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EDITOR Fr. Luis Belmonte-Luna, OCD CO-EDITORS Cheyenne Cisneros Anna Migeon PUBLISHER Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower ADMINISTRATOR Susana Cantu Apostolate of the Little Flower (ISSN 1049-9520) is published quarterly by the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St. Thérèse.

Business, Editorial Accounting and Circulation Offices:

Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St. Thérèse

824 Kentucky Ave San Antonio, Texas, 78201

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

Postmaster:

Send address changes to P.O. Box 5280

San Antonio, Texas 78201 All writers, consultants, and staff contribute to this magazine on a volunteer basis and receive no re-muneration for their services. Free-lance articles are accepted in ac-cord with this genre of publication. Unsigned articles are attributable to the editor. All photographs of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, OCD, are used with the permission of the Office Central, Lisieux, France.

“I will spend my Heaven doing good upon earth.”

—St. Thérèse

Please consider the Discalced Car-melite Fathers of San Antonio when

making out your will.

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Your legacy will

live on in our ministries for generations.

IN THIS ISSUE...

ON THE COVER 4 Stained Glass Window: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Carmelite Saints

SPIRITUALITY OF ST. THÉRÈSE AND THE CARMELITES

5 The Gospel Image of Our Lady at the Foot Of the Cross By Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD

ILLUMINATING THE BASILICA

7 Celebrating 20 Years as a Basilica

9 St. Thérèse Painting

10 Basilica Restoration Update

PROVINCE OF ST. THÉRÈSE

11 Forming the Future: Province of St. Thérèse Friars Focus on Strategic Planning

13 Honoring Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew

14 Remembering Fr. Raphael Kitz, OCD

3

Dear readers,

Praised be Jesus Christ! We Discalced Carmelites dedicate July to Our Lady of Mt.

Carmel. In this issue also, we honor Mary as our model of discipleship and servant-

hood to the Lord. She shows us how to live our relationship with her beloved Son.

The first Carmelites took their name from Mt. Carmel in Israel, where, inspired by the

prophet Elijah, they founded their Order in the 12th century. These “Brothers of the

Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel” established their charism on devotion to our La-

dy.

The Carmelite spirituality has been a precious gift for the universal Church. Its sym-

bol, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, is the habit of all the branches of

the Carmelite Order. It illustrates our unity: the friars, the cloistered nuns, and the Sec-

ular Order, and all those who associate with us in this spirituality. It offers us a rich

tradition that reveres Mary as the first and greatest of Christ’s disciples. The scapular

is a symbol of Mary’s protection to the Order of Carmel—including those connected to

it—as they strive to fulfill the vocation of living in allegiance to Jesus.

In this issue, you’ll read reflections from our Provincial Superior, Fr. Stephen Sanchez,

O.C.D., on the image of Our Lady at the foot of the Cross, as the Mother of all believ-

ers. We think you’ll find intriguing also a glimpse into the many tales told by the Ba-

silica’s largest window, which honors Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. You’ll find plenty of

news on the Basilica, now celebrating 20 years since the official papal declaration of

its designation. We also share here some of the many happenings in the Province of St.

Thérèse.

Don’t miss the story of “The Apotheosis of the Canonization,” a priceless gift we friars

received from the nuns of Lisieux back in 1927.

We are grateful to you for your interest in the Discalced Carmelite spirituality. You

fulfill the Carmelite mission and participate in our charism through your own alle-

giance to Christ as well as your support and prayers.

May the Lord and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel bless you.

Fraternally,

Rev. Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, OCD

Rector

4

Stained Glass Window:

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

and Carmelite Saints

The earliest Carmelites were hermits on Mt. Carmel in the Holy

Land. In the 13th century, they built a chapel there for Our Lady

and declared her “Lady of the Place”: the Mother, Sister, Protector,

and Queen of Mt. Carmel and their community. The Order’s devo-

tion to Mary as its model is distinctively Carmelite in its contem-

plative focus on the interior life and friendship with God. The Dis-

calced Carmelites symbolize their commitment to Our Lady of Mt.

Carmel in the Brown Scapular as part of their habit. Our Lady of

Mt. Carmel is central to the spirituality of the Discalced Carmelites

as to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, from

its origins as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Thérèse Church.

