Thread by @carmelitequotes

Carmelite historian Fr Elias Friedman:
"The extent of the Arab débàcle in Haifa can be judged from the statistics:
> In 1944, of a total population of 128,000, Jews numbered 66,000 (52%)
> in 1948, of a total population of 98,284, Jews numbered 94,718."
bit.ly/Friedman1948🇻🇦

Fr Friedman explains how 4 religious from the Christian Brothers school in Haifa sought secure refuge with the Discalced Carmelites at Stella Maris in January 1948; desperate Arab families followed, until their numbers swelled to over 500
Read more bit.ly/Friedman1948 🇻🇦

The "Latin Catholic" parish of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers in Haifa suffered a drastic loss in membership from 1944-1948 as families left the country to seek refuge in Christian Lebanon. Parish statistics show a drop from +-4,000 to +-500
READ MORE bit.ly/Friedman1948 🇻🇦

The Carmelite Father in charge of refugee outreach was a friar who spent 6 years in a British prison camp in the Mideast, simply because he was an Italian. His resourcefulness proved invaluable. Learn more about Father Clemente Casinelli, OCD
READ MORE bit.ly/Friedman1948 🇮🇹

Fr Clemente Casinelli, OCD continued to celebrate daily Mass for the Discalced Carmelite nuns at the monastery down the street; on 22 April 1948 as he left the chapel, he entered the garden and could see the battle in the city of Haifa below
READ MORE bit.ly/Friedman1948 😮

After the war, Israeli occupation of Discalced Carmelite property in Haifa began immediately. Male & female soldiers occupied one wing of the monastery dormitory FOR 11 YEARS AFTER THE WAR. 😩 Brazil 🇧🇷 and USA 🇺🇸 had to intervene to evict them
READ MORE bit.ly/Friedman1948🇻🇦

Learn more about Fr Elias Friedman, OCD (1916-1999), the 20th c. historian of the Discalced Carmelites on Mount Carmel, a friar of Stella Maris Monastery, and a well-known Jewish convert like St. Edith Stein. We knew & esteemed him greatly.
READ MORE hebrewcatholic.net/elias-friedman… 🇻🇦

This was the photo that led to our research of Fr. Elias Friedman's articles in the scholarly journal TERESIANUM published by @teresianum_roma
📷MaxVT / Flickr
N.B. - see thread @ocdcuria @carmelnunsgb @johnmcgowan50

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