Apostolate of the Little Flower

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Carmel's Madonna

The Brown Sign of Carmel’s great ideal

Our Lady The Contemplative Disciple

St. Thérèse & St. Benedict The Little Way & Little Rule

90th Anniversary Blessing of the Cornerstone

SUMMER 2019 | VOL. 87 NO. 2

PUBLISHER Fr. Luis Belmonte -Luna, OCD

EDITOR Anna Migeon

DESIGNER IN THIS ISSUE... Cheyenne Cisneros

ADMINISTRATOR Susana Cantu

PHOTOGRAPHY Carlos Ramirez 4 St. receives the ON THE COVER Apostolate of the Little Flower Brown Scapular (ISSN 1049-9520) is published quarterly by the Discalced Carmel- ites of the Province of St. Thérèse.

Business, Editorial Accounting 5 Liturgy and Significance of and Circulation Offices: CARMELITE Discalced of the the Solemnity of Our Lady Province of St. Thérèse 824 Kentucky Ave of Mt. Carmel San Antonio, Texas, 78201 By Fr. Sam Anthony Morello, OCD

Apostolate of the Little Flower is a non-profit publication whose pur- pose is to spread devotion to St. 8 St. Benedict and St. Thérèse Thérèse, it is a ministry of the Dis- for Today calced Carmelite . By Fr. Dwight Longenecker Call (210) 735-9126 to subscribe.

Postmaster: Send address changes to 10 Mysteries of the Carmelite P.O. Box 5280 Shield San Antonio, Texas 78201 By Theresa Doyle-Nelson All writers, consultants, and staff contribute to this magazine on a volunteer basis and receive no remuneration for their services. Free -lance articles are accepted in 12 Opening Mass of the 90th accord with this genre of publica- ILLUMINATING tion. Unsigned articles are attribut- Anniversary of the Basilica’s able to the editor. THE BASILICA Cornerstone Blessing All photographs of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, OCD, are used with the permission of the Office Central, Lisieux, . PROVINCE OF 14 Report from the Discalced

ST. THÉRÈSE Carmelite Friars Province “I will spend my Heaven Annual Assembly doing good upon earth.” —St. Thérèse

Please consider the Discalced Car- 14 Fr. Ralph Reyes, OCD, melite Fathers of San Antonio when Celebrates 50 years as a making out your will. Discalced Carmelite TAX ID #: 74-1381325 15 How Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Your legacy will live on in our Called Me on Behalf of ministries for generations. Her Son By Maria Virginia Fraguio, OCDS 2 2 Dear readers,

We Carmelites dedicate July to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. With this issue, we invite you to celebrate with us our Carmelite history and to share our joy in honoring Our Blessed Mother.

The first Carmelites took their name in the 12th century from Mt. Carmel, found in modern-day Haifa, Israel. Inspired by the prophet , they called themselves “Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel.” In the centuries since our founding, we have worked to carry on and share with the world their deep devotion to the Virgin of Carmel.

The Blessed Virgin is not only the inspiration for the Carmelite Order, but also for all of us today, she is the model of virtues to reach the mount of perfection that is Jesus Christ. She is our example of discipleship, showing us how to live our relationship with her beloved Son. Like John at the foot of the Cross, let us embrace in faith the gift of Our Lady as our spiritual Mother.

In this issue, you can learn more about the legacy of the Carmelites and the meaning of the Carmelite shield. We are also excited to share with you the latest news of our Province of St. Thérèse and the Basilica of the National of the Little Flower.

May the Lord and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel bless you. Your support and prayers are always appreciated.

Fraternally,

Rev. Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, OCD Pastor &

3 ON THE COVER St. Simon Stock receives the Brown Scapular

This window in the Basilica depicts an instance of Our ronage and protection with all Lady’s intercession on behalf of the Carmelite Order at those who are devoted to her a critical moment in its history. and who share a spiritual af- finity with the Order. We During the in the 13th century, Simon Stock, extend both our habit—the an Englishman, went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. scapular—and affiliation to There he joined a group of on Mt. Carmel, fol- all. lowers of Elijah. When Muslims invaded the Holy Land, Simon fled back to , taking the group In the Province of St. Thérèse, around 900 Discalced with him. Carmelite Secular Order (OCDS) members in 37 com- munities now share the Carmelite vocation. The Confra- The group settled there and grew, evolving from hermits ternity of the Brown Scapular is another means to par- to mendicant Carmelites who lived in several communi- ticipate in the Carmelite charism. This group formed at ties. In 1254, Simon was elected General of the the Basilica in the 1930s and is open to all. Five of its Order as it wrestled with numerous challenges from members have been in the group since the 1970s, in- within and without. cluding Eloise Moran.

In turmoil, Simon beseeched the Virgin Mary for a sign “The scapular is like an apron, a work habit,” Mrs. Mo- of her favor to strengthen the Order. According to tradi- ran explained. In its early days, the group used to collect tion, on , 1251, he had a of Our Lady, who clothes, wash and mend them and give them to the poor, gave him the Brown Scapular and promised final perse- she noted. Now they hold fundraisers to support the par- verance in grace to those who remained faithful to Car- ish and meet every month for spiritual talks presented mel until death. by members or guest speakers on various topics.

