On the occasion of the feast of St. Thomas of Villanova, the Augustinian Recollect family – the friars who are in Rome for the
friars who are in Rome for the process of formation in stages, both those of less than five years of consecrated life and those of more than fifty years of
the Augustinian Recollect family – friars who are in Rome for the process of formation in stages, both those with less than five years of consecrated life and those with more than fifty years of consecrated life, together with
Augustinian Recollect nuns from Mexico and Spain
and the
commendatory nuns of Santiago
– gathered at the Casa Divin Maestro in Ariccia. In this fraternal and jubilee context,
Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín
Monsignor Luis Marin de San Martin, Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, gave a talk in which he encouraged the Augustinian Recollects to
encouraged the Augustinian Recollects to live the synodal process with courage, joy and depth, as an actual expression of their charism.
as an actual expression of their charism.
A family meeting, a luminous word
In the framework of the ongoing formation meeting in Rome and as part of the celebrations for the feast of
of the feast of St. Thomas of Villanova
the
Augustinian Recollect family
family experienced a very special day at the
Divine Master House in Ariccia
. There, the friars gathered
friars in formation in stages
-less than five years and more than fifty years of consecrated life-, together with Augustinian Recollect nuns from the
Augustinian Recollect nuns from the federations of Mexico and Spain
the
commendatory nuns of Santiago
,
secular fraternal friars
y
laity
linked to the Order. It was in this family atmosphere that
Monsignor Luis Marín
Luis Marín gave a close and passionate talk on the synodal journey the Church is living.
Monsignor Marín met with the more than 200 participants.
more than 200 participants: friars, nuns
of the meeting: friars, nuns, commendatrixes, secular fraternities and lay people linked to the Order. Speaking
“from heart to heart”, he shared his vision of the process
he shared his vision on the synodal process that the Church is going through and the fundamental role that consecrated life has at this moment.
“Synodality is not a fad, it is the DNA of the Church.”
From the beginning, Monsignor Marín was clear: synodality is neither a recent invention nor an ideological fad.
is not a recent invention or an ideological fad, but a constitutive dimension of the Church that must be rediscovered.
but a constitutive dimension of the Church that must be rediscovered.
“The Church is not a parliament of ideas; it is a community that walks together. Synodality is communion, participation and mission,” he said.
He recalled that this synodal process should be lived as a spiritual journey.
as a spiritual journey
not as a structural readjustment, and that it demands a double conversion: spiritual and relational.
spiritual and relational conversion.
. “Without communion, there is no community, and without community, there can be no communion with Christ,” he insisted.
An Invitation to the Augustinian Recollect Family
Addressing the Augustinian Recollects directly, Marin emphasized that their way of life already contains synodal elements:
“Augustinian spirituality has much to say to the Church today. Your community structure, the chapters, government as service… all of this is synodality in practice. Now we must renew it more consciously and boldly.”
He encouraged religious to
overcome the temptation of isolation or division
and to strengthen mutual listening:
“Division is not Christian. In a family there may be differences, but the common good is always sought. This is how the Church should be: as brothers who walk and discern together.”
“We cannot live in a time that has passed.”
In a direct tone, Bishop Marín also issued a warning about the risks of remaining anchored in past models.
remaining anchored in models of the past
:
“Sometimes we live as if we were in the 1970s or 1980s. But the year 2000 is a quarter of a century ago. We have to read together the signs of the times: what is the world saying today, what does it need, how do we respond as an Augustinian Recollect family?”
He mentioned issues that seem far away but that will profoundly affect the Church, such as artificial intelligence, social polarization and
artificial intelligence, social polarization
or global cultural changes. Faced with this, he called on the Augustinian Recollect family to
to be formed, to discern together and to respond in communion
without fear of change, but with fidelity to the Gospel.
Co-responsibility: laity, religious and hierarchy
Monsignor Marín insisted on the need for
a truly co-responsible Church
where everyone – laity, religious and hierarchy – has a voice and active participation:
“Consecrated life is called to be a model of co-responsibility. But we also need a laity that is more formed, more daring, more committed… Not to replace anyone, but to live their baptismal vocation to the full.”
He also referred to the
new lay ministries
(lector, acolyte, catechist), and the possibility of others that may arise according to the pastoral context. The important thing, he stressed, is to
to discover the value of baptism as the foundation of the mission.
.
A decisive time for the Church
Monsignor Marín closed his speech with a statement full of hope and responsibility:
“We are at a turning point for the Church. There is no turning back. But we do not walk alone. The Spirit is guiding us. And consecrated life – especially Augustinian consecrated life – has much to offer.”
Finally, he asked for prayers for the Pope, for the synod and for the whole Church, so that the path that is opening may not be lived in fear, but as an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of the Gospel shared by all.
an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of the shared Gospel.
.
A word for the present and the future
The Augustinian Recollect family listened with attention, emotion and gratitude to the words of Monsignor Marin. His talk was more than a conference: it was a call to walk together.
call to walk together
to renew the missionary heart of the Augustinian charism and to live this kairos as a grace for the Church and for the world.
grace for the Church and for the world.
.