Overlooking the main choir loft, the largest window in the Basilica

honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel.

The window also recounts certain Carmelite traditions and legends

surrounding Our Lady. On the cover of this issue is the upper cen-

tral panel of the window, depicting Our Lady surrounded by Car-

melite saints. We recognize with certainty only Teresa of Jesus,

with her pen, from left; Simon Stock with the Brown Scapular;

Thérése, The Little Flower; and John of the Cross.

The lower central panel of the window shows Our Lady descending

to Purgatory to liberate those wearing the Brown Scapular. This

window shows “the Sabbatine Privilege at work,” said Fr. Sam

Anthony Morello, O.C.D., a friar of the Province of St. Thérèse.

The legend of an apocryphal Papal Bull claiming that Pope John

XXII had received the Sabbatine Privilege from Our Lady, is de-

picted in the lower right window.

“At best a legend and historically unfounded,” the Sabbatine (of

Saturday, the day to honor Our Lady) Privilege was condemned by

the Vatican in 1613 as a “Documentum spurium,” a forgery, but

the correction “didn’t take hold because the Reformation was rag-

ing,” Fr. Sam explained.

In 2000, Fr. Sam was assigned to the 2nd commission of the Vati-

can on the Brown Scapular and the Sabbatine Privilege. The com-

mission was mandated by the five Carmelite provinces in the U.S.

to present the official teaching of the Catholic Church and the Car-

melite Orders. With Patrick McMahon, O.Carm., Fr. Sam authored

a booklet, The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: Catechesis

and Ritual, containing the updated catechesis on the subject.

The upper right window shows St. Simon Stock receiving the

Brown Scapular in a Marian vision in the monastery of Aylesford,

England, in 1251. This event is significant historically, Fr. Sam

said. As the Order settled in Europe from the Middle East, the

Scapular helped preserve the Carmelites, as Our Lady promised

grace to those who persevere. The Church has approved the Scapu-

lar for nearly eight centuries.

“The Scapular is a small ‘sign’ of the great ideal of Carmel: intima-

cy with God and friendship among the disciples,” states The

Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

In the upper left window, we see Elijah’s prophetic vision of the

cloud “the size of a man’s hand” in I Kings 18. Elijah interprets it

as a divine sign of the end of the drought.

“Catholic tradition sees the vision as a prediction of the reign of

grace,” explained Fr. Sam. “Discalced Carmelite tradition imposes

Our Lady on the cloud, indicating the entrance into human history

of the reign of grace: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel through whom the

Incarnate Word takes place.”

The lower left panel depicts “Our Lady on the Hillside,” which is

also “very much a legend,” according to Fr. Sam. When the holy

family came back to Nazareth from their flight into Egypt, so the

story goes, they visited the Carmelite hermits on Mt. Carmel. Dis-

calced Carmelites abandoned the tale as historical fact around

1953.

This window is dedicated to the memory of Fr. Joseph Cantavello,

O.C.D., a Provincial of the Province of St. Thérése. Fr. Joseph died

in a car crash in the Texas Panhandle in 1946 along with the Gen-

eral of the Discalced Carmelite Order and his secretary, who were

visiting from Rome.

The window was ordered from the Emil Frei Company by Rev.

Bartholomew Soler, O.C.D., in June of 1947, along with the small

casement windows placed just below, at a price of $5,000. It took

three years to complete the windows. Fr. Steven Till, O.C.D., sent a

note with the final payment to the Freis thanking them for promptly

repairing the unexpected results of the "misfortune of the handling

of the window by the transit company."

ON THE COVER

Upper central panel of window honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel. See the full window on the back cover of the magazine!

5

SPIRITUALITY OF ST. THÉRÈSE AND THE CARMELITES

We come together as Christians, as Catholics, and as Carmel-

ites to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is

a celebration for us on many levels.

For Carmelites, through meditation on the first reading, from I

Kings 18, we see in that small white cloud rising from the sea,

which brings a downpour of rain to end the three-year drought,

a prefigurement of our Lady.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is that small, pure white cloud, that

Immaculate cloud that rises from the sea of humanity and it is

through her that the God’s Living Word takes His flesh and

showers down God’s grace on all of humanity. However, it is

to the gospel image of Mary that we turn to today as Carmel-

ites.

