The parochial church of St. Rita, in Barrio Arguelles in Madrid, was the setting of the celebration that was held on September 16 in all nations where the Augustinian Recollects are present: the first centenary of the proclamation of the Augustinian Recollects as a religious Order, through the publication of a pontifical brief “Religiosas Familias” by Pope St. Pius X, a historical moment represented in one of the altars of this parish dedicated to Pope Sarto.
The archbishop of Madrid, Antonio Maria Cardinal Rouco Varela presided the solemn Eucharist. He was accompanied by an Augustinian Recollect Bishop from Cartago (Colombia), Msgr. Alejandro Castaño Arbeláez, together with the Vicar General of the Order, Jose Ramon Perez, the four Priors Provincial with seats in Spain and two Prior Provincials of the Order of St. Augustine. Among those present in the Eucharist were the Superiors General of the Augustinian Recollect Missionary Sisters and of the Augustinian Recollects Sisters of the Philippines, numerous members of the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity from all parts of Spain.
Plenary Indulgence
A view of the assembly Through special concession from the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, the liturgical formulary used in all the celebrations was not that proper to the corresponding Sunday common to the entire Church, but the votive mass of St. Augustine as found in the missal of the Order
In order to emphasize the importance of the date, the Augustinian Recollects petitioned the Apostolic Penitentiary, the office of the Vatican in charge of indulgencies, to grant a plenary indulgence. Thus, they make it clear the spiritual orientation that they want to give to the Centenary: it will be a jubilee centered on pardon and interior renewal, more than external and formal festivity.
For this reason the Prior General, Miguel Miro Miro, in an official communication last August 19 addressed to the whole Augustinian Recollect family, said: “Let us learn on the dedication and sanctity of so many brothers and at the same time the errors of that time and at this period. Let us humbly ask pardon from the Father of Mercy”.
There are three days when those who piously participate in the solemn celebrations in the houses of the Augustinian Recollects and in the sanctuaries entrusted to them, all through out the world, can gain plenary indulgence: September 16, 2012, the forthcoming December 5, the birth of the Order, and, on the closing of the Centenary, September 15, 2013. It is enough to comply with the usual requisites: to have gone to confession, to receive communion and to pray for the intentions of the Pope.
Revitalization
Arcadio Blasco: Publication of the pontifical brief. Parish of St. Rita The Augustinian Recollects came to being in 1588 from the bosom of the Order of St. Augustine, through the decision of the Provincial Chapter of Castille. Some religious had manifested the desires to live a more austere life and more concentrated on contemplation in common, drinking from the original Augustinian fountains. It was a movement that was rising among the many religious Orders that gave origin to the various ramifications called “descalzed” or “recollects”. During the following 324 years, the Augustinian Recollect movement was slowly acquiring consistency, stability and was gaining level of autonomy, first as an independent Province and later as a Congregation within the Order of St. Augustine. Finally, in 1912 the Holy See granted it the category of an independent Order.
For the Augustinian Recollects, the celebration of this centenary means more encouragement in the process of renewal and revitalization that was given emphasis during the last General Chapter (2010). In 1912, the Recollects were rising from their dusts and were reorganizing themselves, and the pontifical brief pushed them to open more mission areas and be adjusted to the circumstances of the new century. Now, 2012, the Order of the Augustinian Recollects intends to do the same, in a society that is continually changing and in some circumstances not easy socially and economically, as neither was it one hundred years ago.