At least every ten years, the Augustinian Recollect religious are encouraged to participate in the so-called, “course of renewal,” which is one of the key moments of continuous formation. It is normally organized by the General Secretariat of Formation in different continents (America, Europe and Asia) in order to facilitate the participation of the religious in the said formation.
Last June 24, the course of renewal for Europe was opened. As the Augustinian Recollects celebrate the centenary of the elevation of the Recollects as an Order by Pope Saint Pius X, the renewal course was organized in Rome. There were twenty-three participants coming from seven of the nineteen countries where the Order is present: Colombia, Spain, England, Philippines, Mexico, Italy and Brazil.
Four Weeks
Fr. José Ramón Pérez, Vicar General of the Order opened the course of renewal on June 24. As he welcomed all the participants in the name of the Prior General, who was then absent due to an official commitment in the United States, he highlighted the importance and the opportunity of the theme of the renewal course, “Revitalization and New Evangelization,” which is the common point of reflection of the whole Order for the year 2013.
Members of the responsible team of the renewal course expounded on the first two parts of the theme concerning the revitalization. Enrique Eguiarte discussed in detail the Augustinian guidelines for the revitalization. On June 26, Pablo Panedas talked about the revitalization in relation to the Recollect charism. On June 27 and 28, Ángel Martínez Cuesta, an Augustinian Recollect historian, presented the non-clerical brothers as protagonists of revitalization of the Order 100 years ago.
The second week (July 1-7) was dedicated entirely to the New Evangelization. Jesus Angel Barreda, a Dominican scholar and a professor of the Urbaniana University discussed the theme. On July 6, Jairo Gordillo, the third member of the responsible team, talked about the more practical side of the New Evangelization in the context of the Order of Augustinian Recollects.
The third week focused on the lectio divina or the prayerful reading of the Sacred Scripture. Bruno Secondin, an Italian Carmelite and an internationally known expert on the topic expounded on the theme for three days. He was able to open the eyes of the participants to this ancient and traditional way of praying. On June 11 & 12, Pedro Aguado, Prior General of the Piarists talked about the process of revitalization that his Order has been undertaking for four years.
Augustinian Spiritual Exercises
The fourth week is normally dedicated to spiritual exercises. In this renewal course, the retreat employs a new methodology based on the experience of Saint Augustine and it is subjected to a strict observance of silence and recollection. Fr. Enrique Eguiarte who drafted the guidelines for this new way of doing retreat is primarily responsible for its implementation and dissemination in the whole Order in the coming years.
Finally, this part cannot be measured by hours of class nor by the amount of notes taken. Since the course of renewal was held in Rome, there have been activities and unique experiences organized at the end of the week: a visit to some Augustinian places like Ostia Antica and Tolentino, Eucharistic celebrations before the tomb of Saint Monica, Saint Rita and Saint Pius X. The participants were able to celebrated mass as well at the catacomb of Prisicilla.