This ‘Pro Orantibus’ day had three aims: firstly, to pray for consecrated men and women following the contemplative life, as a way of showing recognition, appreciation, and gratitude for what they represent, and the rich spiritual patrimony of their rules of life within the Church; secondly, it was to make known the specifically contemplative vocation, so topical and so necessary both in the Church, and for the world; and thirdly, to give impetus to pastoral initiatives in promoting the life of prayer and a contemplative dimension at a local level in the Church, offering the chance for Church members to take part in liturgical celebrations in a monastery, whilst always respecting the particular demands and laws regarding religious enclosure.
Thanks to God for this Beautiful Vocation
The Prior General prayed to God for the sisters and gave thanks for their vocation. On behalf of the Order, he also wanted to express our high regard for them, and thank them for the great good they do in the task of evangelisation, both for the whole Church and especially for our Order of Augustinian Recollects. Where would we be, where would our ministries be, without your prayers?
Celebrations and Hopes
Fr Miro reminded them that the previous Sunday the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Servant of God Isabel de la Madre de Dios had been joyfully celebrated in La Calzada de Oropesa. Looking forward, he noted the approaching 50th anniversary of the death in Baeza of the Venerable Sister Monica de Jesus, and extended his best wishes for the event. We are also following with expectation the canonisation processes of Mother Mariana de San Jose, whose biography will shortly be published, of Mother Antonia de Jesus, of Sister Maria de los Dolores del Amor de Dios (Simi Cohen), and of Mother Isabel de Jesus. Their testimonies of the Augustinian Recollect life in community are without doubt an echo of the call to holiness which the Lord directs each day to every one of us.
Pray for Us
At the end of the letter, in which he also told the sisters about the process of revitalisation and restructuring which is being carried out by the order, he asked them to keep us especially present in their prayers for the meeting to be held by the General Council and the eight priors provincial. This will take place in the monastery of San Millan de la Cogolla, Spain, from 30th June to the 7th July. It is an important meeting for this process of revitalisation and restructuring, and we trust in your help.
Evangelising through Prayer
Referring to the slogan for this year, Fr Miguel Miro told them that they evangelise by means of their prayer: ‘May your prayer bear fruit in our communities, so that they may open themselves to evangelisation and themselves be truly orientated towards evangelisation. In my letter the male religious, I put the question, “throughout our history, when haven’t we had problems and conflicts?” ’And he went on: ‘let us not abandon hope. We have the certainty that the Lord Jesus fills us with his Spirit, and that he is with us until the end of time’.
‘May Mary, Mother of consolation, be with us to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, as she was with the apostles at Pentecost. May St Augustine and the saints of the Order intercede for us so that today we may advance along the paths of holiness, fraternity, and selfless service, just as they did in their days. May the Lord pour out in you his Spirit and fill your contemplative heart with hope and with joy’.
Augustinian Recollect Nuns
The Augustinian Recollect charism is shared by the monasteries of Augustinian recollect nuns, or second Order, which came into being at the same time as the first Recollects, and with the same purpose. With their contemplative lives, these sisters highlight this essential dimension of the Augustinian recollect charism. They have 45 monasteries: 28 in Spain, 13 in Mexico, 1 in the United States, 1 in the Philippines, 1 in brazil, and 1 in Kenya. The monasteries of the Augustinian Recollect nuns come together in two federations, the Spanish, and the Mexican.