The Order of Augustinian Recollects calls the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternities to a Family Encounter from November 13-16, 2023 in the facilities of Sitio Santo Agostinho, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
The objective of the encounter is that, together, they may continue their pilgrimage along the paths of the Gospel hand in hand with St. Augustine and the other saints of the Augustinian Family. A special place will be given to the patroness of the Secular Fraternities, St. Magdalene of Nagasaki. In fact, the meeting will begin on the day of the celebration of all the saints of the Order, November 13.
There is a logo and the motto that will animate the meeting will be: “Pilgrims to the Heart”. The purpose of the four days will be to deepen the identity of the lay Augustinian Recollect in the light of the events of the Church, such as the Synod of Synodality, and of the Order, such as the last General Chapter of 2022.
About a hundred Augustinian Recollects, mostly lay, from the different countries where the Secular Fraternities are present, are expected to participate. It will be a representation of the many brothers and sisters who feel themselves to be pilgrims of the heart and who, inspired by St. Augustine and the Recollect movement, will follow the Itinerary of formation of “Pilgrims”.
The program of the meeting is designed so that these days will be an experience of walking together, going on pilgrimage, living the joy of the Gospel, being open to hope, feeling accompanied by one another, feeling passion in the heart for the Kingdom, embracing the mission, listening to oneself and to others, growing in community….
The activities will be varied. In addition to the celebratory aspect, there will be a celebratory nuance. There will be a pilgrimage to Christ the Redeemer or Christ of Corcovado. In addition to the prepared training that will be given by the laity themselves, there will be practical workshops in the afternoon on important aspects of the Pilgrims’ Itinerary.
It will be the best occasion to shed light together on topics on which the Secular Fraternities are making a discernment, with are: the essential elements of the identity of the lay Augustinian Recollect; the understanding of the pedagogy of the materials of the Pilgrim Itinerary I, 2 and 3, and the proposals of new formative contents for later on; to raise new modalities of formation for the laity through the School of Formation Order; to make proposals to better focus the accompaniment on the part of the spiritual assistants; to make proposals to facilitate the possible passage of the RAY communities to the Fraternities, etc.
Let us hope that this meeting will be an authentic pilgrimage to our own heart, to the heart of God and to the heart of our brothers and sisters.
