The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste

13/06/2026

Growing disciples
https://carmelites.org.au/item/1716-growing-disciples

This week’s Gospel contains the first part of Jesus’ instructions to the disciples as they set out on their mission.

At the beginning of the reading we hear that Jesus is moved with compassion for the crowds. He loves them and feels for them and responds to their need since ‘they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd’. It is Jesus’ compassion for the people that compels him to act.

Then he urges the whole group of disciples to pray to ‘the Lord of the harvest’ for more labourers. Then, from the broader group of disciples, Jesus chooses twelve who Matthew names as ‘apostles’ or emissaries.

To these twelve Jesus entrusts the mission of proclaiming that the kingdom of God is close at hand. This is not an ‘end of the world’ prediction. We could better translate it as: the kingdom of God is very close to you. To a people who had constantly been told that God despised them, that they were sinners and very far from the kingdom of God, this was good news indeed.

Jesus gives the disciples the authority to accompany the proclamation of the Good News with the healing of ‘all kinds of diseases and sickness’ to break the idea that illness (in whatever form) was a curse sent by God or punishment for sinfulness. Instead, the disciples are to be a sign of God’s kindness which brings health and wholeness. The proclamation of the Good News is always to be done generously and without counting the cost.

Through the words of the Gospel may we hear again our own call to be emissaries of God’s love and bearers of Good News. May we allow the kindness and compassion of God to touch one another through us.

You can download and print our prayers and reflections for this Sunday in PDF and ePub at: https://carmelites.org.au

13/06/2026

Carmelite Conversations
An Enslaved Heart – The Worship of False Gods
https://carmelites.org.au/events

Saturday 20 June 2026
11.00am – 1.00pm (In Person Event)
Book Now: https://events.humanitix.com/cc-260620

The human heart longs for fulfilment.

Yet often, without realising it, we give our hearts to what cannot satisfy. We become attached to things that promise life but leave us restless, burdened, or unfree.

The Carmelite tradition calls this an enslaved heart — a heart that has lost its freedom through disordered desire.

But the heart can be set free.

In this session of Carmelite Conversations 2026: Seasons of the Heart, we explore the deeper spiritual dynamic at work within us — the tension between desire, attachment, and the call to freedom.

Drawing on the wisdom of the Carmelite tradition and the insights of Fr Jack Welch O.Carm, we reflect on how the human heart is not called to reject desire, but to have it transformed and re-oriented toward God.

This session will explore:

What draws us away from God
The attachments that shape our lives
The call to freedom of the heart

“As we cling to idols we are unfree, our heart’s desire cannot hear the invitation of the Beloved... The solution is liberation of the heart.”
— Fr Jack Welch O.Carm

“The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union.”
— St John of the Cross

Each session includes a guided presentation, space for contemplative reflection, and the opportunity for shared conversation.

Join us as we listen again for the approach of God —
and rediscover the freedom your heart is made for.

The Carmelite Centre
214 Richardson Street
Middle Park VIC 3206

Visit: https://carmelites.org.au/events

Book Now: https://events.humanitix.com/cc-260620

11/06/2026

The First Provincial Chapter of the Eastern Indonesian Province of the Order of Carmelites was held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Retreat Center in Wae Lengkas, Ruteng, Flores (Indonesia) from 17-22 May 2026. The province was established on 25 March 2025, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. At that time, the prior general and his council appointed the first prior provincial and council to hold office until this first Chapter.

The prior general emphasized the need for rooting ourselves into the depth of our charism. He stressed that "the roots of the tree of the new province should go into the depths of the Carmelite core. Only then will it be able to provide welcome shade for all."

The new province has 130 solemnly professed members, 103 of which participated in the Chapter creating "a warm, fraternal, and joyful celebration."

The East Indonesian Province comprises the ecclesiastical provinces of Makassar, Ende, Kupang, and Merauke.

The First Provincial Chapter of the Eastern Indonesian Province of the Order of Carmelites  was held from 17-22 May 2026. The First Provincial Chapter of the Eastern Indonesian Province of the Order of Carmelites  was held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Retreat Center in Wae Lengkas,....

04/06/2026

The real presence of Jesus in us
https://carmelites.org.au/item/1710-the-real-presence-of-jesus-in-us

Jesus said to the Jews:
‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said.
Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. (John 6:51-58)

We are very used to talking about the Real Presence of Jesus being in the Blessed Sacrament. But the real presence of Christ is also in the community when it gathers in his name to feast on the Word of Scripture, to recall what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper (not only the words over bread and wine, but also the washing of the feet), when it shares the food of the Eucharist together, when it goes out and continues to break and pour out that food in acts of loving kindness, in soothing and nourishing words which brings others to life.

