On August 28th a great day is celebrated for the Church in general and for the whole Augustinian Recollect family: the Solemnity of St. Augustine. For this reason, the Prior General of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Miguel Miró, has sent a message to all the Augustinian Recollect family (religious, secular fraternities FSAR, YAR young people and people who share the augustinian recollect charism in parishes, educational centers and other presences of the Order) requesting the celebration with “gratitude and joy”.
In this Year of Holiness, the Prior General in his message recalls the closeness to the Saint of Hippo, who is “father, teacher, friend and companion of our way.” It also brings to mind that many Christians of all ages have learned from St. Augustine to “live, pray and love.”
Creators of communion
The Prior General recalls the importance of “let us put our hope in the mercy of the Lord and ask him to give us his Spirit to “keep with renewed fervor the dream of St. Augustine to live as brothers” with one heart and one soul “(Rule 1, 2 ), reflecting the ideals of the first Christians and being a living witness of communion before the world, so that there may not be division, no conflict nor exclusion, but that harmony and dialogue may prevail” (Francis’ Address to the 55th Chapter of the Augustinian Recollects).
As Pope Francis said in audience to the Order during the last General Chapter, we must be creators of communion and therefore the Prior General recalls in his message that we must learn from St. Augustine “to be creators of communion, to dialogue in community, to make proposals of life and hope, to work for peace and to be in solidarity with the poorest people.”
The Prior General concludes with the desire that “the Lord renew in the Augustinian Recollect Family the spirit he infused in St. Augustine, so that we may live united in Christ and proclaim the Gospel with hope and joy.”