What is the Brown Scapular? “I belong to the parish in a more fulfilling way,” Mrs. The “scapular,” originally the word for a ’s work Moran said. “We can see concretely the results of our apron, eventually became a symbol of a way of life and efforts to promote and continue the Carmelite Order. of Marian devotion, a sign of spiritual affiliation with We help it keep going.” the Carmelites. The Scapular today is a ap- proved since its origins by the Church. For those interested in associating with the , any priest can confer the Brown Scapular on “The Scapular is a small sign of the great ideal of Car- an individual. Perhaps Our Lady is calling you to start a mel: intimacy with God and friendship among the disci- of the Brown Scapular in your parish. ples,” states Fr. Sam Anthony Morello, OCD, one of our friars, in The Scapular of Our Lady of : “Devotion to Our Lady cannot be limited to prayers and Catechesis and Ritual. tributes in her honor on certain occasions, but must be- come a ‘habit,’ that is, a permanent orientation of one’s The Scapular “echoes the promise of Divine : own Christian conduct, woven of prayer and interior ‘The one who holds out to the end is the one who will life,” explained St. John Paul II, who wore the Brown see salvation’ (Matt. 24:13), and ‘Remain faithful unto Scapular himself. death and I will give you the crown of life’ (Rev. 2:10). The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is a This window is part of the largest window in the Basili- reminder to its wearers of the saving grace that Christ ca, which depicts several traditions of Our Lady of Mt. gained upon the cross for all: ‘All you who have been Carmel. The window was installed in memory of Fr. baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Joseph Cantavello, OCD, who was the Provincial Supe- him’ (Gal. 3:27).” rior of the Province of St. Thérèse. He died in a car crash in 1946 in the Texas Panhandle along with the How to take on the Scapular General of the Discalced Carmelite order and his secre- The Carmelite Order is eager to share Our Lady’s pat- tary, who were visiting from Rome.

4 4 CARMELITE SPIRITUALITY A Meditative Study of Liturgy and Significance of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel By Fr. Sam Anthony Morello, OCD sea. Again, and again, his servant checks for any sign whatsoever from the Mediterranean Sea of any change July 16 honors the Virgin Mary as the Patroness of the in the weather. Finally, as if by ritual count of a com- Carmelite family. The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel pleted watch of seven views of the scene, the youth re- demonstrates the relationship cultivated with the ports to Elijah, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s Blessed Virgin over the eight centuries of Carmelite hand rising from the sea,” or as the Latin history. We Carmelites are happy to be known in the translates from the Greek Old Testament, the size of a Western Church as the first Order to be named after the man’s foot or heel. Virgin Mary. The Marian tradition, following St. ’s Latin Vul- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is the unique title gate translation of the text, saw that foot as a reference of Carmel's Madonna. to the book of Genesis, written in Hebrew. The Latin text, like the original Hebrew, renders God’s curse on Since the late 13th century, the Order of Carmelites has Satan as “the offspring of the woman” who celebrated a major Marian Feast as the special Solemni- would “crush the head of the Serpent.” The Virgin ty of the Order. The Feast had a double intent: first, to Mother of Christ will crush the devil’s offspring, celebrate the Order's particular allegiance to its Patron- while the devil’s offspring will attempt to “strike at ess; and secondly, to render thanks to God for the sur- the heel of the woman’s offspring”: namely, Christ, the vival of the Order in the West. As we celebrate, we are Saving Lord of conquering grace! mindful that Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is the unique title of Carmel's Madonna. It was the pilgrims to Palestine during the Crusades who named us the Brothers of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

As Carmelites and Christ’s faithful, we now look to the sacred readings of the Solemnity to find what light the scriptures cast on the role of the Blessed Virgin as Mother of our Savior, as Mother of His Holy church and as the Mother of the Family of Carmel.

In I Kings 18, we climb Mt. Carmel with the prophet Elijah. The prophet and his attendant were suffering along with their neighbors from a severe punitive draught predicted by Elijah himself. The passage focus- es on the biblical image of rain: one of the most positive nature images in scripture. The biblical desert lands were prone to aridity, and those living in the agrarian world of the Hebrew scriptures were extremely sensi- tive to their dependence on the weather. So, it is easy to appreciate how a gentle and penetrating rain was per- ceived as a blessing of the God of the Covenant: doubly so after a long drought.

A Cloud Rising From the Sea Elijah comes to a cave on the promontory that juts out high over the Port of the modern city of Haifa. Elijah, bowed in prayer, directs his attendant to look out to the

5 When Elijah hears of the sighting of the cloud, he is sud- Carmel was developed like a Triptych of three pan- denly energized. He instructs his servant to run down els: Christ Jesus in the center, with Elijah on one side, from Carmel's height and report below to the king's and Mary the Virgin on the other. chariot and retinue that a rainstorm was brewing. "In a trice, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind; and a Jesus as the Rainfall of Grace heavy rain fell!" Galatians 4 gives us the pith of all when St. Paul asserts that "In the fullness of time, God sent his Son born of a woman, born under the Law," that we might be freed from the Law, and made adopted children of God. For in Christ Jesus all graces and blessings have come to us. Together with Christ, we are now heirs of God's Kingdom, for Christ is the firstborn from the dead; and by his redemptive grace he is the rainfall of over- flowing abundance: the rainfall of the Holy Spirit of Pentecost and of the Noah-Waters of Baptism, and of the Eucharistic Table. By this Messianic rainfall, the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of the Rainfall promised the Jew- ish people of old. The whole universe has been watered most plentifully by the grace of the wounded and risen Warrior, Jesus the Savior.

