Carmelites launch Congress on Prayer II
by Edith T. Burgos, OCDS, https://www.facebook.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMirror/ · BusinessMirror- Edith T. Burgos, OCDS
- October 6, 2024
- 3 minute read
More than 400 Secular Carmelites from more than 40 OCDS Communities from all over the Philippines—from as far as Laoag in the North and Jolo in the South—gathered at the Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City, last October 1, to witness the launching of the Congress on Prayer II (COP II).
The COP II will be held at Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, on April 9, 2025, to celebrate the 100th year of the canonization of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.
The COP II launch was opened with the celebration of the Holy Mass, presided by Rev. Fr. Dan Lim, OCD, Provincial Vicar and Superior of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine Community, and concelebrated by Fr. Dionysius Balute, OCD; Fr. Emmanuel Angelitud, OCD; and Fr. Rogelio Regner.
Fr. Lim, in his homily, identified the “poor” as those who have no resources, no education, the social outcasts, and those, because of circumstances in their lives, have no choice but to remain poor without the opportunity to pray, exhorted all to help them by taking on the yoke of prayer for them.
Engaging with the “poor,” he pointed out, is to become like little children, which is “to be natural and spontaneous, to be transparent and without malice in one’s dealings.”
October 1, being St. Therese’s feast day made the celebration doubly significant for those who came for the launch. The presence of young seculars, the youngest was 23 years, stoked the hopes of survival among the elderly—with the eldest being 93 years.
Rekindling old friendships characterized by tight hugs and peals of laughter simply revealed the truism that friendships bonded by prayer never fade nor diminish.
Time and distance are immaterial for hearts that love. St. Therese, the little flower declared “My vocation is love. I will be love in the heart of the Church.”
Fr. Reynaldo Sotelo, the Superior of the OCD Province of St. Teresa of Avila, Philippines, in a video message, invited all to attend the Congress, which he said, quoting Pope Francis, was in honor of the “the greatest saint of modern times.”
With the theme “Confidence in Love,” the Congress with a two-pronged goal, hopes to share the true essence of St. Therese’s “spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute surrender,” and to open opportunities for vocations in the Order, for the two other branches, the friars and the nuns.
Imelda “Meg” Ramos, OCDS, president of the Provincial Council of the OCDS, explained the rationale of the COP II, which was in answer to the clamor for more after the first Congress on Prayer I in March, 2015, an expression of desire to know more about Carmelite prayer.
Calling St. Therese of Lisieux, “the greatest cheer leader of Carmel,” Ramos said that “she [Therese] is the one who can bring people to God in an easy way.”
St. Therese being already popular and the seculars being Carmelites in the world, and the world being what it is today, it is a grace to bring the Carmelite prayer to where it is needed—the world.
As “frontliners” of the Order, Ramos said that much like marines during war, the task of the seculars is to provide the opportunities to explore the two other branches of the Order, who, by the nature of their life, do not have physical access to the world as seculars have.
With 190 days to COP II, Ramos encouraged all the secular Carmelites present to prepare daily by praying the Prayer for the Centenary of the Canonization of St. Therese, and be aware of the countdown as the date nears.
Emma Choa, chairperson of the COP II, acknowledged all who helped in the preparations, all who participated, those who shared their resources, and those who were not present but prayed for the success of the launch.
Image credits: PHOTOS BY NORMAN FAMILIARA AND LYN RESURRECCION
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