Mother of the Church

The Gospel image chosen

to celebrate the Patronage

of Mary of the Order is

one that we find in the

Gospel of John. After the

Wedding at Cana, we do

not see Mary again until

the scene at the foot of the

Cross. What does this

account mean for us as

Carmelites? Why did the

Order choose this scene

over and above other

scenes? We venerate

Mary as the model con-

templative whom we are

to imitate, but what does

this image in this gospel

offer for our understand-

ing of that imitation to

which we are called?

This image of Mary is

one of close affiliation with the work of redemption. She is the

woman of faith. She is the faithful handmaiden of Yahweh, the

faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. She is the image of

the faithful disciple who enters into the Mystery of God’s Rev-

elation, of the one who confides and does not question God’s

faithful commitment to the People that He has chosen.

Mary culminates her pilgrimage of faith at the foot of the cross

with Jesus as he fulfills the scriptures. Even at this moment,

Mary is loyal in her perseverance. She remains Virginal; she is

the exemplary disciple. Her faithfulness and loyalty to God

bring her to this supreme suffering in the motherly union, to the

sacrifice of her Son. As Abraham offered Isaac, Mary offers

Jesus in loving consent. The Fathers of the Second Vatican

Council state: “She brought the Victim that she herself had

brought forth.” She trusts in God even in this moment when her

senses tell her otherwise. When the feeling of desolation in-

vades her—she remains faithful. She confides in the abiding

Presence of the One. She contemplates God’s Mystery as it

unfolds in and around her.

The Gospel Image of Our Lady

at the Foot of the Cross By Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD

Fr Stephen Sanchez, OCD, Provincial Superior, Province of St. Thérése,

gave this homily at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flow-

er, Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 2017.

In I Kings 18, during a three-year drought, God re-veals himself against the 450 prophets of Baal, send-ing a consuming fire on Elijah’s water-soaked offering. Elijah then slaughters all the prophets of Baal. Declar-ing to Israel’s wicked King Ahab that he hears “the approaching sound of rain,” Elijah climbs to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bows down. Seven times, he sends his servant to look out to sea. The seventh time, the servant returns reporting that he sees a “cloud, small as a man’s hand, rising from the

sea.” Based on the tiny cloud, Elijah foretells the ensu-ing torrents of rain.

6

Mother of the Community

of Believers

At the foot of the Cross, as

the Lord entrusts His disci-

ple to her and her to His

disciple, she becomes the

Mother of the Community

of Believers. She becomes

the Mother of the beloved

disciples for whom the Lord

has offered Himself as ran-

som, as their Redeemer.

Yet, even as Mother of the

Church, she remains the

woman of faith. She con-

templates the work of Re-

demption as it unfolds in

and around us.

Through this maternity of

the community of believers,

Mary becomes the model of

the image of the Church.

The community sees in Mary the promise fulfilled, which

the community still holds in its center, in its heart. It is this

faith-filled love and devotion that Mary has for doing God’s

will that we are called to contemplate and imitate, for true

devotion to Our Lady is one of admiration and imitation. As

Christians, Catholics, and Carmelites, whether living within

the special grace of the cloister or in Apostolic service to

the Church and the world at large, am I able, in imitation of

Mary, to allow God to unfold His mystery of salvation for

the Church and for me?

The Spirit within us that cries out Abba

As God unfolds His mystery for me, am I able to remain in

a stance of confidence in His Abiding Love and Presence?

In imitation of Mary, am I able to own my filial relationship

with The Father that Jesus won for me, and allow that son-

ship with the Father to bring forth in my life, and through

me into the world, the beatitudes of the New Kingdom to

which I belong? Am I able to stand with Mary at the foot of

the cross and trust in God: in his Infinite and Incomprehen-

sible Wisdom, that far surpasses my limited knowing?

Our Imitation is one of faith, not one of sure knowledge.

Our faith is that we trust that what we see “darkly as in a

mirror” will be made known to us in time. To

“contemplate” is to turn to God with a loving gaze, the gaze

of a child who trusts in the goodness of the Father. We lift

up to the Lord the mystery of redemption that surrounds us.

