CONTENTS

 

- A Carmelite book of recipies

- Carmel in Indonesia

- First Carmel in Cambodia

- The Pontifical Faculty of the Teresianum, Rome

 

 

A Carmelite book of recipies

 

As part of the programme to celebrate the first centenary of the restauration of the Catalonian and Balearic Province (cf. Comunicationes n. 72, 1.01.2007) a book of special carmelite recipies has been published, entitled “Brief and simple lessons for head chefs following the recipies of the Discalced Carmelites”. It was first written in the XVIII century by Brother Francis of the Blessed Sacrament, who was the cook in St. Joseph’s priory, Barcellona. Born in Reus, January 28, 1753. The book contains 272 pages, and has been published by the famous Abbey of Montserrat. Based on the double manuscript written by Bro. Francis, it is the fruit of his experience and his culinary giftedness. The presentation was to be proceeded by an study on Carmelite cuisine by the archivist, Mercè Gras. The edition has been prepared by Fr. Augustin Borrell, a Carmelite of the Catalonian Province.

 

The presentation took place on February 27 in St. Joseph’s market, situated in the centre of Barcelona, where our carmelite priory was originally established, in 1586 by Fr. John of Jesus, Roca, and where it remained until the suppression of 1836. It had also been an important library. Both the priory and church were an important centre for the spread of the devotion to St. Joseph. For this reason the carmelites in Barcelona were also known as “Josepets” (Josephites).

 

 

Carmel in Indonesia

 

Indonesia is a republic in South West Asia with a surface area covering 1,904,445 square kms. It comprises 17,000 islands with 238 million inhabitants. The population is made up of 300 ethnic groups. 85% of the population is muslim. Christians, mostly protestant, are just 5%. Two carmelites from the Manjummel Province (India) arrived in the country in 1982, working in a parish in Bajawa, on the island of Flores. In 1984 the first priory was established in Bogenga-Bajawa. In 1991 a novitiate began and in 1992 the first group of native Indonesians made their profession. In 1995 the Mission was transformed into a Provincial Delegation and, from 1999, into a Regional Vicariate.

 

The college for the theology students is in Yogyakarta, on the island of Java. In Manado, on the island of Sulawsi, a small marian strine has been built. The friars also minister in a parish in Bali and Sumba. Before the novitiate, those young men who feel called to Carmel spend a year as aspirants and another as postulants. After that they spend four years of ecclesiastical study. During this time they study a course of contextual theology. The young Carmelites are involved in ecumenical dialogue with the protestants and together they celebrate Christmas. They participate in an exchange of experience with muslims: the latter spend a few days in our priory, while our students spend some days in their “Pesantren”: the formation house for the muslims. Every effort is being made to integrate our carmelite presence into the religious world of Indonesia.

 

This year the Regional Vicariate can count 11 aspirants, 12 postulants, 13 novices, 28 philosophy students, 6 theology students and a total of 49 professed religious; and all this in less than 25 years of existence. At the present time there are seven priories. The Carmelites edit the spiritual review “Carmel membangung rohani umat”, a well known bi-monthly publication.

 

In 1939 came the first feminine Carmel, founded from Holland in Lembang-Bandung, to which has since been added those of Kakaskasen (1949), Bajawa (1953) and Dili-Hera in Timor-Larosae or West-Timor(1994.

 

First Carmel in Cambodia

 

In 1925, in the wake of the fervour caused by the canonization of St. Therese, the Carmel of Phnom-Penh was founded. But during the reign of the Khymer Rouge, the community was forced to leave and emigrated to Boussu, Belgium. On October 31, 2002 the bishop of Aire sur l’Adour in France, accompanied by the Vicar General of Phnom-Penh, made a visit to our convent in Seoul (Korea). During the exchange they spoke of the need for a contemplative presence in Cambodia. A few months later a written request arrived. In April 2004, after much community reflection, four Carmelite nuns from Seoul visited the Church in Cambodia. Afterwards the community discussed all this at length, with 12 capitular acts. Finally, encouraged by Fr.General, on June 25, 2005, five foundation nuns arrived in Cambodia, and there established themselves in a rented house with a garden in the vicinity of the airport.

 

Even though the Church had celebrated its 450th anniversary of its foundation in this asian country, following the communist era of Pol Pot, it was necessary to face up to a new beginning. From 1993 religious freedom was recognized in the country’s constitution. Today in Cambodia there are about 20,000 catholics; of these 70% are of vietnamese origin. There are 5 Khmer priests; the others come from outside the country. Christianity is growing slowly year by year.

 

It is a mostly buddist country, and so the Cambodians are predisposed to a contemplative life. In fact, some young people are already interested in carmel. The community is helping two youngsters finish their studies and is cultivating relations with three more. They must wait until the sisters know the language better, and can translate some essential books into Cambodian and build a convent. The diocese has bought them some land and the nuns have already built a perimeter wall, but as yet there is no water nor electricity. The community is studying plans for a Cambodian style building. The country can produce only sand and bricks, while other building materials have to be imported.  

 

Renewal in the Teresianum, Pontifical Faculty of Theology, Rome

 

 

Due to a decision made by the Holy See, The Ponticial Faculty, heir to, and continuation of, the International Theological College of formation, now fully belongs to the “European Level for Higher Studies”, or, what is known as the “Bologna Process”. The college has enthusiastically accepted the challenge to adapt itself to this new, more expansive university situation, and is committed to reaching the stipulated objectives, in a creative spirit of constant supervision.

 

We can recall the historical process that led the Faculty to this situation. Built next to the International College in 1935, it was to be reserved for the Order’s students. From the beginning it showed a desire to commit itself to the development of theological studies and to the formation of our students. These then, once academically qualified, had to promote the teaching of the sacred sciences in other colleges of the Order. In 1957 the Spirituality Institute was erected with a similar goal, which, in 1959, following a request by the Holy See, opened its doors “not only to OCD alumni, but also to other priests, secular and religious, nuns and laity”, until in 1968 there began a new period with this Institutes full integration into the Faculty.

 

With the Faculty’s involvement in the “Bologna Process”, there begins a third phase, in which the college is called to full university Faculty status, with its cultural and academic plan and with a high level of research and teaching, requiring a lot of personal committment. To fulfil this goal an evaluation scale of credits, ECTS, has been adopted by our Faculty, also it has fulfilled, what has come to be defined as, a certificate of quality or internal evaluation, both for the students as well as the lecturers. It has also completed an external examination required by the Congregation for Catholic Education to see how the Faculty is applying their guidelines. It is taking the necessary steps to prepare a provisional accademic Plan in order to bring up to date the presentation of its identity, its charactertistics and its goals.

 

Since all this requires a lot more of the latest instruments and equipment, the “Association of the ‘Friends of the Teresianum’” has been set up with the main goal of collecting funds to pay for needy students, and, at the same time, to help fulfill the Faculty’s apostolic mission as well as possibile.

 

The average number of students who regularly frequent the centre is about 400: 55 students for the basic cycle of studies, 40 for specialization in Christian anthropology and 170 for spirituality, 90 for culture and 40, spritual counselling. The centre tries to create both a famlial and spiritual atmosphere so that, more than receiving an intellectual formation, the students can experience a time of grace and spiritual growth, encouraged by the great Masters of teresian spirituality.