The homes of most people do not consist of a mere wooden frame or a cement foundation; rather, they are constructed from a great variety of materials, and more often than not, the result of the participation of more than one or two people. So, too, the Order of Carmel continues to grow and develop today because of the presence and contributions of all those who built upon its spiritual foundations, and not just its ...

There is always a challenge in celebrating this feast day. The lives of the Carmelite saints and the blessed can become overwhelming. The journey to the interior castle or ascent of Mt. Carmel led to mystical union with God for John of the Cross and Teresa of Jesus. Theresa’s “little way” enabled her to love deeply members of her community that treated her poorly at times. Titus Brandsma stood up to the Nazis and spoke ...

From July 26th to 29th of this present year, was held the third International Conference of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church (CTEWC) in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. I attended this conference invited by one of the chairs of this organization, James Keenan S. J. who I met in Bogota, Colombia. In Sarajevo, there were 500 ethicists from every continent. The name of the conference was “Building bridges for the future”. In a world marked by a ...

Maria was born on May 5, 1825 in Montevarchi, Arezzo, in the former Papal States. She was the second child of an influential family in Italy. Her birth was not greeted with joy but disappointment since her parents wanted a male heir. All throughout Maria’s childhood, her mother treated her with indifference. During her adolescence, she was confined to bed for 18 months because of a serious illness. She attributed her recovery to a miracle with ...