It has not been three months yet in the area and they have already won the affection and the recognition of their neighbors. They have come to tend the religious needs of nine towns of Bajo Andarax, which had received minimal attention due to lack of priests.
The constitution of this new Augustinian Recollect community determines that, together with the ‘Poniente,’ both can be strengthened by means of supporting each other and organizing activities of common interest, such as retreats, day outings, holiday celebrations and days of study and reflection.
The new community is composed of Santiago Martínez Lázaro, the appointed prior; Jesus Gabriel Pérez Recio, and Jesus Planillo Bartos. Each is responsible as parish priest of three parishes, apart from having to teach at a College of the diocese. Santiago has been entrusted with the parishes of Terque, Bentarique and Santa Fe of Mondújar; Gabriel Jesus, of Instinción, Illar and Ragol; and Jesus Planillo is responsible for Alhama de Almería, Alicún and Huécija.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the parish church of San Nicolás de Bari with the presence of the Almería prelate, Adolfo González Montes, and the prior of the province of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Francisco Javier Jimenez, who signed the agreement which will take place for a period of three years.
As prior of this community, Santiago Martinez says that it has been established provisionally in a rented house until the renovations of the parish rectory of Alhama is finished. It is located in a town with a population of nearly 5,000, not counting the other 4,000 people who reside in the surrounding area of Bajo Andarax.