Recollect Formators meet in Colombia
Participants of the “V
Encuentro de Formadores”:
Recollects dedicated to the formation apostolate gather in the plaza
before the church of the historic monastery of El Desierto de la Candelaria, Colombia.
Twenty five friars involved in
formation ministry in the Order of Augustinian Recollects met
at the Monastery of El Desierto de la Candelaria, Ráquira,
Colombia, for a meeting sponsored by the General Secretariat of
Formation, January 22-February 3. The meeting was directed by
Fr. Bernardo Cerda Saiz, OAR, president of the Secretariat. Representing
St. Augustine Province were Fr. Ramon Gaitán, prior of
Tagaste Monastery, Suffern, New York, and Fr. Eliseo González,
prefect of students at St. Augustine Priory, Oxnard, California.
The meeting included a review of the current state of formation
in the different provinces of the Order, a reflection on the latest
Church documents concerning priestly and religious formation,
and an intensive study of Chapter 6 of our Constitutions,
dealing with formation, in light of the current need for evaluation
and revision of the text as required by the last General Chapter.
Small groups were formed to synthesize reflections and recommendations
concerning our formation norms as outlined by the Constitututions
and Plan of Formation. The formators spent the last part
of their meeting at La Linda, Manizales, the house of philosophy
of Candelaria Province, where they had the opportunity to participate
in the episcopal ordination of Fr. Alejandro Castaño, OAR,
the new auxiliary bishop of Cali, Colombia. The ordination was
held at the cathedral of Manizales where the Nuncio, some twenty
bishops, and Recollects from a great many countries were among
those in attendance.
From the “Chronicles” of Fr.
Eilseo González at the “V Encuentro” . . .
Greetings:
“What a joy to see the
brothers living in unity.”
To make this phrase a reality
is difficult. But, every time there is a gathering in the Order,
we feel this wish that our Father Augustine had for his communities.
If we had to give a name to this
gathering, there could not be another, than “time of grace.”
We recognize that God gives himself to us in every event, that
he continues to accompany us in the task the Order has given us:
accompany, discern, and foster growth among those whom God has
called, and over whom the Lord has scattered the seed, the vocation
to give themselves to others in the following of Christ.
Our chronicles during the last
days should begin with heartfelt gratitude to our brothers of
the Province of Our Lady of the Candelaria. It would take a long
time to list all the religious who during these last days have
been a witness of dedication, service and attention to the smallest
detail. We remember and thank Fr. Jose David Niño, Prior
Provincial, and in his person the rest of the brothers that comprise
this province. He along with all of his counsel welcomed the group
that formed the V Encuentro de Formadores of the Order
with an excellent reception and lunch at the colonial villa Tagaste.
May the light that our Mother holds in her hand, Our Lady of Candelaria,
illumine our brothers who have as their protector such a great
patroness.
In these days of work we have
searched, in a community of brothers, to share our humble knowledge,
in the first place, to renew our consecration to the Lord and
through that, serve our Order in our formation work.
Of course, there have been difficulties,
the shadows and problems that we bear in our lives as human beings.
The efforts and projects which we hope to achieve will not be
other than clay in the hands of the divine potter, who will know
how to bring this work, which he has begun, to a fruitful end.
We cannot fail to greet and thank
those who have made possible our presence is this meeting. We
entrust all our brothers who through their prayer and effort,
have covered our task and work, to Our Mother of the Candelaria.
May she, who knows how to take care of her children, fill you
with blessings.
At her feet we pray for our Order
and we ask the Lord, owner of the harvest, that he illumine our
minds and hearts so that everything that we think, say, and do
may be done in his name, giving thanks to God Father through him
and having as guide the Holy Spìrit.
Fr. Eliseo González,
OAR
for other
stories, visit our news archive
