At the General Chapter of the Carmelite Brothers on Thursday, September 12, 2013, P. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., a member of the Spanish province of Betica, was re-elected as the General Prior for a term of 6 years. After the election, he received congratulations from all present brothers.
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short biography
P. FERNANDO MILLÁN ROMERAL, O.Carm., General Prior (since 2007)
He was born in Madrid (Spain) on August 19, 1962. He attended Colegio Santa María del Carmen and at the age of 18 entered the postulancy. He began his novitiate on October 3, 1981, in Hinojosa del Duque.
On December 7, 1986, he made his solemn profession in Madrid, and on September 13, 1987, he was ordained a priest. He then lived at the Carmelite College of St. Albert in Rome and obtained a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
From 2001 to 2007, he was appointed a member of the Institutum Carmelitanum in Rome and a member of the International Commission of the Carmelite Order for Culture. From 2002 to 2008, he was elected provincial councilor of the province of Andalucía.
He has been and is a member of the editorial team of the magazine Escapulario del Carmen de Jerez de la Frontera and also a contributor. He taught theology to lay students for ten years at TUP (University Theology for Post-graduates) of the Pontifical University Comillas in Madrid. In 2001, he was appointed as theological advisor to the General Chapter.
In 2007 he was elected General Prior of the order and re-elected to the same office in 2013 for another six-year term.
After the break, the election for the position of the General Delegate took place. For this service, P. Christian Körner, O.Carm., a member of the German province, was again elected for a term of 6 years.
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short biography
P. CHRISTIAN KÖRNER, O.Carm., Deputy Prior (since 2007)
He was born on July 27, 1959, in Würzburg. In 1981, he entered the order while studying at the Carmelite school Theresianum in Bamberg. On September 8, 1982, he made his first profession, and on September 7, 1986, he made his solemn profession. He studied philosophy and theology in Bamberg and Rome. In 1988, he was ordained a priest and served in a parish. From 1992 to 1997, he was a novice master, and from 1997 to 2000, he was the master of students. He was also the superior of the community in Bamberg and a provincial councilor. From 2004 to 2007, he was a member of the international formation committee. In 2007, he was elected Deputy General Prior of the order and was re-elected to this office in 2013 for another six-year term.
The chapter continued its work after the break. P. Michael Farrugia, O.Carm., the current provincial of the Maltese province, was elected General Procurator of the order for the following six years.
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short biography
P. MICHAEL FARRUGIA, O.Carm., General Procurator
He was born on January 6, 1962, in Malta. He studied philosophy at INSERM (Nationale Studiorum Ecclesiasticorum Religiosorum Melitensium) and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.
In the province, he held various positions, including provincial econom, provincial councilor, prior, pastor, and a member of the formation team. In 2009, he was elected the superior of the province and in 2012 he was re-elected to this service. In 2011, he was elected president of the regional order Malta – Italy. In the Archdiocese of Malta, he served at the ecclesiastical court as the defender of the bond and protector of justice, and he is a judge of the court of second instance. Since 2006, he has been a member of the presbyteral council and is also a member of various diocesan commissions. In 2011, he was elected a councilor of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors and in 2012 its president. He will succeed P. Josef Jančář as General Procurator, who has served in this role since 1999.
Finally, the election for the General Econom took place. P. Carl Markelz, O.Carm., who was previously the provincial of the American province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, was elected.
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short biography
P. CARL J. MARKELZ, O.Carm., General Econom (since 2013)
He was born on August 16, 1962, in Joliet, Illinois. He studied economics at Loyola University. He then entered the Carmelite Order. After completing his studies in moral theology, he was ordained a priest in 1991 in Chicago. He taught for five years at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California and studied education at the University of San Francisco. He was appointed director of Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, one of the most prestigious Catholic schools in the state, serving in this role for 15 years. In 2011, he was elected provincial of the Most Pure Heart of Mary province. He was elected General Econom of the order in 2013, succeeding P. Kevin Alban, who held the position since 2007.
This concluded the elections of Thursday's chapter. Later that evening, discussions began at the level of regional meetings prior to Friday's elections of the members of the General Council.
