Communicationes No.27

01-07-2004

PLEASE NOTE

There will be no Communicationes during the months of July and August.

In September we will have a new website ( ) which will make publication simpler and it will be easier to contact us for those who wish. Shortly we will be asking you to subscribe to a mailing list, so that everyone can receive the email in the language they want.

It would be good and helpful if everyone could contribute local information to this means of communication for the whole Order.

50th ANNIVERSARY OF TUMACO MISSION (COLOMBIA)

The 5th April marks the 50th anniversary since the Apostolic Prefect of Tumaco was

confided to the Navarre Province (Spain). The first group of Missionaries arrived in Tumaco on the 28th June 1954. It covers an area of 18,000 kms within the Province of Narino, on the Pacific Ocean coast, and bordering Ecuador. A former Missionary in this area was Saint Ezequiel Moreno. The Carmelite Prefecture was raised to a Apostolic Vicariate in 1961. On the 29th October 1999 it became a Diocese. The first Carmelite Prelate was Mgr. Luis Irizar of St. Thérèse, who had previously been working in the Uraba Mission within the same country. He died prematurely aged 56, in November 1966.

The development of the Tumaco Mission over the course of 50 years that the Carmelites worked there can be divided into three distinct periods: 1) The Beginnings with Mgr. Luis Irizar (1954-1966): the creation of infrastructures in the building of Churches, residences, colleges, airport, hospitals. 2. Consolidation (1966-1990) with Mgr. Miguel Angel Lecumberri, an outstanding Carmelite from Chile and now, since his retirement, in Pamplona (Spain): a constant reminder of his pastoral initiatives is the Radio Station (Radio Mira) he created in 1970. 3. Development (1990 - ) with Mgr. Gustavo Giron Higuita, first native born Columbian Carmelite Bishop. On the 29th October 1999 the Tumaco Mission was established as a Diocese.

The last Religious of the Navarre Province to leave the Mission was Fr Ernesto Gracia in 1999. The Mission territory has been confided to the Colombian Province. Other religious families, male and female, collaborated in evangelizing this area.

Several books have been written about the Mission on a variety of themes: evangelization, the life of the people, the traditions, folklore, religious and popular customs, the history of the Mission. We suggest two in particular

1) José Miguel Miranda, 53 Navarre-Basque Missionaries in Tumaco.

2) La Obra Máxima - Revista Misional Carmelitana 958 (San Sebastián, June 2004) pp. 12-27.

CENTER FOR PRAYER THERAPY AND PASTORAL COUNSELLING

The Carmelite Friars of the Manjummel Province have ventured to start a center for prayer therapy and pastoral counselling at Tiruvalla in the diocese of Vijayapuram, Kerala, India. Ave Maria House, as it is now known, which was formerly used as the residence of the Chaplain of our Nuns by the Friars of Manjummel, is remodelled to accommodate more members to exercise the healing ministry of prayer and counselling. Many people who are depressed and are suffering from various difficulties approach our Nuns for prayer. While the Sisters help them by prayer, the Friars render them the service of pastoral counselling.

The Chapel of the center was blessed by the Bishop of Vijayapuram and the building by the Bishop of Tiruvalla on April 29, 2004. A good number of people, from the surrounding area - including non-Catholics and non-Christians were present at the function.

Our nuns came to Tiruvalla on February 28, 1948 and on the 8th September of the same year, the enclosure was erected. At present there are 18 Nuns.

This joint apostolate of the brothers and sisters of Carmel hopes to produce a lot of good fruits.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF CARMELITE PRESENCE IN SOMBOR, SERBIA

The Carmelite Friars of the Hungarian semi-province were invited in 1904 by the civil authorities of the city of Sombor to take over the recently built church. A new Priory was subsequently built alongside the Church, which was filled with young religious who, after their novitiate in Gyorm (Hungary) continued their studies in philosophy and theology in Sombor. After the first world war, in 1924, the House came under the direct jurisdiction of the General Curia, and from this House the development of the Carmelite Province of Croatia of St Joseph took root.

The proud boast of this foundation is that one of the first Carmelites there was the Servant of God, Gerard Tomo Stantic, whose cause is now with the Congregation for Saints in Rome.

To mark this centenary there will be an international symposium on the history and contribution of the Carmelite community in Sombor, on the 13th-14th July. There will be 18 speakers from 4 countries. On the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 16th July, the Eucharist will be celebrated, as every year, in Slovak, German, Hungarian and Croat. During the year there will be public meetings every month on various themes on carmelite history and spirituality.

With this annual celebration we are able to help and give recognition to the local catholic population of Sombor and its surroundings, that have suffered so much, especially in the last ten years of war from material and cultural poverty. At the same time we want to give a new renew efforts for vocations, especially our own Carmelite.

Centenary of the birth of a talented Carmelite musician and teacher

FR. EMILIANO BARANDIARAN OF THE CHILD JESUS ( 1904 – 1967 )

On the 9th March of this year we celebrated the first centenary of the birth of Fr. Emiliano of the Child Jesus (Baradiaràn Cortàzar), a religious of the Navarre Province (Spain), professed 29th July 1921 and ordained 22nd September 1928. He was a teacher of young Carmelites for many decades in the Minor College of Villafranca in Navarre, as well as the Philosophy College, Pamplona and Theology College in Markina, where he continued to teach the recently professed almost until the day he died.

Another very important aspect of his life was his music. He wrote pieces in Basque for several voices. He composed the Basque Mass which was one of the most popular Basque masses after the Council. He adapted a piece by Juan Sebastian Bach for traditional Basque instruments. He published a book for our students on Gregorian music which is considered one of the best written in the Spanish language.

On the occasion of his centenary the local town council of Eskoriatza, where he was born, and several other Basque Carmelites of the Navarre Province, is to dedicate a statue in his honour. Also the Basque Carmelite Review, Carmel, will dedicate an entire issue. The Basque Mass will be sung in the Parish Church, followed by a concert comprised of pieces written by this Carmelite master.