CARMELITE INSTITUTE Newsletter 
Spring 2004

CALLING ALL CARMELITES AND FRIENDS OF CARMEL!

The Carmelite Institute is pleased to invite you to a major conference on "Carmel as a Sign of Hope and Healing in Our Troubled World," to be held July 21-25, 2004 at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago. As you know, the CI was established in 1993 by our Carmelite leadership to serve the needs of the Carmelite family in English-speaking North America. One of its chief tasks, according to the statutes, is "to conduct programs such as conferences, retreats, and seminars on Carmelite subjects." Over the past decade we have hosted three such conferences: on Elijah and The Book of the Institution of the First Monks (in Washington, DC), on Carmel and Mary (in Reno, NV), and on the Rule of Carmel (in San Antonio, TX). Each one has been even more successful than its predecessor, with the conference on the Rule attracting some 500 Carmelite friars, nuns, sisters, and laity. The upcoming conference in Chicago promises to be the best yet!

The theme of our 2004 conference was chosen especially to address recent developments in the light of our rich Carmelite heritage. Today we live in the shadow of 9/11 and in the midst of heated election year debates, 

bombarded with news stories about the impact of globalization, terrorist threats, tensions among world religions, scandals in the church and on Wall Street, concerns about the economy, increasing disregard for the sanctity of life, and so much more. At the same time, Carmel’s growth especially among the laity and throughout the developing world offers us all a wealth of new experiences and resources for the tasks ahead.

As you will see from the conference brochure, to help us reflect on Carmel’s role amidst today’s challenges we have assembled an exciting list of speakers, including Archbishop Jean Sleiman, OCD, the Latin Patriarch of Baghdad, as well as the two Carmelite Priors-General (Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm., and Luis Aróstegui Gamboa, OCD). But just as important as the fine presentations will be the opportunity to pray, ponder, and celebrate together as a global Carmelite family. Chicago is easily and economically accessible from most parts of the United States, and the Palmer House Hilton is a splendid convention hotel in the heart of a great city. Don’t miss out! We look forward to meeting you at this truly important Carmelite gathering.

Steven Payne, O.C.D.

CARMEL as a Sign of Hope and Healing in Our Troubled World

---

PUBLISHING COLLOQUIUM 

A colloquium to examine strategies to develop a North American market for Carmelitana materials was held at Whitefriars Hall in Washington, DC on March 12-13, 2003. It was sponsored by the Louis Herman and Susan Hamilton Rogge Fund.

Thirteen people took part in the two-day event. The program focused on identifying the problems and opportunities for marketing Carmelite materials to the North American audience. It was also an opportunity for those involved in the production, marketing, and sales of materials to network with each other.

Among those attending were Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm., the Prior General, and William J. Harry, O. Carm., the General Councilor with responsibility for the Order’s culture and communications, Patrick McMahon, O. Carm., praesis of the Institutum Carmelitanum in Rome and Hein Blommestijn, O. Carm., of the Titus Brandsma Institute in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Steven Payne, O.C.D., president of the Carmelite Institute in Washington, Mary Rodriguez-Harrington, O.C.D.S., the Institute’s executive director, and Patricia O’Callaghan, librarian of the Carmelite Library in Washington, DC, also participated in the gathering.

we took a few concrete steps towards building an effective approach to the North American market

Those making presentations included the Rev. Lawrence Boadt, C.S.P., publisher for Paulist Press, and Sr. Roberta Hummel, F.S.P., director of marketing for Pauline Books and Media. Other presentations were given by Sr. Roberta McKelvie, O.S.F., executive director of the Franciscan Institute, Olean, NY, and Ms. Claudia Carlsen, Director of the Carmelite Bookstore at the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The meeting facilitator for this colloquium was Mr. Bill Hummel, director of the Elijah Project.

"I came to the meeting hoping that we would look at what we are doing, see where our market is, and work towards building some connections between the two. Too often we have sat back and waited for the market to come to us. I think we have discovered that we have a spirituality which is very much in demand and we have the responsibility to be proactive in making it available to as many people as possible," said William Harry who works closely with Edizioni Carmelitane, the Carmelite Order’s publishing house in Rome, Italy. "This meeting reinforced my belief that we too often see ourselves as independent entities instead of as parts in a much larger operation. Hopefully we took a few concrete steps towards building an effective approach to the North American market."

 

---

Students Travel from Near and Far to Be Part of the Carmelite Studies Program

Students at the Washington Theological Union last semester (fall 2003) in the Carmelite Studies program were:

Br. Emiel Abalahin, O.Carm.   U.S.A., New York Province

Fr. Stefanus Buyung, O.Carm.   Indonesia

Sr. Margaret Gonsalves, C.C.V.   India

Br. Boniface Kimondolo, O.Carm.   Kenya / Province of Catalonia, Spain

Fr. Joseph Mothersill, O.Carm.   Ireland

Br. Onesmus Muthoka, O.Carm.   Kenya / Province of Catalonia, Spain

Br. David Semmens, O.Carm.   U.S.A., Chicago Province

Joining the studies program this semester (spring 2004) are:

Fr. Russel Raj, O.C.D.   Province of Tamil Nadu, India

Fr. Anselm Phang, O.C.D.   Taiwan-Singapore Delegation

Besides learning about the history and spirituality of our tradition, many of these students have been exposed for the first time to winter storms that bring snow, ice, and sleet to the nation’s capital. When they signed up to come they did not know that this would be included in their "new experience package." The students knew that they would participate with a diverse group of people in an entirely new culture where they would have to adapt to unfamiliar foods and climate changes. So far they are all hanging in there. We welcome the new students and wish each of you all the best!