An old Carmelite poem, whose source is lost, calls the tiny cloud seen by Elijah the “Blessed cloud of God’s protection and his luminous abode.” Another old poem from A Treasury of Carmelite Poetry (also now lost to me), addresses Mary thus:

Mary, we are those corps which drought of grace lays low; You are that mystic cloud. That faithful womb you are. Your Son, the God you nursed Is new life’s rain to us, Who grow once more As hope comes true (Poem #9). Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Elijah stained glass window located in the Basilica. “Elijah [also descended] and girded up his garments and Behold Your Mother ran before King Ahab as far as the approaches to Jezre- In John 19, we climb yet another mount: Calvary. As el,” the place of Elijah’s ordeal that led to a rain of John the Evangelist proclaims, it is on the mount where fire from heaven that authorized the slaughter of all the Christ was lifted up that Mary became Mother of all the pagan of Baal: God’s dramatic call to the Israel- disciples of the Lord. In the fullness of Christ's crucified ites to return to the God of their fathers. love, Augustine says, "Christ, though fixed fast to the cross, continued to freely walk about in charity.” Note that neither Elijah's miraculous rain of fire nor the miraculous rainfall resolved the grave idolatry the For the Lord said to his beloved disciple John, the sym- prophet was combating in Israel. Our primitive Carmel- bol of all disciples, "Behold your Mother." He had al- ite-Marian-Spirit capitalized on the Catholic Tradition ready said to Mary as to the new Eve, "Woman, this is based on the Latin Vulgate that saw Jesus as the New your son." From that moment, Mary, our big sister in the Adam and the rainfall of grace itself, and Mary, the New faith, first disciple of the Lord, stretched into a new di- Eve, as the evangelical conduit of the deluge of grace vinely given role: she became Spiritual Mother to us and and bounty that flows from the Paschal Mystery of all regenerated humanity. Her maternity we especially Christ Jesus the Savior. celebrate today, for this Solemnity is nothing short of Carmel's Thanksgiving Day to God and to his and our Thus, over time, an image of the spirit of the Order of beloved Mother!

6 6 Continuing to sketch the features of Carmel’s Madonna, us Carmelites in the various ranks of our Lady’s Or- we also celebrate Mary our Sister, a beautiful contribution der. May you know the company of Jesus Christ and his to the Teresian Carmel made by our Mother Order of the Mother in life, in death, and after death, unto life everlast- Ancient Observance. In a real sense, Mary is a daughter ing! Amen and Alleluia. of Adam and is one of us. Though sinless, she like us was Fr. Sam Anthony Morello, OCD, is originally redeemed by the saving blood of Jesus Christ. from Houston. In 1952, two weeks after graduating from high school, he entered Mary was and remains the first disciple of the Lord from the at Marylake in Little Rock. He was ordained in 1962 at the day of the Annunciation. Indeed, she was and is the the in Rome. He has taught contemplative disciple of the Lord par excellence, for theology at various universities and was she habitually “pondered in her heart” all that the Lord instrumental in opening Mt. Carmel Center said and did for her and all of us. Mary, like Jesus, was in Dallas in 1974 as an informal a consummate contemplative. ecumenical center of Catholic spirituality. Now semi-retired, he is happy to be growing old where it all began for him, in With Mary our Sister we also walk in procession behind his favorite house of the Province of St. Thérèse: Marylake. Fr. the Contemplative Christ, imitating his prayerful com- Sam is a regular contributor to the Apostolate of the Little Flower. munion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. With Mary we study the Word in his earthly flesh and in glory. Daily we drink at the Font of Wisdom in the holy scriptures and the Novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel sacred liturgy. With Mary, we look to our actual life with Sunday, July 7, to Monday, July 15 all its relationships in the light of Christ, our Mediator not Join the Carmelite friars in praying the Novena to Our only with God but with one another. Lady of Mt. Carmel. The prayers will be said daily after Masses (Saturday 5:30 p.m.; 6 p.m. Sunday and With Mary, we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, and weekdays). You can find the daily reflections on our with him, our wills fixed on the Father of all good things website, littleflowerbasilica.org/blog, which are fol- from above. We move with her up the mountain of ascen- lowed by this concluding prayer: sion to God with Christ the Lord, who transforms us with himself to manifest the holiness of God the Father. O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splen- dor of heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth Jesus Christ is the only Name and Mediator through the Son of God, still ever remaining a pure virgin, as- whom we are saved. He saves us with the , with the sist us in our necessity. church, in ecclesial community. Because Jesus Christ at (Pause here and mention in silence your petition.) Cana and on Calvary, along with John the Seer in O Star of the Sea, help and protect us. Show us that you are our Mother. the Book of Revelation, viewed Mary as the “WOMAN” Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… of Genesis—the New Eve, and the Image of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us. Church—in her we see everything we aspire to be by grace. Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel May her Magnificat of gratitude, sung in Luke's Gospel, Tuesday, July 16, at 6 p.m. become our own song as well as our common canticle. In Mary, we find the Woman and Mother of Faith, the Sister Solemn Mass at the Basilica with a procession with the of Active Trust and Hope in God, and Queen of the King- statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel during the 6 p.m. dom of Charity. In Mary, we discover what God can do in evening Mass. Reception to follow Mass. and for a human person!