We call upon Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, our Patroness, to

watch over the ways of her children, the siblings of her Son,

and to guide and draw our steps after her. In the same path

of faith, in the same path of confidence in the Abiding

Presence of God, we journey towards the

summit of Glory: Christ the Lord.

The Superior of the Province of St. Thérèse since 2017, Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD, spent his early years in San Antonio. Joining the Carmelites in 1983, he earned his B.A. from St. Mary’s University and a Master of Divinity from Oblate School of Theology, fol-lowed by an intensive course in the spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross in Avila, Spain. He was ordained as a priest at the Basilica in 1992. For the past 15 years, he served in Dallas as superior of Mt. Carmel Center and as adjunct spiritual director for Holy Trinity Seminary. He has also been involved in the formation program for the permanent diaconate program of the diocese there.

“Mary culminates her pilgrimage of faith at the foot of the cross with Jesus as he fulfills the scriptures. Even at this moment, Mary is loyal in her perseverance.”

7

ILLUMINATING THE BASILICA

The Carmelite friars who initially established the National Shrine

of the Little Flower envisioned an extraordinary place of worship.

On August 27, 1998, that vision was realized when Pope John

Paul II, in a decree issued by the Congregation for Divine Wor-

ship and the Sacraments, designated the Little Flower as a Basili-

ca.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Basilica’s elevation

to the status of Minor Basilica within the Catholic Church, as well

as its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Solemn Mass at 6 p.m. on Aug. 27 is planned to celebrate the

occasion. The event is a Red Letter Day, meaning that the faithful

may receive a plenary indulgence (their sins are absolved with

attendance, receiving Communion, praying for the intentions of

the Pope, and Confession).

The process of applying for the minor basilica designation began

in 1996, when Fr. John Suenram, OCD, was pastor of the Shrine

of the Little Flower. Recognizing the significance of the shrine,

he asked Archbishop of San Antonio Patrick Flores to present the

application for consideration to the U.S. Catholic Conference of

Bishops, who then sent a formal recommendation to the Sacred

Congregation of Rites in Rome. The proposal was under review

in Rome for two years. A private ceremony following mass on

Feb. 6, 1999, with Archbishop Flores presiding marked the offi-

cial proclamation.

The Basilica designation not only more closely links San Antonio

to the Chair of Saint Peter, but over the years the Basilica of the

Little Flower has blossomed as a historic attraction for the city

and a place of pilgrimage for the faithful.

The Basilica is one of only 86 in the United States and one of

only four in Texas bearing the papal designation. The title is

granted to a church that is an active center of apostolic activity,

based on its historic, architectural, and spiritual significance. Only

Basilicas in Rome are designated as Major Basilicas.

The word Basilica means “royal house” and comes from a Greek

word meaning “hall of the King.” Both are fitting titles in that

thousands of people visit the Basilica each year to worship our

King and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today a framed lambskin decree written in Latin and stamped

with the official seal from the ring of Pope John Paul II hangs

near the Tomb Chapel of St. Therese verifying the Basilica’s sta-

tus. As a Basilica, the Shrine could display ceremonial items: the

papal umbrellino and, to the left of the altar, the bell known as the

tintinnabulum. The umbrellino sits to the right of the altar, half

open in anticipation of a papal visit. In procession, the umbrellino

would be carried over the pope to shield him from the elements.

The original “bishop’s chair,” an intricately carved wooden chair

at the left of the altar, is specially reserved for the pope, with the

designation.

Architecturally a basilica is a church constructed according to the

ancient Christian floor plan (in the shape of the Latin cross). The

width of a basilica building is never greater than one half of its

length.

The basilica is home to three first-class relics of the Little Flower

and a first-class relic of the saint’s parents, St. Louis and St. Zelie

Martin.

In 2000, Archbishop Flores named the Basilica the Millennial

Church for the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The City of San An-

tonio designates the church as a landmark of “exceptional historic

significance.” The Basilica attracts pilgrims from around the na-

tion and throughout the world.

