The Carmelite Order is pleased to announce a new leadership team for their international academic institution, Institutum Carmelitanum, located at St Albert’s International Centre in Rome (Italy).
Boby Sebastian Tharakkunnel, O. Carm., (Province of St Thomas, India), has been appointed as the President of the Institutum Carmelitanum. He will direct, coordinate, and promote the research and the scientific activities of the Institutum Carmelitanum for the next six years.
Father Boby was born in Kerala (India) and made his first profession as a Carmelite in 1993. He worked as Executive Secretary of the Order’s Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission and also as a member of the Order’s Inter-Religious Dialogue Commission. After earning his doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Rome) in 2014, he has been a professor of Canon Law, Civil Law and director of retreats and courses of personality development. Currently, he is the prior and rector of our minor seminary “Carmel Nivas” in Kerala (India).
Speaking about his appointment, Father Boby said, “It is with joy and humility that I embrace the role of President of the Institutum Carmelitanum, eager to honor the legacy of distinguished Carmelites before me and to help shape a future of renewal and excellence for this great institution.”
Giovanni Grosso, O. Carm., (Italian Province) has been appointed as the General Archivist. The Order’s General Archive is located at St Albert’s International College (Rome). The General Archivist is responsible for the entire patrimony and takes care of the ordering, custody, restoration, consultation and enhancement of the documentation preserved in the Archive.
Maximilianus Kolbe Agung Wahyudianto, O. Carm., (Indonesian Province), has been appointed as the General Librarian. In addition to a small general section, the Carmelite General Library has a specifically Carmelite section which collects all the publications of Carmelite authors and subjects. As General Librarian, Father Maximilianus will take care of the organization, conservation, updating, consultation, and enhancement of the library.
Mario Loya, O. Carm., (PCM Province) has been announced as the Secretary of the Institutum Carmelitanum. As a member of the secretariat, Father Mario has the task of helping to coordinate the activity of the Institutum Carmelitanum especially with regard to its publications.
Michael Plattig, O. Carm., (German Province), continues in his role as editor of Carmelus, the academic journal of the Institutum Carmelitanum. Carmelus is a multi-lingual journal of scholarly articles along with an annual bibliography of Carmelite spirituality, theology, history, and biography along with other works important to researchers and students in the area of Carmelite studies.
The Institutum Carmelitanum has the task of making known the spiritual heritage of Carmel throughout the Order and throughout the modern world. It was established in 1951 by the then prior general, Kilian Lynch, to promote studies especially in the areas of Carmelite history, Mariology, and spirituality and is now developing into other areas. It produces several publications through the years including an academic journal, Carmelus.
