Lucía Girón González, president of the Federation of the Commendatory Nuns of Santiago, shared her testimony full of hope and gratitude for the recent twinning with the Augustinian Recollects, which represents a vital impulse for the continuity of her religious community. “I feel happy because I see that we are not alone, but that we already have a family to which our Order belongs”, she affirmed with emotion.
The Order of the Commander Sisters of St. James, with more than eight centuries of history, was born in the context of the Spanish Reconquest. “Our Order is very old, it emerged in the 12th century, and it was the Knights of St. James who felt the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to defend the faith and spread it throughout Spain,” explained Sister Lucia. This vocation was consolidated with papal approval in 1175 by Pope Alexander III.
From its origins, the Order was made up of seculars, religious and nuns, many of the latter belonging to the knights’ own families.
“The first convent was in the diocese of Palencia and from that community arose the presence in Toledo, because the community was transferred by the Catholic Monarchs in 1502,” said Sister Lucia.
The founding purposes of the Order are still alive today: the consecrated life at the service of the faith and the reception of women -wives and daughters of knights- in its monasteries. “We have three monasteries in Spain: Madrid, Granada and Toledo. Then another one we opened in India in 2003 and another one has been in Equatorial Guinea for five or six years,” he explained.
Despite being a small congregation, they have stood the test of time with steadfastness. “We have always been few monasteries, but the Lord has preserved us for many years,” he said with conviction. This testimony of perseverance now becomes a source of inspiration for the new generations within the community:
“The big dream I have is that all our young sisters now have this illusion and this trust and hope in God.”
The biggest challenge, according to the president, has been the feeling of isolation. “We were very lonely and felt like we were going to finish,” she confessed. However, the twinning with the Augustinian Recollects has been a hopeful turnaround:
“We feel strengthened. The Lord gives us that hope that we will be able to continue for many years to come serving the Lord.”
Sister Lucia concludes with a firm wish: “May we strive with all our strength, not only with prayer, but also with our activity and by seeking means to obtain vocations so that the Order may continue”.