ELEMENTARY

K BL MARY OF JESUS

Mary of Jesus, also known as the Virgin Mary, was the mother of Jesus Christ. Her life

story, as depicted in the New Testament, involves her miraculous conception of Jesus through

the Holy Spirit while she was still a virgin, her role in raising Jesus, and her presence during his

crucifixion and resurrection.

N BL ANGELUS AUGUSTINE MAZZINGHI

Blessed Angelus Augustine Mazzinghi was a Carmelite friar born near Florence before

1386. He became a priest and taught theology in Florence and Frascati. As the first member of

the Carmelite reform observance of Our Lady of the Wood, he focused on renewing Carmelite

life through devotion to Our Lady and the Eucharist. Known for his holiness, leadership, and

powerful preaching, he inspired many to follow the Carmelite way. He died in 1438 and was

buried in Florence. His reputation for holiness led to strong popular devotion, and he was

beatified by Pope Clement XIII in 1761.

GRD 1- BL. BARTOLOMEW FANTI

A native of Mantua, Italy, he was a Carmelite in the Mantuan Congregation and already ordained

priest by 1452. For 35 years in the Carmelite church of his city, he was the spiritual director and

rector of the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whom he wrote a rule and a set of

statutes.
Humble and gentle, he gave an example to everyone of a life of prayer, of generosity and of

faithful service of the Lord. He was outstanding for his love of the Eucharist which was the

centre of his apostolic life and for his devotion to Mary. He died in 1495.

GRD 2- BL. JANE SCOPELLI

Blessed Jane Scopelli was born in Reggio Emilia in 1428. Inclined to piety from a young age,

she obtained permission from her parents to become a cloistered Carmelite while remaining

living with the family. After the death of her parents, she joined other women and formed a

community in 1480.

In the city of her birth, with the placet of Bishop Filippo Zoboli, she obtained in 1495 the house

and church of the Umiliati, which she transformed into a monastery, vulgarly called "Le

Bianche" and entrusted to the Congregation Mantovana. There she exercised the office of

prioress. Extraordinary events are attributed to the blessed who was endowed by God with an

extraordinary charism and rich in profound Marian piety.

She died on July 9, 1491. Her cult was approved by Clement XIV on August 24, 1771. When the

monastery was closed in 1803 on account of the Napoleonic suppression, the Blessed's body was

transferred to the city's cathedral, where it is still venerated today.

Blessed Isidore Bakanja was a Congolese Catholic convert and catechist who was martyred in

1909 for refusing to renounce his Christian faith and remove his Carmelite scapular. Born around

1887, he was baptized in 1906 by Trappist missionaries and became a fervent evangelizer among

plantation workers. His refusal to obey a colonialist supervisor’s order to discard his scapular led

to a brutal flogging, imprisonment, and fatal injuries. Despite his suffering, Bakanja forgave his

persecutor and died on August 15, 1909. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24,

1994, and is honored as a martyr of the Brown Scapular and a model of faith, courage, and

forgiveness.

GRD 4- BL. ARCHANGELA GIRLANI

Blessed Archangela Girlani, born Elanor Girlani in 1460 in Trino, northern Italy, came from a

noble family. She received her early education from the Benedictines and initially planned to

join their order. However, on her way to the Benedictine convent, her horse mysteriously refused

to proceed, which she took as a divine sign. She instead joined the Carmelites in Parma in 1477

at the age of 17, along with her two sisters, Maria and Frances, taking the name Archangela. She

eventually became prioress of the Parma monastery and later of a new Carmelite foundation in

Mantua in 1492. Archangela was known for her deep spirituality and reported mystical gifts such

as ecstasies, levitation, and miracles. Her intense devotion made the monastery seem like heaven

on earth, as noted in old manuscripts. In her third year as prioress of Mantua, she became gravely

ill. With her eyes fixed on a crucifix and repeating the words “Jesus, my Love,” she died
peacefully on January 25, 1495. Pope Pius IX later approved her public veneration and granted

the recitation of an Office in her honor.

