N. 362 01 • 2021

Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez, O.C.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Trujillo, , died Friday morning 8 January 2021 in Valera (Trujillo)

ishop Azuaje was born in Maracaibo theological studies. He earned a doctorate on 19 October 1951 in a family of six in Moral Theology summa cum laude from Bbrothers. He first learned about the the Alfonsianum Academy in Rome in 1978. Discalced Carmelite order in 1966 through the Nearly 20 years later, he would return to nuns at Mérida, in the Venezuelan Andes. academic study and earn a diploma in spiritual Discerning his vocation to the Teresian theology in 1994 following a year of study at Carmel, Oswaldo Azuaje entered the novitiate the Universidad de la Mística, CITeS in Avila, program of the Province of Aragonia-Valenza, Spain. Spain at the Desert of las Palmas, in Castile. As is the case with every Discalced Carmelite He professed his first vows as a Discalced , many years of rich and fruitful ministry Carmelite friar on 12 October 1968. followed, first in Costa Rica: Three years of philosophy studies followed • Formator-assistant to the Master of Novices in Zaragoza, and then Ajuaje pursued his and Master of Simple Professed (1978 and theology studies with the Discalced Carmelites, 1984), where he was the formator for another completing first-year theology (1971–1972) at future Discalced Carmelite bishop, Silvio José the historic Stella Maris seminary at Haifa, Báez, O.C.D. Israel and another three years (1972–1975) at • Professor at the Interdiocesan Seminary the Teresianum in Rome. of Paso Ancho, San José, and at the On 31 August 1974 Oswaldo Azuaje Intercongregational Theological Institute of pronounced his solemn vows; he was ordained Central America ITAC (1978 and 1984). to the priesthood at the age of 24 on Christmas • Secretary of the Conference of Religious Day, 25 December 1975 in Mérida, the city that (CONCOR). was the cradle of his Carmelite vocation. • Director of the Senderos Theological Journal Azuaje returned to Rome to complete his Azuaje then returned to Venezuela to serve

1 Communicationes 362 | 01.2021 with the Discalced Carmelite friars: commission that participated in the writing • Appointed formator of postulants and simple of the document on Religious Life in the professed in 1984 at Barquisimeto Venezuelan Plenary Council. • Professor at the Divina Pastora Seminary. • That same year 2002 he became president • President of the Venezuelan Conference of of the Regional Delegation of CONVER- Men and Women Religious CONVER Section Barquisimeto; this commitment would last and Provincial Delegate of the Discalced three years. Carmelites of Venezuela from 1987 to 1990. • In 2005, he was named General Delegate of • Provincial delegate and formator of the the Discalced Carmelites of Venezuela. Discalced Carmelites in Caracas (1990 and It was on 30 June 2007 that the Vatican Press 1993). Office published in the Osservatore Romano • Member of the Board of Directors of the and announced on Radio Vaticana the Joint Secretariat of Men and Women Religious nomination of Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez, SECORVE in Caracas. O.C.D. as Auxiliary Bishop of Maracaibo, • Professor for one year at the Institute of Venezuela and of Vertara. Theology for Religious ITER in Caracas. On his Episcopal coat of arms appears our • Superior of the Discalced Carmelite familiar Carmelite symbol of the three stars Community in Mérida in 1993. with the motto from the Carmelite Rule: “To • General Delegate of the Discalced Carmelites live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ.” of Venezuela (1996 to July 1999). Bishop Azuaje was ordained 31 August 2007 • Appointed Master of Novices in 1996. in the Church of San Tarcisio in Maracaibo. • Professor at San Buenaventura Seminary in The principal consecrator was Ubaldo Ramón Mérida in 1993. Santana Sequera, F.M.I., the Archbishop of • Spiritual Director at the seminary from 1999. Maracaibo. The principal co-consecrators • President of the Regional CONVER-Mérida were Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, the from 1999 to 2003. Archbishop of Mérida and Archbishop • Episcopal Vicar of Consecrated Life of Giacinto Berloco, the Apostolic to the Archdiocese of Mérida, appointed by Venezuela. Baltasar Porras in 1998. On Holy Tuesday 3 April 2012, Pope Benedict • Member of the Latin American Combined XVI appointed Bishop Azuaje to serve as Commission of the Carmelite Orders from bishop of the diocese of Trujillo, Venezuela. He 1994 to 2003. took possession of this diocesan see on 9 June • Superior and formator in the Carmelite 2012. formation house at Barquisimeto. In the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, • Between 2002 and 2003 he was part of the Bishop Azuaje assumed various responsibilities.

