vol. 86 no. 1 spring 2018box5663.temp.domains/~ittlefm2/wp-content/uploads/... · issue of the...

Apostolate of the Little Flower

Vol 86 No 1 Spring 2018

2

EDITOR Fr Luis Belmonte-Luna OCD

CO-EDITOR

Cheyenne Cisneros

PUBLISHER Basilica of the National Shrine of

the Little Flower

ADMINISTRATOR Gloria Acosta

Apostolate of the Little Flower (ISSN 1049-9520) is published quarterly by the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St Theacuteregravese

Business Editorial Accounting and Circulation Offices

Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St Theacuteregravese

824 Kentucky Ave San Antonio Texas 78201

Apostolate of the Little Flower is a non-profit publication whose purpose is to spread devotion to St Theacuteregravese and to assist the Discalced Carmelite Friars in their various ministries Call (210) 735-9126 to subscribe

Postmaster Send address changes to

PO Box 5280 San Antonio Texas 78201

All writers consultants and staff con-tribute to this magazine on a volunteer basis and receive no remuneration for their services except for the editor Free-lance articles are accepted in accord with this genre of publication Unsigned articles are attributable to the editor All photographs of St Theacuteregravese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face OCD are used with the permission of the Office Central Lisieux France

On the Cover

St John of the Cross Imprisoned at Toledo

4

SPIRITUALITY of ST THEacuteREgraveSE and the CARMELITES

A Reflection on Salvador Dalirsquos ldquoChrist Of St John Of the Crossrdquo by Fr Emmanuel Nnadozie 3 Simple Ways to Practice Humility During Lent by Alexandra Kubebatu OCDS