She is indeed the masterpiece fashioned by the artistry of God’s work of the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery of the Lord. May our Holy Redeemer transform us all into his image, and bring to full stature every disciple of the Lord who walks the way of Christ with Mary and with the Order of Carmelites.

To everyone who celebrates this Carmelite Solemnity, may it be a most blessed and joyful day for you with all

7 Wisdom and Innocence St. Benedict and St. Thérèse for Today by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Few images are more likely to get a resounding, “Aww!” than a picture of a little girl sitting on Grandpa’s knee hearing a story being read. The joy of the extended family is that grandparents share the wisdom of experi- ence with children and children share the joy of innocence with their elders. Locked into this natural sharing is a spiritual lesson about our relationship to God and how he speaks within our everyday lives.

St. Benedict, the founder of Western , is the archetypal wise old man who brings his long life experience to the practicalities of prayer and the rough- and-tumble of living together in love. Born at the end of the fifth century in Italy, he established communities of prayer in the midst of the decay and decline of the Roman Empire. Usually pictured as a wise old man with long beard, monastic robes and staff, he reminds us of the wise, old wizards Merlin, Gandalf, and Dumbledore. He represents the wisdom of age.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux represents the other extreme. If Benedict’s life and times are folded in the mists of antiquity, Thérèse is a girl of the modern age. If Benedict times consists of simply enduring with patience the is the wise old man, Thérèse is the innocent young girl. faults of others, while Benedict expects his to Dying in 1897 at the young age of 24, Thérèse welcome every guest as if he or she were Christ himself. stands for all that is vibrant, innocent and free. Her So it is in the ordinary actions of service, prayer, and book The Story of a Soul is the account of a young girl learning that both Benedict and Thérèse believe our path enchanted by God’s love and the Gospel. She teaches the of salvation can be found. “little way” of practical, simple, everyday spirituality. Benedict’s monastic rule is grounded in the hard-knock Little Rule and Little Way experience of community life. He recommends that there St. Benedict wrote his famous Rule to establish guide- be “nothing harsh, nothing burdensome” in the spiritual lines for monastic life in sixth-century Italy. At the end life, but he isn’t soft and spoiling. Neither does Thérèse of his book Benedict says, “I have written a little favor an easy life. Her way may be little, but it is not rule for beginners.” Thérèse was educated by Benedic- insignificant. Like Benedict she calls for complete tine and her “little way” echoes Benedict’s “little dedication. rule” not only in title, but in content. The spirituality of both Benedict and Thérèse are rooted in everyday life. Innocence and Experience Both believe God can only be found right where you are, What can the wise old man and the saintly young girl and that it is in the everyday trials and challenges that teach us about Catholic life in America today? Their the road to heaven can be traveled. instruction is found in the three monastic vows of stability, obedience and conversion of life. Thérèse teaches that the tiniest task, done with love, can be a building block of holiness. The smallest smile and The fast changing standards of the world are countered most insignificant kindness can be the stepping stone to by the ageless and unchanging teaching of the church. great holiness. St Benedict agrees. In his rule the monks Our selfish individualism is offset by listening carefully are instructed to complete their duties in the kitchen with so that we might obey church teaching with willing and reverence, serving meals to others as act of divine joyful hearts. Our lazy indifference is countered by the courtesy and charity. Thérèse says that holiness some- call for true conversion of life at the deepest level.

