This past January 13-17, a meeting was held for the Commission in charge of revitalizing and restructuring the Order of Augustinian Recollects in the General Curia in Rome, Italy, to prepare the latest proposals before sending them to the prior general and his council. This commission is formed by a representative from one of each of the eight provinces currently making up the institution, in addition to the prior general, Miguel Miró; the vicar general, José Ramón Pérez, and secretary general, Francisco Javier Tello.
On Wednesday, January 15, members of the Commission participated in the Papal Audience offered in St. Peter’s square along with some 35,000 other people. In his greetings to the different attending groups, he addressed the Augustinian Recollects, and more specifically the Order’s Revitalization and Restructuring Committee. At the end of the Audience, Pope Francis said: “I greet all Spanish speaking pilgrims, and particularly, the Augustinian Recollect Fathers… I invite everyone to take their baptism seriously, being disciples and missionaries of the Gospel, with the word and with example. May Jesus bless you and the Virgin keep you in her care. Thank you very much.”
Commission, Participation, and Assessment
Near the Pope Francisco The Commission, formed after the 2010 General Chapter, concludes their work to date with this fourth meeting, yet the renovation process is still underway. Meetings, work, consultations, surveys, and eight documents are now behind them, all which have served to learn more about how the religious feel, and for communities to gain awareness on the need for a change in life and the different structures.
The latest survey on matters regarding the revitalization and restructuring of the Order discussed in this meeting was answered by 547 religious in the Order, a 50.04% participation rate. Answers and proposals offered by those surveyed were analyzed and summarized to introduce the different proposals demanded by the chapter ordination.
These proposals will be looked at along with external studies, though, as the prior general rightfully pointed out at the start of the meeting using the Pope’s words, “… on the other hand, a purely sociological perspective won’t work either, which could have the pretensions of covering all of reality with its methodology, allegedly neutral and aseptic. What I want to offer instead, goes along the lines of evangelical discernment. It is the view of the missionary disciple, fed by the light of the Holy Spirit.” He further added following Pope Francis: “the dignity of humans and the common good are above the tranquility of some who don’t want to give up their privileges… a prophetic voice is necessary.”
Some Reforms Some of the topics that have resonated most in responses include: the need to prepare a project for the Order, the personal implication of each religious in this process of personal, community, and pastoral conversion, the shared mission and preparation of lay persons, the reorganization of formation houses, the importance of continuous formation, and the reorganization of the structures of the Order, in terms of the number of provinces and where a great majority of responses propose changing the current situation predominantly to only four.
The Commission’s task has come to an end, yet work is far from completed. The proposals prepared by the Commission will be sent to the prior general and his council. They in turn will do the studies and analysis as necessary and will share with all religious of the Order. The road is coming into sight, now the protagonists – the religious who have been called to live as Augustinian Recollects – need to walk down this road with hope, joy, and bravery so they can respond to what God wants from them at this moment in history.