5

8

ILLUMINATING the BASILICA

Concerts at the Basilica Basilica Restoration Update Tomb Chapel

9

11

13

PROVINCE of ST THEacuteREgraveSE

Secular Order Discalced Carmelites Congress Held in San Antonio

14

CONTENTS

ldquoI will spend my Heaven doing good upon earthrdquo -ST THEacuteREgraveSE

Please consider the Discalced

Carmelite Fathers of San Antonio

when making out your will

OUR TAX ID IS 74-1381325

Your legacy will live on in our

ministries for generations

3

Dear Readers

Praised be Jesus Christ On behalf of the Discalced Carmelite com-

munity here in San Antonio I welcome you to this yearrsquos Lenten

issue of The Apostolate of the Little Flower magazine

This issue honors St John of the Cross who with St Teresa of Avi-

la reformed the Carmelite Order in the 16th century Yoursquoll read in

these pages the story behind our cover image a photo of one of the

stained glass windows in our Basilica of the National Shrine here in

San Antonio This gorgeous window is one of a series of five that

was installed in 1955 along the north wall telling the story of St

Johnrsquos life It depicts the saint encountering Our Lady in his prison

cell where his fellow Carmelites had thrown him to stop his efforts

at reform

This historic publication is part of our mission to share with you

our reader the spirituality of our Carmelite saints and Doctors of

the Church Established as part of our first apostolate as The Little

Flower Magazine this publication spread devotion to Theacuteregravese in the

years before she was canonized reaching over 100000 subscribers

in 1923

Recognizing the great devotion of these subscribers from all over

the country the first friars of the Province of St Theacuteregravese discovered

their mission to share the teachings of The Little Flower prepare

for her canonization in 1925 and build a National Shrine in her

honor

You will read in this issue a little about our plans to soon begin re-

storing the Basilica We invite you as a reader to take an active role

in this exciting project just as those first readers did coming togeth-

er by the thousands as a team to build this beautiful Shrine to honor

St Theacuteregravese

Please let us know what you think of what you read here and may

this publication be a means of growth in your faith

May the Lord bless you in this season of Lent and as we celebrate

the Resurrection

Fraternally with my love and blessing

Rev Fr Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna OCD

Rector

4

On the Cover

ST JOHN OF THE CROSS

Imprisoned at Toledo

Two series of stained glass windows in the Basilica of the

National Shrine in San Antonio recount the lives of the

founders of the Discalced Carmelite Order On the north

wall a series of five arched windows depicts the life of St

John of the Cross faced by another series on the south wall

illustrating scenes from the life of St Teresa of Avila The

cover image in this issue the window depicting St John of

the Cross in Toledo prison illustrates the moment that Our

Lady appeared to him during the octave of the Assumption

to show him how to escape from the prison

On Dec 2 1577 John of the Cross was abducted by a

group of his fellow Carmelites Some of his superiors op-

posing his attempts at reforming the Carmelite Order had

commanded him to leave Avila He had disregarded their

instructions looking instead to the approval granted by the

Spanish nuncio a higher authority for his efforts

He was taken to the Carmelite monastery in Toledo tried

by a court of his fellow friars and sentenced to prison

within the monastery He was brutally treated there isolat-

ed in a ten-by-six foot cell and subjected to lashings dark-

ness extremes in temperature and near-starvation Nine

months later he managed to escape through a small win-

dow in a room adjoining his cell As soon as he had recov-

ered his health John continued his efforts at reform With-

in two months his followers had agreed to request formal

separation from the Carmelite Order

St John of the Cross is considered one of the foremost

Spanish-language poets It was during his imprisonment

that he began composing his major poems

ldquoThe Dark Night of the Soulrdquo narrates the journey of the

soul through the darkness of endurance in detaching from

the world to the light of union with God

The ldquoSpiritual Canticlerdquo is a retelling of the Song of

Songs in which the bride representing the soul searches

for her bridegroom Christ Many of St Johnrsquos theological

writings elaborate upon these poetic masterpieces

In 1926 Pope Pius XI declared St John of the Cross a Doc-

tor of Mystical Theology of the Universal Church

The Basilicarsquos St John and St Teresa windows were com-

missioned to artist Rodney Winfield of the Emil Frei Stain

Glass Co of St Louis in the 1950s The German bubble

glassrdquo holds tiny bubbles within the glass to catch the light

and enhance the colors

Photo by Carlos Ramirez

5

Spirituality of St Theacuteregravese and the Carmelites

When John of St Matthias joined St Teresa in begin-

ning a new and reformed branch of the Carmelite Or-

der he changed his religious name to John of the

Cross thus signaling a trajectory that would be im-

bued with the Mystery of the Cross Because of his

support for the reform movement of his Order John

suffered imprisonment mistreatment and calumnies

When Our Lord asked him what reward he would ask

for his labors John answered To suffer and to be

despised for Thee John is truly ldquoof the Crossrdquo

While meditating one day in the mid-1570s John had

a vision of Christ on the Cross The saint reproduced

on paper a sketch of the image he saw in the vision

the figure that came to be known as ldquoThe Drawing of

the Crucifixionrdquo In that sketch the Crucified Christ is

hanging as it were in space lifeless and contorted

turned leaning toward the world for which he died

Weighed down by the sins of the world his head is

bowed his legs bent Blood drips from his wounds

Christ wears a crown of thorns the nails of the cruci-

fixion are prominent The austere figure speaks to a

narrative of sacrifice In this sketch St John of the

Cross depicts the Suffering Servant of God ldquodespised

and forsaken of men a man of sorrows and acquaint-

ed with grief stricken smitten of God and afflicted

pierced through for our transgressions crushed for our

iniquitiesrdquo (Is 53 3-5)