GRD 5- BL. DENIS & REDEMPTUS

Blessed Denis of the Nativity, born Pierre Berthelot in 1600 in Honfleur, France, was a skilled

navigator, cartographer, and cosmographer who served both French and Portuguese kings. In

1635, while in Goa, he joined the Discalced Carmelites and took the name Denis of the Nativity,

later becoming a priest. He was known for his deep spirituality and mystical experiences in

prayer. In 1638, Denis joined a Portuguese diplomatic mission to the Sultan of Acheh in

Sumatra, accompanied by fellow Carmelite Redemptus of the Cross, formerly a Portuguese

soldier named Tomas Rodrigues da Cunha. Though initially welcomed, the delegation was soon

imprisoned and pressured to renounce their Catholic faith. Denis and Redemptus were tortured,

with Redemptus martyred first by arrows and throat-slitting, and Denis later killed by a sword

blow to the head. Denis had asked to die last to strengthen and console the others. Both were

beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1900 for their steadfast faith and martyrdom. Their deaths occurred

during a time of intense rivalry between Portugal and Islamic powers in Southeast Asia,

especially around the lucrative Malacca trade route. Today, their legacy inspires the Carmelite

mission in Indonesia, where their martyrdom is honored as a seed of the local Church.

GRD 6- BL. JOHN SORETH

John Soreth was born in 1394 near Caen in Normandy, France, and joined the Carmelite Order,

becoming a priest around 1417. He pursued higher theological studies in Paris and earned his

Doctorate in 1438. From 1440 to 1451, he served as Provincial for north-central France,
demonstrating strong leadership and dedication. In 1451, he was elected Prior General of the

Carmelites and initiated much-needed reforms within the Order. He focused on restoring

authentic Carmelite life by reforming legislation and personally visiting many communities. John

played a key role in founding Carmelite communities of nuns and helped incorporate women’s

communities into the Order through the papal bull Cum Nulla. He also contributed to the

development of the Lay Carmelite Third Order. He is remembered for his pastoral care, humility,

and insistence on virtuous living. John died in Angers, France, in 1471 after 20 years of

dedicated service. He is often depicted with a ciborium, recalling his act of rescuing consecrated

Hosts from a ransacked church in 1468.

JUNIOR HIGH LEVEL

GRD 7- ST. TERESA MARGARET REDI

Saint Teresa Margaret Redi was born in Arezzo on 1st September 1747 into the noble family of

Redi. In 1764, she entered the monastery of the Discalced Carmelites in Florence, changing her

baptismal name of Anna Maria to that of Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

She grounded her spiritual and religious life in devotion to the Eucharist and to Our Lady, and in

her dedication to the Sacred Heart which she described as a "giving of love for love". She led a

humble and hidden life in the love of God and the total offering of herself and she gave caring

and continuous service to her sisters. She died of peritonitis on 7th March 1770. She was

beatified in 1929 and canonised by Pope Pius XI on 13th March 1934.

Joseph Kalinowski was born in 1835 in Vilnius to Polish parents. During the 1863 Polish

uprising against Russian rule, he served as Minister of War for the Vilna region. In 1864, he was

arrested and sentenced to death, but the punishment was reduced to ten years of hard labor in

Siberia. After his release, he joined the Discalced Carmelite Order in 1877 and took the religious

name Raphael of St. Joseph. He was ordained a priest in 1882 and became a key figure in

restoring the Carmelite Order in Poland. His life was marked by a deep commitment to Church

unity and spiritual guidance, especially as a confessor and director. He was known for his

compassion, humility, and unwavering devotion to God. Joseph Kalinowski died in Wadowice in

1907. Pope John Paul II canonized him on November 17, 1991. His life reflects the teachings of

St. Paul and Christ’s command to “love one another, as I have loved you.”

