Monday, May 18, 2009

Pampanga Mission

On May 17, after the feast of St. Simon Stock, three members of the Regional Council of the Province of Saint Joseph made a trip to the municipality of San Luis, Pampanga. This was made to find out the viability of establishing a lay Carmelite community at the parish. Initial contact from a prospective aspirant, Terry Garcia, was made around March and then the following month, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Fernando David, confirmed his willingness to have a TOC community at the jurisdiction of his parish.

Bro. Rue Santos (Regional Formator), Bro. Pol Gregorio (Regional Coordinator), and Sis. Baby Punzalan (Finance) went to the Parish of St. Aloysius Gonzaga and attended the Holy Mass. After the Holy Mass, a vocation talk was given about the nature and purpose of the third order. An open forum followed after the talk to help the prospective aspirants to discern if they are being called to the Order of Carmel.

If the Pampanga project bear fruit, it will be named Bl. Maria Sagrario de San Luis Gonzaga TOC Community.


Bro. Ruel, Bro. Terry, Sis. Baby, and Bro. Pol at the facade of the Church

The prospective aspirants with the Bulacan TOC Regional Council









Rev. Fr. Fernando David together with the participants

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Schedule of the TOC National Council

June 2009

June 06: Canonical Visit to Kamias TOC Community (a.m.)

June 06: National Council Meeting (p.m.)
June 12 to 14: "Seasons of the Heart" Retreat with Fr. Noel Rosas, O.Carm.
June 27: Canonical Visit to Project 4 TOC Community

July 2009


July 11: Canonical Visit to Tarlac TOC Community and National Council Meeting
July 16: Solemn Commemoration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
July 19: Carmelite Family Day
July 24 - 26: Luzon Regional Training for Formators

August 2009

August 08: Canonical Visit to Sikatuna TOC Community (a.m.)
August 08: National Council Meeting (p.m.)
August 15: NCR Junior Formation Course for Novices
August 29: Canonical Visit to Province of St. Joseph

September 2009

September 12: Canonical Visit to Sta. Cruz TOC Community and National Council Meeting
September 25 - 27: Canonical Visit to Bicol TOC Community

October 2009

October 04: Canonical Visit to Cubao TOC Community (a.m.)
October 04: Canonical Visit to Tondo TOC Community (p.m.)
October 17: Canonical Visit to Pilar and Bacoor TOC Community (a.m.)
October 17: National Council Meeting (p.m.)
October 24: Central Luzon Junior Formation Course for Novices

November 2009

November 14: National Council Meeting
November 21: Canonical Visit to Makati TOC Community
November 27 - 30: Canonical Visit to Mindanao TOC Communities and Mindanao Regional Training for Formators


Monday, May 11, 2009

The Relationship of the TOC and the Parish

Why is the TOC not under the supervision of the Parish Pastoral Council?

The spiritual and pastoral care of the TOC, entrusted by the Church to the Carmelite First Order, is the duty above all of their prior general and of their prior provincial. The altius moderamen, of which canon 303 speaks, belongs to them. The purpose of the altius moderamen is to guarantee the fidelity of the TOC to the Carmelite charism, communion with the Church and union with the Carmelite family, values which represent a vital commitment for the lay Carmelites.

What do you mean by “altius moderamen”?

Altius moderamen is a Latin juridical expression found in canon 303 of the Code of Canon Law (CIC): “Associations whose members live in the world but share in the spirit of some religious institute, under the overall direction of the same institute, and who lead an apostolic life and strive for Christian perfection, are known as third orders, or are called by some other suitable title”. The juridical relationship between a religious institute and the association of faithful called a third order (or other suitable title) with which it shares a spirituality is called altius moderamen or “higher direction”. The juridical relationship of the altius moderamen existing between the First Order and the TOC, in contrast to other associations of faithful and of other religious institutes, has its own characteristics (because of what we have already said) in virtue of the apostolic privilege granted by the Church to the TOC. This privilege directly commits the First Order. In what way? Let us go from the general to the particular. Can. 305 submits all the Associations of faithful to the “supervision of the competent ecclesiastical authority, which is to ensure that integrity of faith and morals is maintained in them and that abuses in ecclesiastical discipline do not creep in. The competent authority, therefore, has the duty and the right to visit these associations...” Can. 312 § 1 defines who the competent ecclesiastical authority is: for the TOC, as an “international public association in the Church”, it is the Holy See. For the apostolic privilege, the competence, to which can. 305 refers, is exercised by the Superiors of the Carmelite Order.

What is the role of the TOC in the parish/diocese?

The secular/lay Carmelites should collaborate with the bishops and follow their directions in so far as they are the moderators of the ministry of the Word and of the Liturgy and the coordinators of the various forms of apostolate in the local Church. The communities are subject to the vigilance of the Ordinary (local bishop) in so far as they perform their activities within the local Churches.

The communities established in a parish church should seek to cooperate in the animation of the parochial community, in the liturgy and in fraternal relations. They should integrate themselves into the pastoral apostolate as a whole, with preference for those activities more congenial to the Carmelite tradition and spirituality.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Lenten Recollection of the Province of St. Joseph

The Lay Carmelites of the Region of St. Joseph made their lenten recollection last March 7 and 21. The March 7 recollection was given by Rev. Fr. Noel Rosas, OCarm at the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan. This was attended by the communities of Malolos, Guiguinto, and Pulong Buhangin together with the Cofradia members of the parish.

The recollection of March 21 was given by Rev. Fr. Ronnie Tuazon, TOCarm of the Immaculate Conception Seminary. This was held at the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sabang, Baliuag, Bulacan. The communities of Baliuag, Hagonoy, Calumpit, and Alido attended the said event. After the recollection, an observer of the community of Alido, Cecil Tantoco, was received as an aspirant.