---

GATHERING OF INTERNATIONAL CARMELITE INSTITUTES

The Carmelite Institute (CI) in Washington, D.C., is one of many institutes around the world that further Carmelite studies, but perhaps the only one, so far, that is a collaborative effort between the Carmelite (O.Carm.) and Discalced Carmelite (O.C.D.) Orders. Thus the CI has a special mission to be a forum where both major branches of the Order can dialogue together to better understand our common heritage as well as those aspects that distinguish us from one another.

The first four days of July 2003 witnessed a meeting of several institutes affiliated with the Carmelite (O.Carm.) Order in an attempt to build stronger links among them. The meeting was convoked by the board of directors of the Institutum Carmelitanum, the major O.Carm. institute located at the Order’s international center in Rome, Italy. Representatives came from the Carmelite Institute of Boxmeer and the Titus Brandsma Institute, Nijmegen (both in the Netherlands), the Institutum Carmelitanum in Rome, the Carmelite Institute in Washington, and the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation of Tangaza College, Nairobi. (This last institute is not part of the Carmelite network but is seeking greater involvement from the Carmelite family in developing a first-rate spirituality program for students from English-speaking Africa.) Last minute crises prevented representatives from the Piero Tomasso Institute (Rome), the Carmelite Library and Centre (Melbourne, Australia), and the Carmelite Institute in Münster (Germany) from attending, while several other institutes declined their invitations for various reasons.

___________f___________ the Carmelite Institute has a special mission to be a forum where both major branches of the Order can dialogue together to better understand our common heritage ________________________

A key factor in the future of all the Carmelite institutes will be the Titus Brandsma Institute at the Catholic University of the Netherlands. This institute doesn’t limit itself to the Carmelite heritage, but studies various Catholic strains of spirituality and mysticism. Funded by the university and the Netherlands government, this institute has the resources not only to maintain a first-rate library, but to expand into futuristic educational methodologies, especially making good use of the internet. Along with faculties in South Africa and in the Philippines, the Titus Brandsma Institute is developing a program of distance learning through the internet. This program will be supplemented by the posting of the Institute’s vast resources online so that Carmelite scholars can access those resources without having to go to the Netherlands. It is hoped that the Washington and Rome institutes will be able to cooperate in this program as well.

Besides the absences, one major disappointment of the meeting was our inability to make a definite commitment to the Tangaza College program at this time. At present the Carmelite Order (O.Carm.) is just getting established in Kenya and doesn’t yet have the necessary personnel to invest. Fortunately, the Discalced Carmelites may be able to help with this exciting opportunity that looks to the future of the church in Africa. And with the connections made at the July meeting, Tangaza College has approached the Titus Brandsma Institute in Nijmegen to be part of their SPIRIN/SPINE network.

There are already plans for another meeting of the institutes in 2005 and the Board of Directors in Rome is making every effort to get each Carmelite (O.Carm.) institute to come. The Carmelite Institute in Washington is our link with the Discalced Carmelite world, and hopefully it will not be long before there is a meeting of all the institutes from all parts of the Carmelite family.

 

Patrick McMahon, O.Carm.

APPEAL CAMPAIGN The appeal campaign letter was sent in the fall of 2003 and not in the spring or summer time as we have done in the past. It is quite possible that the letter arrived at a busy time and you were not able to attend to it. We want you to know that donations are still welcome and that we appreciate and need your help. We want to thank those of you who have sent a donation. Our ministry depends on the generosity of all Carmelites and other friends. We want to continue to be of service to you by bringing programs that foster a deeper knowledge of our spiritual tradition, but we need your financial support. Again, thank you for your consideration of our appeal.

---

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR NEW WEBSITE?

www.carmeliteinstitute.org

Sr. Bernardina, O.C.D., from the Port Tobacco Carmel and the Institute’s webmaster, has designed an efficient site for internet users. The site is organized so that one can easily access information about the various projects that the Institute manages. Some of the segments still need work before the information is made available, but already it is an excellent tool for communication and information at the service of our friends. We are pleased with the creative fresh look and how well it represents the work of the Institute. Sr. Bernardina has worked diligently and we thank her for her help throughout every phase of the renovation of this project. Come take a look for yourself at www.carmeliteinstitute.org.

 

---

HEADQUARTERS' BULLETIN BOARD

Did you know.... that the Distance Education program has reached students from the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Singapore.	* The Carmelite Forum’s seminar is at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN, on June 20-26, 2004. * The Lay Carmelite Convocation is in Chicago, IL, July 17-20, 2004. All Lay Carmelites are invited to join us for the fourth conference sponsored by the CI, July 21-25. We are going to have a great gathering.
CI will not be mailing a Newsletter this summer because we will be with you in Chicago learning about Hope and Healing from our Carmelite spirituality.	To date we have sold over 600 Carmel and Mary books. Don't be without this great collection of presentations.