GRD 7- ST. KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara was an Indian Catholic priest and a visionary social reformer born

on February 10, 1805, in Kainakary, Kerala. He played a pioneering role in promoting education

and uplifting the socially marginalized, especially the lower castes. In 1846, he founded a

Sanskrit school in Kerala and actively encouraged the establishment of schools in nearby

villages. Remarkably, he was the first Indian to admit "untouchables" to schools and provide

them with Sanskrit education, defying caste-based restrictions. He introduced the concept of

midday meals in schools, particularly for Dalit and poor children, which later inspired

government-run programs still in place today. Saint Chavara believed that true renewal of the

Church and society could only come through proper education. He emphasized that education

must be accessible to all, regardless of caste, class, or creed. Recognizing the cultural

significance of Sanskrit, he made it a part of the curriculum for all students. His reforms reflected
a strong commitment to equality, inclusion, and empowerment through learning. Saint Chavara's

work left a lasting legacy on both the Indian Church and society.

GRD 8- ST. ALBERT TRAPANI

St. Albert of Sicily, born between 1250–1257 in Trapani, joined the Carmelite Order at a young

age and was professed at 18. After being ordained a priest, he taught at the Carmelite monastery

in Trapani and became known as the patron of Carmelite schools despite writing little himself.

Eventually, he left teaching to become a mendicant preacher, spreading Christianity throughout

Sicily and performing miracles, including healing through water consecrated to the Blessed

Virgin Mary. In 1275, Albert became provincial of the Carmelite province in Sicily but

continued his preaching despite administrative duties.

During a siege of Messina in 1301, Albert’s intercession was credited with saving the starving

city after three ships carrying grain miraculously arrived during Mass. In gratitude, the city later

dedicated a gate to him in 1629. After retiring to a mountain monastery outside Messina, Albert

died on August 7, 1306. His body was brought in procession to the Carmelite Church and then to

the Cathedral, where the king and archbishop honored him with a funeral Mass. The people of

Messina immediately venerated him as a saint. Pope Sixtus IV officially canonized him on May

31, 1476. Today, his body rests in the Carmelite Church in Trapani, and he is honored as a patron

against fevers, with his feast day celebrated on August 7.

Andrew Corsini was a noble-born Florentine who chose a humble Carmelite life and became a

model bishop and reformer during the turbulent 14th century. Despite being raised in a powerful

family, he entered the Carmelite Order as a teenager and lived simply, dedicating himself to

teaching and spiritual formation. His leadership emerged during the Black Death, when he

supported his fellow friars and worked to rebuild both the physical and moral order of society. In

1349, Pope Clement VI appointed him bishop of Fiesole, where he broke with custom by

actually living in his neglected diocese and repairing both the cathedral and clergy life.

Andrew retained his Carmelite habit, lived modestly, and surrounded himself with only a few

friars and servants, treating them as a religious community. He was known for his love for the

poor and sick, particularly in the aftermath of the plague, and he actively promoted priestly

sanctity by founding a confraternity in 1372. As a gifted preacher and peacemaker, he mediated

conflicts across Tuscany and gained a reputation for reconciliation. When he died in 1374, his

body was secretly moved to the Carmine in Florence, where he was buried with honor, though

the tomb was later destroyed in a fire.

Despite the loss of his original monument, his legacy endured, and he was canonized by Pope

Urban VIII in 1629. Pope Clement XII later honored him by building a chapel in his name in

Rome’s cathedral. Andrew Corsini was praised for his eloquence, holiness, and leadership, long

before Church reforms made such standards official. He remains a shining example of how

religious virtue and pastoral leadership can transform both Church and society.
GRD 9- ST. TITUS BRANDSMA

Titus Brandsma, born Anno Brandsma, was raised on a dairy farm in rural Frisia in a devout

Catholic family amid a predominantly Calvinist population. At age 11, he began studies for the

priesthood and joined the Carmelite novitiate in 1898, taking the name Titus after his father.

After his ordination in 1905, he earned a doctorate in philosophy and began translating the works

of Saint Teresa of Avila into Dutch. He co-founded the Catholic University of Nijmegen and

taught philosophy and mysticism, becoming beloved more for his personal guidance than

academic accomplishments.

Brandsma also worked as a journalist and was a trusted advisor to Catholic media professionals.