8 8

St. Benedict reminds us of the need for the solemn Céline Painting ($50) wisdom of age. St Thérèse calls us to live the faith with zeal and dynamic enthusiasm and hope. Hand On display in the undercroft of the Basilica is one of its most treas- in hand—the old man and the little girl teach us ured works of art. This seven-by-ten-foot oil painting was a gift to “macro” lessons on the large scale, but they also the Discalced Carmelite friars of the Province of St. Thérèse from teach us “micro” lessons about everyday spirituali- the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Lisieux, France. ty. This painting depicts St. Thérèse scattering a shower of roses on the It is up to each one of us to cherish and earth. On her right, an angel holds care for both our children and our elders. We have a scroll with a quote from the lessons to learn from both. As we share with our : “Je reviendra sur la terre elders the joys and sorrows of advancing age, so we pour faire aimer l’amour”: “I will share with our children the trials and delights of return to earth to make Love childhood. In a society where the extended family loved.” is disintegrating, building up the bonds between youth and age will strengthen us all. The saint’s blood sister Céline Martin (1869-1959), also a Nurturing the Benedictine virtues of stability, obe- (Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face) in the Carmel of Lisieux, created dience and conversion of life will do just that. In- the model for this painting. Called stead of running fruitlessly after the latest posses- A painting by another Car- the “Little Apotheosis of the Can- sions and entertainments, we can build stability by melite from Lisieux, Sr. Marie onization,” the painting was pro- spending more quality time with our elders and of the Holy Spirit (1892- duced at the request of the Vatican children. Instead of pursuing our own selfish inter- 1982), depicts the entrance during the canonization process ests, we can stop and listen carefully to the needs of of Thérèse’s banner into St. for Thérèse, according to the Ar- our families and serve them in a spirit of simple Peter’s of Rome the day of chives of Carmel in Lisieux. her canonization. From the obedience. Rather than indulging in our natural in- Archives of Carmel of Lisieux. dolence we can, by God’s grace, convert not just of The Basilica’s painting was ac- our own lives, but also our family, our parish, our quired for the friars of San Anto- nio by Fr. Raymon Gomez, one of the four original friars who ar- school, our community and our whole world. rived in San Antonio in 1926. He was instrumental in bringing to fruition the friars’ dream of building a National Shrine to be dedi- cated to the newly canonized St. Thérèse.

It’s recorded in Basilica archives that he went to France in 1927 to visit the sisters of St. Therese's in Lisieux to ask for their blessing on the project. The nuns, includ- ing St. Thérèse’s sister Pauline, who was then prioress of Lisieux, were delighted with the idea Fr. Dwight Longenecker is the author of St. Benedict and and pledged their support. St. Thérèse—The Little Rule and the Little Way and an Along with their bless- award-winning blogger and speaker. A former Evangeli- ings, the nuns sent gifts, cal, he was ordained as an Anglican priest in England including autographed before being received into the full communion of the books and photos, med- Catholic faith and now serves as pastor of Our Lady of als, printed collection the in Greenville, SC. Read his cards, relics of all de- blog, listen to his podcasts, browse his many books and be in touch at dwightlongenecker.com. In September, he grees, and this beautiful is leading a pilgrimage to France to include Lisieux and portrait to grace the Numbered limited series prints (20"x many other holy sites, where along with celebrating mass Shrine upon its opening. 26") on linen stock are available for and leading prayers, he will be teaching about St. Thé- purchase for $50, including shipping rèse and St. Benedict. For full information, go to Order your print through and handling, in support of the restora- catholicheritagetours.com/fdlfa. the enclosed envelope. tion of the Basilica.

9 Mysteries of the Carmelite Shield

By Theresa Doyle-Nelson Three Stars to Ponder The three stars are probably the most mysterious part of If you have ever been to the Basilica of the National the Carmelite shield. A notable array of interpretations Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio, you may can be found to explain them. Some shields have their have noticed a variety of Carmelite shields as a part of three stars with six points, which might be a nod to the the spiritual décor of the church. Intriguingly, despite Jewish roots of the Carmelite Order—the life of St. Eli- the abundant use of the Carmelite shield by the various jah having inspired the earliest friars to live as hermits at Carmelite communities worldwide, its origins are quite a Mt. Carmel during the Crusade era. But why three stars? mystery. Its symbols lack clear and consistent explana- A variety of suggestions have been presented: tions. 1) Three might symbolize the Holy Trinity 2) The three stars could also denote the Transfigura- Many claim that the earliest recorded appearance of this tion—with Jesus as the central star, and Elijah and shield was in 1499 on the cover of a book on the life of Moses as the two side stars. St. Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem—who helped solidify 3) A popular assertion is that the star inside the mount the lifestyle and rule of early Carmelites on Mt. Carmel. stands for the Carmelites on earth now, striving to Because no notes explaining the various features of the live lives worthy of heaven, while the two elevated shield have been discovered, it has been up to the vari- side stars denote virtuous Carmelites who have al- ous Carmelite communities to present their best inter- ready reached heaven. pretations. 4) A fourth theory repeats that the lower star symboliz- es Carmelites still on earth, but that the two higher stars stand for Elijah and Mary—two patrons of the Order. 5) Another notion is that the lower star represents Eli- jah and the two suspended stars signify Jesus and Mary. 6) An additional supposition is that there is a connec- tion between the stars and Stella Maris—Our Lady, Star of the Sea. Carmelite tradition connects the small cloud seen by the servant of Elijah to a star— signifying a foreshadowing of Mary. Yet others say that perhaps the lower star stands for Stella Maris and the two side stars for Elijah and his successor, Carmelite Colors the prophet . The basic colors of the Carmelite seal are primarily 7) One more plausible explanation suggests that the brown and white—mirroring the colors of the Carmelite left star signifies the prophetic era and its influence habit. on the Order, while the right star represents the Cru- sade-era lifestyle of the Carmelites on Mt. An Upward Slope Carmel, and the center star is for Mary under the It is most commonly believed that the upward-sloped title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. shape in the center of the shield represents Mt. Car- mel—the spot of St. Elijah’s great demonstration of God’s power before the Israelites and hundreds of Baal And the seventh time the youth reported [to Elijah], prophets in I Kings. Mt. Carmel is located near present- “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” —1 Kings 18:44a day Haifa, Israel.

