to see if he could find anyone of importance who, like he and Anne, were childless. When he came upon Abraham, he recalled that Abraham was only given a child in his old age. Rather than returning home to Anne, Joachim embarked on a forty-day period of fasting and praying in the desert, beseeching God for a child.
Anne, for her part, also went to pray, asking God for a child. As she prayed, an angel appeared to her and communicated that God had heard her prayer and she would have a child who “will be spoken in all the world.” An second messenger from God appeared to Joachim and assured him that God had heard his prayer and that his wife would conceive. Nine months later, the child arrived and was names Mary.
Because of a vow Anne and Joachim had made, when Mary was only three, they brought her to the Temple where she took up residence until it was time for her to be married. She was educated by the priests and holy women and spent her days in prayer and union with God.
Though this story of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s birth and presentation in the Temple comes from apocryphal sources, the Presentation of Mary in the Temple is a liturgical feast first celebrated in the Eastern Church as early as the sixth century and the Western Church in the eleventh century. In the old city of Jerusalem, there still stands an ancient church next to the Temple Mount in which it is believed that the Blessed Virgin Mary was born and might have lived during her early days after being presented in the Temple.
Though not much more is known about Saints Joachim and Anne, devotion to them, especially to Saint Anne, began to grow as early as the sixth century. Churches were built in her honor, prayers were offered for her intercession, devotions were formulated, and patronages were attributed to her. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that devotion to Saint Joachim began to grow when his feast day was placed on the General Roman Calendar.
St. Anne is now the patron saint of grandparents, grandmothers, mothers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, dressmakers, equestrians, expectant mothers, homemakers, housewives, lace workers, seamstresses, miners, old-clothes dealers, Canada, and France. Saint Joachim is also patron saint of grandparents as well as grandfathers, fathers, married couples, cabinetmakers, and linen traders.
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Nuns in Guiguinto Celebrate Elective Chapter
The Monastery of the Holy Family in Guiguinto, Philippines Celebrates Elective Chapter
On Friday, June 9, 2025, the Carmelite community of the monastery of the Holy Family in Guiguinto (Philippines) held their elective chapter under the presidency of the Bishop of Malolos, Dennis C. Villarojo.
During the Chapter, the nuns confirmed that their activites are ordained in and subordinate to contemplation. The decision was made to form a community centered in the presence of Christ among us and whose relationships tend toward a deeper union in charity. The nuns confirmed their intent to intensify their prayers and sacrifices in communion with the present needs of humanity.
In 1966, the nuns of the Monastery of St. Anne landed in the Philippines and first established a monastery in the city of Meycauayan in the Diocese of Malolos and then in the city of Guiguinto. In 1983, seven nuns from Guiguinto went to the Diocese of Cabanatuan and established a monastery there. In 1993, seven nuns of the Guiguinto community went to the Diocese of Alaminos to found a new monastery in Burgos. Then, four nuns founded a new monastery of the federation of nuns in Tanay, in the Diocese of Antipolo. Finally, on December 7, 2001, seven nuns founded a new community in the town of Sta Ignacia in the Diocese of Tarlac. In 2017, five sisters were sent to seek a new foundation in the village of San Fabian, in the Province of Pangasinan, in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
The monastery of the Holy Family belongs to the Stella Maris Federation. The monastery has a Facebook page.
Those elected to leadership are:
Prioress | Priora | Priora:
Sr. Mary Jenicca L. Mariano
1st Councilor | 1ª Consejera | 1ª Consigliera:
Sr. Mary Ruth Alethea C. Clavio
2nd Councilor | 2ª Consejera | 2ª Consigliera:
Sr. Ma. Liza G. Jeremias
3rd Councilor | 3ª Consejera | 3ª Consigliera:
Sr. Mary Josephine B. Faustino
4th Councilor | 4ª Consejera | 4ª Consigliera:
Sr. Ma. Teresa E. Santos
Treasurer | Ecónoma | Economa
Sr. Ma. Fatima B. Faustino
Formator | Formadora | Formatrice
Sr. Mary Josephine B. Faustiono
Sacristan | Sacristán | Sacrestana:
Sr. Mary Ruby Ann D. Aurelio
Prior General's Schedule for August 2025
Fr. Míċeál O'Neill, the prior general, has the following schedule planned for the month of August 2025:
August 1–4: Brazil, Aparecida, Lay Carmelite Congress
August 7-21: Holidays in Ireland
August 21-25: Rome
August 25-28: Hong Kong
August 29-31: Maumere, Indonesia: Inauguration of the new province of East Indonesia.
