The Provincial Chapter of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers, known as ‘It-Terezjani’ was held towards the end of April. This one week long meeting between all the religious present in Malta is an intense moment of fraternity amongst the brothers. New superiors for their houses were duly elected and ample discussion was held on the main issues that they are facing in society today.
The Fathers have four houses in Malta – Saint Teresa Priory in Cospicua, Saint Therese Sanctuary in B’kara, Parish of Saint John of the Cross at Ta’ Xbiex and House of Prayer at Ta’ Silg, limits of Marsaxlokk. The female section comprises three houses, two in Malta – Monasteru Santa Margerita in Cospicua and Monasteru Omm t’Alla at Tal Virtu in Rabat and one in Canada – Carmel of the Infant Jesus in Zephyr.
This chapter was held in their convent in Valley Road, B’kara. Father Juan Debono, the recently elected provincial of the Fathers, presided this meeting. Father Juan is one of the leading authorities on Saint Elisabeth of the Trinity, one of the most acclaimed modern Saints.
Amongst the themes discussed we can mention their communitarian prayer life that is the characteristic of their life, new vocations to religious life and the Secular Order.
Even though the situation is rather critical, the Fathers were optimistic regards the future. They issued a series of proposals on which they will work in the near future.