This sketch awakened in another artist a deeper mean-

ing of what the saint sketched In 1950 Spanish Sur-

realist Salvador Dali (1904-1989) saw this drawing by

St John of the Cross and was deeply impressed by it

He later reported experiencing a series of dreams in-

spired by the sketch in which he felt that Christ was

urging him to paint what he saw in the dreams The

result was the work that came to be known as ldquoChrist

of St John of the Crossrdquo The painting also shows

Jesus crucified seen from above his downcast head

the focal point of the work The lower part of the

painting is of a peaceful landscape the bay of Port

Lligat On the lower right are two fishermen busy in

the harbor When we bring together St Johnrsquos sketch

with Dalirsquos painting we find a Gospel paradox the

Cross leads to resurrection from agony to ecstasy

darkness to light abandonment to possession denial

of self to union with God

CHRIST CRUCIFIED A VIEW FROM ABOVE

St John of the Crossrsquo drawing and Dalirsquos painting

both offer a transcendental perspective on the Cross

Going beyond the conventionally historical represen-

tation of the Cross they give us a view of the Cross

from abovendashfrom the Heavenly Fatherrsquos perspective

St Johnrsquos image merits special attention especially in

this Holy Season of Lent as we reflect on the Paschal

Mystery Dalirsquos modifications highlight the saintrsquos

unique perspective on the Cross positioning Christ in

the full view of the Father

The Father sees the eternal beauty of Christmdashthe met-

aphysical beauty of Christ-God in serene majesty even

on the Crossmdasha beauty commented upon by St Au-

gustine of Hippo in his sermon on Psalm 45 ldquoHe then

is beautiful in heaven beautiful on earth beautiful in

the womb beautiful in his parentsrsquo arms beautiful in

his miracles beautiful under the scourge beautiful

when inviting to life beautiful in laying down his

life beautiful in taking it up again beautiful on the

cross beautiful in the sepulcher beautiful in heavenrdquo

Consequently Dalirsquos rendition of John of the Crossrsquo

vision creates a work of beauty a crucified Christ

mindful of the wounds but without bloody sores

Here the nails are not prominent and Christ does not

wear a crown of thorns His countenance is hidden

facing down toward the world his arched arms form-

ing a triangle with the weight of the body The muscu-

lature of his back and shoulders is highlighted creat-

ing a sense of strength and sovereignty Thus Dali

painted this Christ without physical damage This

practical strategy expresses a spiritual message the

visible wounds of Christ are details among others of

the story but the beauty of his love in his suffering and

death and his divinity are the most important features of his

sacrifice which Dali represents well

A Reflection on Salvador Dalirsquos ldquoCHRIST OF ST JOHN

OF THE CROSSrdquo By Fr Emmanuel Nnadozie

6

Dalirsquos modifications on St John of the Crossrsquo original

sketch were inspired by his second dream in which he

ldquosaw the painting without the anecdotal attributes

only the metaphysical beauty of the Christ-God My

aesthetic ambition in that painting was the opposite of

all the Christs painted by most modern painters who

interpreted it in the expressionist and contortionist

sense provoking emotion through ugliness My main

concern was to paint a beautiful Christ as the same

God that he embodies

The view from above sees the Cross from the Johan-

nine perspective of the moment of glory ldquoFather the

hour has come glorify Your Son that the Son may

glorify You even as You gave Him authority over all

flesh that to all whom You have given Him He may

give eternal liferdquo (Jn 17 1-2) The Cross is the place

where the worthy Lamb that was slain begins to re-

ceive power wealth wisdom strength honor glory

and blessing (Rev 5 12) Seen from this perspective

we are called not just to pity Christ on the Cross but

to be inspired by the beauty of his love and so to take

up the crosses of daily life with love

THE HIDDEN WOUNDS OF JESUS

St John of the Crossrsquo original drawing features prom-

inently the wounds and the nails of crucifixion In be-

holding Christ on the Cross the focus is often on the

five external Sacred Wounds Christ sustained on the

Crossmdashthe marks of the nails on his hands and feet

and the wound on his side pierced through with a

spear Theologically speaking the wounds are the

channels through which Jesus offered us his blood as

the New Covenant for the salvation of the world

Dalirsquos painting conceals the external wounds giving

the opportunity to reflect on the wounds of his heart

caused by the sins of the worldmdashthe internal wounds

of love caused by his thirst for souls In the writings of

St John of the Cross the expression ldquowoundingrdquo has

a special significance It is a technical term to describe

a profound spiritual experience because of the

ldquotouchesrdquo of God In the ldquoSpiritual Canticlerdquo for ex-

ample the Bride moans ldquoWhere have you hidden

Beloved and left me moaning You fled like the stag

after wounding me I went out calling you but you

were gonerdquo These wounds are wounds of love of

openness and longing for the Other Indeed we are

wounded by our encounter with an all-powerful and

all-holy God at once experiencing the excruciating

pain of estrangement from a God we long to embrace

fully Even Christ was wounded in this way on the

Cross for our sake as he cried on the Cross ldquoMy God

My God why have you forsaken Merdquo

A LOVE STRONGER THAN DEATH

In Dalirsquos painting of St Johnrsquos Christ the Sacred

Heart of Jesus is not reflected externally but implicat-

ed in the artistic display of a strength that overcomes

the ignominy of the Cross Dali paints us a victorious

Christ He shows that the Christ of St John of the

Cross conquers death through love In Dalirsquos ldquoChrist

of St John of the Crossrdquo Jesus hanging on the Cross

has disarmed the powers and authorities and has made

a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by

the power of his love on the Cross (Col 215) Thus

the Cross is the place where goodness conquers evil

where darkness is overcome by light where the seed

of the woman finally crushes the serpentrsquos head (Gen

3 15) where the charges against us have been de-

stroyed and nailed to the Cross Above all it is where

love conquers hatred and all forms of malice

Salvador Dalirsquos ldquoCHRIST OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSSrdquo

