On November 29, the general council and priors provincial had a meeting with fourteen Augustinian Recollect Bishops who were already in San Millan since November 25. On this day every bishop highlighted some aspects of the situation of his diocese or prelature and discussed issues of common interest. Father Manuel Fernández made a report about the Haren Alde while the Postulator General, Samson Silloríquez, presented the status of the causes of beatification.
San Ezequiel Moreno
On Sunday, November 30, after visiting the birthplace of St. Ezekiel Moreno in Alfaro (La Rioja), a Solemn Mass was held at the convent of Monteagudo (Navarra), where the remains of this holy Augustinian Recollect Bishop are venerated. In his homily, Msgr. Javier Pizarro, bishop of the prelature of Trinidad (Casanare, Colombia), a successor of St. Ezekiel, highlighted the profound spiritual life and apostolic zeal of this holy missionary. The group toured the new museum dedicated to St. Ezekiel with Pablo Panedas as their guide. In the afternoon, they headed to the historical convent of Marcilla (Navarra), where so many Augustinian Recollect missionaries have been formed. They also had the opportunity of seeing the fascinating mission museum, which was still unfinished.
Agenda of the meeting
On December 1, the Prior General, the general council and the eight priors provincial started to develop an intensive program in which they reflected on the revision of the text of the Constitutions, the initial and continuous formation, the juridical reorganization of the Order, the institutes and the general secretariats, identity and communication, needs and projects of the provinces and the religious in special situation. They also tackled the preparation for the next chapter to be held in Monachil (Granada) on the month of October 2010.
They completed their task on December 5, anniversary of the Augustinian Recollection, with the celebration of the Mass presided by Javier Guerra Ayala, Prior General, who in his homily thanked God for the Vocation Year and urged everyone present to work in communion at the service of the Order and the Church.
Message to the Augustinian Recollect Family
The Prior general, the General Councilors and Priors Provincial of the Order have sent a message to the entire Augustinian Recollect Family which states among other things: “We have been united with the whole Church in praising and thanking the Lord for the centenary of the general chapter that laid the foundation for the rebuilding of our Order, with the presence of bishops, friars, sisters, and members of our Secular Fraternity. Together we have celebrated the closing of our Vocation Year 2008, and, joining all those who came together to celebrate the anticipated Anniversary of the Recollection, we have been witnesses of the richness of the universal Church and of the Augustinian Recollect family. Our spirituality and charism are actively present in the Church, when she acts as mother and guide, in our brother bishops; when she leaves everything to follow Jesus and goes in haste and with enthusiasm to where her mission needs her, in our friars and sisters; when in holy leisure she contemplates God himself, in our Augustinian Recollect nuns; when she commits herself to the transformation of the world, in the charity of our secular members”.
“We observe with joy and hope the impulse in favor of this communion that the prior general and his council are giving to the communications media, especially through the dissemination of information about who we are and what we do via the Internet. As we assure them of our support, we encourage all our religious to take advantage of the media to know our Order better and to contribute to making it better known”.