(June 20, 2014: Darien, IL) The Order of Carmelites of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Province (PCM) proudly announces the results of their 2014 Chapter elections.

The Very Reverend Wiliam J. Harry , O. Carm., has been elected Prior Provincial of the Province. Reverend Joseph Atcher, O.Carm., of Louisville, Kentucky, has been elected Vice Prior Provincial. Additionally, four Carmelites were elected as Councilors for the Province. They are: Reverend Samuel Citero, O.Carm., First Councilor; Reverend Myron Judy, O.Carm., Second Councilor; Reverend Emilio Rodriguez, O.Carm., Third Councilor, and Reverend Paul Henson, O.Carm., Fourth Councilor.

PROVINCE ELECTS PRIOR PROVINCIAL

The Very Reverend William J. Harry, O. Carm., has been elected Prior Provincial Father William Harry is a Louisville, Kentucky, native who joined the Carmelites and professed his first vows on August 7, 1977 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He was ordained to the priesthood as a Carmelite priest July 9, 1983, in Louisville.
His passion for education followed him through his vows and his formal training for priesthood. He received his baccalaureate degree in history from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1976. In 1979, Father Bill received his master’s degree in education administration from the University of Arizona. In 1982 he received an STB (baccalaureate in Sacred Theology) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. In 1986 Father Bill was awarded an STL (Licentiate in Sacred Theology) in spirituality from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois, and in 1997 a Doctorate in Ministry in communications. He has also studied languages at the University of Vienna in Austria, and at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

His professional experience started with his first assignment as teacher at Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson, Arizona, from 1977-1979. He later returned to Salpointe and served there from 1983 to 1985. During those years he taught various subjects including theology, science, psychology, and cultural awareness, and was the school’s campus minister.

In 1986 he moved to Mundelein, Illinois, where he became principal of Carmel High School. After two years he became the school president, a position he held for eight years. During his tenure Father Bill provided the leadership to merge two schools and initiated a Board of Directors. Father Bill’s foresight brought the school’s first successful capital campaign netting $3 million dollars. Under his term, the school received the “National Exemplary School Award” for the second time (it has now won the award four times) given from the United States Department of Education.

In 1998 Father Bill became editor of the Carmelite Review magazine and moved to the pre-novitiate house in Houston, Texas. During this time he also was appointed vocation director of the Province. In 1999, Father Bill was elected by his peers as commissary provincial of the Western Commissariat, a position he held until his election to the General Council of the Order.

As Counselor General, Father Bill was the director of the Office of Communications of the Carmelite Order and the editor of CITOC, a quarterly international news magazine which was printed in three languages. Additionally, Father Bill held various responsibilities including liaison to the Order’s publishing house as well as its research institutes, libraries, and archives in numerous parts of the world. He served in these responsibilities for his term as General Councilor.

Returning to the United States, after a sabbatical Father Bill was once again elected Western Commissary in 2008 and re-elected for a second three-year term in 2011.

His volunteer work includes serving as webmaster, as fire department chaplain and as a member of the Northern Illinois Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Association. He was a recipient of the “Outstanding Citizen of the Village of Mundelein, Illinois,” in recognition for his volunteer work in the community, and named one of the “Ten Key Leaders in Lake County” for his educational leadership and participation in civic initiatives throughout the northern Illinois county.” He recently received the Martin Luther King Award at a University of Arizona event in recognition for his work in education and in social justice issues in various parts of the world.

Father Bill has been a member of many commissions both within the Province and internationally; from his work on the Provincial Education Commission to his International Communications Commission Chair. He has also been a board member of four Carmelite high schools: Crespi Carmelite High School, Encino, California; Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson, Arizona; Mount Carmel High School, Chicago, Illinois; and Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet, Illinois.

With his work Father Bill has traveled extensively both in the United States and to foreign countries, having resided in three foreign countries. He speaks and understands multiple languages.

VICE PRIOR PROVINCIAL ELECTED

Reverend Joseph Atcher, O.Carm., has been elected Vice Prior Provincial
Father Atcher is a Louisville, Kentucky, native who after three years at Saint Thomas Seminary and one year at De Sales High School, both in Louisville, attended Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Ontario as a novice, where he received the Carmelite habit on August 21, 1968. He professed solemn vows as a Carmelite on April 13, 1974. In1969 he attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received his bachelors in English in 1972. Continuing his education he studied Liturgy at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where in 1975 he received his master’s degree there, while simultaneously studying Pastoral Ministry at the Washington Theological Coalition (now Washington Theological Union), Washington, DC, and was then ordained a priest on May 8, 1976 at Most Blessed Sacrament Church, Louisville.

His first assignment was teaching English and Religion at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Illinois. After one year in this position, he became the dean of students for the following two years, and then was appointed Campus Minister. Two years later Father Joseph became Assistant Principal in 1984.

