The Augustinian Recollect Vocational Itinerary (IVAR) is a tool based on the Augustinian Recollect charism, to facilitate that the persons accompanied mature their vocational decision; the one that the Lord sowed in their heart. And the main thing is that the IVAR encourages and inspires a close, empathetic and competent vocational accompaniment, from the vocational response itself.

Inspired by the work of the sower, the itinerary is divided into three stages:
– Plowing or preparing the land: this refers to the challenge of creating a vocational culture.
– Sowing or delivering the seed: this refers to the announcement of the vocational kerygma for vocational awakening.
– Cultivate or care for the plant so that it bears fruit: here it refers to the cultivation of vocation through accompaniment.

PLOWING

Plowing implies the careful action of preparing and arranging the land for planting. This work involves, above all, turning the soil to make it soft and loose, removing stones and large weeds, applying some compost and laying out the furrows. A direct allusion is made here to the commitment that exists throughout the Church to continue generating a vocational culture; which consists fundamentally in recreating those favorable environments – vocationally significant environments or “vocational communities” – that a vocation needs in order to take root, grow, flourish and bear fruit.

SOWING

The work of sowing consists of giving the seed to the earth with confidence and hope. It is the task most directly related to making the message of the Good News contained in the words of Jesus in the Gospel reach every willing terrain – the heart of the human being – in different ways. The vocational sower collaborates diligently in the sowing of the Word.

CULTIVATING

This stage seeks that, through accompaniment, the person gradually elaborates an authentic, free, conscious and mature response before the Lord who calls him/her for something concrete. It means for the person to live the adventure of strengthening that unrenounceable intuition, proper to the faith that he or she experiences in his or her heart as a personal call from the Lord.

Formative Stages of an Augustinian Recollect

– Aspirancy. The proper purpose of the aspirancy is to help the person with vocational restlessness to study more easily the signs of a possible vocation and, through a solid formation, to prepare them to follow Christ with a generous spirit and pure heart. It can be done in a house of the Order or by following up the candidate externally with periodic meetings. Its duration depends on the personal profile.

– Postulancy. The postulancy is the period immediately prior to the novitiate, which takes place in a house of the Order. It brings with it a certain experience of community life and living together with the members of the community, in order to have a convenient mutual knowledge. Normally this stage coincides with philosophy studies. Its duration depends on the personal profile.

– Novitiate. The purpose of the novitiate is for the person to know better the divine vocation and precisely that of the Order, to experience the way of life of the Order, to conform his mind and heart to the spirit of the Order and to be able to prove his intention and suitability. It has a duration of one year.

– Simple profession. With simple profession begins the stage in which the newly professed enriches his consecrated life with an intense dedication to prayer and study. This dedication effectively helps him to mature his vocation, in view of his definitive commitment to God in solemn profession, and to prepare himself properly for his future apostolate.

– Theologate. In the stage of simple profession, the study of theology is developed together with other Augustinian disciplines and the history and spirituality of the Order.

– Community insertion experience. After completing their theological studies, the professed have an experience of community insertion by collaborating in one of the ministries of the Order.