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2012 Vol XXVIII No 4

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2012 Vol XXVIII No 4 CARMEL CLARION OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2012 t VOLUME XXVIII, NO.4 r------ (/-- CARMEL CLARION OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2012 t VOLUME XXVIII, NO.4 Disca iced Carmelite Secular Order, Washington, D. C. PAGE 21 In Remembrance 1 Editorial Fr. Regis, OCD 22 Frequently Asked Questions 2 NGO for OCDS 23 How to Order Interior Castle - Inspiration for a New Initiative New CDs from Fr. Kevin Culligan Fr. John Sullivan, OCD 24 New Evangelization 6 Brookline - Brighton History 25 Nairobi News 15 Our Carmelite Charism in the Service of the Church Thomas Otang'a, OCD 26 Reminders p. CARMEL CLARION is a Catholic publication produced by the Discalced Carmelite Secular Order, Washington Province, with Main Office in Washington, D.C. Discalced Carmelite Friars Change of address: OCDS Main Office Please notify us in advance. 2131 Lincoln Road, NE Washington, D.C. 20002-1101 Extra copies, if available: $3.00 each, plus flat rate of $5.00 for each package to cover actual postage costs Phone: 202-269-3792 U.S. subscription: $15.00 US per year. NEW E-mail: [email protected] NOTE: International Clarion subscriptions are no longer available due to postage costs. Editor Fr. Regis Jordan OCD Staff Jim Jenkins OCDS Liane Melvin OCDS Request subscription at: Chris Anderson http://www.carmelclarion.com Provincial Delegates Fr. Regis Jordan OCD Official Website: OCDS Washington Province Fr. Paul Fohlin OCD Fr. John Grennon OCD http://www.ocdswashprov.org Editorial It hardly seems possible that another year is rapidly coming to an end. I hope the history of the Province as we are presenting it is giving you a better understanding of our Carmelite presence in this part of the country. In the coming year we will be continuing this history and hope that understanding the roots of our common past will play a key role in evolving into the future. The article by our Provincial, Fr. John Sullivan, "NGO for OCDS" gives us insight about how the Missionary Spirit of Carmel works in the Carmelite Nuns in Roxbury MA modern world. The office of the NGO is a way for us to work with the Vatican to bring a Carmelite viewpoint to many secular causes and requests for assistance brought to the United Nations. It also shows through Fr. John's participation that a contemplative Order such as the Carmelites is interested in the world's problems and challenges. The presence alone of a religious working in the UN as small as we may think it is does have its influence. It makes others aware that there is a spiritual dimension to every mundane concern and situation the UN deals with on a daily basis; and that the Church consists of men and women who are interested in helping people in need throughout the world. In his article Fr. Thomas Otang'a, our Kenyan brother who will soon be completing his Doctorate at Catholic University, reminds us that the OCDS truly is, as its title says, ". in the Service of the Church." The first part of his article reviews the theology of the secular Carmelite's charism and vocation. He then challenges the OCDS to bring Carmel's message and spirituality into the modern world. His article gives one pause to reflect on how he/she lives the Carmelite vocation in daily life and how we use God Given Gifts and Talents to serve. Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Child Jesus on the cover depicts our Mother and Sister wearing the Carmelite habit as both she and the Child Jesus offer the Scapular to the world. As we close this year's theme for ongoing formation, The Missionary Spirit of Carmel, we hope that we have provided some understanding of how Holy Mother Church and charism of the Discalced Carmelite Order is asking us to be renewed for change. Next year we plan to present articles dealing with the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity as explained and experienced through the lives of our Carmelite Saints. I hope each of you, your families and communities have a blessed and prosperous New Year. Fr. Regis, OCD October—December 2012 CARMEL CLARION NGO for OCDS - Inspiration for a New Initiative By Fr. John Sullivan, O.C.D. on the Feast of St. Therese, 2012 As devoted daughters and sons of Saint Teresa of Avila we always welcome her words of encouragement to "strive to advance always from good to better" (F 29, 32) appreciative of how she did a new thing for and in Carmel through her reform work. Teresa stands for new beginnings that aim for positive developments. In this she was a real Mother, for her life- giving impulse and