= Memorial of Bl. Jacques Retouret, Priest and Martyr August 26 | Optional Memorial Before the French Revolution, the Church enjoyed a very privileged position; responsible for education, care of the sick, registration of births and marriages, censorship and vigilance over public morals. But a chasm also developed between the hierarchy, usually chosen from the nobility, and the clergy. With the revolution, the Church was attacked as much as the other parts of the /ancient régime/. Church property was confiscate ...Continue Reading

 Celebrating at Home: Invitation to Dinner22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time*It’s no accident that the Gospels contain many instances of shared meals, weddings feasts and miraculous feeding. In the Scriptures, meals always have something to do with the great meal – the eternal wedding feast.In this Gospel episode, Jesus has been invited to a meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. Luke tells us that they watched Jesus closely. No doubt, they are trying to make up their minds about him and his teaching.      ...Continue Reading

  +     +     ++ Welcome to the latest issue of CITOC News!  We invite you to read the 4 articles below + + Bienvenido al nuevo número de CITOC Noticias.  Le invitamos a leer los 4 artículos que aparecen a continuación + + Benvenuti al nuovo numero di CITOC Notizie!  Vi invitiamo a leggere i 4 articoli qui sotto ++     +     + *General Council Appointments New Leadership in Kenya*Following consultations, t ...Continue Reading

  St. Mary of Jesus Crucified, OCD, VirginOptional Memorial - August 25Mariam Baouardy was born at Abellin in Galilee on January 5, 1846 to very poor parents who were good living and devoted Greek-rite Catholics. She was left an orphan after the death of her parents at only three years of age. On June 14, 1867, she entered the Carmel in Pau. On August 21, 1870, while still a novice, she left for India to join a new Carmel to be founded at Mangalore. On 21st November 1871, she made her religious profession ...Continue Reading

 Celebrating at Home: The Narrow Door21st Sunday of Ordinary Time*It is a horrible feeling to find yourself locked out of home. It can instil panic. What will I do now? It is even worse if those inside won’t let you in, or even recognise you. Worse still if the house is full of strangers. There is no mistaking the sense of warning in this passage of Luke’s Gospel.                  Read more ....[*]Celebrating At Home - 21th Sunday in Or ...Continue Reading

 Chapter of the Kongregasi Putri Karmel in Indonesia The Chapter of the Indonesian based Putri Karmel Congregation was held July 25-August 6, 2022. The meetings focused on continuing to deepen the congregation's Carmelite spirituality in their personal and community life and according to the congregation's charism. Pictured with the new Council are Carmelite Pidyarto Gunawan, the bishop of Malang, and Johannes Indraksuma, founder of the Putri Karmel. The names of the new Council for 2022-2026 are located ...Continue Reading

  Bl. Angelus Augustine Mazzinghi, PriestOptional Memorial - August 17The birth of Angelus is not known but probably around 1386. The necrology of the Carmel in Florence calls him the first son of the nascent "observance of the Selve"-- the Carmelite reform begun in the house of the same name. This later grew into the Mantuan Congregation. Blessed Mazzinghi's name appears in Epilogatio brevis, a collection of names of members of the Order who died with the odor of sanctity assembled by John Bale.&nbs ...Continue Reading

 CAUSA NOSTRAE LAETITIAE*INITIUM NOVITIATUS* 03-07-22  Joseph Trung Do (SEL-Viet) Middletown, NY 14-08-22  Luke Huynh Kieu (SEL-Viet)  ThuDuc City, Vietnam 14-08-22  Joseph Dinh Phan (SEL-Viet)  ThuDuc City, Vietnam 14-08-22  Anthony Bau Tran (SEL-Viet)  ThuDuc City, Vietnam 14-08-22  Yosef Marie Khanh Nguyen (SEL-Viet)  ThuDuc City, Vietnam 14-08-22  Michael Ni Nguyen (SEL-Viet)  ThuDuc City, Vietnam*PROFESSIO TEMPORANEA* 16-07-22  F.X. Eka Romario Erian ...Continue Reading

  Bl. Isidore Bakanja, MartyrOptional Memorial August 12*Extract of Homily of St. John Paul II at the Beatification of Isidore BakanjaSt Peter's Square - Vatican | April 24, 1994*"You were a man of heroic faith, Isidore Bakanja, a young layman from Zaire. As a baptized man, called to spread the Good News, you knew how to share your faith and bore witness to Christ with such conviction that, to your companions, you appeared as one of those valiant lay faithful who are catechists. Yes, Blessed Isidore, full ...Continue Reading

 Celebrating at Home: The Prophet's Anguish20th Sunday of Ordinary Time*Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by life. In this Gospel passage we encounter the startling image of Jesus in distress and anguish over his mission and what he is yet to face. His statement that he, the Prince of Peace, has not come to bring peace, but division, is confronting. Christians should never expect that discipleship makes life easy. Far from delivering us from the difficulties of life, our discipleship is more inclined to plunge u ...Continue Reading