JM report

My dear Camelites, This will be my last delegate report for the Flos, as Fr. Provincial accepted my resignation at our provincial chapter and named Fr. Bonaventure his new Provincial Delgate to the Secular order in our province. I will deliver my “swan song” as the keynote speech of our Housrton congress in September. In the meantime, I leave you with my blogs: This OCDS View blog which includes the Flos Carmeli color photos, Our Friars’ newsletter which includes the last provincial chapter http://okfriarsnewsletr.blogspot.com , and the Monastery of Marylake blog at http://okfriarsnewslet.blogspot.com It has been my pleasure serving you these last thirty minus three years. I was appointed Provincial Delegate in 1978 by Fr. Raymond Donoho to replace Fr. Sam Anthony Morello who had been PD since 1969. The first OCDS Congress I attended was in New Orleans’ Loyola in August 1969. I still remember the lions roaring at night as a circus was being lodged next door. The first congress I organized was in Davenport Iowa in 1979, where I began a series of conferences on the beatitudes.

My first appointment to the national board was Mrs. Azile Wrape OCDS. [She is shown here at the San Francisco Congress of 1980 with (left to right) Maria Orallo and Ruby Alexander.] Alize was followed by Mrs. Frances Burns of Albuquerque in 1982, Gerald Alford in 1986, Dolores Jost in 1987, and Jayne Myrick [below, with me & Jerome] in 1989. Needing a break, I asked Fr. Palmer Maxwell to take over as PD during the 1990-93 triennium which he did when appointed by Fr. Aloysius. Palmer made some very difficult groundbreaking decisions about reducing the status of some communities who needed time to reorganize. He opened the way for the revitalization of the Secular groups of our province, but the process wore him out. In 1993, Fr. Bonaventure appointed Fr. Sam and I his co-delegates to the OCDS with a clarion call for collaborative leadership. We were joined by Fr. Jerome Earley in 1996, forming the “holy Trinity” of Provincial delegates! It would not be until the next century that another US Province (Washington) would have three PDs for the OCDS.

In the year 2000 I had the privilege of attending the second international OCDS congress in Mexico with Nancy Thompson and Mati Martinez. It was a wonderful privilege, but I really went as the default delegate since neither Sam nor Jerome wanted to go. I have had the privilege of working with great men and women in these last 27 years: Bonaventure Galvin, a truly legendary PD of California [shown here with Bill Healy and national secretary Penny Brown at our 2^nd National; congress in Milwaukee], Bill Healy and Ruby Alexander of Washington, Sam Anthony Morello of our own province and Michael Buckley of California [shown here at the Vegas Congress of 2004] to only name a few. Each in his or her own way helped make Carmel in America what it is today.

It has been not only an historic journey, but a wonderful and rewarding personal journey. Thanks to all of you for the ride… and for another thing Carmel always seems to have in abundance: the drama! It has been exasperating, exhausting, and frustrating. It has been happy and sad but always filled with grace, even when that grace came unnoticed until years after it was given. In a word, it has been wonderful. Thank you. Gracias. No es de nada, porque siempre hay algo.

Your former delegate,

Fr. John Michael Payne OCD

Alabama

On Saturday 12-Apr-08, Retreat Master Fr. Russel Raj OCD accepted the 1^st Promise of Robbie Hayes from our Madison Study Group at the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word’s Casa Maria Retreat Center in Irondale. Robbie was clothed in the large scapular on 10-Apr-05. Father Raj, from India, gave his retreat conferences on Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. He had completed his master’s thesis on her in 2006.

On 16-Apr-08 I appointed Major Rajmund Kopec, assistant to our Tennessee Valley Study Group that meets in Huntsville AL. Father Ray is with the 96^th Aviation Support Battalion, 101^st Combat Brigade at Redstone Arsenal. 22-year-old Ray left his native Poland while it was still under Communist rule to become a priest in the U.S.A. When he arrived in New Jersey from Poland he had $10 in his pocket and knew not a word of English.

Arkansas

At their April meeting our Little Rock community elected secretary Tricia Cromwell [left] to be their president, Tricia and the new Councillors -- Nancy Lowry, Joanie Goodwin & Jeannine Hart, then met and with the consultation of their Assistant Fr. Raphael Kitz, elected former president Ronnie Adams [right] as the new Director of Formation. Mary Howard was then appointed secretary.

Georgia

On 02-Apr-08, I appointed Jan Nerone president, and Lucia Gesuelle & Patty Palmquist Councillors to our Lawrenceville Study Group. This photo of the new council left to right: Patty, Maryann, Jan & Lucia. On 09-Apr-08, I appointed Mary Ann Leveque director of formation to succeed Mary Shusta who founded this group in Sept. 2002. Thanks to Anita DeRouen, who began as secretary, and was appointed president in May 2006 when Stephen Ramsay moved.

On 29-Apr-08, I appointed John Eanes [right] president, with Mary Agnes Larson and Carol Lloyd as councillors for our Atlanta Study Group. This was done after receiving the postulation ballots from our professed members in Atlanta, and the recommendation of the Visitator. John and Carol have served as councillors since this group was formed. Thanks to Karen Harris who has done a fine job as president of this Group since my first visitation. Karen is now moving up to be secretary of our Provincial council.