7

THE CROSS IN OUR CULTURE

Some local churches today engage in some pious de-

votions that ldquore-enactrdquo the Passion of the Lord out-

side of the Liturgy The intent is to recapture the his-

torical moment of Christrsquos Passion to move viewers

to sorrow penitence and to compassion

Excellent as these practices may be there is a need for

a much deeper insertion of the Paschal Mystery in our

personal and collective livesmdashto allow the Paschal

Mystery to dialogue with our times not necessarily to

rehearse it The intention of the celebration of the Pas-

chal Mysteries is not merely to engage us in a histori-

cal re-enactment of the Passion of our Lord but in a

living out of its effects in our daily lives

ldquoThe Churchrsquos long tradition insists that what hap-

pened once in history passes over into the mystery of

the assembliesrsquo liturgicalsacramental celebrations

What the Paschal Triduum actually celebrates is mys-

tery not history anamnesis not mimesisrdquo (The Car-

melite Ordo 2018 84) The sketch and the painting of

the Crucified Christ allow us to enter into the mys-

tery not necessarily the history of the Passion and

Cross of the Lord

Let us follow this reflection with some personal ques-

tions regarding our devotion to the Cross of Christ

What strikes you when you look at the Crucifix

What makes the Cross of Christ a precious symbol for

you What does beholding Christ on the Cross say to

you Many devotions have arisen among Christians

from contemplating Christ on the Cross What can St

John of the Cross and Dali add to your specific devo-

tion to the Cross

Fr Emmanuel J Nnadozie is a Nigerian Carmelite of

the Anglo-Irish Province of the Discalced Carmelite

Friars He was ordained a priest in 1981 and has

worked in different capacities in his home Vicariate of

Nigeria Most of his priestly engagement has been in

the areas of seminary formation retreat work coun-

seling and pastoral ministry He trained as a pastoral

counselor at Loyola College in Maryland (2002-

2005) Presently he is doing a doctoral program in

counselor education and supervision at St Maryrsquos

University San Antonio He brings with him a rich

background in Carmelite spirituality in this reflection

Celebrating 300 Years of San Antoniorsquos Historic Missions

May 20 4 pm

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower

San Antonio Choral Society Concert

8

3 Simple Ways to Practice Humility During Lent By Alexandra Kubebatu OCDS

Lent is a season to engage in a spiritual purgation to

nurture a more peaceful soul that is pleasing to God

It is a time to grow in humility St Teresa of Avila

names humility as one of three qualities ldquoto possess

inwardly and outwardly the peace our Lord

recommended highly to usrdquo (W 4 4)

Lent is more than just a time to quietly or not so

quietly endure the pains of giving up sugar soda or

chocolate As St Teresa of Avila and St Therese of

Lisieux can attest Lenten prayer fasting and

almsgiving can bear much fruit

These Lenten practices encourage us to be more

deliberate in our spiritual development as we take

careful steps to focus our gaze on Jesus They are

more than finding a way to ldquoempathizerdquo with Jesus

and His passion but to transform our souls into the

image of Christ However prayer fasting and

almsgiving this Lenten season or fifty Lenten sea-

sons will bear no fruit without the cup of humility

Jesusrsquo suffering and dying on the cross was the

ultimate demonstration of humility

Humility is actively seeking self-denial As the

Catechism tells us ldquoHe who humbles himself will be

exalted humility is the foundation of prayer Only

when we humbly acknowledge that lsquowe do not know

how to pray as we oughtrsquo are we ready to receive

freely the gift of prayerrdquo (CCC 2559)

As Secular Carmelites we learn from the Catechism

that ldquoContemplative prayer is the simplest expres-

sion of the mystery of prayer It is a gift a grace it

can be accepted only in humility and poverty

Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship es-

tablished by God within our hearts Contemplative

prayer is a communion in which the Holy Trinity

conforms man the image of God lsquoto his likenessrsquo

ldquo(CCC 2713)

Here are three simple ways to practice humility that

can bear spiritual fruit if applied with prudence

Do not interrupt when someone is voicing a

concern Instead of formulating a defense in

your mind when confronted about a situation

and jumping in with an excuse simply apol-

ogize and move forward to mend the

relationship Give the other person their due

apology without excuses

Be more aware of the needs of others It is

human nature to firstly look after our own

physical spiritual or emotional needs Self-

preservation is a human instinct that must be

tamed lest we act to the detriment of others

Be ready to put the needs of others ahead of

your own and act with charity

Practice voluntary patience Stand at the end of

the line Let other drivers go ahead of you at

an intersection Take the smallest piece or

the last piece of the pie Delayed satisfaction

will help us train ourselves in patience self-

denial and humility

Humility is required for us to see the truth in all

things It is the unique quality that allows us to know

ourselves and ldquoseerdquo who we are in relation to God

our Creator as well as the relationship between

ourselves and His creation Humility opens the door

to a poverty of spirit or complete dependence on God

as our Father (CCC 2546) Practicing small acts of

self-denial with humility will help make all our other

Lenten sacrifices acceptable to God

ldquoI then a prisoner for the Lord urge you to live in a manner worthy of

the call you have received with all humility and gentleness with patience

bearing with one another through love striving to preserve the unity of the

spirit through the bond of peacerdquo (Ephesians 41-3)

Alexandra Kubebatu is a parish-ioner at St Matthew Catholic Church in San Antonio and a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites She is also a Marian speaker for the Pilgrim Center of Hope Alexandra con-ducts workshops addressing faith and family issues as well as the

art and science of Catholic journal writing She has authored and designed five books including the 40 Days of Greater Peace and 40 Days of Greater Love series of Catholic journals and coloring book companions Her greatest honor and joy is being a wife and mother of three lovely children

