This week we celebrate the first anniversary of the Synod of Augustinian Recollect Youth, which took place in the city of Salamanca, Spain, July 21-26, 2023.
As expressed in the final message addressed to all members of the Augustinian family, the Synod “deeply impacted and integrally involved all those who attended, guided by the Holy Spirit in ways we could not have imagined.”
The ARB advisor in Argentina, Fr. Fernando FerreiraThe Synod was a transforming experience for all the participants: the meeting allowed us to listen to the voices of the youth and to discern together the path to follow in order to revitalize the Augustinian Recollect youth charism, Ferreira affirmed. The decisions made and the actions proposed during those days continue to inspire us one year later.
Fernando shared the impact and fruits of this Synod one year later.
Fernando shared the impact and fruits of this Synod one year later:
“One year later, there is still much to be done and many decisions to be implemented in the various parts of the world where the Recollect charism is present.
In Argentina, the situation is no different.
Upon returning to our land, excited and grateful for this opportunity, we realized that it was time to consider how we could carry out the conclusions of the Synod.
Meetings and lines of action
Although we had already made significant progress in terms of the itinerary, structure and methods of youth evangelization, there are still decisions to be made and areas that can be strengthened.
The first step was to meet with the local coordinators to discuss what the Synod meant and the conclusions we reached.
These conclusions should be read and worked on in each council.
The second step consisted in creating lines of action that could be implemented in the reality of each Augustinian Recollect Youth (ARY) community, prioritizing those that could help strengthen the young people belonging to the youth movement.
“As young people, we dream and walk together to revitalize ourselves.”
Finally, at the beginning of this year, we reworked the conclusions of the Synod in the XVII National Meeting of Local Councils, where we addressed the importance of community work within a synodal dynamic.
For the year 2024, we have prioritized the identity and vocation of the young RAY, which implies the implementation of formation workshops for leaders, the strengthening of the missionary dimension in young people and the deepening of the knowledge of the RAY youth itinerary.
We know that the synodal process requires time and patience.
The conclusions are a path that will guide us in our desire for change, not only in structure, but much more in spirit, a spirit according to the needs of today’s youth and the missionary mandate that the Church asks of us.
As young people, we dream and walk together to revitalize ourselves.
“Courage, get up! He’s calling you!”
This historic Synod, the first in the 28-year history of the Augustinian Recollect Augustinian Recollect Youth, brought together more than 35 young people and religious from more than ten different nationalities at the Augustinian University Residence in Salamanca.
For six days, they worked together, in a true synodal spirit, under the motto. “Courage, Arise! He is calling you”.inspired by the figure of blind Bartimaeus.
The synod members shared their concerns, desires and proposals, guided by the Prior General, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández, and the Augustinian Recollect Bishop Mons.
Carlos María Domínguez.
The main mission of the Synod was to revitalize the Augustinian Recollect Youth.
In spite of cultural differences, all the Augustinian Recollect youth communities shared the same desire: to follow Christ and make Him known, living in one soul and one heart directed towards God.
The Synod reinforced this conviction, which is fundamental for the life and mission of the Augustinian Recollect youth movement”.