The care of elderly and sick brothers, the educational mission, and intercultural fraternity have marked the Prior General’s visit to the Augustinian Recollect communities of Castilla y León.
Salamanca: the evangelical value of care and fraternal joy
The Prior General of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández, has continued his renewal visit to the communities of Spain with a stay in Salamanca, where he was able to learn about the reality of one of the Order’s houses for assisted religious.
This community currently houses 23 religious, many of whom are affected by Alzheimer’s and other age-related pathologies, which require constant attention and specialized care. The Prior General gratefully highlighted the efforts of the community and those who care for this house:
“It is a joy to see that they are well cared for and that all means are being used to respond to the needs of our brothers, who have given everything in their lives and who, in this final stage, need our care and accompaniment.”
The visit made it possible to see how service to the elderly and sick brothers occupies a central place in the life of the Order, in fidelity to the Constitutions, which recognize them as “eminent members of the community” and “treasure” of the Augustinian Recollect apostolate, for the spiritual fruitfulness of their silent dedication.
In addition to this care dimension, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández also held a meeting with the head of the university residence linked to the community, emphasizing the harmonious coexistence between the care of the elderly and the formative mission with young people.
One of the most endearing moments of the visit in Salamanca was the meeting with the religious of Vitigudino and Salamanca, experienced in an atmosphere of deep fraternity. Cultural diversity became visible and festive with songs, dances, and African rhythms performed by sisters from Tanzania, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a living expression of a universal Church that celebrates the faith from different cultures.
Valladolid: education, pastoral care, and communion of vocations
From Salamanca, the Prior General moved to Valladolid, where the Order has a significant presence in the educational and community spheres. There he visited the Augustinian Recollect school, holding meetings with the management team and the pastoral team, in addition to touring some of the facilities.
Valladolid is also home to the San Ezequiel Moreno residence, another house for assisted religious, which was the object of special attention during the visit. The meeting with the elderly brothers was integrated into the acts proper to the renewal visit: community meetings, personal dialogues, and interviews, which allow the Prior General to listen to, accompany, and encourage the life of each community.
The agenda also included a meeting with the religious who reside in the same building, strengthening the bonds of communion and collaboration between different branches of the Augustinian Recollect family.
A particularly significant moment was the meeting with the secular fraternity of Valladolid, described by the Prior General as a “very peculiar” fraternity, made up mainly of mothers of religious from Valladolid. Although it is a small group, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández emphasized its vitality and commitment:
“It is a small fraternity, but full of enthusiasm, life, and, above all, love for everything that has to do with the Augustinian Recollect charism.”
A visit that reaffirms the heart of the charism
The renewal visit to Salamanca and Valladolid has revealed some essential features of the Augustinian Recollect charism: the compassionate care of the elderly and sick brothers, the strong commitment to education and pastoral care, and a fraternity that is enriched by cultural diversity and lay vocation.
In words and gestures, the Prior General wanted to remember that fidelity to the mission also involves honoring the dedicated life of those who, in the silence of illness or old age, continue to spiritually sustain the community, making their fragility a constant prayer for the Church and the Order.
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