9

Concerts at the Basilica

San Antonio Tricentennial Concerts

Illuminating the Basilica

The Basilica is a premium venue for musical perfor-

mances and popular with musicians with its top-notch

acoustics Allen organ and the inspiring art and beauty

of the space This year the Basilica is partnering in-

creasingly with musical groups in the community to

share with audiences the ldquokinship between music and

hope between song and eternal liferdquo as Pope Benedict

XVI once spoke of it

San Antonio Chamber Choir

ldquoPsalms in Songrdquo

On Jan 20 San Antonio Chamber Choir presented

ldquoPsalms in Songrdquo at the Basilica Composers through-

out time have been inspired to compose some of the

most glorious music ever written based on the Psalms

This concert presented choral Psalm settings from all

corners of the world and through the ages from Pale-

strina to Ralph Vaughan Williams

Musica Sacra ldquoEncountersrdquo

April 8

Another local choral ensemble Musica Sacra will be

joined by the University Choir of Our Lady of the Lake

and the viols of Austin Baroque Orchestra in

ldquoEncountersrdquo This concert will bring together the cho-

ral music of John Taverner (1490-1545) and John Tav-

ener (1944-2013) The music of the two composers

although different on the surface shares a strong con-

nection to medieval chant and polyphony Included in

the concert is Tavernerrsquos ldquoDum Transisset Sabbatumrdquo

recounting the story of the three women who first en-

counter the risen Lord after the Resurrection Tavenerrsquos

ldquoIkon of Lightrdquo is based on an invocational hymn to the

Spirit by Symeon the New Theologian a 10th-century

Byzantine monk Admission is by donation a portion

of the proceeds will go to the Basilica restoration fund

ldquoBallads of the Borderlandrdquo

March 27

In honor of San Antoniorsquos Tricentennial San Anto-

niorsquos Childrenrsquos Chorus and Chamber Choir with

soloist Tynan Davis and instrumental chamber en-

semble SOLI will present this original work Written

by local composer Ethan Wickman with texts by lo-

cal poets John Phillip Santos and Carmen Tafolla

this secular cantata celebrates San Antonio and its

people A majestic tale of our cultural history this

performance weaves together powerful texts with

spirited stories and artifacts of those who lived the

tale and helped mold our cultural mosaic The con-

cert is free and open to the public

ldquoRitmo y Cancioacuten ldquoEl Camino de las

Misioacutenesrdquo (The Road of the Missions)

