Our Carmelite Liturgical Calendar and the Liturgy of the Hours for Carmelite celebrations are now available on the Universalis app for your smart phone and tablet.
Over the past few months Carmelite Communications has been working with Universalis to produce the Carmelite calendar and breviary in English. Some Scripture readings are yet to be added. “Eventually, we hope to add texts for the readings and prayers from the Carmelite Missal as well,” Fr David Hofman (Director, Carmelite Communications) said.
Carmelite superiors and delegates of the Asia, Australia and Oceania Region of the Order are gathering in Melbourne from 11-14 April.
Present are: Fr Benny Phang (General Councillor, Asia Australia, Oceania), Fr Michael Kissane (Provincial, St Elias), Fr Ignasius Budiono (Provincial, Indonesia), Fr Artemio Jusayan (Provincial, Philippines), Fr Paul Cahill (Provincial, Australia & Timor-Leste), Fr Jacob Robin (Indian Delegation), Fr Joseph Tran (Vietnam) and Fr Marlon Lacal (Philippines).
The new Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Zumalai, Timor-Leste, is nearing completion. Fr Manuel Almeida Da Costa (Parish Priest) says that the Church will be blessed and opened by Bishop Norberto do Amaral on 16 July - the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The former temporary Church which stood in front of the new Church, has now been relocated for use as a parish hall. See more photos.
This month we are celebrating the gift of the Earthsong Library to the Carmelite Library in Middle Park. "This donation is a great responsibility and a great potential learning experience, enabling the Library to be the best ecospirituality library in Melbourne."
Today, as we take risks for the sake of something greater than our separate, individual lives, we are feeling graced by other beings and by Earth itself.
Joanna Macy
Happy Easter from the Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste!
Throughout the Easter Season we will remember you and your family in the masses and prayers celebrated in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Middle Park (VIC).
May the power of the Risen Christ continue to heal us and make us his Body.
Our liturgy has no formal beginning. We are bringing our three days to completion. We begin around the fire with the lighting of the Easter Candle, our great symbol of the Risen Christ who is our Light. In the light of the candle we listen to the Scriptures about creation (Genesis), God’s rescue of his people (Exodus), God’s love for us (the Prophets), our baptism into Christ’s death (Romans) and the Resurrection of Jesus (Mark).
In Christ, we too have died to the old ways of living and risen to be the living Body of Christ in the world.
Our afternoon liturgy is a meditation on the passion and death of the Lord. We begin listening to the words of Isaiah about the suffering servant on whom is laid the sin of all. We are struck by the brutality of the passion. We wonder at the depth of love of a God who gives up his own life that we might truly live.
We venerate the cross, not as a symbol of horrible death, but as a sign of the victory of God’s love; the end of one way of living and beginning of another. We pray with Christ’s spirit for the needs of the world. We receive again the Food that nourishes and strengthens us on our journey to Easter day.
Our ceremony has no formal beginning or end. What was begun last night will not be finished today.
Tonight we begin the Great Three Days with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is a meditation on the connection between the Eucharist and Christian love expressed in serving one another. A meditation on Jesus not only present in the Eucharist but also in the deeds of loving kindness offered to others through us.
On this night we recall Jesus’ commandment to love one another, his washing of the disciples’ feet and the breaking of the bread of his own life, not just at table, but also on the altar of the Cross, for the healing and nourishment of the world.
There is no formal end to the liturgy tonight. What has been begun is not yet ended.
You can watch Fr Januario and Brs Agedo and Martinho receive their degrees at the University of Divinity Graduation Ceremony on 16 March. The short clip shows the actual presentation of the degrees.
The East Timor Students Association also made a video of the Graduation evening which you can see here.
St Michael’s Church, Melbourne, was filled to capacity last night for the University of Divinity Graduation Ceremony. Among the 317 graduands were Carmelites, Fr Januario Pinto, Br Agedo Bento and Br Martinho Da Cruz Lemos.
Fr Januario graduated with the degree of Master of Theology and Brs Agedo and Martinho with the degree of Bachelor of Theology.
Januario is now ministering the Carmelite parish of Coorparoo (QLD). Agedo and Martinho are continuing their studies in the Bachelor of Ministry program at the University. Congratulations, Brothers! Parabens! More photos.