The Cross The cross atop the mountain does not appear on all Car- All thoughts on the three stars are intriguing and thought melite shields, and many assert it was an addition during -provoking. They all seem to be fair and reasonable in- the time of St. Teresa of Avila, perhaps suggesting re- terpretations. Perhaps giving pause to all possibilities is forms within the order and the formation of the Dis- the best route to take, for together, they give much to calced Carmelites (“bearfoot” or wearing sandals instead consider—helping to gain a better understanding of the of costly leather shoes). charism of the Carmelite Order.

10 10 A Crown of Gold Halo of Twelve Stars The golden crown above the seal Many Carmelite crests include a string of twelve stars is a probable addition—possibly above or along the sides of Elijah’s fiery sword. It in the 16th century. This crown seems undisputed that these stars symbolize Mary with a likely points to the Kingdom of particular reference to a time-honored interpretation of God—and the Carmelite endeavor her as the crowned woman in Revelation. to serve Him faithfully while in- spiring others to do the same. A Linking Mary to these twelve stars could also be taken few suggest the crown signifies as a reminder that Mary is a patron of the Carmelite Mary as the queen of all Carmel- Order, especially under the titles of Our Lady of Mt. ites. Carmel and Our Lady, Star of the Sea (Stella Maris). This possible sign of Mary could also serve as a remind- The Hand with the Fiery Sword er for all Carmelites to strive to emulate the pure and Above the crown, some Carmelite shields display a hand gentle faithfulness of Mary. holding a sword of fire. It is widely declared that this hand and sword represent St. Elijah—demonstrating his A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed fiery spirit and passion for the true God. St. Elijah also with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her had a burning desire for his countrymen to turn their head a crown of twelve stars. hearts completely to the Lord and worked with great fer- — Revelation 12:1 vor toward this goal.

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is The Banner to dwell abundantly in your mouths and hearts. Often framing the shield, sometimes entwined with — Carmelite Rule #19 Elijah’s fiery sword is a thin banner with the words: Zelo Until like fire a prophet appeared, his words a flam- zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum. This inscrip- ing furnace. By God’s word he shut up the heavens tion in Latin is translated as “With zeal have I been and three times brought down fire. How awesome zealous for the Lord God of Hosts.” are you ELIJAH! Whose glory is equal to yours? — Sirach 48:1, 3-4 This phrase is typically considered to have been derived from Elijah’s words in 1 Kings, when Elijah was hiding out at Mt. Horeb from the murderously-incensed Queen Jezebel following the humiliation of her Baal prophets at Mt. Carmel.

Shrouded in Mystery—Rich in Spirituality Although the significance of each portion of the Carmel- ite shield is not definitive nor explained by the original designer, the seal still offers much inspiration. The ponderful Carmelite shield can help us to understand the goals and values of all Carmelites: a nudge to consider the zealous life of St. Elijah, to honor Mary, and to strive to completely give our lives to God.

Theresa Doyle-Nelson and her husband are parishioners at St. Stanislaus Church in Bandera, TX. Theresa is the author of Saints in Scripture; she also enjoys writing about St. Thérèse, and visiting the Little Flower Basilica when she can.

You can find Theresa's blog, "The Hill Country Hermit," at: TheresaDoyleNelson.blogspot.com

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ILLUMINATING THE BASILICA Opening Mass of the 90th Anniversary of the Basilica’s Cornerstone Blessing 1929-2019

Blessing of the Cornerstone on October 15, 1929. On June 6, during their annual assembly in San Antonio, land to establish a parish for the Spanish-speaking the Discalced Carmelite friars celebrated together an community. opening mass to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the blessing of the Basilica’s cornerstone. A procession began at the Carmelite rectory and made its way to the church grounds. The archbishop was as-

Solemn Mass at the Basilica sisted by the Very Rev. Edward Soler, OCD, pastor, and of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Father Raymond, OCD, initiator of the campaign for the Saturday, Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m. shrine, and other friars, some from Dallas and Oklaho- ma. Present also were representatives from other local Join us for the Anniversary of the Blessing of the religious communities, including the Carmelite Sisters, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, and Sisters of Cornerstone! Divine Providence, many local clergymen, and San An- tonio mayor Hon. C. M. Chambers and the Hon. Perry In 1929, the ceremonial blessing of the foundation stone Robertson, Bexar county judge. was held on a Tuesday afternoon. A sizable crowd gath- ered to witness the event in spite of a gathering storm, according to contemporary accounts. The celebration came just two weeks after the crash of the stock market that set off the Great Depression.

Oct. 15 was chosen as the feast day of the Reformer of Carmel, St. Teresa of Avila. “The date could not have been more appropriate,” as the local Catholic weekly notes, for the blessing of the cornerstone of the Shrine dedicated to “one of the most faithful daughters of the Carmelite family.”

