Celebrating Our Ten Years in Torreon

by Father Jose Luis Torres, O.Carm.

Reprinted from “Buenas Noticias,” the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Torreon, Mexico, on February 5, 2005. Translated by Ed Lopez, pre-novice.

One of the questions people asked during our ten year anniversary celebration as a religious community new to Mexico was: Why did the Carmelites choose to serve here when the need for priests is so great in the United States? We answered that our Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary had decided in the Provincial Chapter of 1993 to share our 800-year heritage, as we express in our prayer for vocations; namely, “Men trying to live in the presence of God like the prophet Elijah, full of zealous love for the Lord of Hosts, and like the Virgin Mary, the faithful disciple of our Lord.” Another part of our answer was our own desire to drink from the Church’s well of spirituality of Mexico.

	The Carmelites serving in Mexico atttended a regional meeting in September.

When we first arrived in Mexico, after a long preparation in the cities of Cuernavaca and Puebla in Mexico during the summer of 1994, the “founders” were ready to serve in the parish of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Torreon. Carmelites John Hertel, Bill Smith, Thomas Jordan and Joel Moelter comprised that founding community. On February 5th, 1995, then-Bishop Luis Morales Reyes presented the parish to the Carmelites before hundreds of parishioners. Today the community consists of Carmelites John Hertel, Bill Smith, Thomas Alkire, and Jose Luis Torres.

Transfiguration Parish is located in the Valle Oriente district of the city of Torreon—a city located in northern Mexico. Besides the main church, the parish consists of nine small mission chapels: Perla, Aguila, Rosita, Rancho Alegre, Arenales, Cobian, Nuevo Mieleras, Pacifico and Zaragoza. We also minister as chaplains at the local jail in “El Cereso” and in local hospitals. Because the population of Torroen is growing so quickly, the diocese is constantly adjusting the parish boundaries— adding new mission chapels and moving others into other parishes.

Besides the foundation in Torreon, the Carmelites have another house in Meixco City. This house is a house of formation where Carmelite Rodolfo Aznaran is the director and Joel Moelter and Thomas Jordan are in residence.

The Carmelites have many reasons for thanking the Lord for their ten years of service in Mexico. Transfiguration Parish has served as a source for vocations—with the first Mexican Carmelite priest, Jose Luis Torres (ordained in 2004), Paul Henson (ordained in 2002), and Emilio Rodriguez (due to be ordained this summer) having all worked in the parish during their training.

Lastly, the Carmelites would like to thank all the faithful of the parish for their support and for making the parish a dynamic parish in accordance with the Pastoral Plan of the Diocese. May our Lord Jesus Christ and Our Lady of Mount Carmel bless us all. Amen.