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GENERAL COMMISSION FOR CARMELITE LAITY
GENERAL CURIA HOUSE,
ROME
Apologies:
Alfio Parisi and Jamie Liedo Patino. Fr Josef read the list of items on the agenda..
1. Third Order Rule 1.1 Only the Italian version was available for this meeting. Translations in English, Spanish and Portugeuse will be available as soon as possible. Integrated would be some items found in an additional source 1.2 The General Council wanted some additions to the Rule before giving approval, e.g. spiritual identity amplified. Many of the changes were a question of sequence of the different points covered. Fr Josef worked on this, assisted by Frs Giovanni and Redemptus, and the Rule was approved by the Holy See on 11 April 2003. 1.3 Fr Redemptus explained in English and Italian the specific changes to the Rule. The Preface of the Rule acknowledges the inspirational value of the Rule of St. Albert, which will be printed first. The Third Order Rule adapts the spirit of Carmel to a lay way of life. 1.4 Some segments presented in the previous Third Order Rule have been omitted. It is left to the discretion of each province to detail in their Statutes the practical aspects of living out the Rule in their particular culture. 1.5 The Rule will be promulgated on 16 July 2003 and become effective from 8 December 2003. 2. International Secretariat 2.1 The need for an International Secretariat was discussed and approved at the 2002 meeting of the Commission and the General Council had requested this Commission to explore the possibilities and present a practical plan for implementing such an appointment. 2.2 Two people had been approached for the position of International Secretary and declined. There was a long and animated discussion once more abut the need for a secretary, noting that other offices in the Curia had secretaries. Why are the Carmelite laity always relegated to last place, without enough money to maintain a proper secretary? It was requested that Josef Jančář express this strong sentiment to his colleagues of the Curia in the name of this Commission. 2.3 Fr Redemptus nominated Anita for the position of secretary. All members present approved the nomination. Anita accepted the position on a trial basis, subject to the approval of the General Council at the next meeting in October 2003. Fr Josef and Anita to work out the best practical arrangements for this position to be effective. 3. Isidore Bakanja Bulletin 3.1 This bulletin conveying news for Carmelite laity is to be incorporated into each alternate issue of CITOC as was decided at our previous meeting. Nothing has been done, due to the multiple responsibilities of Josef Jančář, who simply did not have the time to collect the materials needed. 3.2 News items from each province to be submitted to the International Secretary for inclusion in CITOC. 3.3 Periodically a description of the different lay Carmelite organizations and the variety of apostolic works performed will be published in Isidore Bakanja, one at a time. Examples given were of # La Famiglia in Florence, # the Donum Dei Missionary Workers, as well as other initiatives, such as a deacon in the USA who serves AIDS patients; the Rochester NY group running several Mt Carmel Homes for the dying who have nowhere else to go, a group in the South of USA who took over an abandoned Catholic school and run it as the Diocesan Spirituality Center. 3.4 Rose Mary to prepare written statement of this proposal for the General Council and for Fr William J. Harry, O.Carm., General Councilor for Communications. (c/f Attachment A) 4. International Listing Of Carmelite Laity 4.1 Anita to send copy of relevant pages of current listing, compiled in 1998, to each province requesting amendments and additions and for completed lists to be returned to her by a set date. An appeal will also be made to those provinces or other entities who have not yet submitted a listing. 4.2 Listing to include name and address of Provincial Delegate and a lay contact person for each group.
4.3 Date of
foundation and number of active and inactive members to be included as
well as date
of aggregation 5. Spiritual Directory For Carmelite Laity 5.1 After a long and detailed discussion, it was decided that a spiritual directory would be compiled. This could become a formation manual for Formators and others wanting to deepen their knowledge of Carmelite traditions and spirituality. The directory will contain:
a.
Formation material prepared by Tom Zeitvogel (PCM) 6. New Ritual 6.1 Rituals from the Dominicans, Servites and OCD Seculars were examined by the sub-commission which was composed of Edmund Caruana, Desiré Even and RM Valabek, all bona fide liturgists. A fourth liturgist invited, Joseph Midili had to decline because of the imminent defence of his doctoral thesis at the St. Anselm Liturgical Institute. 6.2 Reception/Admission to take place during a para-liturgy and not during a Eucharistic celebration. Three ways this may be done: i During the Liturgy of the Word ii During the Liturgy of the Hours – especially Lauds and Vespers iii During a Carmelite “Marian Statio” 6.3 One major addition to the Ritual is the giving of The Rule and the Scapular at Reception, emphasising the need for formation and study, thus avoiding the impression that with admission one is already a Carmelite. 6.4 Profession to take place during celebration of the Eucharist if at all possible. 6.5 Temporary and Perpetual Profession rituals will be different and are still to be finalised with full texts of optional readings and psalms. 6.6 If both ceremonies of Reception/Admission and Profession take place on the same day, Reception is required to be separate from the Eucharistic celebration in order to emphasise the difference. 6.7 The Ritual book will also contain prayers for the sick, deceased members of the community, and for the installation of officers for Community Councils. Fr Giovanni Grosso also suggested the drawing up of prayers for the opening and closing of community meetings. 6.8 Final discussion to take place at next meeting of the Commission so that the completed book will be ready for distribution at the Congress in 2006. 7. Minutes Of Previous Meeting 7.1 Alfio Parisi, who was to present the minutes of the previous meeting, was taken ill on the day before this meeting and was hospitalised. Therefore, notes taken by Anita were accepted as internal minutes for the Commission. 8. International Congress At Fatima 2006
8.1 The
dates 10-17 September 2006 were proposed so that the celebrations for
Our Lady of
Fatima on 13 8.2. Much space should be given to group discussions following the talks, something proposed for the last Congress, but not actualized to the dismay of many participants. The mutual meeting of the participants should be taken as one of the important goals of the Congress. 8.3 The focus of the Congress will be on formation. Therefore the recommendation of this Commission is that communities will support the cost of sending their community formators to attend the Congress. 8.4 The number of delegates representing each province will depend on the information gathered from the updated international listing. 8.5 Fr Josef and Fr Giovanni to work out a program for the Congress with a theme for speakers and to book the translators. 9. Youth Involvement In Lay Carmel 9.1 The General Council would like this Commission to explore ways of encouraging youth involvement. The Commission discussed this matter and will give further thought and attention at the next meeting. 9.2 In the meantime, Fr Josef Jančář noted that some Curia members had pointed out that there were already various youth groups in the Order, sometimes parocchial but also provincial (regional/national), such as JUCAR in Spain. What can we learn from these groupings? The meeting finished a day earlier than planned. Daniele Pieri invited the Commission members to spend the following day in Florence with members of La Famiglia. |