Fr. Miguel of Mary Márquez Calle, O.C.D. was born in 1965 in Plasencia (Cáceres), Spain. He entered the Discalced Carmelite Order in 1983 and made his religious profession in 1985. He was ordained a priest in Medina del Campo in 1990. He has a degree in Dogmatic Theology from the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, with a thesis on the image of God in the Magnificat.

Has held numerous positions of responsibility in the life of the Discalced Carmelite Provinces of Castilla and Ibérica. In the Province of Castilla, Father Miguel served as a Provincial Councilor from 1999–2002, then as Vicar Provincial from 2002–2005, a position to which he was elected once again at the Provincial Chapter of 2008; next, he served as the Provincial Superior of the Castilian province. He also has served as a formator in that province, directing the students for six years in the community of Salamanca. In February 2015, Father Márquez was the first provincial superior elected to serve the new Iberian Province of St. Teresa of Jesus, which was created from the union of all the smaller Discalced Carmelite provinces in Spain and the Balearic Islands during the extraordinary provincial chapter that was convened for this specific purpose. He was re-elected to serve once again in the first ordinary provincial chapter in April 2017 for a term from 2017–2020.

Father Márquez is author of numerous publications on theology and spirituality. He also has written many articles as a regular contributor to magazines and journals. Father Márquez also has served as a professor of mysticism and Mariology in the CITeS University of Mysticism in Avila, as a professor of Mariology in the Carmelite renewal program at Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel, and he also has served as a professor of pastoral ministry in the Institute of Spirituality of Santo Domingo.

Father Miguel has directed many retreats and days of recollection, and has provided assistance to numerous prayer groups. He also has dedicated much time and effort to the spiritual direction and accompaniment of many people, including priests, religious, nuns, and laity.

Activity

He is entrusted with the government of the whole Order. Solicitous for the common good, he must foster the life and development of the Order and promote close cooperation between the provinces and the central government.

The better to achieve this he must be in constant contact with the provinces, and make a pastoral visitation of all of them personally or through a delegate during his term of office. (Const. 173).

The main part of his work consists in pastoral and fraternal visitations, in order to know the actual situation, to create communion and exhort the members, both friars and sisters, in their vocation and mission. He also endeavours to participate in meetings, conferences and celebrations. At the same time his visits involve going to the convents of our nuns in a particular region, or attending the reunions of convents, such as the gatherings of Associations and Federations. At the same time he will almost always meet with Secular Order communities, and with other Carmelite groups, first and foremost the Affiliated Institutes.

His work in the curia in Rome is continuous. The object of his travels is to expand the Order, to ensure a good standard of formation, to resolve the difficulties in Provinces, convents or with individuals, to pay particular attention to those centres that are directly dependent on the Generalate, to nourish relations with the Holy See — usually carried out by the Procurator General — for those matters which are within his competence. All this involves listening to and seeking advice from the Definitors and officials at the Generalate. The vitality of modern life has multiplied the amount of correspondence received by traditional as well as modern means. The expansion into new regions and cultures presents its own challenges. The crisis in vocations felt in the older Provinces creates a knock-on effect. Finally, together with the above mentioned activities, the financial dimension cannot be disregarded, which is at times critical.

Fr. Pius James was born 11 July 1966 in Mangalore (India). He made his First Profession 3 July 1986 and was Solemnly Professed 31 May 1992. He was ordained a Priest 27April 1994.

After completing his Philosophy and Theology studies in India, he obtained a Licence in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He went on to get a Diploma in Linguistic Studies at Harvard University (USA) and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He was awarded a Gold Medal for Studies in English Literature by Mysore University (India).

After his ordination, he was appointed Formation Director of Seminarians and served as a Parish Priest for a year in the Bangalore Diocese. From 2011 to 2014, he was Rector of the Major Seminary in Mangalore and from 2014 to 2017 was appointed Director of the Spirituality Institute in Ryshivana (India). He was First Counsellor of his OCD Province from 2017 to 2020. In the meantime (2012 to 2020), he was also the Episcopal Vicar for Religious in the Mangalore Diocese before being elected Provincial of the Karnataka Goa Province in July 2020.

Fr. Pius taught Sacred Scripture courses in different Seminaries and Biblical Institutes in India and was a member of the Biblical Commission for the New Living Translation of the Bible. He has also written various articles on Scripture and Spirituality and is the author of two volumes on the Psalms.