not just because she had the nickname of "La Madre." Edith Stein, herself a life-imparting woman, strengthens our appreciation for Saint Teresa's role in giving birth to "a new family in Carmel" (second preface for Teresa's feast day liturgy) when she described Holy Mother, Teresa, in these terms: "Actually, there are few saints so humanly near to us as Our Holy Mother... a woman with the daring and strength of a man, revealing natural intelligence and heavenly wisdom, a deep knowledge of human nature and a rich spirit's sense of humor, the infinite love of a heart tender as a bride's and kind as a mother's." Near the end of her earthly pilgrimage an instance of attempted birth-giving by Teresa occurred. In 1582, the very last year of her life, she approved an attempt by her friars to establish a mission on the West coast of Africa. A small group of friars suffered shipwreck and drowned in the effort, however. We can only imagine her Edith 1934, Cologne Carmel thoughts upon hearing of that disastrous outcome of their sea voyage when one Portuguese ship in the convoy bound for the Congo struck up against the other and sent all the OCDs "to a watery grave," as the saying goes. Father Jerome Gratian, trusted confi- dant of St. Teresa and Provincial at that time, assured the world in his biographical work, The Memoirs of Jerome Gracián, Saint Teresa of Avila's Collaborator and Confidant and in his correspondence, that his mandate for the expedition was promoted and approved by her. (See "Dámaso Zuazua, El Carmelo en Africa. La misión del Congo, primicia de nuestro espIritu misional, en Monte Carmelo 110 (2002), 101-140.) Contemporary Background Events To enlarge on that approval for the generous project of implanting contemplative life in Africa during the last year of Teresa's own life, I imagine she would be happy to know that in our century her Order has decided to open a new front for the proclamation of Gospel values, for solidarity with developing countries, and for assistance to those in need. On which front, though, is this happening? In the past decade an initiative passed from planning to realization in 2001, whereby the Discalced Carmelite Order achieved Non-Governmental Organization or NGO status at the United Nations. Father Aloysius Deeney was the "point-man" for our late Father General, Camilo Maccise, to bring all the paperwork together so we might be listed with the other organizations that have access to the United Nations. Since the election of the subsequent General, Father Luis Arostegui, I have served as representative of the Order liv- CARMEL CLARION October—December 2012 ing in the United States and am thus able to visit U.N. headquarters in New York from time to time to render our association with that body viable and operative. Goals The following list contains the main functions of the post given to me, as representa- tive of "NGO OCD" (at the end of this brief communication the reader can find my own homespun spelling out of those letters "NGO"). 1. Be aware and make aware: there's a two-way street involved in our NGO connec- tion with the U.N. First, it gives "access" as indicated: my I.D. badge/grounds pass allows me to get into offices, obtain appointments, and receive information which could help one or another area of our Order. In addition, those contacts can be oc- casions for me to supply information to agencies about our Order. 2. Support the Vatican Of- fice to the U.N.: a few blocks south of U.N. head- quarters are the offices of a Vatican representative to the U.N. The current leader of that diplomatic mission is an Apostolic Nuncio born in India. Early on I established contact with the staff there and noticed immediately their appreciation that our Order, with its contemplative emphasis, wished to be more closely present to the scene that they daily work in. The archbishop at that time, Celestino Migliore, invited me to the Vatican "Mission" for a get-acquainted lunch - Roman style with a main meal at 1 p.m. The day was December 17 th and one of the cooks served a fish he had caught from the Atlantic Ocean near New York. For a gift I brought along one of the ICS books we import from his native Italy for sale by ICS Publications, and he said he had celebrated Mass that summer at the monastery whose name is on the book that we co-publish. (Beginner's luck, I guess!) His staff then hailed from India, the Philippines, Italy, and the U.S. 3. Make Cases for Deserving Causes: to the extent possible we may refer to appropri- ate U.N. agencies for their attention and advice on any urgent needs the Order is aware of that could receive relief or assistance.
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