On Friday, September 13, the General Chapter elected the General Councilors who will represent Carmel in various parts of the world.
For Africa, P. Conrad Mutizamhepo, O.Carm. from Zimbabwe was elected.
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short biography
P. CONRAD MUTIZAMHEPO, O.Carm., General Councilor for Africa (since 2013)
He was born on June 7, 1966, in Zimbabwe. He began his novitiate in 1986. From 1994, he worked at the Regina Coeli mission, where he was sent in 1995 to lead postulants in Christ Mambo. From 1997 to 1999, he studied spirituality in Ireland. After returning to Zimbabwe, he served until 2009 as the master of students. From 2000, he taught various subjects in the seminary in Chishawasha and later at Holy Trinity College, where he was appointed rector in 2007. At the 2013 General Chapter, he was elected General Councilor for Africa, succeeding P. Désiré Unen Alimange, who held the position since 2007.
For America, P. Raúl Maraví Cabrera, O.Carm. from Peru was elected.
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short biography
P. RAÚL MARAVÍ CABRERA, O.Carm., General Councilor for North and South America (since 2007)
He was born on March 2, 1964, in Lima, Peru. He made his first profession in the order on January 25, 1992. From 1994 to 1997, he worked in youth ministry in one of the areas of the Archdiocese of Lima. In 1997, he was ordained a priest in Lima. He studied economics at Universidad de San Martín de Porres (Lima), theology at Facultad de Teología Pontificia y Civil de Lima, Semitic languages at Catholic University of America (Washington), and Biblical studies at Pontificio Istituto Biblico in Rome. After completing his studies, he returned to Lima and served as the director of the prestigious Carmelite school Colegio Nuestra Señora del Carmen. He also taught the Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew at Facultad de Teología Pontificia y Civil de Lima and was the director of the Carmelite retreat center. He was first elected General Councilor for North and South America in 2007 and re-elected in 2013.
For the Asia-Australia-Oceania area, P. Benny Phang Kong Wing, O.Carm. from Indonesia was elected.
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short biography
P. BENNY PHANG, O.Carm., General Councilor for Asia-Australia-Oceania (since 2013)
He was born on March 20, 1970, in Indonesia. He studied at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC from 2001 to 2006 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome from 2007 to 2010. From 1998 to 2001, he served in a parish and then in youth ministry until 2005 in Washington, DC. He was prior councilor at CISA in Rome from 2007 to 2010, a formator in Malang from 2007 and 2010-2011 and has been the superior of the local study house since 2012. He is the author of many books and articles. He was first elected General Councilor for Asia-Australia-Oceania, succeeding P. Albert Magna Herwanta, who held this post since 2007.
For Europe, P. John Keating, O.Carm. from Ireland was elected.
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short biography
P. JOHN KEATING, O.Carm., General Councilor for Europe (since 2007)
He was born on July 20, 1944, in Ireland. He studied at the Carmelites at Terenure College in Dublin and entered the Carmelite novitiate in 1964. He made his first profession in 1965 and then studied philosophy in Dublin. In 1968, he came to Collegio Internazionale Sant’Alberto in Rome and studied theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He then served in various houses of the Irish province. He was also assistant provincial, provincial councilor, prior, director for vocations, and for formation. For many years, he worked in liturgical, retreat, music ministry, and in youth ministry at The Carmelite Conference and Retreat Centre in Gort Muire. From 1986 to 1988, he continued his studies in Rome and Paris, then taught liturgy, spirituality, and pastoral and homiletic practices at The Milltown Institute of Philosophy and Theology. He also taught at The National Centre for Liturgy and served in the Irish Liturgy Commission. In 2007, he was elected General Councilor for Europe and was re-elected to this service in 2013.
These fathers will, together with those elected on Thursday, September 12, for the positions of General, General Delegate, General Procurator, and General Econom, form the General Council, whose mission will be to support the Carmelite contemplative way of life of prayer, brotherhood, and service worldwide.
We pray that Our Lady of Mount Carmel will help them with her protection and intercession to fulfill the tasks associated with their ministry during the next six years.
