Carmelite friar makes first profession

On 2nd September 2009, Brother Paul Jenkins made his simple profession of vows as a Carmelite friar into the hands of Prior Provincial, Fr. Wilfrid McGreal, O.Carm.
 
Originally from Newcastle, Paul began his noviciate - an initial period of formation in Carmelite community life and spirituality - a year ago at Aylesford Priory in Kent.
 
Paul was joined in the noviciate by three novice friars from Tanzania - Paul Malewa, Paschal Shirima and Victor Biramata - who hope to make their first profession on 13th September in Naples before returning home to Africa as part of the process of establishing a community of Carmelite Friars in their homeland.

 Before coming to the noviciate with the Carmelites at Aylesford Priory, Paul had worked with Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service) in the sensitive area of court proceedings involving children. Now that he has completed his noviciate year, Brother Paul will move to another community of the British Province to continue his formation and pastoral experience.

Paul's profession brings the number of simply professed friars in initial formation within the British Province of Carmelites to four.
 
For more information on the Carmelite friar's way of life, please visit the Vocations Ministry section of this website: www.carmelite.org.

Picture on right shows Brother Paul (2nd from left) with Tanzanian novices and Fr Tony Lester visiting the ruins of the first Carmelite friary in England at Hulne, Northumberland, in mid-winter 2009.