Presiding was San Antonio Archbishop Arthur Drossaerts, who had been instrumental in bringing the Discalced Carmelites to San Antonio in the mid-1920s. Having heard of their good work in Oklahoma City, he invited them to San Antonio with an offer of a parcel of 12 12 A document was deposited in the stone noting the occasion. It set forth the names of Pius XI and 2019 Upcoming Events the Honorable Herbert Hoover, American president “by The local chapter of the Discalced Carmelite Secular the favor of Almighty God and the suffrage of the Ameri- Order (OCDS) of the Province of St. Thérèse contin- ues its series of talks to share the charism of prayer can People”; and numerous other religious and civil au- of the order. thorities, including Dan Moody, governor of Texas.

Along with the Carmelite friars, the OCDS spear- “The foundation-stone symbolizes Christ and is frequently heads the development of Carmelite faith formation spoken of thus in the Holy Scriptures,” noted The Little programs centered on the Basilica of the National Flower magazine in its account of the event. “This thought Shrine of the Little Flower. is beautifully expressed by one of the prayers for the bless- ing of the first stone: ‘O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the liv- The goal of this collaboration is to renew the Basilica ing God. Thou who art true God Almighty, brightness and as a center for the evangelization and instruction in image of the Eternal Father, and life eternal, Thou who art the Carmelite charism (prayer, silence, solitude, zeal the foundation-stone cut out from the mountain without for the Church). hands and the unchangeable foundation; fix firmly this stone to be laid in Thy name: and Thou who art the Begin- Get to Know Your Basilica Tour ning and the End, in which Beginning the Father created 3-4 p.m. on the following Saturdays: all things from the first be Thou, we beseech Thee, the be- July 13, Sept. 21, and Dec. 14 ginning, advancement and completion of this work which The OCDS is offering tours of the Basilica of the Nation- al Shrine of the Little Flower. The tours will focus on the is to be undertaken for the praise and glory of Thy name.’” stained glass windows, installed mostly 1930-1950, and the other treasures of art and master craftsmanship in the Basilica Restoration Campaign church. Moving Forward You may also schedule a private tour of the Basilica by The friars, Basilica building contacting the administration office at (210) 735-9126 committee, and staff have ext. 100. been meeting with architects and engineers as we prepare Carmelite Informational Session to hire a consultant to design Sunday, July 14, 11 a.m.-2:15 p.m. the project, beginning with You are invited to learn more about the local OCDS by the first phase of the restora- attending the San Antonio community’s annual inquirer tion project, which will stop event. Those interested in attending should contact the water infiltration by regrading local formation director, Chris Pond: (210) 284-9410, the site and installing drainage [email protected]

systems. St. and Carmelite Spirituality Meanwhile, our capital cam- Saturday, Aug. 10, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. paign consultants are conclud- The session introduces St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, a Dis- ing their planning study to de- calced Carmelite nun canonized in 2016. It will explore termine the scope of the cam- how her life reflected Carmelite spirituality. paign as we begin. The study is gathering formation that will help us plan the campaign and build our list of po- Teresian Prayer tential donors. Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Presentation on Discalced Carmelite prayer as taught by Donate Today! St. Teresa of Avila is based on the writings of St. Teresa As the Basilica was built, with contributions of so many and Fr. Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen, OCD, author of Divine Intimacy. devotees to “The Little Flower” across the country, in the same way, it can be preserved. Don’t want to miss upcoming events? Be sure to check the Basilica’s Facebook page and Please consider being part of the next generation of sup- website to stay up to date with happenings porters of Little Flower Basilica. A donation to the Basil- at the Basilica! ica restoration fund now will help continue the process of designing and planning the project. Use the enclosed littleflowerbasilica.org envelope or visit the Basilica’s website to submit your donation. 13 PROVINCE OF ST. THÉRÈSE Fr. Ralph Reyes, OCD, Celebrates 50 years as a Discalced Carmelite Priest

With the Discalced Carmelite friars of the Province of St. Thérèse assembled in San Antonio, Fr. Ralph Reyes, OCD, celebrated his Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of his June 15, 1969, ordination to the priesthood. The June 6 celebration was part of the opening mass and reception for the 90th anniversary of the Basilica’s cornerstone, with Mariachis and re- freshments.