John Soreth and the Carmelite Nuns
24 July Memorial
Important to the life of the Carmelite Order was the foundation of female monasteries by John Soreth. As soon as he was elected prior general on November 1, 1451, Soreth himself affiliated the beguinage of Ten Elsen near Geldern in 1452, confirming it the following year by appealing to the papal bull Cum nulla (October 7, 1452), with which Pope Nicholas V recognized the Carmelites' right to have female monasteries like other mendicant orders. It is unknown who requested the bull. Certainly, a decisive role, at least in speeding up the process, was played by the community of the Carmine in Florence, which boasted a long history of bringing women into the Order and perhaps wished to clarify and formalize the situation of some women who had joined the Order on August 15, 1450.
Soreth used the bull to found monasteries in Flanders, Germany, and Britain, in which he wanted cloistered life from the outset. The special bond with the reformed friars requested by Soreth confirms his plan to entrust the female communities with a role of spiritual support for the difficult project of reforming the Order. After the Beguines of Ten Elsen, Soreth incorporated the sisters of Nieukerk (1455), and at the same time the community of Dinant was founded, followed by Liège (1457) and Bondon in Brittany, where in 1468 the Duchess Françoise d'Amboise entered. In 1466, Harlem and Huy were founded, followed by Namur in 1468 and Vilvoorde in 1469. (Giovanni Soreth, by Giovanni Grosso, O. Carm. in Dizionario Carmelitano)
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Celebrating At Home - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Hospitality of God
(Luke 11:1-13)
Many people struggle with a name for God. For some, ‘Father’ is fine. For others, the image of God as Father evokes traumatic memories of their childhood experience of pain, suffering, neglect and even abuse.
Alternatively, some prefer terms like, ‘Creator’, ‘Redeemer’, and ‘Sanctifier’. But these terms describe functions, not persons, and they seem to lack the warmth and intimacy that we intuitively feel marks our relationship with God.
In today’s Gospel, one of the disciples, having seen Jesus at prayer, asks him to teach them. The prayer that Jesus teaches them is probably very close what he, himself, prayed.
The prayer has none of the formality of those used in Temple and Synagogue worship. Instead, it begins with a more informal, warm and intimate addressing of God as ‘Abba’ - not as formal as ‘Father’ and not as childish as ‘Daddy’, but somewhere in between.
However we choose to name God, the term we use needs to have the same sense as ‘Abba’ had for Jesus. The disciples also live in the same warm and intimate relationship which God and Jesus share. And it is out of this relationship as members of God’s household that Jesus teaches them to pray.
The focus of the prayer is initially on God alone (‘may your name be held holy’), then moves to what the world needs (‘your kingdom come’), then to what the disciples need (sustenance, forgiveness and rescue from trial, persecution and temptation).
A community which prays this prayer recognises its privileged closeness to God. But it also recognises that the hospitality of God calls the whole human race into this same closeness experienced as the coming of the Kingdom.
The shamelessly persistent knocking on a friend’s door is an encouragement not to be afraid to continually ask God for what we need to live as members of the kingdom. God will not fail to share God’s life and love through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If human beings, as flawed as we are, know how to give good things to our children, then how much more will the loving and gracious God give the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask? The Holy Spirit who is the bond of love between God, Jesus and us - the Holy Spirit who helps us sense and experience that we are deeply enfolded in God’s love, care and concern.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.85 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](2.43 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XVII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(481 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XVII Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(476 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XVII Domingo do Tempo Comum(472 KB)
Solemnity of Elijah, Prophet
20 July
Throughout St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, there are the statues of 34 founders of orders and congregations. On the side of the pier of St. Helena, housing the relic of the True Cross, stands the statue of Elijah the Prophet. The artist Agostino Cornacchini has Elijah pointing to the light entering the aspe. This was the third statue placed in St. Peter’s and was to honor the Order of Carmelites.
The inscription at the bottom of the statue reads: Cartouche - UNIVERSUS / CARMELITARUM ORDO / FUNDATORI SUO S. ELIAE / PROPHETAE EREXIT / A. MDCCXXVII. (The entire Carmelite Order erected this status to its founder in 1727.)
Controversy developed before the statue even reached its place in the basilica. Many denied the truthfulness of the claim of Carmelites that Elijah was their founder, certainly not in the same sense that the other thirty-seven statues around the basilica were founders.
Today Carmelites speak of Elijah, along with Mary, as an inspirational figure on whose experiences they partly base their spirituality. They had established themselves near the fountain of Elijah on Mount Carmel and now see their lives as in spiritual succession to that of Elijah.
