The Decree of the Congregation
Last May 20, the secretary of the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes (SCRSI), Jose Rodriguez Carballo, signed in Vatican the decree of approval of the Rule of life and the Statutes of Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternities. These documents, which we now present in its original text in Spanish and with its translations in English and Portuguese, has been presented in the Congregation of Religious on February 12.
Thru this endorsement from the highest ecclesial body that oversees matters on religious institutes- and also of the secular associations which share the same charism – opens the way for Augustinian Recollect Fraternity a new stage in its multi secular existence, given that the Rule of life is the basic document which delineates the ideal that the secular Augustinian recollect s will follow.
The revision process
It is the second approval received from Holy See since the times of Second Vatican Council. The first was signed in December 8, 1984. And the second answers of what was stipulated in the last General Chapter (2010), that it determined in one of its ordinances the revision and publication of a new edition of the Rule of life.
In September 11, 2012 a commission was formed composing of five religious who took the task of revising theses fundamental texts. Once the first draft was drawn up in January of 2014 the text was forwarded to the 115 fraternities of the Order asking for their contributions.
The suggestions and corrections reached more than a hundred and were studied and incorporated in the text during a five-day meeting (May 1-5, 2014) in which a list of representatives totalling five secular brothers from Mexico, Peru, England and Spain was given to the group of religious of the commission. During this meeting the structure was finally determined in the new text of the Rule of life. What remained was the job of writing and editing, in order to present them to the General Council, which would give its approval towards the end of 2014.
The changes
The principal work of the commission consisted, first, to improve the structure of the materials, which for them were a bit unorganized. Secondly, when they saw the need, to complete the doctrinal outline. The official text now sets off from the fundamental concept of the universal call to holiness (chapter 1), then develop the three principal aspects of the Augustinian charism: contemplative life (chapter 2), the communitarian (chapter 3) and the apostolic (chapter 4). Another chapter was dedicated to formation, necessary for the life of the brothers (chapter 5). Finally , the topic on governance (chapter 6), and closed with a reference on the Blessed Virgin (chapter 7).
In what refers to the Augustinian materials, nothing has much changed. The major ideas and citations from St. Augustine were already found in the first text. Some texts were added though but the major work was to verify and correct the references to the works of Augustine, which in the former edition many errors were found.
The new changes
This is not the only change, no matter how basic it may be. The General Chapter of 2010 also asked that a material on formation for the laity of the Order be prepared. The commission responsible in drawing up the 14 files of the program of formation of the fraternities, who has for its title Pilgrims and, already translated in English and Portuguese, are in the hands of all the brothers.
The Chapter also asked the revision of the Manual on the practices and devotions of the fraternity. A second commission is responsible for this which hopes to be able to update this year the ritual as well as its prayer book and its present songbook. In this way the task assigned by the Chapter is completed.
The goal, renewal
The Holy See, after approving thru the decree the Rule of life “according to the model found in its Archives”, vows “that the Secular Augustinian Recollects, faithful to the character of the institution, will live always with a generous resolve its own objective”.
There was no other goal during all throughout this process. The Order in its entirety finds herself in moments of renewal; and for that, the first she made was to revise its own constitutions, translated and published in 2011. The Fraternity is now dong its own. And in these new documents, revision of the actual up to the present, the secular Augustinian recollects will find very useful instruments to continue advance into the way of renewal.
You can download a PDF version in different languages ​​from these links :
Spanish - English - Portuguese