To the provincial fathers,
to the other superiors,
to the superiors of federations,
to the prioresses of the women’s monasteries,
to the general superiors of affiliated congregations,
to those responsible for T.O.Carm and OCDS and other lay Carmelite groups
Warm greetings from Rome!
As many of you know, both orders, O.Carm. and O.C.D., have developed a number of joint projects over the past twenty years. Aware of our shared heritage and spirituality, we would like to invite you to participate in the effort to preserve Mount Carmel.
During the meeting of the general councils of both orders in Rome last June, we decided to initiate a collection to support the restoration and conservation of the remains of the first Carmelite monastery in Wadi es-Siah on Mount Carmel in Israel. Since the restoration work began in 1970, the condition of this precious part of our heritage – the remains of buildings and the monastery site – has gradually deteriorated. It is necessary to preserve the current state of the buildings and maintain the site and the access road for pilgrims who ascend Mount Carmel to pray and contemplate where our ancient hermit brothers lived – at Elijah's spring. The preservation work will be carried out in collaboration with state authorities and representatives of the city of Haifa.
As part of the celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Albert of Jerusalem, our legislator, a Eucharist will be celebrated on October 12, 2014, in Rome, presided over by His Beatitude Fouad Twal, the current Jerusalem Patriarch, together with the general superiors Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. and Fr. Saverio Cannistrà, O.C.D.
We would like to invite all Carmelite parishes, pilgrimage sites, spiritual centers, monasteries, convents, schools, and other institutions and houses to join this important celebration on that day, that is, on Sunday, October 12, 2014, with a collection for the restoration of the site of the original monastery on Mount Carmel (1).
We hope that this collection will also serve as an opportunity to remind ourselves of the value of our beginnings and strengthen the bond among the members of the great Carmelite family around the world.
Information about Wadi es-Siah and the remains of the first Carmelite monastery can be found at www.wadi.info.
May Mary, Mother of Carmel and "Lady of this place," enlighten and guide us in carrying out this good work.
Your in Carmel
| Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. | Fr. Saverio Cannistrà, O.C.D. |
| general prior | general superior |
In Rome on September 1, 2014
(1) Tertiaries and friends of Carmel in the Czech Republic will be able to contribute to the restoration of the site of the first Carmelite monastery in Wadi es-Siah during local meetings of tertiary communities.
Those who wish to support the "WADI" project directly can send their donations to the account:
Banca popolare di Sondrio
IBAN: IT58 R056 9603 2000 0000 3147 X53
BIC-SWIFT: POSOIT22
and indicate the payment with the project name: "Progetto WADI"
(Translated from the original English by Martina Vintrová)