May 20

In celebration of 300 years of San Antonios historic

Spanish missions the Basilica will host the perfor-

mance of this new choral work by renown composer

James Syler Commissioned and performed by the

San Antonio Choral Society this hybrid work cap-

tures native Spanish and Mexican cultures by in-

cluding authentic native Indian music and traditional

Western music Other musical works on the program

will pay homage to various aspects of the missions

their iconic bells daily life and liturgical celebra-

tions Specialists from the region will contribute au-

thentic instrumental accompaniment


10

Photo from the 1931 dedication

of the statue of St Theacuteregravese that

stands atop the smaller 72-foot

tower of the Basilica facing

down-town San Antonio The

1000-pound statue was cast in

bronze in Italy It was designed

by San Antonio craftsman Lou-

is Rodriguez (1893-1984) who

carved all the marble in the

sanctuary including the altar

rail the Infant Jesus of Prague

and Lady of Guadalupe altars

(in the 1940s) and etched the

hundreds of names of donors

on the name tiles covering the

walls of the Shrine

December Concerts The Basilica will again host the Matachines Indian dancers

in Serenata a la Virgen de Guadalupe a traditional Mexican

music and dance program in honor of the Feast of Our Lady

of Guadalupe on Dec 11

The 20th annual La Gran Posada a traditional Mexican

Christmas celebration will be held on Dec 16 with music by

the Hispanic Heritage Society of San Antonio The audience

is invited to join a procession around the interior of the Basil-

ica in a centuries-old traditional retelling of the biblical story

of the Holy Familyrsquos search for Jesus birthplace

San Antonio Mastersingers

Musical Shower of Roses

May 27 St Theacuteregravese continues her work of

blessing the world through the Basili-

ca honoring her promise to let fall a

shower of roses on the earth with ldquoA

Musical Shower of Rosesrdquo an annual

tradition with the San Antonio Master-

singers since 1997 The program is to

be announced

11

Basilica Restoration Update

The Basilica dedicated in 1931 is showing its

age with structural cracks and other deterioration

According to an engineerrsquos assessment structural

repairs amounting to approximately $14 million are

necessary to address the problems of water infiltra-

tion adequately to be followed by restoration and

interior remodeling estimated at an additional $56

million

Immediate objectives are to resolve the causes of the

damages infrastructure problems particularly water

infiltration and inadequate site drainage and to pre-

vent further damage Phases of work will be com-

pleted as funds are available Careful preparation

will be essential to success in this undertaking

Recent Work Completed Renovations were completed this year on the convent

across the street to prepare it to house the friars dur-

ing work on the Basilica and attached monastery We

are also awaiting assessment results on hail damages

to the roof tiles

The most recently completed phase of repairs done

in 2015 is the replacement of the monasterys main

plumbing and sewer lines and the installation of a

new sump pump to help with water extraction This

work has made the monastery inhabitable once again

for the community of Discalced Carmelite friars

Between 2005 and 2007 the undercroft of the 11000

square foot church floor plan was remodeled and

refinished with the addition of the St Elias Adora-

tion Chapel The chapel dedicated to silent prayer

opened for prayer and exposition of the Blessed Sac-

rament on the Feast of Corpus Christi in 2007

An elevator was also installed with service to the

basement the main floor and the choir loft along

with a marble stairwell leading down from the nar-

thex to the basement and new restrooms Along the

hallway along the north side interior of the under-

croft the Celine painting of St Theacuteregravese is dis-

played in a niche A new entrance to the undercroft

from the north side of the Basilica includes a small

12

plaza area terraced on each side A chapel foyer

leads into the St Elias Adoration Chapel located

under the tomb chapel

Funding The costs basement renovations came to $16 mil-

lion Funding of $800000 was provided by the

Abdo Family Trust The other $800000 came from

private donations

Portions of these later projects have been funded by

the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation the

Kenedy Memorial Foundation the Scanlan Founda-

tion and the Stuart-Griffin-Perlitz Foundation

along with many generous individual donors

Funds are needed now to plan and conduct a fund-

raising campaign and to design the entire project

from the repairs for water infiltration to the final

remodeling We are actively looking for individual

contributors locally and around the country who

can provide the first major donations to build our

campaign

We ask for your prayers your contributions and

your help in identifying individuals who could be

blessed by taking part in this restoration The same

way the Basilica was built we can restore it

The plaques lining the walls of the Basilica bear the

names of many of some 6000 donors from all

around the country who came together in their de-

votion to the newly canonized St Theacuteregravese and built

the Basilica

The cost of construction for the Basilica was just

under $300000 It was as daunting a sum in those

daysmdashat the start of the Great Depression in

1929mdashas the amount we are facing today to restore

it Raising that amount then was a miracle Raising

the sums needed now will only be accomplished

through prayer Godrsquos power and the intercession of

our patroness

Many joining together for this cause can be the mir-

acle we need with your help and that of so many

who are devoted to St Theacuteregravese around the country

Foundational to the restoration will be strengthen-

ing the Shrine in its function in Carmelite spirituali-

ty This restoration project is part of a mission-

driven reorganization in the Province of St Theacuteregravese

the Discalced Carmelite friars who administer the

Basilica

Administration The 2017-2020 Provincial Superior Fr Stephen

Sanchez OCD is a San Antonio native He

was ordained as a priest at the Basilica in 1992

ldquoWe have a great deal of important work to accom-

plish in these next several years that will help our

Province thrive and continue its mission to the

Church well into the futurerdquo Fr Stephen said

In recent years lay staff is increasingly assisting the

Province in carrying out its mission A central busi-

ness office was established in San Antonio in 2011

Susana Cantuacute stepped into the position of executive

director last year She directs the administration of

the Province including the Basilica and Little

Flower School with a small leadership team in de-

velopment and business management

ldquoMy task is to work with the Carmelite friars to pro-

vide the means for them to continue their apostolic

workrdquo Mrs Cantuacute said ldquoI look to the transforma-

tional leadership style of their foundress Teresa of

