1) Location of our missions 

The Order has 42 missions at this time, which are listed in the OCD Conspectus, 2003, pp 115-126 (it says, mistakenly, p 43): Africa 19; Latin America 3; Asia 15; and Europe 5.  Europe could also include the mission of Sofia (Bulgaria), confided to the Croatian Province. 

The above missions are entrusted: 

-          directly to the General Definitory

-          to different Provinces, General Commissariats and General Delegations.

-          to Provinces and Circumscriptions with either more or less financial resources. 

The convents of our Discalced Carmelite nuns which are to be found in these areas are also to be considered part of our global Mission. 

A missionary novelty: The new Apostolic Vicar for Kuwait is no longer a Carmelite. 

The Order has had to endure emergencies when a community has had to evacuate, as in Rwanda (1994), in the Congo (1996, 1998), in the Republic of Central Africa (2003); and again due to natural disasters, as in the Philippines and South India (2004). 

There are other areas that have not officially been declared missionary, but need the Orders attention due to either the absence of any ecclesial presence and/or lack of economic development. 

The mission in Tumaco (Colombia) still needs our assistance, even though it has been declared a diocese.  

The situation of our community in Baghdad (Iraq) is extremely difficult due to the well-known complex political situation.  The missionary reality of the Order is linked to the situation of the poor, to human rights (i.e., the lack of), to Islamic lands, to the ecumenical situation, to places where the Church is being re-born (Siberia).  

The General Definitory or its auxiliary organ keeps in contact with our missions: by visits from the Major Superiors, by communication through correspondence and by both ordinary and extraordinary financial help. 

2) The General Secretary for the Missions 

His function is determined by the Norms of the Order: under the direction of and in subordination to the General and his Definitory, he is to look after the missions and deal with their affairs (n° 63). 

The General Secretary is aware of the socio-political, religious and cultural situations of our missions.  He is also aware of the life, work, projects, needs and outlooks of our missionaries. He uses every occasion to make personal contact with our missions and missionaries.  He offers his service for whatever tasks arrive. 

The Secretary offers guidance for projects and personal intermediation in order to present them to international organizations (ONG, ONLUS).  During the last two years he has handled 27 projects from our missionaries.  He sends annually an amount of money as ordinary financial assistance, the amount being established by the Definitory; added to this he sends, subject to the directives of Fr.General, an annual sum of no less than 60,000.00 Euros as extraordinary financial assistance.  He endeavors to consign mass intentions for our missionaries.  There have been no stipends for a period of 9 months.  In two years he has sent to the missions more than 80,000 mass intentions.  It has to be admitted realistically that mass intentions are on the decrease and may well disappear. 

The contribution to the missions from the Provinces has gone down.  Only one Province sends regularly an annual report to the Secretary of “dati et accepti pro Missionibus”.  Another Province collaborates with a student house.  The Discalced Carmelite Nuns have been most supportive of the missions but not on any regular basis.  

The amount from the Laity is minimal.  Do we not owe it to ourselves to try and make the OCDS groups more aware? 

The Secretary is entrusted to gather funds for special initiatives, such as the formation meeting for French-Speaking Africa (Yaoundé, September 2004), or the next International meeting in Kinshasa (2007).  He has a project to organize a meeting of the missionary coordinators in Europe.  If the experience turns out to be worthwhile it might be repeated in other areas of the Order. 

The Secretary considers that the missionary coordination within the Order is his primary duty.  There are good reasons to increase our awareness of the missionary fervour of Carmel, starting from our Carmelite vocation.  The Secretary offers himself for this apostolate with great conviction. 

Rome, 15^th September 2005