From August 10 to 31, more than twenty religious from seven countries spent three weeks of formation, prayer and fraternity in Colombia, in a meeting organized by the Generalate of the Order.
Three weeks of formation and fraternity
The religious gathered at the Curia of the Province of Candelaria, in Bogota, lived a month of August marked by formation, spirituality and fraternity. More than twenty friars, coming from the United States, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru and Venezuela, shared intense days that combined study, prayer and community life, with spaces for culture and rest.
Training, culture and community experience
The program began with a week dedicated to human growth, guided by Piarist priest José Victor. Afterwards, the participants visited the Convent of Desierto de la Candelaria in Boyacá, where they had the opportunity to visit emblematic places such as Villa de Leiva and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá. They also visited the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá and the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in the historic center of Bogotá.
During the cultural evenings, the religious presented the culture of their countries and shared how the Order develops its mission in each region, strengthening the spirit of international communion.
Augustinian Week in community
The last week of formation was in charge of Friar Hector Manuel and Friar Sergio Sanchez, who dealt with theological, biblical and charismatic themes of great actuality. In addition, the participants lived the Augustinian Week with special intensity: the Eucharist of St. Monica was presided by the Prior Provincial, Friar José David Niño, and the Solemnity of St. Augustine was celebrated in the parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, together with religious and faithful of the city.
An experience for the whole Order
The Encounter of Ongoing Formation is an initiative of the Generalate of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, with the objective of offering the religious spaces for charismatic renewal, theological updating and human growth. As the organizers recalled, it is “a time that remains engraved in the heart and strengthens the shared mission of living as one soul and one heart directed towards God”.