The International OCDS Congress, held in Rome from October 7-15, 1996, was intended to be our family's response to one of the signs of the times in the Church: "The new role of the laity among the people of God.
At the same time, the Congress was a manifestation of the new awareness that the members of Secular Carmel have of their vocation and in today's world as Lay Teresian Carmelites and the challenges that this implies.
The days of the Congress were days of reflection, dialogue and research in which we experienced the presence of the Lord and his spirit. It generated in all a renewed awareness of our fraternity, based on a shared charism from the particular vocation of each one of us in the Church.
The family atmosphere permeated the coexistence of all these days. The rich racial, cultural and linguistic diversity, far from being an obstacle, was transformed into a deep communion in Christ and in the Teresian Carmel.
The conclusions of the congress were dynamic and committed for the future. The celebration of this international congress left a very clear conclusion: a new type of animation of the secular Carmel will be required from the center of the order. (From these conclusions, the office of the Delegate of the General for the OCDS was born. Since 1996 there have been three: Father Aloysius Deeney (+), Father Alinir Debastiani and the present one, Father Ramiro Casale.
The presentations made at the Congress were as follows:
- "Renewal of the Secular Carmel in the Framework of the New Evangelization" by the Father General of the Order, Friar Camillo Maccise (+)
- "The Lay Carmelite: vocation, identity and collaboration with the Order" by Dr. Maria Lupi OCDS, president of a community in Rome.
- "Everyday Holiness; St. Therese and her family" by the auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Bayeux-Lisieux, Mgr. Guy Gaucher
Presentation on the work being carried out on Mount Carmel:
- "Wadi-es-Siah Carmelite Area Project" by Fr. Fausto Spinelli.
- "Stella Maris Renewed Hospice" by Fr. John Sullivan
The work in groups, the sharing in different languages, the moments of prayer and the celebration of the daily Eucharist were the framework, together with the formation, in which this first International Congress of the OCDS took place.
"We entrust to Mary, our Mother and Sister, the seeds of this Congress. May she obtain for us from the Lord a fruitfulness that will translate into fruits of love and service to our brothers and sisters throughout the world."
(Taken from a letter of Fr. General Camilo Maccise, on the occasion of the end of the Congress)
