chapter day 3

On Wednesday morning, our new provincial council was installed. As Brother Joseph [photo right] is 7 months short of the three years required for this office since solemn profession a dispensation had been obtained from Rome overnight. We then proceeded to read the introduction to our chapter Acts of 2005, and give a report on what follow-ups had or had not been done on the goals we had set for this past triennium. A provincial website has been up and running at http://www.carmelitesok.org Fr. Provincial and his brother Michael have been maintaining it. Perhaps we could contract someone to continue this maintenance. Fr. Luis Joaquin [photo left] gave a report on vocation promotion efforts over the last three years. He receives about ten e-mails a year that appear to be good prospects. Work with Serra clubs and youth groups. We have one postulant, Juan Guillermo who after completing a fall course in English in New Orleans, would hopefully be ready to enter our novitiate after the first of next year.

Regarding Santa Maria in Dallas, we had hopes that the province of Mexico might help us staff this parish, but other developments took precedence. We still hold out the hope of help to our province from Mexico’s province of San Alberto.

We also discussed at length the best place for our students, with much discussion on Oblate’s O.S.T. [School of Theology] in San Antonio, and Notre Dame seminary in New Orleans. After a break, the superior of each of our houses gave a report on their respective foundation: Stephen for Mount Carmel Center, Jesus for Santa Maria both of Dallas. In the afternoon the community reports continued with Ralph on Marylake, Jenaro on Oklahoma City [photo right], John Magdalene on San Antonio, and Sam for New Orleans.