Last Saturday, June 22, 2024, the second edition of the Casiciaco Dialogues was held, a project promoted by the Order of Augustinian Recollects to reflect together on various current issues and, in particular, to walk together in the search for truth.
Its name evokes the philosophical and theological conversations that St. Augustine had with his first community and his mother, St. Monica, in the villa of Casiciaco, near Milan, where he retired at the end of the fourth century. These encounters were a turning point in the life of the later bishop of Hippo and marked his evolution towards baptism.
On this occasion, the Dialogues focused on the following topics Women’s contemplative life today. Challenges and hopes. For this reason, its past, present and future meaning was discussed. It is also about the challenges it faces and the hopes that underlie it, which invite many questions.
The meeting was moderated by journalist Victoria Montaner and the following spoke Sr. Juliana Gomez, Augustinian Recollect novice who has lived in the community in Bogota for four years. Sr. Carmen CorralSister Irene Carrera, an Augustinian Recollect nun in temporary vows in the Monastery of the Conversion of Sotillo de la Adrada (Avila), which she entered in 2015; Sister Irene Carrera, a Mexican Augustinian Recollect nun at the Monastery of St. Augustine in Lodwar (Turkana, Kenya) since 2014, who has always felt very attracted to the missionary life; and Sister Maria Torres, abbess of the Franciscan Conceptionist Monastery of San Antonio in Murcia, which she joined on her eighteenth birthday, and mother-president of the Federation of St. Beatriz de Silva-Castilla.
In her speeches, the Sr. Juliana She expressed gratitude for the work of other sisters who, some time ago, went out to meet the young people to make known the life of the classics, which is so unknown in her country, and which was the way in which she entered the contemplative life. She explained that she justifies her decision to her family and friends by explaining how happy she is to have found her mission in life. He also rejected that consecrated life is a comfortable or selfish option, and explained that his love extends and widens from that which he experiences for the Lord, his Order and the Church to that which includes those who cannot pray and those who do not believe in God. Finally, he praised the work of the nuns who use social networks and music to evangelize, because he understands that the Church must move forward with society. And he acknowledged that music, which is so attractive to young people, allowed him in his case to become more interested in religion.
For its part, the Sr. Carmen emphasized that consecrated life is very much connected to the world of today, to the man of the 21st century and that windows are being opened to let fresh air into it. In this sense, she praised any initiative (such as the nuns’ practices proposed by the Benedictine sisters of the Monastery of the Holy Cross of Sahagún, in León) that serves to show the world the beauty of the contemplative life, because, as St. Augustine said, one does not love what one does not know. In relation to the use of social networks, she highlighted the paradox that contemplative nuns could teach how to properly use these communication tools, since they are not concerned with the superficial or the immediate. Finally, he acknowledged that the action of the Lord and the Holy Spirit, prayer and fraternity, so characteristic of the Augustinian charism, which places him before the Truth that is Christ, help him to follow this way of life. He emphasized that God enables them to overcome difficulties hand in hand with the sisters and with the practice of the sacraments and prayer.
Sister Irene highlighted the vitality enjoyed by the contemplative life in Kenya and, in another sense, recognized that a negative factor in promoting 
vocations is the lack of commitment of young people, but that modernism, materialism, consumerism, superficiality and the disintegration of the family also play a role, since it is the first channel for the transmission of values. In addition, he stressed that young people do not strive for an ideal that fills their lives and do not try to quench their thirst for infinity, but are satisfied with the superficial and only value what seems useful and immediate. He admitted that it is possible, and even desirable, for a Christian to go through moments of spiritual drought and other hard experiences – which can also happen to nuns – because it serves as a means of purification, favors conversion and helps to reach the perfection that is sought. He revealed that it can be fought with prayer and by allowing oneself to be accompanied and, above all, by remembering that they were chosen by God from eternity and that they are free to always live the first love that is Christ.
In her first speech, Sister Maria said that consecrated life in Spain is going through a moment of grace, despite the difficulties posed by the vocation crisis and the aging of religious. And this is because of the possibility of transmitting that God exists, that it is worthwhile 
to live with dedication, to give witness when they see how they love each other, and to bring the face of Christ to others. In subsequent turns, he emphasized that his life represents a valuable gift for the Church and the world because in the monasteries a profound life and a small wisdom that grows in the everyday, in the hidden, in the simple and in the silence inhabited by the presence of Christ is developed. And he warned that this is what allows God to be God and drives society and the Church. Finally, he rejected the fear that the contemplative life will disappear, although it is possible that it should be given a coat of paint and adapted to the present times. He also expressed his opinion that this would be to deny the existence of so many sisters who have preceded them, enlightened the Church and even created the magisterium. And he advocated maintaining his work of speaking to God about people’s needs and listening to people’s needs.
Regarding the situation in which the nuns of the Monastery of Belorado (Burgos) find themselves, Sister Maria declared that this led her to become firmly rooted in the Church and that she wanted to live and die as a daughter of Her. He added that one should accompany the suffering one has experienced with prayer and give thanks to God for the gift of faith. He suggested the need to foster a life of surrender and adoration and to strengthen the interior life. Irene emphasized that what happened invited her to strengthen and strengthen her faith together with her community, to follow the Truth and to be united to the Church. He recalled that while St. Augustine characterized God as father, he attributed to the Church the role of our mother. In another sense, the Sr. Juliana emphasized the need to strengthen the accompaniment of communities in order to avoid similar events and, thanks to training, to value the many contributions that the Church has made to the world.
The dialogue also dealt with the way in which the contemplative consecrated life can be made known in the educational field and the benefits that can be derived from it. Likewise, they spoke about the way in which innovative and successful projects of collaboration between consecrated religious and their different orders and congregations have been approached both in Kenya, which has been a pioneer, and in Spain.
With regard to the future of the female contemplative life, the Sr. Juliana stressed the need for it to be based on prayer and a relationship with the Lord, and to reach out to young people. For its part, the Sr. Carmen emphasized that Pope Francis teaches that women have much to say in the Church – which has a clear biblical foundation – and even more so in today’s Church, for which he looks to the future with hope. She also asked the laity to pray for them. Sister Maria said that she saw it alive and composed of educated women who know how to give reason for their hope to today’s world, united to the Blessed Mother. Finally, Sister Irene admitted that the number of members may be reduced but that they would remain strong. This is because there cannot be a Church without a heart. They are needed because they represent the prayerful and ardent heart of the Church.