The 2022 edition of the Carmelite Liturgical Guide is now available. The Guide integrates the Carmelite Liturgical Calendar with the liturgical calendars of Australia and Timor-Leste to provide a guide to the Seasons, Solemnities, Feasts, Memorials and Carmelite celebrations for every day of the year.

pdf 2022 Carmelite Liturgical Guide [PDF]
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This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. "This feast makes us rediscover the gift and the beauty of being a community of baptized, that is, of sinners — we all are sinners — saved by the grace of Christ, truly integrated, by the work of the Holy Spirit, in the filial relationship of Jesus with the Father, welcomed into the bosom of Mother Church, making possible a brotherhood that knows no barriers or borders." Pope Francis Read the Gospel for the Feast here.

You can download and save the scripture texts, reflections and prayers for Lectio Divina for each day of this month. Lectio Divina is a traditional way of praying the Scriptures. Visit our Lectio Divina page for more information about how to pray using Lectio Divina. Join our Lectio Online group every Friday at 10am (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) to prayerfully reflect on the coming Sunday's Gospel. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste wish you a very happy Christmas and thank you for your friendship and support throughout this difficult and challenging year.   

At Christmas we reflect on the mystery of 'God with us'
in the person of Jesus, born in one moment of time
so that God can be born in every moment of time through us.

May you and your loved ones have a safe, happy and blessed Christmas.

Happy New Year from the Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste! On New Year's Day we also celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. So, we begin the new year with Mary. May she accompany us throughout the year with wisdom and love on our journey into God’s heart.

May the New Year be filled with an ever deeper awareness of God's presence around us and in us. We continue to pray for all those affected by COVID-19 in Australia and throughout the world. May we reamin safe and continue to support each other. 

Our 3 novices, Brs Constantino Barreto Amaral, Moises Soares and Manuel Xavier Gonzaga, made their first profession of vows as Carmelites on 14 December. They made their vows at Mass in Hera, Timor-Leste at the end of their Novitiate year. Fr Carlito da Costa Araújo, Provincial Delegate for Timor-Leste, received their vows in place of Fr Paul Cahill (Prior Provincial) who was unable to travel to Timor due to COVID restrictions. Constantino, Moises and Manuel join our 29 other brothers in first vows. The total number of those in formation is now 37. Congratulations, Brothers!

The Carmelites of Australia & Timor-Leste are standing in solidarity, grief and prayer with all affected by the tragedy at Hillcrest Primary School, Tasmania, especially the parents and families of the children who have died or were injured. In the midst of their suffering and grief may they feel the loving support of us all. See a larger image.

Year 9 students from our Carmelite Schools in Zumalai and Raimea, Timor-Leste, recently sat their final exams. If successful, the 62 students will graduate and begin their senior High School studies next year. Our thoughts and prayers are with all our students. We rely on the generous support of our friends to help transform young lives through education. If you would like to give the gift of education to our young people in Timor-Leste this Christmas, you can donate here. Thank you for your support. You are giving them a future.

In the Annual Report by the Church to the National Office for Child Safety, the Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste drew particular attention to its work with 2 East Timorese child protection experts to review progress in implementing the Province's Safeguarding Policy. This also included a risk assessment of the ministries in Timor-Leste. The report of the 2 experts highlighted that Carmelites in Timor-Leste have a good understanding of the policy and positive attitudes towards implementing it. In addition to making helpful recommendations, the East Timorese experts produced a training manual and ran three training sessions with seminarians, staff, volunteers, teachers and key community leaders, specifically focusing on the code of conduct.

16 young Carmelites in Timor-Leste recently renewed their vows to follow the Carmelite Way for another year. Brs Antonio Junias da Gloria, João Batista Caunan, Lucas dos Santos Martins, Samuel Lopes, Bonifacio Bragança Lopes, Caetano Soares da Silva, Celestino Soares, Elias Soares Sin, Fernando Gusmão, Jacob dos Reis de Carvalho, João Fernando Cabal, Paulo Martins de Araújo, Estavão de Deus Gomes, Julião Dos Santos and David Soares made their vows during Mass celebrated by Fr Carlito da Costa Araújo, Provincial Delegate for Timor-Leste. Br Francisco Xavirius Vieira Martins renewed his vows in a separate ceremony in Hatolia parish. Congratulations, Brothers! More photos