“The Basilica is one of only 86 in the United States and one of only four in Texas bearing the papal designation. The title is granted to a church that is an active center of apostolic activity…”

Celebrating 20 Years as a Basilica

8

Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Province of St. Therese with the gift of the Carmel of Lisieux in 1927.

9

St. Thérèse Painting

On display in the undercroft of the Basilica is one of its most

treasured works of art. This seven-by-ten-foot oil painting

was a gift to the Discalced Carmelite friars of the Province of

St. Thérèse from the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Lisieux,

France.

This painting depicts St. Thérèse scattering a shower of roses

on the earth. On her right, an angel holds a scroll with a quote

from the saint: “Je reviendra sur la terre pour faire aimer

l’amour”: “I will return to earth to make love loved.”

The saint’s blood sister Céline Martin (1869-1959), also a

nun (Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face) in the Carmel of Li-

sieux, created the model for this painting. Called the “Little

Apotheosis of the Canonization,” the painting was produced

at the request of the Vatican during the canonization process

for Thérèse, according to the Archives of Carmel in Lisieux.

Another artist, Pascal Blanchard, painted several large can-

vases based on Céline’s model. Céline and another nun, Sr.

Marie of the Holy Spirit, then retouched the face on each

copy. One of these paintings was the standard carried in the

procession to St. Peter's during the canonization ceremony on

May 17, 1925. It was returned to the nuns in Lisieux after-

ward. The Basilica’s painting is one of the several

others that were loaned out by the Convent of Lisieux

to Carmels in France for the canonization events, ac-

cording to Basilica archives.

The Basilica’s painting was acquired for the friars of

San Antonio by Fr. Raymon Gomez, one of the four

original friars who arrived in San Antonio in 1926. He

was instrumental in bringing to fruition the friars’ dream

of building a National Shrine to be dedicated to the new-

ly canonized St. Thérèse.

It’s recorded in Basilica archives that he went to France

in 1927 to visit the sisters of St. Therese's convent in

Lisieux to ask for their blessing on the project. The nuns,

including St. Thérèse’s sister Pauline, who was then pri-

oress of Lisieux, were delighted with the idea and

pledged their support. Along with their blessings, the

nuns sent gifts, including autographed books and photos,

medals, printed collection cards, relics of all degrees, and

this beautiful portrait to grace the Shrine upon its open-

ing.

The original painting was restored with the support of

the Strake Foundation of Houston and reinstalled in a

place of honor in the Basilica in 2007.

Numbered limited series prints (20" x 26" ) on linen stock

are available for purchase for $50, including shipping

and handling, in support of the restoration of the Basili-

ca. Please order your print with the enclosed envelope.

A painting by another Carmelite from Lisieux, Sr. Marie of the Holy Spirit (1892-1982), depicts the entrance of Thérèse’s banner into St Peter’s of Rome the day of her canonization. From the Archives of Carmel of Lisieux.

10

Plans for repairs to the Basilica are advancing, thanks to some

generous donors who share a vision for this crucial project. The

structure of the Shrine, dedicated in 1931, reveals severe dam-

age, with significant structural cracks and other deterioration

caused by water infiltration. Repairs are needed to rectify these

problems and preserve the beauty and integrity of the structure.

Renovations of the Basilica and attached Carmelite monastery

will lay the necessary groundwork for a full restoration and re-

modeling in the future.

Essential to the restoration of the Basilica is strengthening and

renewing the Shrine in its function of sharing and keeping alive

the Carmelite charism in this region of the US. The administra-

tion of the Province of St. Thérèse has also been establishing the

organizational structure to undertake a project of this size and to

support the mission of the Province into the future.

The immediate priority is to correct the water infiltration issues

to prevent further damage. Recommended mitigation efforts

include re-grading the site around the Basilica and Carmelite

monastery, installing a below-grade storm drainage system, and

making structural repairs below grade to waterproof and rein-

force the walls. Total costs for the initial repairs phase have been

estimated at $7 million. These repairs are necessary before any

further restoration of the Basilica can be pursued.

With the completion of an engineer's full assessment

(accomplished in 2016), we are focusing our efforts on the first

phases of the project.