The Eucharist is not only an object to be looked at, but an action to be done so that the living presence of Jesus continues to touch and heal.

Maybe we need to think more deeply about the real presence of Jesus being in real, living human beings.

Bread and Wine have no eyes to gaze with love, no face with which to smile, no mouth to speak soothing words, no arms to hold the grieving and the sick, or to lend a hand, no ears to hear the pain. But we do.

So we are called to become the Eucharist that feeds those around us with the nourishment of breadth of heart and vision, respect, love, compassion, hope and forgiveness.

May we become what we receive. (St Augustine)

You can download and print our prayers and reflections for this Sunday in PDF and ePub at:
https://carmelites.org.au/

04/06/2026

📖 Lectio Divina — June 2026
https://carmelites.org.au/

Take time this June to slow down, listen deeply, and pray with Scripture through Lectio Divina, the ancient prayer tradition of the Church lovingly preserved in the Carmelite tradition.

Each day invites us to read, reflect, pray, and rest in God’s Word — allowing Scripture to shape our hearts, our families, and our daily lives.

Prayer
Our Father, your Word dwells in the world through the coming of Jesus your Son. He has proclaimed it to us by his teachings, but above all by his works and the gift of his life. The Word became flesh. Before leaving us, he promised us the help of the Spirit so that we could remember all that he had said and understand more deeply the meaning hidden in our hearts hardened by sin. Give us now your revealing and consoling Spirit. May our hearts be inflamed with his presence and your Word become a living and effective provocation to serve you in our brothers and sisters with joy.

You can download and save the scripture texts, reflections and prayers for Lectio Divina for each day of June 2026 at https://carmelites.org.au/

Lectio Divina is a traditional way of praying the Scriptures.
Visit our Lectio Divina page to learn more about how to pray in this way.

📄 Available formats:
• Lectio Divina June 2026 — PDF
• Lectio Divina June 2026 — iPhone / iPad
• Lectio Divina June 2026 — Kindle

02/06/2026

The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste congratulate Fr Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O.Carm, on his appointment as a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life by Pope Leo XIV.

https://carmelites.org.au/item/1705-carmelite-appointed-to-pontifical-academy

Fr Eduardo is Vice-President of the Carmelite NGO, Director of the Department of Integral Ecology at the Spanish Episcopal Conference, and an internationally respected researcher in climate variability and climate change. His appointment recognises not only his scientific expertise, but also his commitment to bringing faith, ethics, and care for human dignity into some of the most important conversations facing our world today.

Responding to the announcement, Fr Eduardo said:

“I accept this appointment with deep gratitude and a sense of responsibility, as a Carmelite friar. I accept this appointment as a call to serve through integral ecology and the Social Doctrine of the Church, bringing scientific rigor and ethical discernment to address the challenges affecting human life and our common home.”

His work reflects the vision expressed by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ — that care for people and care for creation are inseparable. Through his research, teaching, and international advocacy, Fr Eduardo has helped build greater understanding of the relationship between climate change, social justice, and the wellbeing of vulnerable communities.

Looking ahead to his service with the Academy, Fr Eduardo said he hopes to encourage dialogue between science, theology, and public policy while contributing to initiatives that promote both sustainability and human dignity.

For the Carmelite family, Fr Eduardo's appointment is a reminder that the contemplative tradition of Carmel continues to engage actively with the challenges of the modern world. Rooted in prayer and guided by the Gospel, Carmelites seek to bring wisdom, compassion, and hope wherever human life and dignity are at stake.

We congratulate Fr Eduardo and assure him of our prayers as he begins this important service to the Church and the wider human family.

Read more at:
https://carmelites.org.au

02/06/2026

𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗥
ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴍᴇʟɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴇ, ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴋ
⚠️ 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝟮𝟬 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 — 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬
https://events.humanitix.com/wildmanchoir

You don't need to be able to sing. If you can breathe, yell and clap — you're in.
A half-day workshop for men. Breath, voice, circle, song.

📅 𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟭𝟯 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
🕚 𝟭𝟭.𝟬𝟬𝗔𝗠 – 𝟯.𝟬𝟬𝗣𝗠

“The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired itself.”
— St John of the Cross

We live in a time where men are increasingly disconnected — from each other, from their bodies, from what they actually care about. Male su***de stats remain bleaker than ever. The loneliness epidemic is real, and the cost shows up everywhere — in our families, our friendships, our communities.

This workshop is one small, practical answer to a big problem. A room full of men, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, breathing and singing together. A chance to change the narrative around what it means to be a man — and to practise the qualities the world needs more of from us: vulnerability, courage, kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness.