His outspoken resistance to Nazi ideology became more prominent after Germany invaded the

Netherlands in 1940. In 1942, he was arrested while delivering a letter from the Dutch bishops

forbidding Catholic newspapers from publishing Nazi propaganda. He was eventually deported

to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

At Dachau, Fr. Brandsma became known for his kindness and spiritual care for fellow prisoners.

He died on July 26, 1942, after being used in Nazi medical experiments. Before his death, he

gave a rosary to the nurse who injected him; she later converted to Catholicism and testified to

his sanctity. Titus Brandsma was beatified in 1985 and canonized as a saint in 2022.

GRD 9- BL. MARIA CROCIFISSA CURCIO

Mother M. Crocifissa Curcio was born on 30 January 1877 in Ispica (Rg), Italy. From the time of

her adolescence she realised that she was called to follow Christ in a radical manner, Christ
whose loving Mother of Carmel was entrusting her with the task of making Carmel flourish once

more in her town as well as in others.

Like all saints, in order to make this plan come true, Mother Crocifissa went through

innumerable trials and sufferings for many years, even to the time of her providential encounter

with a Carmelite, Fr. Lorenzo van den Eerenbeemt, who allowed her to start a small missionary

Carmel in Santa Marinella in the diocese of Porto San Rufina (Rome). At her death, on 4 July

1957, the Congregation founded by her for the care of the poor and the needy, was already

present in many parts of Italy, in Brazil and Malta. Later, the Carmelite missionaries spread to

other continents and started communities in Canada, Tanzania, the Philippines and Romania.

GRD 10- ST. TERESA DE JESUS DE LOS ANDES

Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes is honored by the Church as a modern prophet who fully lived

out the Gospel. Her life demonstrates that sainthood is possible even in contemporary times and

that answering Christ’s call brings true happiness. She shows us that dedicating oneself totally to

God is the only path that gives life deep meaning and joy. Through her life, Teresa affirms that

God is real, is love, and is our ultimate fulfillment.

Born in Santiago, Chile, on July 13, 1900, she felt called at age 14 to become a Discalced

Carmelite nun. She fulfilled this vocation when she entered the monastery of the Holy Spirit in

Los Andes on May 7, 1919. She received the Carmelite habit and began her novitiate on October

14 of the same year, taking the name Teresa of Jesus. Aware through divine revelation that she

would die young, she accepted it peacefully and faithfully.

continue after death. Her community recognized her holiness and saw God’s presence in her life.

She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 3, 1987, in Santiago and later canonized. Teresa

is the first Chilean saint, the first non-European Discalced Carmelite nun canonized, and the

fourth Saint Teresa in the Carmelite tradition.

GRD 10- ST. ALBERT OF JERUSALEM

Saint Albert was born in the mid-12th century in Castel Gualtieri, Emilia, Italy. He joined the

Canons Regular of the Holy Cross in Mortara and became Prior in 1180. In 1184, he was

appointed bishop of Bobbio, and a year later, he was transferred to Vercelli, where he served for

twenty years. As bishop, Albert was a skilled diplomat, mediating peace between cities like

Pavia and Milan in 1194 and Parma and Piacenza in 1199. In 1191, he held a diocesan synod

known for its lasting disciplinary reforms. He also contributed to religious legislation, writing

statutes and helping form the Rule of the Humiliates. In 1205, Albert became Patriarch of

Jerusalem and was later named Papal Legate for the region. He arrived in Palestine in 1206 and

lived in Acre, since Jerusalem was under Saracen control. There, he promoted peace among

various groups and gave a Rule to the hermits on Mount Carmel. On September 14, 1214, Albert

was murdered during a procession by a disgraced religious official he had disciplined.

SENIOR HIGH LEVEL

GRD 11- ST. SIMON STOCK

Simon Stock was an English Prior General of the Carmelite Order, known for his holy life, who

died around 1265 in Bordeaux, France. After his death, reports of miracles at his tomb led to the
growth of a local cult in Bordeaux during the 14th century. Around 1400, a separate legend from

the Low Countries emerged about a "holy Simon" who received a vision of Our Lady offering

the scapular with a promise of salvation. This legend was soon merged with the life of Simon

Stock, attributing the vision to him. Elaborate biographical details were added over time,

including claims that he lived as a hermit in a tree and authored the hymn Flos Carmeli. The cult

of Saint Simon Stock and the scapular devotion spread widely in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Many laypeople joined the scapular devotion, and the vision inspired numerous works of art. His

feast day, May 16, was eventually added to the Carmelite liturgical calendar. Though removed

after Vatican II, the feast has since been reintroduced. While the scapular vision’s historicity is

doubted, the scapular remains a cherished symbol of Mary's protection and commitment to

Christ among Carmelites.