Fr. Ralph reported that he had always wanted to be a priest. Born in 1941, he grew up in Uvalde, 83 miles from San Antonio. In elementary school, his teachers Carmelite Friars, front from left: Fr. Luis Castañeda, Fr. Marion Bui, Fr. Stephen Sanchez (), Fr. Henry were Teresian sisters. “They had a lot to do with my Bordeaux, Deacon Anthonio Rodriguez, Fr. Jenaro de la Cruz. entering the Discalced Carmelite Order, introducing Back from left: Fr. Bonaventure Sauer, Fr. Luis Gerardo me to our Holy Mother St. Teresa,” he explained. Belmonte-Luna, Fr. Sam Anthony Morello, Fr. Jesús Sancho, Fr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Fr. John Magdalene Suenram, Fr. His senior year of high school, he came to San Anto- Ralph Reyes, Fr. Jorge Cabrera, Fr. Jim Curiel, Fr. Gregory nio to interview religious orders and diocesan priests. Ross. He talked to , , and Jesuits. The Report from the Discalced Carmelite last ones he visited were the Discalced Carmelites. Friars Province Annual Assembly “From the moment I met them, I knew: ‘This is it,’” he said. In 1961 Fr. Ralph began his studies: four The Discalced Carmelite friars held their annual years at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio and assembly of the Province of St. Thérèse in San Anto- another four years with the Discalced Carmelites in nio June 3-7. With the help of their strategic planning Washington, DC. He completed further studies at Du- consultant, Fr. Al Bradley, the group continued a pro- quesne University in Pittsburg and in Rome. cess begun two years ago to restructure the Province. Under the direction of the General of the Order, they Currently, he is serv- have reviewed the Constitution that governs their reli- ing a second time as gious life and considered anew how they are called to pastor at Our Lady of live their contemplative charism in today’s world. Mt. Carmel & St. Their planning includes preparation for the future, Thérèse Parish in including elder care and property management. Oklahoma City. He has served in many Over the coming months, the group of 15 friars will roles throughout the make decisions concerning their current ministries Province communi- and activities in five communities—San Antonio, two ties, including as in Dallas, Little Rock, and Oklahoma City. An assess- pastor of the Basilica ment will be conducted on their use of space in their in San Antonio 1975- facilities, with the goal of more effectively and effi- 81, where he began another term in 1996 that was ciently managing and consolidating their properties ended by illness. and assets to best serve their mission and financial needs. He has served two terms as Superior of the Novitiate at Marylake in Little Rock and two terms as Provincial Superior.

“So here I am, 50 years later,” he said. “God is good.”

14 14 How Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Called Me on Behalf of Her Son By Maria Virginia Fraguio, OCDS

For some time I had been pondering if I should make the pilgrimage of a lifetime to the Holy Land. Watching EWTN one night, I heard a woman say, “If you wish to come closer to Heaven,” you then need to visit the Holy Land. So in Dec. 2015, I celebrated Christmas in the Holy Land. It was indeed a life-changing experience; it is there that God, through his Most Blessed Mother, called me to Carmel. Truth be told, I did not understand it at that time. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at the monastery in Haifa. One of the holy sites we visited in Israel was the Monas- www.terrasancta.blog tery of Stella Maris (Star of the Sea), also known as the Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is located in about the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Haifa, on the actual site where the first Carmelites had Elizabeth. In its introduction, I saw the phrase “third settled, right at the foot of Mt. Carmel. The beautiful order Carmelite.” As my eyes rested on the text, the chapel there holds a magnificent statue of Our Lady of three words literally jumped out of the paper and hit me Mt. Carmel right above the altar. physically right in the sternum. I had no idea what this phrase meant, but the supernatural peace and joy that After Mass at the monastery chapel, while most people overcame me told me instantly in my heart that it was left to go out to the gift shop, I recall vividly that a pow- His call for me. erful and profound force made me stay. As I sat there, I became enthralled by Our Lady’s gaze looking down at I went online that night, and guided by the Holy Spirit, me from that statue. found the website of the Province of St. Thérèse Secular Order Discalced Carmelite (OCDS) website. Two most I don’t know how long I stayed in silence. But, then I kind OCDS members were God’s instruments to lead looked up and this question arose inside me: “Where me to a St. Thérèse Study Group. I was accepted as an will I go?” Her answer came to me, in the same mysteri- Aspirant on July 16, 2016: the day of the celebration of ous way: “My Son will be with you.” Our Lady of Mt Carmel.

At that time, I was in the middle of a vocational discern- I have finally found my spiritual identity and home in ment. I had become aware that I needed to leave my 30- Carmel. I have consecrated myself to Our Lady of Mt. year career in the business world to respond to God’s Carmel who guides and teaches me daily: how to do call to serve him full time. After Our Lady’s words, I mental prayer better, to serve our future priests at the knew I was not alone on this life journey. I recall look- seminary that bears her name, but most of all to become ing around then, and noticing no one else was there, ex- more like her Son, Jesus Christ, who is always with me, cept to my right in the corner of the chapel was standing as she herself told me at Mt Carmel in Haifa. a priest. The priest, who is consecrated to act in persona Christi (in the person of Christ) was with me then! Our Maria Virginia Fraguio, OCDS, is a Lady of Mt. Carmel had begun to call me on behalf of clothed Secular Discalced Carmelite in her Son, Jesus Christ, to join her Discalced Carmelites. formation. She holds a master’s degree in Theological Studies and is pursuing a master of divinity at St. Mary’s Semi- After that, my life began to change. I left the business nary in Houston. She is passionate about world, beginning by leaving business school for theolo- all things Catholic: the international gy school. To find a way to get to know Him and our dimension of the Universal (Catholic) faith better, I joined St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston to Church, spreading the faith, reading pursue theological studies. Then, “the final call” came. and writing about Carmelite spirituality, and going on pilgrimages. Virginia was born in Argentina and grew up in Ja- One evening, I was sitting at the pan. After living and working in Brazil Chapel near my home, as usual. I had taken a new book for some years, she was brought to the US by her employer 12 years ago. 15 APOSTOLATE OF THE LITTLE FLOWER PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID P.O. Box 5280 SAN ANTONIO San Antonio, Texas 78201 TEXAS

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE LITTLE FLOWER

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Join us for a Solemn Mass for the 90th Anniversary of the Blessing of the Cornerstone on Oct. 12!

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