“The Church has confidence in the youth”: the Prior General of the Augustinian Recollects, Miguel Miró makes this phrase of Benedict XVI his own, and he starts his message to all the religious of the Order, dated the 5th of July with it. Miró started his circular thanking God because many young people “desire to know and live our spirituality and join us in our evangelizing mission.” And, more concretely, he refers to several hundreds of youth who are already going to the World Youth Day of Rio de Janeiro (23-28 of July) and will participate in the II International Meeting of the Recollect Augustinian Youth days before. “I feel great joy” – he says – “that the Recollect Augustinian Youth break barriers and join Pope Francis in the task of achieving from the perspective of faith a more humane and caring world”.
Next, he presents the Manual of the RAY, which has just been approved by the General Council after being prepared by the General Secretariat of the Educational Ministry of the Order. This simple Manual, of only 13 pages, responds to an ordinance (9, 1) of the last General Chapter (2010), which asked for the elaboration and publication of a formative course. The Manual is the initial document of this course; other materials will be added to it for the different stages, until its culmination, most likely, towards the end of the current year.
Serious Commitment
In his message, the Prior General expressly states the purpose the Order has in “promoting our charism among the youth; that is, that the youth accept the offer of living Augustinian Recollect life proper to lay young people.” Miró considers this as a serious commitment for both the young and the religious. The RAY cannot be reduced to a mere occasional experience of catechesis or sporadic meetings of formation. “They must be life and young people who live as lay the charism of the Order”.
And, with regard to the Order, he sums up its commitment into three actions: to train the young people in the prayer, so that they may see “people and things from the perspective of God”; accompany them “toward an encounter with God the Trinity so in this way build the community of brothers who are of one heart and soul directed towards God”; and eventually offer them “a far-reaching horizon and a commitment so that they may not confine themselves in their small group, but may be open to the communion with all men”.