GRD 11- ST. GEORGE PRECA

George Preca was born in Valletta, Malta, on 12 February 1880 and was enrolled in the

Carmelite Scapular as a child. He felt called to the priesthood and was ordained on 22 December

1906. In 1907, he began forming a group of young men, teaching them Christian values and

God’s love, which led to the foundation of the Society of Christian Doctrine, known as

MUSEUM. This group focused on the religious education of children and youth, guided by

trained laypeople. The Incarnation, "The Word of God was made flesh," became the core of his

spirituality and the Society’s motto. Fr. George deepened his Carmelite identity by joining the

Third Order on 21 July 1918 and took the name “Franco” after Blessed Franco of Siena. He

identified strongly with the Carmelite family and often referred to himself by his Tertiary name.

In 1952, the Carmelite Order officially affiliated him in recognition of his devotion to Our Lady

of Mount Carmel. He died on 26 July 1962, leaving a lasting spiritual legacy through the global
spread of MUSEUM. Fr. George Preca was canonized on 3 June 2007, honored not for miracles

but for a life of deep holiness and service.

GRD 11- ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, known as the “Little Flower,” inspired generations of Catholics

through her simple yet profound spirituality despite dying at age 24 after a short life in a

cloistered Carmelite convent. She never traveled, founded an order, or performed dramatic

works, yet her autobiography, Story of a Soul, became a spiritual classic after her death. Thérèse

experienced deep personal suffering from a young age, including the loss of her mother, intense

emotional struggles, and her father's mental illness. A pivotal moment came on Christmas Day

when she overcame her emotional immaturity, which she considered her conversion. Determined

to join the Carmelites at a young age, she appealed all the way to the Pope, impressing Church

leaders with her courage and persistence. Inside the convent, she embraced ordinary, hidden

sacrifices as a path to holiness, developing her “little way” of spiritual childhood and deep trust

in God. Even amid spiritual dryness and painful illness, she clung to faith and saw love as her

vocation, believing small acts done with great love had immense value. Before dying of

tuberculosis, she promised to spend her heaven doing good on earth and letting fall a "shower of

roses." Her writings spread rapidly after her death, touching people worldwide with the message

that sanctity is possible through everyday love and humility. Canonized in 1925, she is now a

Doctor of the Church and patroness of the missions, proving that one need not be great in the

eyes of the world to be great in the eyes of God

Edith Stein was born in 1891 in what is now Wroclaw, Poland, into a Jewish family, but later

abandoned religious practice in favor of science and philosophy. Her life changed dramatically

after reading the works of St. Teresa of Avila, which led to her conversion to Roman Catholicism

and baptism in 1922. At the age of 43, she entered the Carmelite order and took the name Sister

Teresia Benedicta of the Cross. Despite her Catholic faith, the Nazis targeted her during World

War II because of her Jewish heritage. Refusing to deny her roots, she was sent to Auschwitz and

killed in the gas chambers in 1942. She is now honored as a Catholic saint and martyr, canonized

by Pope John Paul II in 1998. Her life exemplifies the Catholic Social Teaching principle of

solidarity, standing with the suffering and oppressed. The Journey to Justice retreat embodies

this same principle by building bridges between different socioeconomic groups. It challenges

stereotypes and helps participants understand poverty through direct interaction with low-income

communities. The goal of the retreat is to inspire Catholics to live more justly and

compassionately as members of one human family.

