Allan Fitzgerald
The Rector of the University, Augustinian Recollect Father Carlos Villabona, gave the welcoming talk. Father Allan Fitzgerald, OSA, from Villanova University in the United States, gave the first lecture, expounding on the humility of Christ as it is presented in the City of God. During his talk, Father Fitzgerald pointed out the change that took place in Saint Augustine after the year 383, beginning with his Commentary on the letter to the Galatians, in which he reflects on the text of Galatians 3:13, the starting point of his becoming aware of the importance of the virtue of humility and of his tying it to the Incarnation and to the “descent” of the Son of God. From this point onward, the speaker explained, humility came to be for Saint Augustine the key virtue in the Christian life, as it invites the believer to identify with the essential sentiments and attitudes of Christ. Father Fitzgerald gave his lecture in English, and the Uniagustiniana provided simultaneous translation for all the audience. At the end of his talk, Father Fitzgerald offered his listeners the opportunity to ask questions, and his very interesting answers added a brilliant dimension to his conference.
The City of God, Perspectives
After a short break, Father Joseph Uriel Patiño, an Augustinian Recollect, gave a conference on the four theologies present in the City of God, pointing out the significance of Saint Augustine´s work for our present day and how it refutes the pagan religion and its various conceptions of the gods, following the reflections of Varrón just as Saint Augustine does in the City of God. Immediately afterwards, Doctor Alfonso Florez of the Xaverian University of Bogotá expounded on the two cities that Saint Augustine talks about in the City of God, underlining the fact that both cities are mixed together during the time of pilgrimage and are finally separated in the last judgment. He based his reflections particularly on Saint Augustine’s Enarratio on Psalm 136, commenting on the characteristics of the city of this world, Babylon. Following his talk, there was an interesting period of dialogue between the two speakers.
Biblical Exegesis
The second day of the Congress began with a conference given by Father Enrique A. Eguiarte, an Augustinian Recollect, who spoke about the biblical exegesis in Book XV of the City of God, commenting that this is a subject little discussed with regard to this Augustinian work, but not for that reason is it less interesting, as Father Eguiarte had the opportunity to demonstrate throughout his conference, during which he spoke about the authority and inspiration of Sacred Scripture, the versions of the Bible to which Saint Augustine alludes in Book XV of the City of God, and the exegetical explanation of the names of the Old Testament characters who appear in Book XV.
A Book for the Catechist
Next came a conference by Doctor José María Siciliani of Saint Bonaventure University in Bogotá, who spoke about catechesis and the sources for it in the City of God, commenting that we could say that De Catechizandis Rudibus is a kind of catechism for students, while the City of God, particularly the second part, is rather a “teacher’s manual” for the catechist. He also talked about the timeliness of Saint Augustine’s thoughts on catechesis for today and about the questions that he helps us to answer. Following his talk was a period of dialogue between the two speakers. After a brief intermission, Father Alfonso Rincón, professor emeritus of the National University of Bogotá talked about the significance for the present of Saint Augustine’s thought in the City of God, emphasizing the ample cultural dialogue regarding this book that has taken place among scholars and artists in the course of the centuries. Next, Professor Javier Zambrano spoke about the other cities of God, pointing out the parallels that might be found in the film La Cidade de Deus, directed by Fernando Meirelles and based on the novel of Paulo Lins, and the work of the Bishop of Hippo. Following his talk, there was an open dialogue with the audience. Finally, Father Enrique A. Eguiarte gave the closing talk of the Congress, inviting all those present to continue studying and deepening their understanding of Saint Augustine’s book.
Guests of Honor
Present for the first day of the Congress were Most Reverend Héctor Gutiérrez Pabón, Bishop of Engativá, and the Prior Provincial of Our Lady of Candelaria Province of the Augustinian Recollects, Father Albeiro Arenas. Attending the Congress were not only the students of philosophy and theology at the Uniagustiniana, but also the theolgians of the Order of Saint Augustine and many friars and sisters, among them the Augustinian Recollect Missionary Sisters, whose novices also attended.