Of immediate priority in making the repairs is engaging profes-

sional consultants on the project. Funding is needed now to pro-

duce an engineering/architectural design for the repairs and to

direct a capital campaign to set the course and to raise the $7

million to resolve the water infiltration. We are in preliminary

discussions with various potential consultants and continually

gathering information that will help us reduce costs and improve

efficiency.

Thanks mainly to the Discalced Carmelite nuns and Secular Or-

der members from around the country and others who share a

vision for this project, we have currently raised $ 106,509, a

considerable portion of the funds needed to complete these cru-

cial preparations.

Will you please join us in prayer for this project and give gener-

ously to this project?

Basilica Restoration Update

11

Forming the Future: Province of

St. Thérèse Friars Focus on

Strategic Planning

The average age of the friars in the Province of St. Thérèse Dis-

calced Carmelites is now 66. We thank God for one postulant,

Alejandro Vidaurre, age 21, now in formation in the monastery in

Oklahoma City since January 2017. Alejandro was a postulant

with the Discalced Carmelite friars in Cuba until he moved with

his family to Florida in 2016. Several other young men are in

various stages of discernment on entering the Province.

As the only remaining contemplative religious order active in the

Archdiocese of San Antonio, we need your prayers for vocations.

With communities in Oklahoma, Dallas, Little Rock, and San

Antonio, the friars of the St. Thérèse Province minister to over

5,200 parish families. They serve nearly 10,000 individuals annu-

ally through spiritual direction, confessions, masses, retreats, con-

ferences, and other programs at Mt. Carmel Retreat Center in

Dallas and Marylake Monastery in Little Rock. The friars’ re-

sponsibilities also include the direction of 880 Discalced Carmel-

ite Secular Order members in 37 communities. The friars also

enjoy a spirit of fraternity and service in relationship with the

monasteries of Discalced Carmelite nuns (about 100 religious in

seven communities in four states).

Looking to the future of the Province, the friars are taking time

out to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. They are refocusing

on their mission and their charism, recommitting to the contem-

plative life and considering how they can best share the Carmelite

spirituality for the long term. Reflecting on their past and present,

they are looking to develop a realistic and dynamic vision for the

future.

Mission-driven renewal of the Province

Over the past year, the friars of the Province have been following

a strategic planning process to prepare them for the future, includ-

ing elder care and property management. The Fr. General of the

Order has also recently directed all provinces to review the Con-

stitution that governs their religious life, and to consider anew

how they are called to live their charism within the reality of our

world today.

The friars are working with strategic planning consultants, Fr. Al

Bradley and Sr. Anna Maria Tag, in a process funded by a grant

from the National Religious Retirement Office in Washington,

DC.

A significant phase of the planning process was accomplished in

June when the friars met in San Antonio for their annual assem-

bly. Their week-long assembly was focused entirely on reaching

consensus on a vision for the future and reflecting on the strate-

gies needed to fulfill that vision. We ask for your continued pray-

ers as the friars move forward with this process.

PROVINCE OF ST. THÉRÈSE

12

Collaboration to share the charism The friars will build this renewal on collaboration among each

branch of the Province. Interaction with the nuns and Secular

Order members of the Province and with laypersons will be

crucial to continued sustainability and the fulfillment of the

Discalced Carmelite mission. The three US Provinces also met

together in Washington, DC, last fall to cooperate and share

insights in their efforts.

Beginning with close collaboration with the San Antonio com-

munity of Discalced Carmelite Secular Order (OCDS), the

Province central office is spearheading the development of pro-

grams centered on the Basilica of the National Shrine of the

Little Flower.

The goal of these programs is to more purposefully and effec-

tively evangelize and form individuals in Carmelite spirituality.

The first steps in sharing Carmelite spirituality and the teach-

ings of our saints more actively with the community has been

to create a formal Basilica tour program. While OCDS mem-

bers have provided tours upon request, scheduled “Get to Know

Your Basilica” tours will be promoted to the public and

launched beginning the two Saturdays preceding the Solemnity

of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16.