Avila and her lsquoTeresianrsquo spirit of vision innova-

tion and couragerdquo

Love can accomplish all things Things that are most impossible become easy

where love is at work ndash The Little Flower

13

The greatest tribute to St Theacuteregravese in the

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little

Flower is the tomb chapel A reproduction

of the sepulcher in Lisieux France pre-

sents a life-size effigy of St Theacuteregravese after

her death It is hand-sculpted out of a sin-

gle piece of wood and covered in gold leaf

like the original in Lisieux

The Basilica is home to three first-class

relics of the saint A ring on the saintrsquos left

hand contains several bone fragments A

wooden reliquary in the form of the cross

surrounded by a wreath of roses stands in

front of the tabernacle door in the tomb

chapel containing two more relics a piece

of bone and a swath of cloth from St Theacute-

regravesersquos habit Also within the gated chapel

is a panorama of the life story of St Theacute-

regravese executed in stained glass

ORDER YOUR VIGIL CANDLE TODAY

Light a Vigil Candle for Your Prayer Intentions

at the Tomb Chapel of St Theacuteregravese

My Novena Rose Prayer O Little Theacuteregravese of the Child

Jesus please pick for me a rose

from the heavenly gardens and

send it to me as a message of

love O Little Flower of Jesus

ask God today to grant the favor

I now place with confidence in

your handshellip (Mention specific

requests) St Theacuteregravese help me

to always believe as you did in

Godrsquos great love for me so that I

may imitate your ldquoLittle Wayrdquo

each day

Amen

14

Province of St Theacuteregravese

Secular Order Discalced Carmelites

Congress Held in San Antonio Nov 2 - 5 with 386 members

The Secular Discalced Carmelites (OCDS) of the

Province of St Theacuteregravese hosted the annual OCDS

congress Nov 2-5 at the Omni Hotel at the Colon-

nade in San Antonio In attendance were 386 OCDS

members representing 83 communities from around

the US

The annual OCDS congress is the main formation

event bringing together secular members with reli-

gious members of the Order for fellowship and spir-

itual enrichment and training All Carmelites are in

life-long formation to live the charism and spirituali-

ty of Carmel in following Jesus Christ in service to

its mission

Each triennium each of the three OCD provinces in

the US sponsors a regional congress open to all of

the nearly 7000 OCDS members in the US The

Province of St Theacuteregravese comprises approximately

880 secular members in 37 communities over

12 central and southern states

The Discalced Carmelite mission is to promote

ldquofriendship with Godrdquo through contemplative prayer

and the vowed life as lived by St Teresa of Avila

and St John of the Cross the Orders founders They

also share the teachings of St Theacuteregravese of Lisieux

The OCDS charism is to further OCD spirituality as

laypersons in the world and to form communities

with others of the same vocation

The theme of the 2017 Congress was Our Vocation

is Love reminiscent of the teachings St Theacuteregravese

who said ldquoI will be love in the heart of our mother

the Church

Speakers included Fr Daniel Chowning OCD a

member of the Washington Province of Discalced

Carmelite Friars and currently serving in Rome as a

Definitor of the General Curia of the Discalced Car-

melite Order Others on the slate of speakers were

Mark Danis OCDS co-host of the Carmelite Con-

versations Radio program on Radio Maria Fr Alzi-

nir Debastiani OCD Delegate General for the

OCDS since 2012 and from the St Joseph Province

in South East Brazil and Fr Marc Foley OCD au-

thor of several books on St Theacuteregravese of the Child Je-

sus and St John of the Cross and currently publisher

for ICS Publications

The Most Reverend Gustavo Garcia-Siller Archbish-

op of San Antonio presided at Mass at the Omni on

Friday Nov 3 On Saturday attendees made pil-

grimages to the historical Missions of San Antonio

followed by a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Na-

tional Shrine of the Little Flower where 11 Carmel-

ite priests from around the nation concelebrated

Mass

The St Theacuteregravese Province based in San Antonio is a

community of 17 priests and religious brothers The

friars minister to over 5200 parish families in San

Antonio Dallas and Oklahoma City The Province

also directs a retreat center in Dallas and a monastery

in Little Rock Ark and

Secular Order members process into Little Flower Basilica with their community banners

15

serves the nearly 100 cloistered Discalced Carmelite

Sisters in six communities in four states The six friars

in the San Antonio community direct the Basilica of

the National Shrine of the Little Flower and Little

Flower School

ldquoThe OCDS is an essential part of the OCDrdquo said Fr

Stephen Sanchez OCD Provincial Superior of the

St Theacuteregravese Province ldquoThe OCDS have an important

mission to share our vocation wherever they are We

greatly value their vocation and their contributions to

our spiritual work we have great hope in their voca-

tion because we believe they bring new life to our Or-

derrdquo

The San Antonio OCDS community celebrated its

60th year in 2016 Its 45 members meet monthly for

formation primarily the study of Carmelite saints and

for their apostolate work as a community which re-

cently has included participating in weekly Holy Hour

for vocations and conducting tours of Little Flower

Basilica

The congress was organized as a joint effort of twelve

different communities and the OCDS Provincial Council

of the Province of St Theacuteregravese The congress was spon-

sored by a private Catholic family foundation and the

Koch Foundation of Gainsville Fla and numerous indi-

vidual donations

This year at the annual Secular Order congress 11 Discalced Carmelite priests from around the nation concelebrated Mass at Little Flower Basilica

From left Susan King council member and past presi-dent of the San Antonio OCDS community Fr Bonaven-ture Sauer OCD Provincial Delegate of the Province of St Theacuteregravese to the OCDS Anna Peterson OCDS St Theacuteregravese Provincial Council and liturgist

St Theacuteregravese Painting

Perhaps the most treasured work of art at the Ba-

silica is the painting of St Theacuteregravese created by the

saintrsquos own natural blood sister Celine (Sr Gene-

viegraveve of the Holy Face) The painting was a gift

from the Discalced Carmelite Nuns from the con-

vent of Carmel in Lisieux France Oral history

states that the painting traveled to Rome for the

event of Theacuteregravesersquos canonization by Pope Pious XI

at a ceremony on May 17 1925

Prints on high-quality linen stock (20rdquo x 26rdquo)

are available for purchase

ORDER YOUR PRINT TODAY

16

APOSTOLATE OF THE LITTLE FLOWER PO Box 5280 San Antonio Texas 78201

PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS

Enroll in the Little Flower Carmelite Mass Association

Enrollment Benefits Membership enrollment in the Mass Association is for one year and includes the following benefits