Communicationes 362 | 01.2021 2 He was President of the Commission on Youth an opportunity to witness great examples of and University Ministry for two triennia. From solidarity… in the sharing of food and drinking January 2015 to January 2018 he was President water, gasoline for the vehicles and many other of the Commission on Consecrated Life. He examples of people sharing their sufferings and currently served as a member of the Liturgy joys together.” Commission of the Venezuelan Episcopal As he embarked on his episcopal ministry in Conference. 2007, he confided to our friars at the Discalced Bishop Azuaje was unafraid to exercise his Carmelite General Curia: prophetic ministry as a Carmelite bishop, “To leave the Order which has been my home defending the rights of downtrodden — where I have lived and breathed — it isn’t Venezuelan citizens. In 2019 he deplored the easy. It’s hard for a sinner like myself, who has power blackout ordered by the government of lived in the Carmelite Order as my “maternal dictator Nicolás Maduro, telling the Catholic home”, to leave the Teresian Carmel where I’ve NGO Aid to the Church in Need about the received everything”. solidarity of the people at that moment. They From: “CarmeliteQuotes” were “looking for the Lord in every brother (https://carmelitequotes.blog/) who needs us. The days of the blackout were

Centenary for the de “LA OBRA MÁXIMA”

ublication of La Obra Máxima began in Christian communities present in the most January 1921 thanks to the missionary distant corners of the world, many of whom Pzeal of Ven. Fr. Juan Vicente Zengotita are suffering persecution or discrimination on (1862-1943) who, after 17 fruitful years of account of their faith. pastoral duties in India, on his return to Spain, Always in keeping with the missionary intentions with Carmelite, missionary sensitivity, wanted of the Pope, the missionary publication La Obra to launch a publication which continues to be Máxima wants to continue with its work of a point of reference in its field, not only for the making readers lovingly aware of the Carmelite Teresian Order of Carmel but also in the wider missions and of the missions in the Church at field of missions. large. La Obra Máxima (LOM) is a monthly Thanks to this labour of sensitization publication bringing together news not only throughout its history, LOM has been able to from some of the missionary ventures in the respond to many requests from different types Order but seeks also to be a voice for small, of missionary endeavours within the Order.

3 Communicationes 362 | 01.2021 It is the task of the whole of the Teresian Carmel presence, God’s consolation and fraternal help. to cherish these means of publication so that the LOM also has an internet presence: https:// missionary flame of our Order remains alight www.laobramaxima.es/www/portada.php as and so that people in need can find through our well as in social media.

Death of Fr. Reginald Foster

n 25th December, Fr. Reginald Gregorian University and, furthermore, gave Thomas Foster, Discalced Carmelite innumerable Latin courses and seminars Oof the Province of Washington, in which he imparted his knowledge of the died in St. Anne’s hospital in Milwaukee. He language and his revolutionary pedagogy, had been moved there eight days previously always tailored to the students, earning him after testing positive for coronavirus and in their sincere affection. During his stay in addition to the care received in the hospital, Rome, he organised a programme for the his progress was monitored daily by Dr. study of the Latin language and knowledge of Azcueta, the doctor in charge of health in the city called Aestiva Romae Latinitas, totally the Province, since visits from religious were free. forbidden as he was in a ward designated for His classes were always very well attended and ‘COVID’. he continued to teach almost until his death. There were no signs of pulmonary In collaboration with Daniel Patricius complications and he only had pharyngitis, McCarthy, he published a Latin teaching together with a slight cough, so that it was manual in 2016 (The Catholic University hoped that he would overcome the illness. of America Press): Ossa Latinitatis Sola Ad However, on Christmas Eve, he quickly took a Mentem Reginaldi Rationuemque (The Mere Bones grave turn for the worse, dying shortly after at of Latin According to the Thought and System precisely 12:34 AM. of Reginald). It demonstrated his method of Fr. Reginald, famous as a world expert in teaching, which not only sought to teach Latin language and literature, was born in reading authentic Latin texts, but also to help Milwaukee on 14th November 1939, into a the student write and speak the language. modest family of plumbers, of whom he In 2010, he received an honorary doctorate was always very proud. From 1970 until from the University of Notre Dame, in his retirement in 2009, he worked in the Indiana. Secretariat of the Vatican State, collaborating May Fr. Reginaldo Thomas Foster, OCD, rest on texts and documents specifically in in the peace of the Lord. Latin. For 30 years, he was a professor at the

