It is not enough to draw up the book, to obtain its approval, to have it printed and distribute it. Neither it would be sufficient to have it translated to different languages as it has already been done. The fundamental phase –the most delicate and difficult one– comes after. The new Constitutions would be useless if the religious and the communities would not exert effort to know the ideal that the constitutional text reflects, and to integrate it into one’s own daily life.
For this reason, several days of study and conscientization have been organized. The first encounter took place in Spain, where one-fourth of the 1200 religious of the Order are assigned. It was held at the Centro de Espiritualidad of the Monastery of San Millan de la Cogolla (La Rioja) from July 30 to August 4. It was organized by the General Secretariat of Formation, and 40 religious participated in it.
The dynamics consisted basically in talks followed by a dialogue among the participants. Except for one conference on “Charism, Fidelity and up-dating,” the rest of the talks focused on the new constitutions. Firstly, the revised text was presented, followed by the cited biblical passages, and lines of thought that they suggest. The Augustinian foundation of the Constitutions was notably amplified in this version. And finally on August 4, the Prior General, Miguel Miró, presided the closing of the encounter and there he emphasized the present situation of the Order and insisted on the necessary “revitalization,” and the role of the Constitutions in it.
English and Portuguese
From August 20 to 24, another study of the new Constitutions has been programmed at the Casa de Espiritualidad Fray Luis de Leon in Guadarrama (Madrid, Spain). Another gathering is scheduled on October 26-28 to tackle the same theme in Madrid, with the title, “The Constitutions, A Way of Renewal.”
In other countries, encounters of varied format are being organized. From a dead letter to a printed text, these meetings try to stimulate the mind and spirit of the religious. This experience will be a special novelty in the English and Portuguese speaking countries, since for the first time, they will have a translation officially commissioned by the General Curia. When these translations are released in their printed form, then encounters are to be organized to study the Constitutions in these countries.