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Causa Nostrae Laetitiae
PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA
28-06-25 Fredrick Ouko Owino (Kenya) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Moses Mukhwana Wekesa (Kenya) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Matthew Mweu Wambua (Kenya) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 John Kheri Madava (Bruna-Tanz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Faustine Innocent Nh'umbili (Bruna-Tanz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Ansbert Protace Mulaly (Bruna-Tanz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Zeferino Massango (Pern-Moz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Juvencio Eurico Alve'sta (Pern-Moz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Gabriel Tomas Congolo (Pern-Moz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Sulyvan A. J. Matsengune Nhane (Pern-Moz) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Simbarashe Matenzu (Hib-Zim) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Munashe Doctor Chimwamuchere (Hib-Zim) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
28-06-25 Kudakwashe David Maposa (Hib-Zim) Kristi Mambo, Zimbabwe
10-07-25 Mary Magdalene Kimomo of St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (Juja) Kenya
16-07-25 Rodrigo Alejandro Arroya Aguilar (PCM) Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Reinaldo Mizael Quiróz Molina (PCM) Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Edgar Alejandro Amaya López (PCM). Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Adonis Enmanuel García Loáisiga (PCM). Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Ricardo Alejandro Lineros Villarreal (PCM) Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Juan José Martínez Hernández (PCM) Ciudad de Mexico
16-07-25 Juan Diego Muñoz Oliden (PCM) Ciudad de Mexico
PROFESSIO SOLEMNIS
05-07-25 Lloyd Champiruka (Hib_Zim) Kriste Mambo, Zimbabwe
ORDINATIO DIACONALIS
21-06-25 Luis Miguel dos Santos Lima (Flum) São Paolo, Brazil
21-06-25 João Wanderson de Oliveira Ossola da Cruz (Flum) São Paolo, Brazil
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
21-06-25 José Lucas do Nascimento (Flum) São Paolo, Brazil
21-06-25 José Ivanildo Justino (Flum) São Paolo, Brazil
Celebrating At Home - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
True Hospitality
(Luke 10:38-42)
Preparing food for a special occasion or a valued guest can be a daunting task. These days, it can also be filled with all sorts of traps as food preferences continue to change and various allergies appear.
In the story which Luke tells in this Gospel, it is obvious that Martha has gone to a great deal of trouble to welcome and provide for Jesus, the guest.
Pre-occupied with the serving and annoyed with Mary passively sitting at Jesus’ feet, Martha’s anxiety gets the better of her and she asks Jesus to intervene. In a way, Martha is like a well-intentioned host who prepares a full dinner of roast meat only to find that the guest is vegetarian! Perhaps true hospitality might have found that out before the meal was prepared. Perhaps true hospitality might have thought about what the guest has to offer, not only about what the host wants to provide.
So often in the Gospels the initial roles in a story get reversed. In this Gospel it seems that Jesus, the guest, has something to offer that Martha overlooks, but Mary recognises. Jesus becomes the host. And it is he who ends up doing the ‘feeding’, not Martha.
And, what of Mary? Apparently lost in listening to Jesus and oblivious to Martha’s need for help? It seems all wrong to us that Jesus praises her for choosing ‘the better part’. Jesus refuses to send Mary back to the kitchen. His reply can also be read as an invitation for Martha to leave her lavish preparations and to join them.
True hospitality for the disciple lies in getting to know and spending time with the Guest.
The position of this story in Luke’s Gospel, sandwiched between the parable of the Good Samaritan (the ideal disciple) and Jesus’ teaching about prayer, could suggest that both are needed – deep attention to the Word of God and robust action: hearing and doing the Word.
It could also suggest that hearing the Word comes first, followed by doing the Word in works of service. It may also suggest the importance of paying attention to making the right choice at any given moment – not to be so caught up in doing even good works that we forget to nourish our relationship with Jesus.
What it does clearly show, however, is that both men and women are called to discipleship.
Mary, the more marginalised figure in the story, offers the kind of hospitality that Jesus wants in a disciple: an open and listening heart.
- pdf Celebrating At Home - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time [PDF](2.92 MB)
- default Celebrating At Home - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time [ePub](3.36 MB)
- pdf Celebrando en Familia - XVI Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario(482 KB)
- pdf Celebrando in Casa - XVI Domenica del Tempo Ordinario(466 KB)
- pdf Celebrando em família - XVI Domingo do Tempo Comum(475 KB)