G12 ABM – A FRANCISCO PALAU Y QUER

Blessed Francis Palau y Quer was born in 1811 in Aytona, Spain, during a time of great civil and

religious unrest. As a youth, he showed exceptional academic ability and deep spiritual

aspirations, eventually entering the Seminary of Lerida at age 17. Though the seminary life was

challenging, Francis excelled, but later discerned that his true calling was to religious life. In

1832, he left the seminary to join the Discalced Carmelites in Barcelona, taking the name

Francisco of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Despite the rising threat of anti-religious violence in

Spain, he made his religious profession with full awareness of the risks. Ordained a deacon in

1834 and a priest in 1836, Francis’s convent life was soon disrupted when the monasteries were
attacked and destroyed by mobs in 1835. Forced into exile, he lived out his Carmelite vocation in

solitude and active ministry, embracing both prayer and preaching. He later founded the

Carmelite Missionaries and the School of Virtue, enduring government suppression and

persecution with unwavering faith. Palau had a mystical devotion to the Church, which he loved

as a bride and served with all his strength. He is remembered as a man of deep conviction who

responded courageously and creatively to the turmoil of his time.

G12 ABM – B ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

Saint John of the Cross is recognized for heroically living out the meaning of his name,

embracing the suffering and sacrifice symbolized by the cross. His life mirrored the Gospel

message of self-denial and following Christ through suffering to new life. Ordained a Carmelite

priest at 25, he joined Teresa of Avila in reforming the Carmelite Order, committing to a stricter,

more contemplative way of life. This mission brought him great suffering, including

imprisonment, opposition, and misunderstanding. While imprisoned in harsh conditions, John

found spiritual illumination and began composing deeply mystical poetry. In this darkness, he

encountered divine light, producing works like the Spiritual Canticle, blending poetry and

mysticism uniquely. He also wrote profound prose, such as The Ascent of Mount Carmel,

describing the soul’s journey toward union with God through purification and self-emptying. As

both a mystic and theologian, he emphasized that true union with God demands suffering,

discipline, and detachment. John’s life and writings reflect the deep paradox of Christianity:

through death comes life, and through the cross comes resurrection. Though he died young at 49,

his life was spiritually rich and influential, embodying the message of the Cross.
G12 STEM – A ST. MARY MAGDALENE DE PAZZI

Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi was born into the noble Pazzi family of Florence on April 2,

1566, and showed deep devotion to God from an early age. She made her First Communion at

the unusually young age of ten, demonstrating her profound spiritual maturity. At seventeen, she

joined the Carmelite nuns of Saint Mary of the Angels in Florence and later held roles such as

assistant mistress of novices, sacristan, mistress of novices, and subprioress. Despite enduring

chronic illness and spiritual suffering, she remained steadfast in her religious duties and was

graced with extraordinary mystical experiences. Her spirituality centered on love—love as the

origin and destiny of the soul, and the force that unites it with God. She was passionately

devoted to the reform of the Church and longed for priests to renew their witness to the world.

Mary Magdalene also had deep devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom she revered for her purity

and unity with the Word of God. Her ecstasies and visions were documented in five manuscripts

written by fellow nuns and revised by the saint herself. These works became spiritual treasures

for the Carmelite order and the wider Church. She died on May 25, 1607, was beatified in 1626,

and canonized on April 28, 1669.

G12 STEM – C ST. ELIJAH

Elijah is remembered especially for his bold confrontation on Mount Carmel, where he urged the

Israelites to choose between Yahweh and Baal. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah’s sacrifice was consumed

by fire from heaven, proving Yahweh as the true God. Elijah dedicated his life to proclaiming

God’s word and was sent into many challenging situations. During one such mission, he

journeyed through the desert and fell into despair, wishing for death. However, God sustained
him and led him to Mount Horeb. There, Elijah encountered God not in dramatic signs like fire

or earthquake, but in the gentle sound of a breeze. This encounter taught Elijah—and us—that

God often speaks in quiet, unexpected ways. Elijah was then sent back to fulfill God’s mission

among the people. The Carmelite tradition draws inspiration from Elijah’s example of deep

listening and total commitment to God. Following Elijah, Carmelites strive to live prophetically,

allowing God’s Word to transform their hearts and actions.