Communicationes 362 | 01.2021 4 A year dedicated to St. Joseph

t the time that the Apostolic Letter, For the Teresian Carmel, the year dedicated Patris Corde, was published on the to St. Joseph is one of special joy, which gives Aoccasion of the 150th anniversary of us the opportunity to deepen this dimension the proclamation of St. Joseph as Patron of the of our charisma, just as St. Teresa of Jesus and Universal Church, announced other prominent figures in the Order, such as the start of a year dedicated to St. Joseph, with Fr. Jerónimo Gracián of the Mother of God, the intention that, in these difficult times for affirmed. mankind, we might know how to turn our In fact, the same day that the Holy Father’s attention to “ordinary” people who, though far from Apostolic Letter was published, the Superiors the limelight, exercise patience and offer hope every of the Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite day. In this, they resemble Saint Joseph, “the man Orders published a joint letter to the who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden Carmelite Orders entitled: St. Joseph, Patron of presence,” who nonetheless played “an incomparable Carmel, A Letter from the Prior General, O.Carm. role in the history of salvation”. and Superior General, O.C.D. to the Carmelite Joseph, who loved Jesus with a father’s love, is the Family on the occasion of the 150th anniversary tender, obedient and accepting servant; a courageous of the proclamation of St. Joseph as Patron of the and hard-working father, who, in the shadows, Universal Church. works without seeking the limelight.

News from Carmel in Malaysia

ith great joy, we are sending the of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Thérèse news which has reached us of our of the Child Jesus (1930-2020) was celebrated Wbrothers and sisters in this Asian and the 60th anniversary of the presence of country. missionaries with Mother Consuelo de Jesús, Despite the difficulties imposed due to the who left Spain at the age of 32 to go to the pandemic and keeping the security measures Convent in Kota Kinabalu (then Jesselton) indicated by the authorities, the communities on 12th April, 1960. She was superior of the of friars, nuns and seculars in Malaysia community for more than 30 years and at the celebrated a three-fold festival on the ocasión age of 93 still enjoys very good health. th of the Feast day of St. John of the Cross, 14 The ceremony was presided over by the December, just gone. Archbishop, Mons. John Wong, accompanied In addition to the Saint’s Feast day, the 90th by the community chaplain, Fr Mattheus Luta, anniversary of the foundation of the Convent Fr. Cosme Lee, Fr David Sham and 30 members

5 Communicationes 362 | 01.2021 of the Carmelite family. Mons. Wong addressed OCDS, sister Celestine Jinu, invited everyone some touching words to Mother Consuelo, to a fraternal agape outside the Chapel. The whose vocation he interpreted in the light of birthday cake in honour of the occasion was the Prophet Isaiah, encouraging her to continue distributed by Mons. Wong, on behalf of the with her sisters, on the luminous dark journey Carmelite community, which had made it. suggested by St. John of the Cross so as to be, This news was reported in the local media as like him, witnesses to the love of God, through can be seen: the redemptive incarnation in Christ, always at http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/the- the service of the local and universal Church. carmelite-community-celebrates-triple-joys- He ended his exhortation thanking the presence on-feast-of-st-john-of-the-cross/57099/1 and gift of the Carmelite sisters, who have seven Our gratitude to Mrs. Catherine Wan sisters in formation at the present time. and her newspaper for the news and the After celebration of Mass, the president of the accompanying photo.

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