In his message the provincial prior, Miguel Ángel Hernández, thanked the religious reminding them, “God has passed by leaving behind his trail in the life of the province this jubilee year”.
In Spain the centennial celebration began a year ago at the birthplace of Saint Thomas, Villanueva de los Infantes in Ciudad Real, with the Eucharist that was presided by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares. Fr. Hernández remembered – “In other occasions God revealed himself in surprising and spectacular ways: we think of the opening celebrations of the centenary in four areas of the Province and in those that followed; with Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, with the five bishops of the Order in Brazil in the company of Don Oraní Joao Tempesta, the pastor of the archdiocese of Río de Janeiro together with his auxiliary bishop in the parish of Saint Monica, or in the golden jubilee of Venezuela presided by the auxiliary bishop of Caracas, Don Jésus González, we have in mind the solemn celebrations of Madrid and Monachil. In all of these God allowed us a glimpse of his glory”. God also manifested himself in the “Congress on life and spirituality of the Province which was inaugurated by the Nuncio of His Holiness in Spain, Mons. Manuel Monteiro de Castro”.
The closing of the centenary coincided with the celebration of the XV Augustinian Recollect Songfest for the youth. It was a three-day of sharing of concerns, reflections, celebrations, prayers, feasts, joy… an encounter wherein elements of community life and moments of interiority were the principal objectives.
More than 400 were present during the closing ceremonies at the cathedral of Valencia that Friday. They spent Saturday night in an intense “Vigil of Light” which concluded with the Eucharist in the morning of Sunday.
Ten original songs were presented during the contest. The group from San Sebastián (Euskadi) won the first prize. The second and the third places went to the groups from Sevilla (Andalucia) and Guadalajara (Castilla La Mancha) respectively.
Some 400 youth who took part in the XV Augustinian Recollect Songfest joined the holy celebration. Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela
On October 10, the feast day of St. Thomas of Villanueva, concluding celebrations were also held in places where the Province is present.
In the parish of Our Lady of Consolation, Buenos Aires, Argentina, a video presentation narrating the history of the Province preceded the celebration of the Holy Mass that was presided by Carlos María Domínguez, the vicar provincial of Argentina.
The Eucharist that concluded the celebration of the centenary was celebrated in the parish of Saint Monica in Río de Janeiro, Brazil. Religious, members of the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity, associations and groups from schools and parishes joined the celebration.
In Venezuela, closing celebrations were held in the different ministries: in Maracaibo there was a great participation on the part of the youth and the members of the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity; there were celebrations too in Tamare, Tía Juana and Caracas.