In 1984, Father Atcher moved to Darien, Illinois and served as a retreat director at the Carmelite Spiritual Center and as a Vocation Director for the province. In 1985, he was appointed principal at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California. He held that position for four years before moving to Chicago, Illinois, where from 1989 to 1996 held the positions of assistant principal, principal and president of Mount Carmel High School. In 1996, Father Atcher was appointed the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tenafly, New Jersey, while at the same time being appointed the Director of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Tenafly. Staying in New Jersey, Father Atcher was appointed as pastor of Saint Therese Parish, where he served in that capacity for the next four years.

Moving back to his home city of Louisville, Father Atcher was appointed the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish there in 2002. In 2004, he was appointed the Executive Director of the Office of Lifelong Formation and Education for the Archdiocese of Louisville. In July of 2010, he was called by the Province to serve as the Director for Sponsorship and as the Provincial Delegate of the Lay Carmelites. He served in these roles until his election as Commissary Provincial for the Midwest in 2011 and was at the same time appointed the Provincial Treasurer. He resides at the Saint Simon Stock Community in Darien, Illinois.

Asked about his election as Vice Prior Provincial, Father Atcher said: “I accept this ministry for the Province relying on the grace of God and the help of my brother Carmelites.”

FOUR PROVINCIAL COUNCILORS ELECTED

Reverend Samuel Citero, O.Carm., has been elected First Councilor
Father Samuel Citero, O.Carm., a native of Passaic, New Jersey, entered the Carmelite Order after high school and professed his First Vows on September 1, 1979. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Marquette University in 1978, and a master in Divinity from Washington Theological Union in 1984. He was ordained a priest on November 24, 1984.

During his ministry, Father Citero has worked in parish ministry at Saint Cecilia Parish in Englewood, New Jersey; teaching at Joliet Catholic Academy in Joliet, Illinois; campus ministry at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois; and most recently as Vocation Director for the Province from 2005 to 2010. He was appointed pastor of Saint Therese Parish in Cresskill, New Jersey, in 2010, and is now in his second term as pastor. He was elected Fourth Councilor in 2011, and is now elected as First Counselor,

Asked about his election as First Councilor, Father Citero said: “I look forward to continuing the work of the council and moving forward with the agenda of the order and the church for the next three years.”

Reverend Myron Judy O.Carm., has been elected Second Councilor
Father Myron Judy, O.Carm., a native of Chicago, Illinois, professed his First Vows as a Carmelite on August 22, 1957. In 1960 he earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Saint Bonaventure University, Olean, and was ordained a priest on August 18, 1963. He has also earned a master’s degree (Notre Dame University), a master of education degree (University of Illinois), a Licentiate in Sacred Theology degree (Catholic University of America), and a master of social work degree (University of Pennsylvania).

Father Judy’s ministry assignments have involved parish and seminary ministries, college teaching, higher education and health care administration, including hospital chaplaincy. He currently serves the province as its Director of Health Care. He was elected as Third Councilor in 2011, and is now elected as Second Councilor.

Asked about his election as Second Councilor, Father Judy said: “I begin this ministry with the same request Pope Francis made at his election, ‘Pray for me.’ Through the Way of Carmel and this position, I hope to be able to continue to bring the Good News of the Gospel to all who want enrichment for their lives.”

Reverend Emilio Rodriguez, O.Carm., has been elected Third Councilor
Father Emilio Rodriguez, O.Carm., is currently the pastor at the parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Torreon, Mexico, and Prior of the Carmelite community there. A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Father Rodriguez entered the Carmelites in 1998, professing First Vows on May 31, 1999, and Solemn Vows on April 17, 2004. He studied Theology at the Washington Theological Union in Washington, DC, and was ordained a priest on August 27, 2005. He continued Theology studies at the Instituto de Formación Intercongregacional de la Ciudad de México from 2006 to 2011, and served as formator of the Carmelite prenovices in Mexico City. He has been serving as pastor at Transfiguration parish in Torreon since May 2011.

Asked about his election as Third Councilor, Father Rodriguez said: “As Saint Therese of the Child Jesus would say: ‘Everything is grace.’”

Reverend Paul Henson, O.Carm., has been elected Fourth Councilor
Father Paul Henson, O.Carm., a Los Angeles California native, joined the Carmelites in 1995, professing First Vows on June 9, 1997, and Solemn Vows on December 14, 2001. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California in 1986, and a Masters in Divinity from Washington Theological Union in 2001. He was ordained a priest on June 1, 2002. After his ordination Father Henson was a member of the faculty at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California for two years, after which he was appointed principal of the same high school in 2004, serving in that position until 2013. He was then appointed to his current position as Vocation Director for the Province. This is his first time elected to the provincial council.

Asked about his election as Fourth Councilor, Father Henson said: “I am grateful to God and the Brothers for their confidence and pray for the grace to follow the movements of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!”

For further information on the Order of Carmelites or on any of the newly elected, contact Carmelite Media at (630) 971-0724 or visit the Carmelite website at www.carmelnet.org.

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