The tours, which will be scheduled regularly beginning

in September, will focus on the stained glass windows, the first

of which were installed in 1930. The windows tell the stories of

Carmelite saints: Thérèse of Lisieux (“the Little Flower”), Te-

resa of Avila, and John of the Cross. The Basili-

ca’s largest window, overlooking the main choir loft, honors

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The window, which depicts six differ-

ent scenes, recounts certain Carmelite traditions and legends

surrounding Our Lady.

The San Antonio OCDS has been active as a full community of

the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites since 1956. Member-

ship in this religious Order is a lifetime commitment to prayer,

devotion to Carmelite spirituality, and evangelism.

Foundations in formation

The Province continues this year to invest in its ability to forge

ahead. One objective is to ramp up formation—spiritual and

professional—for friars and lay staff in their many roles, to

equip them for their roles and to unite them in the Carmelite

mission. In the past 18 months, grants totaling $12,500 have

been awarded from the Scanlan and Westerman Foundations

for formation of friars and lay staff. The needs are many.

The investment in a central office staffed by a small team of lay

leaders in San Antonio has significantly improved the financial

stability and organizational structure of the Province. The lead-

ership provided by the administration has set the groundwork

for the pressing tasks the friars have before them in these next

several years to ensure the Province thrives and continues its

mission to the Church well into the future.

“We plan to continue to build upon this foundation and to keep

up the momentum needed for the remaining work ahead during

this triennium,” said Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD, Provincial

Superior.

The Discalced Carmelite friars and nuns of the Province of St. Therese celebrated mass together at the Basilica on June 7, during the friars’ annual assembly June 4-8.

13

The Discalced Carmelite friars

and nuns of the Province of St.

Therese celebrated mass together

at the Basilica on June 7, during

the friars’ annual assembly June 4

-8. The nuns of the San Antonio

and New Caney, Texas, commu-

nities joined the friars for this

mass, and it was announced that

evening that the nuns of New

Caney are now moving to join

those in San Antonio.

June 7 is the Memorial Day of

Blessed Anne of St. Bartholo-

mew, the secretary, nurse, and

confidante of St. Teresa of Avila.

Teresa died in Anne’s arms at

Alba de Tormes in 1582.

Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew

was the first lay sister of the Dis-

calced Carmelites. She was de-

clared Venerable in 1735 by Pope

Clement XII and beati-

fied in 1917 by Pope

Benedict XV. Her Feast

Day is the anniversary

of her death.

Fr. Stephen, in his

homily that evening,

recounted how Blessed

Anne was a great wom-

an of prayer. At Ant-

werp, where she had

established a monas-

tery, when the city was

twice under siege, she

was asked to pray, and

both times her prayers

were credited when the

city was spared.

Honoring Blessed Anne

of St. Bartholomew

Fr. Stephen points out that Blessed Anne is depicted holding St. Teresa as she dies in this stained glass window in the Basilica.

14

Remembering Fr. Raphael Kitz, OCD D E C E M B E R 1 7 , 1 9 3 0 – J U N E 1 0 , 2 0 1 8

Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel The Discalced Carmelite Friars invite you to join them

for the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Novena July 7- 14

Sung Novena Masses at 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 15

First Vespers at 5:30 p.m.

Vigil Mass at 6:00 p.m.

July 16

Solemn Mass at 6 p.m.

Procession with statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Reception following Mass

Under the patronage of our Lady, we follow her steps as a spiritual mother and

model. Her scapular, a sign of protection, is a sacramental that reminds us of

her virtues and encourages us to faithfully follow Jesus, her beloved Son.

Fr. Raphael (Richard An-

drew Kitz) of St. Joseph,

OCD, entered eternal life

on June 10, 2018.

During his nearly sixty

years of priestly ministry,

Fr. Raphael served in

many different capacities

within the Province of St.

Thérèse of Discalced Car-

melites: confessor and

spiritual director to vari-

ous communities of Car-

melite nuns and seculars,

professor at Dominican

College in Houston, and

parish ministry in San

Antonio and Dallas.

For the past 27 years, Fr. Raphael served at Marylake Monas-

tery in Little Rock, Ark., as novice master, being responsible for

the initial formation of numerous young men for the Province.

Fr. Raphael was also known for his ministry to the Carmelite

nuns and Carmelite seculars of Little Rock, as well as for his

ministry of helping out at Catholic parishes all around the state

of Arkansas.

