Br. F.X. Edo Valentino, O.Carm

St. Anne's Church has a new member, Brother FX. Edo Valentino O. Carm. He is a young Carmelite friar. Brother Edo was born on June 7, 1999, and has a younger sister. After graduating from Junior High School in 2014, he attended St. Paul Minor Seminary in Palem-bang, Indonesia.

Then, in 2018, Edo joined the Carmelites Order. He chose to enter Carmel because of Carmel's profound charism of contemplation. This charism, emphasizing silent prayer and deep reflection, resonated with Brother Edo's spiritual journey, as he felt the need to live in silence amid the noisy world.

After finishing his novitiate in 2020, he started his Philosophy Education. For him, life as a friar should be balanced regar-ding the depth of spiritual life, physical health, social frater-nity, and intellectual insight.

So, in addition to studying Philosophy, he filled his free time with gardening, which he sees as a way to connect with God's creation, doing sports, which he believes is essential for maintaining physical health, and sometimes making rosaries, a meditative activity that contributes to his spiritual life. These activities, along with his studies, make his life balanced.

Brother Edo, a recent graduate from the School of Philosophy in July 2024, was sent by his superiors to Hong Kong, to St. Anne's Parish, to experience parish life.

This was a valuable experience and a significant challenge for him. However, he embraced it with the exact obedience and determination he embodies as a Carmelite.

Brother Edo believes joy is crucial in following the path of vocation as a Carmelite. He acknowledges that challenges, such as the demands of his studies and the adjustment to a new culture in Hong Kong, are ever-present.

Through prayer, he finds the strength to overcome these challenges, strengthening his faith and heart to persevere.

He likes Saint Therese of Lisieux's motto: "My vocation is Love." This motto affirms that in her whole life of vocation, she has learned to love many things, starting from small things and significant responsi-bilities.

Brother Edo's commitment to his vocation as a Carmelite is unwavering. His determination to serve as a priest candidate with a spirit of prayer, brother-hood, and humility inspires us all. We can be confident in his abilities and steadfast dedica-tion to his calling. On the other hand, we need to support him with prayer. (*)