Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández opened in Madrid the special period for the centenary of the Order’s consecration to Our Lady of Consolation. The Prior General proposed to the entire Augustinian Recollect Family an ejaculatory prayer for these months: “Mother of Consolation, make us instruments of God’s consolation.”
The Augustinian Recollect Family began this September 4, the solemnity of Our Lady of Consolation, a special period to prepare for the centenary of the Order’s consecration to this Marian title. The Prior General, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández, presided over the celebration at the parish of Our Lady of Consolation, in Madrid’s Estrella neighborhood, and invited the entire Order to rediscover the consolation received from God in order to become, in turn, an instrument of consolation for others.
The Eucharist was concelebrated by 19 priests, 25 Augustinian friars, 5 Augustinian Recollect missionaries, and gathered nearly one hundred laity linked to different ministries of the Augustinian Recollects in Spain. Religious, Secular Fraternals, Monica Mothers, JAR Youth, and laity thus began together festivities that seek to extend far beyond Madrid: wherever the Order is present, the Augustinian Recollect Family is called to renew its trust in Mary and to live under her protection.
“Mother of Consolation, make us instruments of God’s consolation”
The celebration had as one of its central moments the homily of the Prior General. Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández recalled that Consolation is not simply “a beautiful name we have received from our Recollect tradition,” but a profoundly Christian experience: we all need to be consoled, and true consolation comes from God. Mary is the one who leads toward that consolation and toward her Son.
From this idea, the Prior General presented the ejaculatory prayer he wishes to accompany the Augustinian Recollect Family during this special period:
“Mother of Consolation, make us instruments of God’s consolation.”
A brief prayer that summarizes the meaning intended for the centenary. It is not only about turning to Mary to ask for consolation, but about allowing the consolation received to transform the way of relating to others.
“God consoles us so that we may become instruments of his consolation,” affirmed Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández. Therefore, he explained, “we do not receive in order to keep; we receive in order to give”: whoever has experienced God’s consolation is called to draw near also to the pain of others.
The Prior General explained precisely in this way the meaning of the ejaculatory prayer: “It does not say only: ‘Console us.’ It says: ‘Make us instruments.'” The proposal for this centenary is to move from being solely recipients of God’s consolation to becoming also its servants.
Learning from Mary to remain beside those who suffer
To explain what it means to console, Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández directed his gaze toward Calvary. The Gospel of the solemnity presents Mary beside the cross of Jesus, a scene that allows one to understand in an especially profound way the title of Mother of Consolation.
“Mary remains,” the Prior General emphasized. Before her Son’s suffering there appear no answers or explanations, only her presence. “There are moments in life when that is exactly what it means to console: to be there.” To be beside those who suffer, even when words prove insufficient and it is not possible to resolve what causes the pain.
This attitude has concrete consequences for the Augustinian Recollect Family. A family consecrated to Mary, he noted, “cannot be a family closed in upon itself,” but rather a place where those who arrive weary may rest, those who are wounded find welcome, those who have lost hope may recover it, and young people feel accompanied.
Thus, devotion to Our Lady of Consolation becomes also a call to mission: to be presence, to accompany, to remain, and to bring to others the consolation that has first been received from God.
One hundred years under the protection of Our Lady of Consolation
The celebration in Madrid opens the path toward an especially significant anniversary for the Augustinian Recollects. In 1926, Blessed Vicente Soler, then Prior General, placed the Order under the protection of Our Lady of Consolation. Since then, generations of Augustinian Recollects, religious women, laity, youth, families, missionaries, and persons linked to the Augustinian Recollect Family have walked under her protection.
One hundred years later, the intention is not to limit oneself to recalling that historical event. “A consecration is not only something that happened once,” recalled Friar Miguel Ángel Hernández. It is “a relationship that is lived,” “a trust that is renewed,” “a belonging that becomes life,” and “a mission that is actualized.”
Therefore, although the festivities have begun in Madrid, the Prior General’s invitation is addressed to the entire Augustinian Recollect Family throughout the world. During the coming months, the Order’s various presences are called to walk together toward the renewal of that consecration and to turn their gaze toward Mary as Mother of Consolation.
The objective, the Prior General noted, will not be simply to reach the end of this period and pronounce a formula once again, but to allow Mary to occupy “a deeper place” in life and to learn from her “to listen, to trust, to remain, to accompany, and to bring consolation.”
A journey that begins with a simple prayer and that, from Madrid, now seeks to resonate in every community and ministry of the Augustinian Recollects throughout the world:
“Mother of Consolation, make us instruments of God’s consolation.”
