Provincial delegate's report

My dear Carmelites,
In October your provincial council will meet with Our Father General while he is here for visitation of our province. The General flies into New Orleans on Oct 7th to begin the visitation at our House of Studies where our two seminarians are studying for the priesthood. He will then visit our nuns in Covington, Lafayette, New Caney and San Antonio, before meeting our friars in San Antonio where he will dedicate the new chapel in our basilica’s basement on Oct 11. [photo of Fr. General with Fr. Provincial at dedication] After a trip to Oklahoma City, he will come to Dallas and meet with your provincial council on October 14, so keep us in your prayers on that fast day. We do have the privilege of celebrating the feast of Our Holy Mother St Teresa this year as it has the rank of a solemnity, which is the only rank that would take precedence over a Sunday liturgy. Our General, Fr. Luis Aróstegui Gamboa will conclude the visitation on Oct. 17th by gathering the friars at Marylake to begin our annual retreat which will be given this year by Fr. Juan DeBono ocd from Malta. [photo right]

Georgia
Dona Warren, formation director in Conyers since it’s inception as a canonical community, died on 04-Sep-06. Dona’s husband Jack has been keeping the commjunity informed of her heart condition for ther last two years. She was a wonderful asset to this community and a key member in its restoration. Obit in posting below.

Louisiana

On 06-Sep-06 I appointed Ethel Ganucheau [left] formation director for Covington to replace Lucille Brinz of New Orleans who has been formation director since this group moved across the lake. Lucille resigned the office to care for her husband. Ethel has served as president of Covington during their formative years. I also appointed Patty Still councillor in Covington to replace Lucille. Patty has been helping with formation work. We thank Lucille for the wonderful work she has done. On Sept. 16th, Councillor Suzette McGoey was unanimously elected as teacher for the aspirancy program.

Texas

visitation of Killeen, Provincial Councillor Gerald Alford allowed this Study Group to hold elections for new officers, the results of which would be subject to approval by the Provincial Council. On September 5th I appointed Julia Diaz president, former president Angel Acosta as Director of Formation, and Mariana Sanchez as councillor. The Group selected Yolanda Lopez treasurer, and Aida Acosta as secretary. Congratulations to all.

Visitation reports were sent to the councils of New Caney, Lubbock, Amarillo, and St Theresa’s in Houston. The Visitator shown here with president Margaret Nuñez, and formation director Georgina Torres of New Caney.

The Provincial Council in September reviewed eight members in McAllen for profession. I approved one for first Promise, and seven for Definitive Promise. Treasurer Jesús Campos reports he has ordered copies of the new legislation book with ritual from lulu.com and expects to receive them in time for the profession ceremony this fall.

I appointed Margarita Dufilho [left] director of formation for St Thérèse Group in Houston, and changed their status from a group in Discernment under the direction of New Caney to an OCDS group under the guidance of our Provincial Council. Chris Wood had previously been appointed as president of this group.

Alabama
Mobile, on the advice of the visitator, was given permission to hold an election of new officers subject to the approval of the provincial council. This is in preparation for the restoration of their canonical privileges.

Arkansas

Joan Heyburn died on June 16. Joan was born 27-May-1914, entered our order in Little Rock in 1956, and made her profession in 1959. She had been inactive for the last seven years, but well remembered as a long standing member. Her niece Joan Haupt is in bad health and requested no funeral Mass be said. Her ashes were put in the Holy Souls columbarium in Little Rock.

Your brother in Carmel,
Fr. John Michael Payne ocd, prov delg.

Council Report

REPORT FROM THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
Oct 2006

Summer was a busy time of visitations.

Gerald visited our New Caney community and the St Therese Study Group which New Caney has been helping to get off the ground. From there, he joined his wife for some fun in Las Vegas. We were really hoping that he’d win enough money to take the full Provincial Council with them when they go to Rome in October, but alas, the “wages of sin” took their toll and the rest of us will have to just dream of Rome. Later in August, Gerald returned to Houston to visit our San Juan community. We note that Gerald’s visitation reports always include mention of the great meals he has during these various visitations.

Amelia was visiting Jackson MS and then Covington LA at the time of the writing of our last report. Both of these study groups seem to be making good progress towards canonical status.

Nancy made visitation of our Birmingham community to check on how well things went after we merged the Irondale study group into the Birmingham community.

Good news from Pascal ! At the end of June, he and his wife moved into their new home. Gradually he is rebuilding his life after the devastation of Katrina and the rest of the Provincial Council is eagerly looking forward to seeing him at our meeting in October so we can all finally give him great big hugs.

Somehow, Elizabeth has managed the summer without making any visitations. Se did have the joy of celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel with the Georgetown study group as they had several people make their First Promise and one person take her Definitive Promise.

In August, Elizabeth, Nancy and Amelia gathered in Chicago to go see the King Tut exhibit at the Field Musuem. They very much enjoyed the exhibit and could not resist having dinner at the Weber Grill for the feast of St Lawrence. The trip was pure pleasure (except for Elizabeth who was there also for her job) and they sure did have some fun.

We are now all turning our attention to firming up our plans for our annual meeting in Dallas on the weekend of Oct 12-17. We look forward to celebrating Teresa’s feast day with our Dallas OCDS. We’ll be spending that Saturday afternoon meeting with the Father General as he makes a visit of our province. Naturally, we’ll have a report on all this in the next Flos Carmeli. After Father General left, our president (left) invited us outside where [from left-right: she, Amelia, Anita & Pascal] blew bubbles on Mt Carmel Center's front porch. This was not an official council activity.

Provincial Council:
Pascal Alfano, Gerald Alford, Elizabeth Korves, Nancy Thompson, and Amelia Wilken