Who Is Our New Prior General?

The Carmelite Order holds a General Chapter every six years, where the major superiors review the state of the Order, update the constitutions as needed, and elect the Prior General and his Council for the next term. The most recent General Chapter took place in Malang, Indonesia, where, on September 19, 2025, Father Desiderio “Desi” García Martínez was elected the 94th Prior General of the Carmelite Order.

Though Father General is a Spaniard, he was born in Orange, France, in 1970. His parents were immigrants, and his father worked in the renowned vineyards of Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape. When Desi was five, the family returned to Spain and settled in Onda, in the region of Valencia.

His agrarian roots are evident in his personality: down‑to‑earth, humorous, and yet deeply grounded in Carmelite spirituality. He expressed genuine appreciation for our eremitical way of life, and we sensed that he felt very much at home among us.

Fr. John Mary and Br. Christopher first met Father General in January 2026, during a trip to Italy to establish contact with a mosaic smalti fabricator in Venice. This visit will be described more fully in a forthcoming e‑newsletter, when we share news about the hermitage’s mosaic workshop.

Fr. General welcomed Br. Christopher and Fr. John Mary to stay at the Generalate for a few days in January 2026.

Our First Canonical Election

Father General’s visit to our community from June 23 to June 25 was to preside at our first canonical election. The election took place on the afternoon of the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. Earlier that day, as the main celebrant at Mass in the chapel of the Discalced Carmelite nuns next door, he preached an inspiring homily on humility, noting that St. John the Baptist’s mission was simply to point to Jesus and not to himself.

Our first canonical election was a memorable moment. We began in our small chapel and processed to the chapter room while chanting the ancient hymn to the Holy Spirit, Veni, Creator Spiritus. Father General opened the proceedings with reflections on the need for balance in community life. Buildings in earthquake zones, he observed, must combine stability with flexibility; without the ability to roll with seismic activity, they collapse. Likewise, a healthy community must be firm in essentials and flexible in what is secondary.

The elections were then held:

‍ ‍Fr. John Mary, Prior
‍ ‍Fr. Elijah, Sub‑Prior
‍ ‍Fr. Peter, Second Councillor
‍ ‍Br. Christopher, Third Councillor

Father General concluded with remarks on the importance of gratitude, unity, and the sacrificial role of the prior, along with the community’s obedience to him. Afterwards, we shared ice cream bars in a spirit of fraternal joy.

From left to right: Br. Andrew, Br. Charles, Fr. Peter, Fr. Elijah, Fr. General Desiderio, Fr. John Mary, Br. Joseph, Br. Christopher, Br. Gabriel, Br. Joachim | Photo courtesy of the Carmelites.

Father Nepi, O.Carm.

Mention should also be made of Fr. Rolf Nepomuk “Nepi” Willemsen, who accompanied Father General. He is the General Councillor for the Americas and normally resides at the Curia in Rome. A native of Germany, he joined the American province in 2012 and is now an American citizen. He served as secretary during the election and, after Father General’s closing remarks, expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of solid formation and mutual support among the brethren, and our need to work with the Order to align our statutes with the latest constitutions. The brothers greatly enjoyed Fr. Nepi’s joviality and his warm interest in our community.

Fr. Nepi Willemsen, O.Carm., (third from left), enjoys the company of the brothers near the monastery of our Carmelite sisters. Photo courtesy of the Carmelites.

Two Branches of an Ancient Trunk

This visit highlighted the complementarity that is possible between the friars and hermits of the Ancient Observance. Far from being opposed, our missions simply differ in emphasis. While the friars are known for their apostolic works, such as teaching, parish ministry, and scholarship, they are also men of genuine prayer. Likewise, while the hermits devote themselves more directly to interior union with God through silence, they are no strangers to hard manual labor. It may be said that the spirit of Martha and Mary is joined in our respective lifestyles, but each branch has its own distinctive emphasis.

As a grafted-on branch, our community is forever grateful to the Order, particularly, former prior general, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm., for his assistance with our incorporation. Our hope is that we may mutually support and inspire one another—the friars may be encouraged by our particular devotion to solitude and prayer, while the hermits can learn from the friars’ scholarship, fraternity, and organizational skills. In a word, we are two branches of the same ancient trunk, complementing one another because we “have the same Mother,” as Br. Joseph observed. Fr. General affirmed that “we are brothers.” This unity was beautifully expressed as we together chanted the ancient Marian hymn Flos Carmeli. May Our Lady of Mount Carmel watch over her beloved Tree!