From September 15-19, Bogotá will host the meeting of the Council of Economy and Patrimony of the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Convened by the Vicar General and Econome General, Friar Javier Gonzalez, the provincial treasurers share experiences, review their statutes and follow up on the application of the Economic Directory, with a view to a transparent and evangelical administration.
A service of communion and responsibility
The economics of the Order is not a purely technical matter. As the Constitutionsthe temporal goods of the Order are, in a certain sense, sacred. They are to be used for divine worship, the maintenance of the houses of formation, the sustenance of the community, the works of the apostolate and to help the most needy”. The Bogota meeting seeks that this administration always be an expression of fidelity to the Gospel and communion among Provinces.
Friar Javier Gonzalez emphasizes that the meeting is, above all, a fraternal space:
“Sharing, listening to one another and learning from the concrete experiences of each province is a way of lovingly caring for the mission entrusted to us. The treasurer does not only manage numbers: he accompanies, supports and makes it possible for the life of our communities to be centered on the essential, which is Christ and his Gospel”.
Review, apply, project
During these days, the bursars review the reports for the year 2024, study the statutes and continue with the implementation of the Economic Directoryapproved at the last General Chapter. Among the common commitments are the annual contribution to the General Curia, the earmarking of at least 5% of the net income to fund projects of ARCORES Internationaland the strengthening of the stable patrimony of the Order.
The Constitutions express it clearly: administration “must be perfectly reconciled with the vow of poverty and with the common law of work. Above all, seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness; the rest will be given to you as well” (cf. Mt 6:33).
Economics as a service of love
The bursar, the norm reminds us, is a servant: “He must know the canonical and civil prescriptions, render accounts in due time, and ensure that the goods are guarded with transparency and diligence.”. But above all, the economy is conceived as a service of love, which allows the friars to proclaim the Gospel, to form the young and to support social works for the benefit of the poorest.
The meeting of Bogota is, thus, a concrete sign of co-responsibility and communion in the Augustinian Recollect family. A reminder that every economic decision, administered with rectitude, becomes an act of fidelity to God and of service to the brothers.