Fr. Philbert was born 20 May 1968 in the Zomba district of Malawi. He made his First Profession 31 July 1991 and was Solemnly Professed 4 August 1996. He studied Philosophy at the Intercongregational Seminary in Balaka, Malawi, and at the Apostles of Jesus Seminary in Kenya. He also studied Theology in Kenya at Tangaza. He was ordained Deacon 17 November 1997 and Priest 6 June 1998, both in Malawi. He obtained a Licence in Spiritual Theology at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA), Kenya.

During his years as a Carmelite, Fr. Philbert was entrusted with many and varied roles of responsibility in the Order and elsewhere:

Vice Parish Priest; Master of Theology students (Kenya); Master of Postulants; Academic Dean and, later, Rector of the Major Seminary of Philosophy (ICS) in Balaka, Malawi; Professor, Formation and Spiritual Director at the National Seminary of Theology for Diocesan Priests (Zomba); Director of the Spirituality Centre in Nyungwe; Master of Novices; Provincial Delegate of Malawi; President of the Conference of Superiors for the OCD Anglophone areas of Africa; Religious Assistant of the Federation of Anglophone Carmelite Nuns in Africa; Member and Moderator of the College of Consultants in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe; Parish Priest in the Parish of Our Lady of Hope, Chiphaso, Kasungu.

Fr. Robert was born 25 December 1968 in the Sardinian city of Cagliari. After his Secondary studies, he moved to Germany in 1987 for Informative Studies courses at the University of Erlangen-Norimberga. After his Doctorate, here he transferred to Austria for Doctorate studies at the Research Institute for Symbolic Calculus (RISC) in the Johannes Kepler University of Linz. He entered our Order in August 1995 and concluded his doctorate as a Postulant in 1996. He made his First Profession 20 September 1997 and was Solemnly Professed 15 August 2001. On June 28 2003, he was ordained a Priest in Linz. He studied Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Linz and was conferred with a Masters degree in 2003.

From 2005, Fr. Robert held various roles of government in the Austrian semi-Province:-

2005-2008 Prior of Graz; 2008-2011 Provincial; 2011-2014 Prior of Vienna and Vicar Provincial; 2014-2017 Provincial; 2017-20 Vicar Provincial; 2020- Prior of Vienna and Vicar Provincial. He served as Missions’ Procurator and a member of the Economic Commission of the Order for a number of years. At the moment, he is still Director of the Editorial House of “Christliche Innerlickeir” and President of the Edith Stein Gesellschaft Osterreich (the Edith Stein Society of Austria). For the past number of years he has also been the Religious Assistant of the Magna Mater Austriae Federation of Carmelite Nuns in Austria.

He was elected Definitor General 8 September 2021 at the 92nd General Chapter of the Order in Rome.

Fr. Christianus was born 27 March 1968 in Flores, Indonesia. After frequenting the John Berchmans Minor Seminary at Flores, he entered the Indonesian Commissariat Noviciate, 13 November 1991. He made his Simple Profession at Bjawa-Flores 14 November 1992 and was Solemnly Professed in Kupang-Timor, 14 November 1997. He was ordained a Priest, 5 September 1999, at Bajawa.

Formation

He studied at the John Berchmans Minor Seminary in Bajawa-Flores, 1985-1989. His Philosophy and Theology studies were completed at the Catholic University of Kupang, Indonesia, 1993-1999. In 2003-2004, he attended a Course of Spirituality at CITeS, Avila, Spain. He was conferred with a Licence in Spirituality (2005) by the North of Spain Faculty of Theology, Vitoria, and a Doctorate in Spirituality from the North of Spain Faculty of Theology, Burgos, in 2019.

Pastoral Experience

From the year of his Ordination (1999), Fr. Christianus has held the following offices in the Order and elsewhere:-

Assistant Master of Philosophy students in Kupang (1999-2002); Professor in the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology at the Catholic University of Kupang, Indonesia (2006-2014). He lectured here on Eastern Philosophy, Church History and History of the Indonesian Church;  Superior of the House of Formation for Philosophy students, Kupang (2006-2008); Provincial Delegate for Indonesia (2008-2011);  Counsellor of the Commissariat and Superior in the House of Formation for Theology students at Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2011-2014).

He was a conventual at the Noviciate House in Bajawa, Flores from 2020 until his election as Definitor in September 2021.