Louisiana

On 13-Apr-08, our Baton Rouge community elected Clarence Landry president, with Ethlyn White, Marie Tuminski and Carmelite Provine councillors. The new council chose Jo Ann Daigle to be the new Director of Formation. Congratulations to all the newly elected, and big thanks to former president Paul Sandau, Formation Director Frances Locker, and councillors Henrietta Albright, Carolyn Dupuy, and Barbara Kahn. Frances is a legend in her time, having put together the first complete formation syllabus in the province. A tough act to follow, Jo Ann. Henrietta, now moves up to our provincial council after holding office including the presidency for many years in Baton Rouge.

Our Alexandria council requested permission from the provincial council to profess novice Denise Gauthier, who has been dying of cancer since entering our order. They had received word from Shreveport where Denise lives with Virignia Lazarus, that they would be able to attend the community meeting on the first Saturday of May, but that this would probably be the last meeting Denise would be able to attend. Permission was granted, and Denise was professed on 3-May-08. Denise took a turn for the worst two days later, and died peacefully on Sunday, 25-May-08. “We have been blessed to have her as a part of our Community.”

Mississippi

Our Gulf Coast community postulated in April, David Courtenay president; Beverly Courtenay Formation Director; with Councillors Corinne Bontemps, Carlotta Bergeron & Bert Young. Councillor Nancy Murphy drowned in Hurricane Katrina, and Bert was elected to replace her. This postulation was held in accordance with Provincial Statute III.2.d concerning term limits. When members cannot be elected to office, they may be postulated to the Provincial Council.

Oklahoma

On 04-Apr-08 I appointed Barbara Tinervia [left] president of our new group in Tulsa, and Susie Spanier as Director of Formation. On 29-Apr-08 I appointed Deacon James Breazile their Spiritual Assistant. James is the retiring president of our Oklahoma City community. As announced previously, Susan Staudt [right] was elected president of our Oklahoma City community who meets at our nuns in Piedmont.

Tennessee

On 19-Apr-08, I appointed former president Mark Calvert as new Director of formation in Knoxville. Mark replaces Jan Hicks who will remain on the council as she retires from the office of Director of Formation. Work is progressing on the canonical establishment of this Study Group. The diocese of Knoxville is presently without a bishop, whose signature is needed on the document to be submitted to Rome for canonical status. Our Knoxville members are also discerning a new patronal title for their new community, as they have been calling themselves the Study Group of the Holy Spirit, a patronal title taken years ago by the Mobile community.

front row l-r: Anita Gouge, Jeanne Dauenhauer, Kathy DeWine, Dorothy Curtis, Ghislaine Miller, Carole Amador, and Doris Bucklaew. 2^nd row: Missy DePersio, Colleen Harbison, Jan Hicks, Brenda Nicholson, Christine Hendershott (college daughter of Susan, she played piano for liturgies), Jackie Lonnecker and Jennifer Korell. Back row: Susan Hendershott, Jack Spicer, George Quinter, Fr. Bonaventure (retreat master), Mark Calvert & Dot Terheyden. This retreat was held at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley NC from the 4-6^th of April.

Texas

At their April meeting, our Dallas community held their elections. Pictured here is the new council: L-R: Katie Bready, Formation, Jenny Aubert, President, Rita Ladd, 2nd Councillor, Judy Treadway, 3rd Councillor, and Diane Zeminick, First Councillor.

After consulting the Provincial Visitator, on 09-Apr-08, I appointed Maria Delores Reyna [left] president; Maria Guadalupe Cruz [right], Formation Director; and Rita Crelia, councillor for Lubbock. Rita has been this group’s secretary. These appointments were made after receiving results of their straw vote (provisional election) allowed by Visitator, Elizabeth Korves. Our gratitude is extended to Florence Rivas who has served as president since her appointment by Fr. Sam Anthony Morello on 11-Nov-98, and to Frank Schmidt who has served as Formation Director since Judy Johnson resigned in March 2003. Further gratitude to Mary Alvarez who has been serving as councillor and e-mail contact for our Lubbock Study Group.

Our Georgetown Study Group hosted a silent retreat at Cedarbreak in Belton on the 2^nd weekend of April. Father Bonaventure Sauer, Assistant to Austin, was the retreat master. The community is shown here in the main lodge where Father gave his conferences. Left to right (front row): Matilde Martinez (Killeen) Lansing Prescott, Father Bonaventure, Dora Zavala, Cindy Johnson, Julia (Killeen); 2^nd row: Birdie Ehrenfeld, Lois Vasquez, Mary Miranda, Becky Snook, Tommie Solis, Ramona Zelasko, Claire Bloodgood; 3^rd Row: Marianne Gonzales, Maron Burke (white hair), Diane Gray, Lydia Watson, Vic Sulsona, Lois Malidor & Steve Harden.

Houston’s original OCDS community at their March meeting elected the follolwing: Rebecca Segura, former infirmarian as president. Margaret Dybala formation director, with Councillors Sherry Maniscalco, Jackie Sanders and Terry Sa Yun. Congratulations. Also our gratitude to former president Becky McGinnis, former Formaion Director Carmelita Dizon, and former councillors Alethea Paras & Jeannice Theriot, all of whom have served two consecutive terms in their offices. Jeannice is working on preparations for our September Congress.

Our San Antonio community held elections in April. Councillor Betty Keller [photo] was elected president. Betty was professed in Amarillo on 10-Mar-83, and made her Definitive promise in 1986. She moved to San Antonio in 2005, and was elected councillor almost immediately upon her arrival. Susan King was re-elected formation director. Former Councillor Rosalia Zepeda was elected councillor, and two new councillors were elected: Nan Lambert Starjak and Anna Peterson.