This is for brothers, sons, fathers, uncles. For men ready to show up — for themselves, their families, their communities, and the values they care about. And to take action to protect and nurture all of it.

We'll work with an original song of mine called The Garden of Love — about getting in touch with the things that are most important to you and already within you. A fitting home at The Carmelite Centre, a community that's been pointing at the heart as a spiritual capacity for 800 years.

🎤 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥: 𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗢 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥
ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter, one half of Mama Kin Spender, breath facilitator, and creator of The Wild Man Choir.

Visit our website for more information:
https://carmelites.org.au/events

🎟️ 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝟮𝟬 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬
https://events.humanitix.com/wildmanchoir

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗘
214 Richardson Street
Middle Park VIC 3206

02/06/2026

𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗥
ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴍᴇʟɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴇ, ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴋ
https://events.humanitix.com/wildmanchoir

You don't need to be able to sing. If you can breathe, yell and clap — you're in.
A half-day workshop for men. Breath, voice, circle, song.

⚠️ 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝟮𝟬 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 — 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬
📅 𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟭𝟯 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
🕚 𝟭𝟭.𝟬𝟬𝗔𝗠 – 𝟯.𝟬𝟬𝗣𝗠

“The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired itself.”
— St John of the Cross

We live in a time where men are increasingly disconnected — from each other, from their bodies, from what they actually care about. Male su***de stats remain bleaker than ever. The loneliness epidemic is real, and the cost shows up everywhere — in our families, our friendships, our communities.
This workshop is one small, practical answer to a big problem. A room full of men, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, breathing and singing together. A chance to change the narrative around what it means to be a man — and to practise the qualities the world needs more of from us: vulnerability, courage, kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness.

This is for brothers, sons, fathers, uncles. For men ready to show up — for themselves, their families, their communities, and the values they care about. And to take action to protect and nurture all of it.
We'll work with an original song of mine called The Garden of Love — about getting in touch with the things that are most important to you and already within you. A fitting home at The Carmelite Centre, a community that's been pointing at the heart as a spiritual capacity for 800 years.

🎤 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥: 𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗢 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥
ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter, one half of Mama Kin Spender, breath facilitator, and creator of The Wild Man Choir.

Visit our website for more information:
https://carmelites.org.au/events

🎟️ 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝟮𝟬 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬
https://events.humanitix.com/wildmanchoir

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗘
214 Richardson Street
Middle Park VIC 3206

28/05/2026

God enfleshed in us

Download Celebrating At Home in PDF and ePub for The Most Holy Trinity at:
https://carmelites.org.au/celebratingathome

The Feast of the Trinity is a day for reflecting on who God is, not for trying to figure out how there can be three persons in one God.

The Church’s focus today is on experience, not theology.

In intellectual terms, God remains a mystery. For people of faith, God is known not by the mind, but by the heart. That is what spirituality and mysticism are about - exploring our experience of God.

Through our public liturgy, private prayer and contemplation we come to experience - to ‘know’ and feel in our hearts - that God loves us, accepts us, forgives us and constantly invites us into an ever-deeper experience of love.

When we allow God’s heart to speak to ours in love we begin to absorb more of God’s life into our own. We are being transformed. Our values and attitudes, our ways of looking at and being in the world start to change. We begin to see with God’s eyes and feel with God’s heart.

We become passionate about the things God is passionate about: speaking truthfully, acting with justice and integrity, looking out for each other and especially for the vulnerable, promoting peace and understanding, ending competition and discrimination, respecting life.

That makes us better people and our lives become a blessing for each other and for the world.

That is what it means to live out of God’s great gift to us, the Spirit of Jesus Christ which God has placed in our hearts. God becomes enfleshed in us and we become stewards of God’s grace and life.

You can download and print our prayers and reflections for this Sunday.
https://carmelites.org.au/celebratingathome

27/05/2026

Bougainville Remembrance Day
https://carmelites.org.au/item/1704-bougainville-remembrance-day

On Sunday 17 May Fr Paul Sireh celebrated a Remembrance Day Mass for the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville at St Dympna’s parish, Aspley. The Mass was offered for all those who lost their lives during the 10 years Civil Crisis on the island. Also present at the Mass were students from nearby Nudgee College.

The community also celebrated Fr Paul’s 21 years of Solemn Profession as a Carmelite. Fr Paul is chaplain to the PNG Brisbane and Gold Coast Catholic Community.

The celebrations included a great feast and raffle prizes. So much joy and laughter in the hall brought a wonderful feeling of community togetherness!

More photos at:
https://carmelites.org.au/item/1704-bougainville-remembrance-day