Nicolás Pérez-Aradros (1956, Arnedo, La Rioja, Spain) entered the minor seminary at 10 years old. He then went through the various houses of formation of the Order in Spain: Lodosa (Navarra), Valladolid, Fuenterrabia (Guipúzcoa). In 1975, after the year of novitiate, he professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience in Monteagudo (Navarra). Five years later and after finishing his theological studies he was ordained to the priesthood in Marcilla (Navarra).
Brazilian from Spain
Q. They say that you are a Brazilian born in Spain. How many years have you been in Brazil and in which places have you been assigned?
A. I came to Brazil for the first time on February 1, 1981, a few months after my ordination to the priesthood, and I have lived my whole life here: more than 30 years! My first seven years were spent in Tapauá, in the Prelature of Lábrea; then I came to the St. Monica Theological Seminary, in São Paulo, where for three years I had the opportunity to study catechesis and liturgy at the same time help in the formation of the students of theology in the province of Saint Rita of Cascia. At the start of 1991, I returned to the Prelature, where for six months I served as parish priest in Pauiní. In the middle of the year, the Prior General transferred me to the province of Saint Rita of Cascia, and I went to reside at the minor seminary of St. Augustine, in Castelo (Holy Spirit); from the minor seminary, I was sent to the parish of Santa Rita de Cascia, in Vitoria (Espiritu Santo), where I stayed for twelve years; and from there they put me back in Castelo, now as a parish priest. My last four years were spent in Castelo.
Q. On January 14, 2012 you were elected prior of the Brazilian province of Saint Rita of Cascia. What does it mean to you?
A. As I said to the religious present in the chapter in which I was confirmed as Prior Provincial, the acceptance of this mission means to me a call to personal conversion. It is a very big challenge. I have lived a life dedicated to the pastoral ministry and, at times, the pastoral demands can engage us in overwhelming tasks that we end up forgetting a little of our religious consecration as Augustinian Recollects. Now, as Prior Provincial, I must be the first to live this consecration and to encourage all the religious of the province in this endeavour.
Lay Faithful
Q. Which would you highlight in the Pastoral Ministry carried out by the Augustinian Recollects in Brazil?
A.-The determinant factor in the pastoral field in Brazil is “protagonist role” of the laity; It is the trademark of the Catholic Church in Brazil. From this basic premise is the organization of the basic ecclesial communities, missionary animation, the centrality of the word of God that is projected in the study of the Bible, Sunday celebrations presided over by the laity, in the permanent commitment of creating better living conditions for the people. Our parishes, in general, share the mark of the Church in Brazil. Those who visit our parishes will be surprised by the presence of the laity, their availability and joy to serve the Church, and the love with which they treat us, fruit of the care and dedication that we give them in our parishes.
Vocations
Q. And, at the same time, the Order is witnessing a resurgence of vocations to religious life in Brazil.
A. Yes, in the past four years nine priests and three deacons were ordained, and one religious made the solemn profession because he did not aspire to be ordained. The abundance of vocations is a gift from God, to which is added the vocational effort of those who were working in vocation animation and in the seminaries.
Revitalization
Q. The Order of Augustinian Recollects is in the process of revitalization. What objectives has the chapter proposed for the next four years and how are they going to be realized?
A. In line with the Order, our first goal is to “revitalize” the province giving priority to vocation promotion and formation of the religious. At the same time, we want to revitalize the province by “deepening our charismatic identity, personal and community conversion, fraternal and ecclesial communion in order to accomplish better the evangelizing mission in our ministries”, as the overall objective of our chapter says. As regards vocation promotion and formation, our intention is to assign there religious with enthusiasm heartily devoted to this mission; for my part, I will always be carefully following the progress of this project. With regards to the second point, everyone must take it as his own commitment. As Prior Provincial, it is my duty to journey along with the religious, encouraging them and complimenting them in order to realize the goal of revitalization.
Q. What would you propose to revitalize the communities of the province and of the Order?
A.-From the perspective of our province of Saint Rita of Cascia, the process of revitalization has to start by trying to strengthen our community life. It is the “union of hearts” that will lead us to live in the spirit of communion and fraternity; from there it will be easier to restructure our ministries. On the other hand, it is necessary to live with conviction our charism, to understand more and better that we are part of a whole, the Order of Augustinian Recollects. This will help us to join efforts with other provinces and, in the not so distant future, restructure the Order.