INDEX:
-
Earthquake
in Peru
-
Letter from our Major Superiors on the Carmelite Rule
-
Death
of Fr
Mario Caprioli in
Rome
-
Iraq continues to be in the news
-
New
Congress on
Mysticism
The Earthquake in
Peru
During our European summer break from July to September,
Communicationes published
an extraordinary edition about the earthquake in Peru (15th
August), telling of the consequences for our brothers and
sisters in this Regional Vicariate of the Navarre Province.
Replying to our appeal, various communities sent their
contributions to help reconstruct the damage done by this
seismic disaster.
(cfr.
http://www.ocd.pcn.net/news/peruEN.htm
http://www.communicationes.org/file/PERU_EN.doc )
The Secretariat of the Missions in the General House
arranged to send to Peru the donations received in reply to
its appeal for solidarity. So far two Italian Provinces, a
Federation and various monasteries of the Discalced
Carmelite Nuns have replied.
Other
communities made
direct
contact.
The Navarre Province, on which the Regional Vicariate of
Peru depends, used its own channels to dispatch help. The
solidarity shown by the Order to our brothers and sisters in
this Andean country affected by such a strong seismic shock
was both important and satisfactory.
Letter of our Major Superiors on the Carmelite Rule
On 16th July, Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the
OCarm Prior General, Fr. Joseph
Chalmers, and the OCD Superior General, Fr Luis
Arostegui, jointly signed the
letter commemorating the (approximate) eighth centenary of
the Carmelite Rule. It is written to “all the various
branches of our Family.” It finishes by praising “the Lord
for all the Saints, known and unknown” who have been
sanctified over these 800 years “of allegiance to Jesus
Christ”, in the expressive phrase from our first body of
laws.
Translated into various languages, the letter has already
been sent to all the communities. To all the readers of
COMMUNICATIONES we offer an alternative way to read it on
the site:
http://www.communicationes.org/file/800EN.doc
http://www.ocd.pcn.net/reg800EN.htm
Fr
Mario Caprioli dies in
Rome
1928- 2007
On the evening of Saturday, 21st July, at a
quarter past seven, Fr Mario Caprioli,
of the Venice Province, died in San
Camilo hospital in Rome. On the morning of 18th
July, he fell backwards from one of the external staircases
of the Teresianum. The cranial
trauma caused a cerebral clot. After an emergency operation,
he remained near death, unconscious and in a coma.
He was born on 20th February 1928 in
Remedillo (Brescia).
After studying the humanities from 1939 to 1944 in the
Adro College, he made his first
vows on 27th August, 1945. He was sent to the
International College in Rome for his theological studies
where he obtained his Licentiate in 1953 and his doctorate
in 1955. His dissertation on “Prayer and virtues according
to St Teresa of Jesus” was published in Castilian in two
issues of “Revista de
Espiritualidad (Madrid 1959, pp.
467-503; 1960, pp. 39-50). He was professor of theology from
1954 to 1961 in the Venice College. From 1961 to 1963 he was
prior of our monastery in Trent. In 1963 he came to Rome as
Vice-Rector of the Teresianum
(1963-1966), after which he spent the rest of his life as
secretary to the Faculty and as professor. He was Rector
from 1976 to 1979.
In his own field of theological research, he published
various essays on priestly spirituality as well as numerous
bibliographical catalogues. On 25th July, Fr
General presided at his funeral Mass and gave the homily on
this humble and willing Carmelite. In his words of
appreciation and farewell, the Rector, Fr
Virgilio
Pasquetto, placed emphasis on the pastoral aspect of
the life of Fr Mario Caprioli,
as a confessor to so many religious communities and as an
assiduous preacher of retreats.
Iraq continues to be in the news
… not only in the international sphere. On a Carmelite
level, in reading the news of the daily happenings and
through an association of ideas and our fraternal
solidarity, it is easy for us to think of our friars in
Bagdad who live in the midst of bombs and explosions, with
the continual and imminent risk of falling victim to a
terrorist attack. Our four professed brother do not have the
possibility of studying in Bagdad. Because of this, they set
out in July from their country to continue their formation
in Beirut, Lebanon, and in Egypt at our
Mehadi house in Cairo. However, the Egyptian
authorities denied visas to our brothers because they were
from Iraq. So the four of our brothers had to remain in
Beirut (Lebanon). Two are studying in the Catholic
University. The other two have been enrolled in a course for
deeper study of the faith, a type of catechetical school.
Fr. Manuel Hernández remains in
Spain.
The Iraqi, Fr Thomas, is going to France this September,
where he will remain for some time. In our Bagdad monastery,
only the superior, Fr Ghadir, is
to be found attending to details. There is also Mons. Jean
Sleiman in his Latin cathedral.
The reason for this dispersion is cruel, but realistic. If a
terrorist attack should cause death, at least all will not
be killed….. The decision reveals the permanent gravity of
the situation (for how long?). In our contact with them, we
have assured them that they are in the thoughts and prayers
of the whole Order. In this situation of continual risk, of
insecurity, of shortages, the cost of living is
astronomically high.
New Congress on Mysticism
An international congress on “The experience of God today
and Carmelite mysticism” will be held from 16th
to 22nd September at Zidine,
Bosnia-Herzegovina (Province of Croatia). This is a
follow-up to the International Congress on Mysticism which
was held from 3rd to 10th September,
2003, at Würzburg (Germany). In
commenting on this congress and its central
theme—Mysticism—the theologian, François-Marie
Dermine, OP, wrote an article in
the “Osservatore Romano” with
the meaningful title “The return of a great absence”. The
new congress places mystical experience once more in the
present-day theological debate, in an effort to reply to the
challenges arising from various cultural and religious areas
in today’s thought. It attempts an answer to these
questions: What does Teresian
Carmelite mysticism have to say to the various Christian and
religious experiences of today’s world? Should past
positions be maintained, or should there be an opening to
what is new, attempting to interpret it and to offer
adequate replies?
With no less than 32 conferences and debates, the congress
will have the following sections: 1) Mystical experience, 2)
The study of Mysticism, 3) Inter-religious dialogue, 4)
Mysticism and culture, 5) Mysticism and health. Of course,
titles of a Carmelite nature will emerge in the general
topic. Those giving the lectures come from around the world.
