Since the arrival of the Augustinian Recollects in Venezuela in 1899, after being expelled from the Philippines, they have not stopped fighting for life. Thus, at the beginning, they did it through a very hard pastoral service. That was also their effort to give attention to the sick and lepers of the Providencia Island. Since the sixties, their deep dedication to education in schools has been thus.
And, in keeping with the times, it continues to be that way until today, when they speak against abortion and make the society aware of the right of the most weak, of the unborn. In one way or another, that is what 60 Augustinian Recollect friars who constitute 13 communities in this country do. Those who work in 10 parishes, in 5 schools or in the seminary of Palmira (Táchira) realize it alike. And so do the 17 communities of the Augustinian Recollects of the Heart of Jesus, the native congregation of Venezuela founded in Maracay by Blessed Maria de San Jose Alvarado (1875-1967). And the five communities of the Missionary Augustinian Recollects pursue the same.
Week for Life
The program “Spiritual adoption and baptism of a child being born in danger of abortion” began with the mass on the fifth Sunday of Lent, which coincided with the celebration of the Incarnation this year. The Augustinian Recollect parish priest Jose Luis Uruñuela presided the mass, with Javier Tello Vegas, the superior of the Order in Venezuela as concelebrant.
Likewise, the couple Pedro Arias and Victoria Muñoz, promoter for life of CEV, and some Secular Augustinian Recollects were present. “Our responsibility as Catholics is to defend life, and for it, we are connected to expand the program by contacting, inscribing, and following-up the participants during their period of application, similar to the pregnancy that happens among biological mothers,” Pedro Arias declared.
A Prayed Pregnancy
On his part, Jose Luis Uruñuela explained that the program is being implemented in the school of Santo Tomás de Villanueva of this parish. It aims that “families and students pray for children who are in danger of abortion; to educate families and students about prenatal development, which will lead them to value, respect and defend life from the moment of conception, at the same time to help needy mothers by donating objects for a baby, which the participants will carry out at the end of the program.”
The participants are committed to pray daily for a baby for nine months, whom they have named. They will pray daily this short prayer: “Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you much. I pray that you save the life of my adoptive son/daughter, who is to be born and in danger of abortion.”
Process of Adoption
Uruñuela showed also that the program has four stages, and the first is the Beginning of Spiritual Adoption. “During appointed meetings, the objectives will be explained in a simple way.” Although this is set to begin in January, during this time, the program was launched at the parish level “this March 25 – Day of the Incarnation – so that it would coincide with December 25, Birth of the Child-God,” he said.
The second stage has something to do with following through the Pregnancy and it begins in February. Through the plates that show the progress of the fetus, explanations are given to students and participants. “In May, the cribs will be integrated to the baby-fetus in 12 week gestation.”
The third stage is Delivery. The estimated date is on the first of November. It means that, after finishing nine months, a baby shower will be organized in which baby clothes and suggestive materials will integrated to the program, which later will be donated to halfway houses for children and pregnant women. In the same way, certificate of spiritual birth of his/her godson/goddaughter will be given to each godfather or godmother.
Finally, the fourth stage is Spiritual Baptism, and is set within the first two weeks of November, during the celebration of the Week of the Family. “Certificates of spiritual baptism of each baby with his/her name and date of birth will be given,” the parish of the Las Mercedes said.