Visit with our Students
in Spain, 2008
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It was cold and windy on the evening of Wednesday,
April 2 when I left Newark Liberty Airport on the overnight flight
to Spain to make my regular visit with our students, Fra. Juan
José Alfaro
at the theologate in Madrid and Fra. Ulyses Moyao at the novitiate
in Monteagudo. It was definitely déjà vu when I arrived
at Barajas Airport about 10:00 AM on Thursday, April 3 and saw
Br. Alberto Eraña waiting for me with his welcoming smile
and a quick offer to help me with my bags. Our short ride to Seminario
San Agustin (Las Rozas) gave further evidence of the enormous commercial
and residential development taking place in that part of Madrid.
On arriving at the house I was greeted by the prior, Fr. Marciano
Santervás, along with several of the other friars and instantly
made to feel at home as I was ushered into the convent or “case
baja” for a descanso before lunch.
I noticed immediately that the entrance to the property had a
more finished look, having been under construction during my last
visit. Alas, the major construction that had been scheduled to
begin last summer —a new seminary building—seemed to
be indefinitely delayed due to all-too-familiar problems involving
city permits. As a result, the two existing buildings were overcrowded,
since the student body had (happily) grown, and shortage of space
was becoming more and more of a concern. At the time of my visit
there were 29 professed students (four of whom are ordained deacons,
soon to be receiving new assignments) and six postulants together
with the house staff. As a result, community life is still divided
between the “chalet”, the original home where most
activities—prayer, meals, recreation—take place, and
the “convent” where the majority of students are in
residence. In spite of the lack of space, which I became more aware
of when I saw the dozens of boxes of books from Marcilla waiting
to be unpacked for the library, I was given a comfortable room
in the convent facing the front of the property and the soccer
field.
A short time later I had a happy reunion with Fra. Juan José,
who arrived with the other professed students studying at the Augustinian
school, El Escorial. Among the familiar faces were some of the “novices” from
the class of 2006-07 whom I had seen in Monteagudo last year, and
who are now studying theology in Madrid. Fra. Juan José is
currently completing his first year of theology. During our conversation
at lunch I was surprised to learn that the Augustinian Recollects
make up the largest group of students who are attending classes
at El Escorial this year, even more than the Augustinians (OSAs).
Commuting to school is fairly easy, taking only a little more than
one-half hour, given normal traffic conditions . . . The spirit
of the house was as upbeat and lively as I found it on my previous
visit and it was a pleasure to join the community for prayers,
meals, and recreation—adjusting, of course, to that very
different schedule prevalent in European culture where lunch is
the main meal and is followed by that leisurely convivenia and
rest period. Evening Mass was enlivened by the preaching of the
new deacons and by a well-practiced and lively choir. It was good
to see so many young friars singing and praying together! Although
Fra. Juan José had a busy class schedule and was preparing
for exams, we had time to spend together, and took our customary paseo through
downtown Madrid on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday morning I took advantage of Fr. Javier Legarra’s
offer of a ride to Monteagudo, he being on his way to visit his
family who lived nearby. On arriving at the convent we found many
of the novices along with the prior, Fr. Miguel Ángel Tejada,
working outside in the huerto. You could still see snow
on Moncayo although the flowers and trees as well as the warm weather
clearly indicated that spring had arrived in Navarra. Once again
I was given a warm welcome and a comfortable room, this one even
having a little balcony with an excellent view of “the sleeping
bishop”, who can be seen in the peculiar configuration of
Moncayo. I did not see Fra. Ulyses until lunch time, but it was,
again, another happy moment since—although we had talked
by phone and communicated by letter—we had not seen each
other in over six months.
The schedule in Monteagudo is similar to that in Madrid regarding
the times for prayers, study, meals, and recreation. Unlike Madrid,
of course, where all the professed mingle freely, the novices have
their separate recreation room and assigned places at table; all
studies take place “in-house.” There are also daily
readings at meals, the current readings being taken from the recently
published Obras Completas of St. Ezekiel Moreno. There
are 18 novices this year from a number of different countries including
Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Venezuela. The novices had
been studying the Psalms, the History of the Order, monasticism,
and the Rule and Constitutions. Some of the classes
were offered by the friars in the house, others by visiting Recollects
from Marcilla or Madrid.Liturgical preparation and music are also
important parts of the novitiate curriculum and are directed by
Fr. Ricardo Mediavilla (master of novices.). Talleres are
the classes offered by the novices themselves to each other, and
are subjects reflecting their own talents. Fra. Ulyses had offered
an English class for a time; he himself was taking guitar lessons
and had learned something about bookbinding.
On Sunday, after celebrating Mass in the large church and enjoying
a wonderful paella for lunch, we went on a paseo,
stopping at the highest point in Monteagudo--braving a pack of
dogs on the way--to get a panoramic view of the whole area as far
as Tarazona (Aragon). Winding our way down the hill, we chose a
rather rough path through the fields about 5 kilometers to the
tiny hamlet of Tulebras for café con leche. The
blisters I had that evening were evidence that I hadn’t packed
the right shoes for hiking! The savory chorizo we were
served that night for dinner, however, made me forget my sore feet.
I was also treated that evening to a fully chanted Vesper service
along with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The time in Monteagudo passed all too quickly. On Monday I was
invited to give a presentation to the novices on the history and
current ministries of St. Augustine Province as well as to offer
a few words on the cause for Beatification of Bishop Alphonse Gallegos.
On Tuesday afternoon I joined the novices for Mass in the chapel
of Ezekiel Moreno for one of their bi-weekly “shared” liturgies
in which all are free to participate in the penitential rite (a
kind of Chapter of Faults), the homily, and the prayers of the
faithful. It is a beautiful and truly devotional experience . .
. On Wednesday afternoon after saying my goodbyes I took the train
from Tudela back to Madrid, a ride of about 2 ½ hours, giving
one plenty of time of meditate on the barren but beautiful countryside
of Castile. Fra. Juan José met me at Atocha station in Madrid,
and we were able to navigate the rather confusing cercanias (trains)
and reach Las Rozas just before the rain, which came down in torrents
all that evening.
To my happy surprise I ran into Fr. General, Javier Guerra, who
was making his Visit of Renewal to the seminary and some of the
surrounding communities. That evening Fr. General was the main
celebrant and homilist for the Mass. The following day, as the
rain fell heavily on and off, I had the opportunity to spend some
additional time visiting with Fra. Juan José as well as
with the prefect of professed, Fr.Francisco Javier Jiménez,
who spoke among other things about the mission experience in Labrea
(Brazil) that was being planned for the summer for a group of the
professed students. That evening the results of all the rain became
obvious when we entered the recreation room after dinner and discovered
water dripping from the ceiling through a large hole where the
plaster had given way. No one, however, was really complaining;
the water shortage in Spain had been severe, and people were praying
that the rain would just keep on falling . . . Friday morning I
found myself once again saying goodbye as I prepared to leave on
my return trip to the US, impressed as always by the spirit of
community and hospitality I had received throughout my stay with
my Recollect brothers from St. Nicholas Province, and grateful
for the opportunity to visit with our students and to encourage
them in pursuing their vocations as Augustinian Recollects.
For photos of the seminary buildings and El Escorial
as well as the new museums in Monteagudo and Marcilla, see archived
article “A
Visit with our Students in Spain” (5-07)
Fr. John Gruben, OAR