Fr. Raphael was born on December 17, 1930, in Minneapolis.

Fr. Raphael made his first profession of vows as a Discalced

Carmelite friar of the Province of St. Therese in 1954. He made

his solemn (lifetime) profession of vows in 1958. He studied

theology at the International College of the Discalced Carmel-

ites in Rome and was ordained a priest there in 1959. His wis-

dom, kindness, and gentle humor made him beloved of his

brothers and a treasured spiritual guide by those who benefitted

from his priestly ministry.

As the novice master for many years, Fr. Raphael instructed

several dozen novices in "the lifestyle and teachings of the Car-

melite tradition," he said.

"He's a wonderful person for teaching spirituality," said Fr. John

Michael Payne, OCD, another priest of the Province, who

passed away in 2017. "He's probably the house theologian. He

keeps up with the latest scholarship."

Fr. Raphael studied music for three years before he decided to

join the Carmelites. He was an accomplished pianist and played

at Carnegie Hall. However, by age 20, Fr. Raphael was consid-

ering the religious life instead of a music career.

"It was just God's grace—he kept calling," he said. "I think it

was the contemplative life, the prayer life of the Order that I

was attracted to." The writings of St. John of the Cross and St.

Teresa of Avila inspired his decision.

"St. Teresa of Avila has always been an influence, and she con-

tinues to be," he said. "I feel this relationship to her—her person

in her writings."

15

After his novitiate year at Marylake, Fr. Raphael studied philos-

ophy for two years at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio and

theology for four years in Rome at the Carmelite House of Stud-

ies.

After his ordination in 1959, Fr. Raphael was assigned to the

National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio. After mul-

tiple assignments in Dallas and San Antonio, Fr. Raphael re-

turned to Marylake in 1990.

"There is a substantial part of our life that consists of prayer,"

Fr. Raphael said. At Marylake the priests start each day with

morning prayer and Mass. Then Fr. Raphael would then spend

an hour in personal prayer.

The priests spend their afternoons on spiritual direction, retreats

and being chaplains to the Carmelite sisters and the Missionar-

ies of Charity. They end their day with evening prayer and the

Office of Readings, which is part of the Liturgy of the Hours.

On the weekends the priests travel, helping out by saying Mass-

es at parishes across the state. Fr. Raphael also traveled to give

retreats.

Fr. John Michael referred to Fr. Raphael as "our St. Francis at

Marylake" because of his relationship to animals. He had a

cockatoo named Dante for 21 years. He would feed the geese

that live on the lake and cared for Sally, the Marylake dog.

"The dog knows Raphael is her true master," Fr. John Michael

said. "She goes into mourning when Raphael leaves."

Enroll in the Little Flower Carmelite Mass Association

The Discalced Carmelite Friars would like to offer you the opportunity to enroll your loved ones in the Little Flower Car-

melite Mass Association, named in honor of our beloved patroness. As a token of your love, we will send a Mass Associa-

tion certificate to the person you would like to enroll.

Enrollment in the association confers many spiritual benefits, as you and your loved one share in all the prayers, sacrifices,

and good works of the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Province of St. Thérèse at the Basilica of the National Shrine of

the Little Flower in San Antonio. Enrollments are for both the living and the deceased.

Your enrollment in the Mass Association is for one year and includes remembrance in:

• Sung Mass every Saturday in the chapel of our Discalced Carmelite nuns,

• Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the friars daily,

• Offering of the Eucharist at the Basilica every Sunday and on the following days: Christmas Day and the Solemnities

of St. Joseph (March 19), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (July 16), St. Thérèse, the Little Flower (Oct. 1), St. Teresa of Je-

sus (Oct. 15), and All Souls Day (for the deceased).

Enrollments may be sent in through the attached insert of this magazine.

"I think it was the contemplative life, the prayer life of the Order that I was attracted to."

16

APOSTOLATE OF THE LITTLE FLOWER P.O. Box 5280 San Antonio, Texas. 78201

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID SAN ANTONIO

TEXAS

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE

LITTLE FLOWER

Overlooking the main choir loft, the largest window in the Basilica honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel. Read more about this stained glass window on page 4!