On the occasion of the feast of St. Alipio and St. Posidiopatrons of the Augustinian Recollect Youth (Augustinian Recollect Youth, JAR)the Prior General of the Order, Miguel Angel Hernandez, OARMiguel Angel Hernandez, OAR, has sent a moving video message. In it, he invites the young people to live their vocation as a shared journeyanimated by faith, friendship and fraternity. In the context of the 30 years of the Augustinian Recollect Youth and the Jubilee of Hope, this message is a call to walk together, as did the holy friends of St. Augustine.
Celebrating 30 years on the road… with a son of Augustine in Rome
“This year we are celebrating 30 years of the Augustinian Recollect Youth,” Friar Miguel Ángel began. “I had the privilege of experiencing it in first person in St. Peter’s Square with much emotion and gratitude, because a son of Augustine, by God’s design, is sitting in the chair of Peter.”
The recent appointment of Pope Leo XIV Leo XIVa member of the Order of St. Augustine, has been experienced by the entire Augustinian family as a special grace, but also as a responsibility for the Order. responsibility and a commitment.
“I encourage you, young people, to keep Pope Leo XIV present in your prayers in a very special and affectionate way.”
Alipio and Posidio: companions on the road and in faith
Michelangelo evokes the figure of St. Alipio and St. Posidio as pilgrims together with St. Augustinewith whom they shared not only friendship, but also searches, struggles, doubts, joys and total surrender to the Lord.
“There are many ways to go on pilgrimage, dear young people… We can walk a long way without realizing who is walking beside us.”
In contrast to an individualistic spirituality, the Prior General proposes an Augustinian and communitarian style of pilgrimage. Augustinian and communitarian style of pilgrimagewhere no one is left behind and everyone walks at the pace of the weakest.
Pilgrimage in community: the heart of the ARY identity
Augustinian spirituality does not conceive of holiness as an individual career. For this reason, Friar Michelangelo insists:
“The way of pilgrimage of the young Augustinian Recollect is to go on pilgrimage in community. It is to share the way, to share what God is doing in us.”
This call becomes even more timely in a world marked by isolation and haste. In this context, the witness of the Augustinian Recollect Youth is a joyful and evangelical alternative:
“We help each other, we wait for each other, we leave no one behind. We extend a hand to the one who is down and accompany the one who is slower.”
Feast, joy and mission
The message concludes with a hope-filled wish: that this feast of St. Alipio and St. Posidio be an occasion to celebrate, pray and renew the enthusiasm of being an Augustinian Recollect Youth:
“Celebrate with the Eucharist, with thanksgiving, with prayer and with community. Transmit to the world the joy of being young, of being a Christian, of being an Augustinian Recollect Christian.”
A call to live as brothers
This message from the Prior General is not just a greeting. It is a proposal of life: to walk together, with joy and faith, as brothers on the way to God.. In this anniversary and Jubilee year, the Augustinian Recollect Recollect Youth is called to renew their mission, their identity and their hope, knowing that they are not alone.knowing that they are not alone, but united to the whole Augustinian family… and accompanied by a Pope with an Augustinian soul.