The young people who will begin their novitiate year (2017 – 2018) will have a meeting from 24 to 28 July in Las Rozas, Madrid. Fr. Francisco Javier Monroy (President of the General Secretariat of Spirituality and Formation) together with Fr. Wilmer Antonio Moyetones (recently appointed Master of the Novitiate of Monteagudo) have led this integration meeting for young people from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Spain and Venezuela.
This meeting of pre-novices is a new experience that is intended to have with young people before starting their novitiate. The master of novices, Fr. Wilmer Moyetones, says that the aim is “to break prejudices of the young people who come (to the novitiate), on provincialism” because this encounter is “summoned from the general curia”, in this way “takes advantage To tell them that it is the Order that welcomes them, not the province from which they come “, in order to generate in these young people the feeling of belonging to the Order and the union of brothers.
Themes
The themes have been quite dynamic and real. Fr. Javier Monrroy has clarified what the novitiate is and what the intention is to work in these stages of initial and ongoing formation. They have also worked with them on consecration and evangelical counsels (chastity, poverty and obedience).
The last day was deepened in the theme of the community, with an Augustinian approach from the Augustinian Recollect charism. In addition, they had a moment to share and ask the professors of Las Rozas, who have finished theology and are close to having their experience of the year of insertion, about their formation process and the expectations they have about their new destiny.
Also, there was time to visit the Augustinian Recollect nuns, in the Monastery of the Incarnation in Colmenar de Oreja, Madrid. They took advantage of the visit to know how the nuns live in the cloister, what their pace of life is and how they are living this year of Augustinian Recollect holiness. It was a moment of sharing experiences on the consecrated life as a richness of the Augustinian charism. This meeting ended with an evening, where they have strengthened their ties of Augustinian friendship.
Beginning of the novitiate year
On Saturday the 29th after breakfast they marched towards Monteagudo to begin their year of novitiate. They will meet those who are finishing this stage and then they will be the ones who have in their hands the opportunity to have a founding experience in their life and process of formation.
The novice master, who traveled with them, said that he has “a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of desire to collaborate and cooperate with the boys so that they can meet themselves and with God and can put the charisma in their hearts.” It is placed in the hands of God in this new mission because it is “a great responsibility entrusted to me by the Order”, and with “the help of God and with the prayers of our brothers, I believe and I trust that everything will turn out well “.
He took advantage of the trust they have placed in him and the tools provided by the Order. In addition, he said that he has “many expectations of enthusiasm, of wanting to work, to give myself, to give myself completely so that the children see in me a brother who is helping them to discern their vocation.”
