From September 14-18, the Augustinian Recollect community of Monteagudo (Navarra) hosted the first stage of the renewal visit of the Prior General, Friar Miguel Angel Hernandez. In this significant house, where every year the novices who will be the future of the provinces of St. Nicholas of Tolentine and St. Thomas of Villanova make their profession, religious, missionaries and lay people shared the joy of feeling like a family around the charism of St. Augustine.
A house with history and future
The convent of Monteagudo is the cradle of the Augustinian Recollection in Europe and is still today the novitiate of the provinces of St. Nicholas and St. Thomas. Here the future of the Order is forged and the living memory of St. Ezekiel Moreno, who began his missionary journey in this same place, is preserved.
The visit of the Prior General, which began in this community, was a sign of communion and renewal. As he himself expressed in his social networks at the beginning of this itinerary: “I hope to meet again with friars, nuns, missionaries, friars, JAR and lay people who give life to this family. Let’s listen to each other, look into each other’s eyes… and renew together the call”.
Voices that speak of family
The visit was simple and close, marked by the testimonies of those who experienced it.
Sister Gloria Chaparroan Augustinian Recollect missionary from Monteagudo, highlighted the fraternal warmth of the meeting:
“To be valued by the Augustinian family in accompanying us in our current circumstances. It was a simple moment, very fraternal, it left us with a good taste of family. We felt the joy of welcoming you in our community. We thank you immensely for your visit. We will remember him in our prayers so that the Order and all of us together may continue to walk with hope”.
The religious Francisco PiérolaFrancisco Piérola, of the Monteagudo community, stressed the importance of listening:
“Well, I felt it was worth it, it was a fraternal visit, I felt good… I was able to say certain things that I thought, and he did not give me any problems. I have done some things with respect, with my opinion, and nothing more”.
The novice Denilson Rosalesa native of Costa Rica, emphasized the Prior General’s closeness to the young men preparing for profession:
“The visit of our Prior General has been very close, very jovial, representing the charism of Augustine of Recoleta. Although he is the Prior General, he is always very close to us, being one of us. He gave us words of encouragement to live our novitiate, to continue falling more and more in love with Christ, to live it as an excellent gift”.
He also recalled the invitation of Pope Francis to community life: “He spoke to us of living in closeness, with respect, avoiding gossip… and to always enjoy our Augustinian Recollect life”.
Renewing the heart of the family
The first stage of the visit in Spain leaves a clear message: renewal is not only administrative, but a return to the heart of the charism. Monteagudo has been the starting point of an itinerary that will travel through communities of the three provinces present in Spain – St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Our Lady of Candelaria and St. Thomas of Villanova – with the same desire: to listen, encourage and renew together the call of God.