Fr. Martin was born 29 July 1966 in Apatzingan Michoacan, Mexico. He entered the Order 1 September 1984, making his First Profession 7 August 1986. From 1986 to 1988, he studied for a Baccalaureate in Philosophy at the Palafoxiam Seminary in Puebla. This was followed from 1988 to 1992 by his studies for a Baccalaureate in Theology at the Colegio Maximo of Christ the King S.J. in Mexico City. He made his Solemn Profession 7 August 1991 at the Sabatina Church in Mexico. He was ordained a Deacon in Pisa, Italy 1993 and a Priest 20 July 1994 in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. He continued his studies for a Licence in Sacred Scripture 1993-1996 in Rome at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. From October 2007 to June 2008, he studied for a Masters Degree in Mysticism at CITeS, Avila, Spain. In December 2015, he was conferred with a Doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical University of Comillas. His doctoral thesis was entitled “Biblical roots of Teresian Mysticism”.

Offices in the Carmelite Order:

Formation: Master of Theology Students, 1997-8; Master of Novices, 1999-2001; Master of Postulants, 2003-2004.

Government: Counsellor for Formation, 1999-2001 and 2001-2004; Prior of St. Joachim, Mexico; Prior at Alba de Tormes (Spain) 2009-2012; Prior of San Angel, 2015.

Professor: Introductory courses on Sacred Scripture and Writings of St. Paul at the Colegio Maximo of Christ the King S.J., (CMCR);  OCD Centre for Studies of Human Values (CEVHAC); Mexican Institute of Intercongregational Theological Formation (IFTIM) and at the OFM Institute of Theology (OFM).

He served as Vice Director of CEVHAC 1996-1999 and as its Director in the years 2005-2007 and 2016-2021.

Writings:  Books published by St. Teresa Editorial, Mexico: “Elías el que está de pie ante el rostro de Dios” 2004 and “Sor Isabel discípula de san Pablo” 2007. Also articles on “La contemplación en Elías” in “La Biblia libro de contemplación” CITeS, Ávila, 2010 and “Maria en la Biblia” in ‘Myriam’ 2013.

Fr. Christophe was born 25 November 1971 in Avignon (France). He made his First Profession 15 August 1995 at Gommerville, was Solemnly Professed in Avon 26 September 1998, and was ordained a Priest 23 June 2002 in Fontainbleau.

He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Theological Faculty of Lille, getting his Baccalaureate in 1999 and then being conferred with a Licence from the Theological Faculty of Paris, with specialization in Ecumenism (2001). In 2004, he wrote a book on Orthodox Spirituality: “The Prayer of the Heart”.

Offices in the Carmelite Order: From 2002 to 2004, Provincial Bursar; 2005-2008 and 2014-2020, Provincial Counsellor; 2008-2014, Prior in Paris; 2014-2017, Prior in Lille, 2017-2020, Prior of Avon. He served as Provincial of the Paris Province 2020-2021 until his election as Definitor at the General Chapter in Rome, September 2021.

As a Definitor, he is also responsible for Youth Pastoral, Ecology and Creation.

Fr. Jean Baptiste was born 31 December 1980. After obtaining a Baccalaureate A4 (Philosophy and Letters), in October 2002, he had ‘a live-in’ experience of their community life with the Carmelites in the monastery of Dedougou (Burkina Faso) and became a Postulant from 2002 to 2005. He studied Philosophy at the Major Seminary of Sts. Peter and Paul in Ougadougou (Burkina Faso) and entered the Noviciate of Dedougou in 2005. He made his First Profession 8 September 2006 and studied Theology at the Abidjan Centre of Missionary Formation (now the Catholic Missionary Institute of Abidjan), affiliated to the Catholic University of Abidjan. After receiving his Baccalaureate here, he was Solemnly Professed 12 December 2009. He was ordained Deacon 14 December 2009 and a Priest 10 July 2010, at Dedougou, Burkina Faso.

He spent two years in Parochial ministry with responsibility for young people while also acting as the local Bursar. Then in 2014, he was conferred with a Licence in Canon Law in Salamanca, Spain. From September 2014 to 2021, he served as Master of the Theology Students in Abidjan. 8 September 2020 he was nominated as Provincial Delegate of the Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo Delegation, of the Spanish Province. He was elected Definitor at the General Chapter in Rome in September 2021.