Question.- What does reelection as prior provincial imply?
Answer.- It implies worry, work, responsibility and fear. More than an office, it is a burden that the brothers have placed on me, and which I assume for love of them in these difficult moments of the life of the Province. We are less in number, we are older, and there is more work to do. Today, like in the past, we need to discern and accept generously where and how the Lord wants us to be. These are not easy tasks. I would not want to let down the brothers’ trust in me. Reading Saint Augustine, I have learned that authority is a service in love, and that the higher one goes, the more he has to serve and be a servant. These days, during times of prayer, I look at Jesus on the cross and tell Him I have accepted this because He accepted the cross, and I ask him to help me give life as He did.
Changes
Q.- What are the most important directives of the just-concluded chapter?
They are basically two: to continue the process of reorganization of the province and to involve all religious in vocation promotion and formation.
Q.- What does the reorganization of the province aim at?
Reorganization is a necessary and inevitable process that will allow us to live our charism faithfully and joyfully, to improve the quality of our community life, and to serve the Church better.
Q.- What would you propose so that the Order would live its charism and renew its commitment with the evangelizing mission?
First of all, that in all communities there would be at least four religious; then, that all communities would attend to only one ministry, although in the case of educative communities it is very helpful, in all aspects, to take on a parish ministry also. And finally, that each province would have mission ministries, either ad gentes mission or urban mission among the squatter areas that already exist in many cities.
Q.- Why do communities of Peru, Venezuela and Spain belong to the same Province?
When the Province was created in 1948, most of its religious and ministries were in Venezuela. To them were joined the houses and religious of Peru, because the foundation of the Peruvian vicariate had been made some years earlier, from 1943, with religious and resources from Venezuela. In Spain, the monastery of San Millán was handed over to the new province as seminary that would guarantee covering the demand for religious for the ministries of the South American vicariates, and their formation. Years later, the seminaries of Logroño and Salamanca were opened, and the provincial curia was transferred from Caracas to Madrid .
Vocations
Q.- How is the issue of vocation ministry addressed in the three geographical areas of the Province?
Promoting, accompanying and forming vocations are a priority need in the Province and in the Church. In the course of the triennium, we will strive to create and strengthen the culture of vocations, such that the whole pastoral work of our ministries will be vocation-oriented. We want to involve the laity more – some lay people are already involved – in the vocation ministry. On the other hand, the chapter has again determined to devote two religious in Peru as well as in Venezuela to full-time vocation ministry; and one with preferential dedication to the same in Spain. Furthermore, the figure of the vocation promoter in each community of the Province will be strengthened, and he will be helped by a team of lay people.
Spain
Q.- What is the significance of the monastery of San Millán for the Augustinian Recollects?
The monastery of San Millán is linked to the Augustinian Recollects from 1878, when we went there, and, in a closer sense, to Saint Joseph Province, which was born around it, and which considers it the mother house. It is in San Millan, on the occasion of the general chapter of 1908, that the then congregation of Augustinian Recollects was organized as an Order: community life was reestablished, and prayer as well as missionary apostolate were fomented. San Millán reminds us of the importance of fraternal life, it is a call to contemplation and interiority, and above all, it is a new areopagus for the evangelization of culture. San Millán is the door that opens us to the world.
Peru
Q.- How is it that three religious of the province have been appointed bishops in Peru?
The Holy Father named Monsignor Emiliano Cisneros bishop of the Prelature of Chota. When Monsignor Emiliano was named bishop of Cajamarca, Monsignor Carmelo Martínez was appointed bishop of the Chota Prelature. Later, when Monsignor Emiliano was named bishop of Chachapoyas and Monsignor Carmelo that of Cajamarca, Monsignor Fortunao Pablo was named bishop of the Chota Prelature. At the request of the Nuncio in Peru, the Province deemed it appropriate not to leave either Monsignor Emiliano or Monsignor Carmelo unassisted when they took on the episcopal ministry of those dioceses, which were undergoing critical and delicate moments, at least while the problems were ongoing, aware that the greatest difficulty of a religious bishop is living alone, deprived of the company of his confreres. The bishop of Chota relies on an Augustinian Recollect community that helps him in the radio station, in social projects, in the training of catechists and in the parish of Saint Monica, which is entrusted to our care.
Q.- What are the needs at present of the Andean mission of Chota in Peru?
They are basically three: attention to Radio Santa Monica with skilled religious and lay personnel, administration of social assistance projects and, above all, communication routes, which are still deficient, for want of a better term.
Venezuela
Q.- How is the socio-political situation affecting the religious who are working in the parishes and schools of Venezuela?
They are living in a climate of complete insecurity and uncertainty, as they do not know what will happen next or what the president will come up with next. The situation is affecting the schools more than it does the parishes. The government is aware that the success and the continuity of the revolution that it is trying to establish according to the Cuban communist model depends on the education of new generations. As it has neither structures nor personnel to take on this task, it still needs private education, which it tries either to bend according to its so-called Bolivarian revolutionary criteria, or to suffocate economically by controlling the pensions and increasing the salaries of the teachers. It is increasingly more difficult to educate according to Christian values. In the parishes there is peace for now and there is not much interference, but the priest cannot publicly speak of politics and much less criticize the government or denounce the lack of liberty or other abuses. There is an attempt, with scarce success, to create a parallel Church that is official, national and supportive of the regime.
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Biographical profile of José Ramón Pérez |
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Fr. José Ramón Pérez joined the Order in September 1971 in Saint Augustine Seminary in Logroño, Spain. He professed at the convent of Monteagudo (Navarra) on 13 August 1979. He was ordained priest at the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla on 26 August 1984. He studied theology at Gaudium et Spes Institute in Salamanca, which is affiliated to the Pontifical University there. He pursued further studies of theology and patristics at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome, where he obtained the licentitate degree. From November 1984 to July 1999, he resided in Venezuela where he worked in the teaching and parish ministries. From 1999 to 2002 he was assigned in Rome for further studies. From 2002 to 2005 he was in San Millán as vice-prior of the monastery and as provincial councilor. From 2005 he has been residing in Madrid. For almost twelve years he was a formator and master of the professed in the houses of the province in Venezuela, and councilor of that vicariate for two terms. The provincial chapter held in San Millán in July of 2005 elected him prior provincial, a post to which he has recently been reelected for a second triennium. |