The Province of Our Lady of the Candles (La Candelaria) is composed of 109 religious, almost all are Colombians, and it has 22 communities in this country, plus three others in Chile. At present they managed 19 parishes and directed 7 schools, in addition to the University ‘Uniagustiniana’.
Q. – What is the present situation of the Province of La Candelaria?
A. – The Province of La Candelaria is in a situation of doing, from the perspective of our charism, an important contribution to the evangelization of some countries (Colombia and Chile) with a lot of hope but also full of lights and shadows, as stated very well by the Bishops of Latin America and Caribbean in Aparecida. There is a need to know, deepen and live our Augustinian identity, starting from the strengthening of our local communities. A generational succession is being established. Many of our old religious are at the final stage of their earthly life, a good group of young priests are assuming and will assume tasks of responsibility. We cannot lose heart in the strengthening of the community life, because she has to be herself a source of vocations
Q. – What do you believe are your strong points and your weak ones?
A. – It is not easy to immediately point them. But, to give a brief response, I would indicate among the strong points, the generosity, the dedication and the joy of almost all the religious; and, among the weak points, I would like to point, the need for religious who are trained in various ministries. In fact, I believe that one of the first decisions in the next few months will be to try to send some religious to pursue qualified studies that may give us strength. The great investment of our Province must be in the religious themselves.
Together and Ready
Q. – What aspects must the next Provincial Chapter stress?
A. – The first thing that must be strengthened is the life and the communitarian and participative work. The dispersion of works can make us be in the same house but without coming together, taking care of things that separate us. The world of today, in many ways seems to move at the fast phase and we are losing the capacity to be who we are and to deeply relate ourselves with the brothers.
And then there is the formation. Even if how much we try, we can never arrive at the perfection in the task of formation; there we have a good field to work in. I believe there will be a need for a new Provincial Directory that will greatly emphasize all the processes of formation, recovering our Augustinian life, so that it may be a witness and message in all our ministries.
University
Q. – What role do the Augustinian Recollects play in the “Uniagustiniana”?
A. – The Augustinian University is a new field that has amazed all of us, not only because of the increase in the number of students, but, above all, by the response in educational values that it has been giving. We are approaching a social status which, because of poverty, has very limited Christian formation; however, today, it is achieving it. For this reason, the Uniagustiniana is a new challenge; to use the words of John Paul II, it is one of the new Areopagi that we religious must assume.
Mission
Q. – How is the mission of Casanare?
A. – With reference to mission field and concretely to Casanare, this territory has undergone profound changes socially, economically, politically, that demand of us a deep reflection. It will be necessary in accordance with the pastors of that local Church, to reconsider the style and method of our endeavor in the pastoral task of evangelizing. Our religious continue working there with dedication and commitment, and their work has always been appreciated by all the faithful and communities where we have served. But, as with everything human, it is susceptible to improvement.
Heritage
Q. – Let us look back. Could you, who have been his second during these last three years, summarize for us the work of Father Norberto Escobar as Provincial?
A. – During the term of Father Norberto Escobar as Provincial, I saw his concern that all of us religious of the Province authentically live our consecrated life, by being faithful to the norms of the Church and the charism of our Father St. Augustine. He was never without two documents that he continually consulted and read: the Constitutions of the Order and the Ordinances of our Provincial Council. I believe, as he does, that they are the best steering instruments of a Prior Provincial.
Q. – All have acknowledged in Fray Norberto a spirit of service. With what spirit are taking his place in the direction of the Province?
A. – The generosity and understanding of Father Norberto are virtues worth imitating. In my case, upon assuming his responsibility, I have manifested to the religious my desire to be the servant of all and I will dedicate all the time that each of them needs for listening, communica-ting and discovering points that may lead us as brothers to that continuous search for the will of God, our Lord.