Remembrance in a sung Mass every Saturday in the chapel of our

Discalced Carmelite Nuns

Offering of the Eucharist at the Basilica on the following days

Christmas Day Solemnity of St Joseph (March 19) Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt Carmel (July 16) Solemnity of St Theacuteregravese the Little Flower (October 1) Solemnity of St Teresa of Jesus (October 15) All Souls Day (November 2 for enrollees who have died)

Remembrance in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the

Discalced Carmelite Friars

Enrollments are for both the living and the deceased

The Discalced Carmelite Friars would like to offer you the opportunity to enroll your family friends and loved

ones in the Little Flower Carmelite Mass Association named in honor of our beloved patroness The Eucharist

as celebrated in Mass was greatly valued by St Theacuteregravese the Little Flower the patroness of our Province In

her autobiography The Story of a Soul St Theacuteregravese describes the joy she experienced upon receiving her First

Communion a joy that continued throughout her adult life as a Carmelite nun serving as sacristan in her clois-

tered community As a token of your love we will send a Mass Certificate to the family member or friend whom

you wish to receive the enrollment This enrollment originates a process of prayer that culminates in the re-

membrance of the one enrolled into the Masses and prayers of Discalced Carmelite Friars at the Basilica of the

National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio Texas

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE

LITTLE FLOWER

2

EDITOR Fr Luis Belmonte-Luna OCD

CO-EDITOR

Cheyenne Cisneros

PUBLISHER Basilica of the National Shrine of

the Little Flower

ADMINISTRATOR Gloria Acosta

Apostolate of the Little Flower (ISSN 1049-9520) is published quarterly by the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St Theacuteregravese

Business Editorial Accounting and Circulation Offices

Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St Theacuteregravese

824 Kentucky Ave San Antonio Texas 78201

Apostolate of the Little Flower is a non-profit publication whose purpose is to spread devotion to St Theacuteregravese and to assist the Discalced Carmelite Friars in their various ministries Call (210) 735-9126 to subscribe

Postmaster Send address changes to

PO Box 5280 San Antonio Texas 78201

All writers consultants and staff con-tribute to this magazine on a volunteer basis and receive no remuneration for their services except for the editor Free-lance articles are accepted in accord with this genre of publication Unsigned articles are attributable to the editor All photographs of St Theacuteregravese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face OCD are used with the permission of the Office Central Lisieux France

On the Cover

St John of the Cross Imprisoned at Toledo

4

SPIRITUALITY of ST THEacuteREgraveSE and the CARMELITES

A Reflection on Salvador Dalirsquos ldquoChrist Of St John Of the Crossrdquo by Fr Emmanuel Nnadozie 3 Simple Ways to Practice Humility During Lent by Alexandra Kubebatu OCDS

5

8

ILLUMINATING the BASILICA

Concerts at the Basilica Basilica Restoration Update Tomb Chapel

9

11

13

PROVINCE of ST THEacuteREgraveSE

Secular Order Discalced Carmelites Congress Held in San Antonio

14

CONTENTS

ldquoI will spend my Heaven doing good upon earthrdquo -ST THEacuteREgraveSE

Please consider the Discalced

Carmelite Fathers of San Antonio

when making out your will

OUR TAX ID IS 74-1381325

Your legacy will live on in our

ministries for generations

3

Dear Readers












at reform






in 1923





honor









the Resurrection



Rector

4

On the Cover















































5





















































































6






































































7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

3

Dear Readers












at reform






in 1923





honor









the Resurrection



Rector

4

On the Cover















































5





















































































6






































































7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

4

On the Cover















































5





















































































6






































































7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

5





















































































6






































































7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

6






































































7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

7























Cross of the Lord









tion to the Cross














May 20 4 pm



8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

8





































ldquo(CCC 2713)






















denial and humility
















9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

9






















April 8

















March 27















May 20














10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

10

















walls of the Shrine




















be announced

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

11









million











to the roof tiles





















12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

12







private donations












campaign









the Basilica








our patroness









Basilica
























13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

13



































each day

Amen

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

14









the US







its mission


















the Church





















Mass








15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

15





Flower School








derrdquo







Basilica






vidual donations
















16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

16


PERIODICALS

POSTAGE PAID

SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS




















LITTLE FLOWER

vol. 86 no. 1 spring 2018box5663.temp.domains/~ittlefm2/wp-content/uploads/... · issue of the...

Documents