On Nov. 7 and 8, the members of the secular Augustinian recollect fraternity will celebrate their 5th National Assembly in Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid, Spain). The theme chosen for the occasion is “Evangelized in order to evangelize”.
Joaquin Albaladejo Solano joined the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity last December 6, 1990. He was the president of the fraternity of St. Thomas of Villanova (Granada, Spain) and was later elected as president of the national council of the secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternities of Spain. Joaquin Albaladejo was born in Cartagena (Murcia, Spain) on Nov. 9, 1937. He is married to Maria del Carmen del Castillo Perez, also a secular Augustinian Recollect. He used to work for many years for Repsol Butano S.A. At present he is retired.
Q. How did you know the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity?
A. We came to know of the secular fraternity through Fr. Julian Hernandez. We were then 49 men and women who used to come to the Cursillos de Cristiandad. Our life of faith advanced with the help of our beloved Augustinian Recollect religious and led us into the creation of the secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity. The witnessing of the community of religious of the Colegio de Sto. Tomas de Villanueva (Granada, Spain), where our parish is located and with whom we maintain warm relations, influenced our Augustinian Recollect vocation.
Secular Vocation
Q. How do you understand the secular Augustinian Recollect vocation?
A. It is a response, from your laical state, to the call to live truly the Christian life according to the charism and spirituality of St. Augustine and the mission of the Augustinian Recollects.
Q. Which traits of the Fraternity would you emphasize?
A. Personally, the community. Living the fraternal life based on one’s love for God and the brothers. Living as lay the sincere and solid friendship, founded on faith.
The secular Augustinian Recollect Faternity is composed of 3,400 members scattered in 15 nations. For us it is important to be in communion with the Order and to be formed in its spirituality as lay.
Family
Q. Does the Augustinian Recollect spirituality enhance family life?
A. Certainly yes. How can it be otherwise when this spirituality seeks to live the faith according to the community of Jerusalem? The other thing is the fact that if both parties become members then the conjugal and family life is strengthened.
Q. How frequent are the meetings and what do you do in those meetings?
A. Weekly we pray as one community and we have formation meetings. Monthly we have a short spiritual retreat, aside from those we celebrate during special occasions. We also do frequent reunions for community celebrations (like trips or visits to other fraternities, or Augustinian recollect communities, or simply joy outing…).
“Monthly we have a short spiritual retreat, aside from those we celebrate during special occasions”. Religious and Lay
Q. How do you help in the projects of the Order and what do you expect from the Religious?
A. Being in the parish, we help in all pastoral activities of the parish: visiting the sick, Caritas, catechism, pre-Cana seminars, liturgy, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, tailoring jobs to help the missions, sponsorship in the NGO Haren Alde, etc.
We expect from the religious priests and brothers life in fraternal communion, and that they pass on to us with fidelity the Augustinian Recollect charism and that they assist us spiritually.
Q. Can you explain to us the program of the upcoming National Assembly?
A. There are two parts: First is the assembly proper which consists of light moments among the members from all over Spain, living the Augustinian ideal, at the same time that we listen to two conferences followed by the testimonies of each fraternity. In the second part we have the election of the national president and his council. The titles of the two conferences which are to be given by a lay and a religious are: “How to use the Sacred Scriptures” and “St. Augustine and the Bible”. Both conferences somehow add interest and relevance to the Assembly.