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Programme of encounter

by OAR | Photography: Archivo

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This year one hundred years have passed since the chapter held by the Augustinian Recollects in San Millán de la Cogolla, which entailed defining the apostolate as the end of the congregation, giving a decisive push for the missions and strengthening its own studies, especially on Saint Augustine. To commemorate the historic gathering, the Order has organized several activities at the San Millán monastery, to be held between November 25 and December 6.

The activities organized by the Order's general council to celebrate the event are the following:

- First Encounter of Augustinian Recollect Bishops (25-30 November 2008)

- Encounter of the Augustinian Recollect Family to celebrate the Anniversary of the Recollection (28 November 2008).

- Meeting of the General Council with the Priors Provincial (1-6 December 2008).

Bishops meeting

November 25. Juan José Omella, bishop of the Diocese of Calahorra and La Calzada - Logroño, will give the opening address. San Millan monastery is in his diocese. He will speak on the theme "The Bishop, servant of the Word and the Church". In the afternoon the Augustinian Recollect bishop Emiliano Cisneros, bishop of Chachapoyas (Perú), will continue with his theme "Challenges posed to the Augustinian Recollect in the evangelization of Latin America.

On the 26th, in the morning, the Augustinian Recollect, Juan Ángel Nieto, prior of San Millan Monastery will speak on "Living the three dimensions of the Augustinian Recollect charism." Then in the afternoon Jesús María Cizaurre, bishop of Cametá (Pará, Brasil) will speak on "The profile of an Augustinian Recollect Bishop in relation to the Order."

Thursday, November 27, will start with a conference entitled "The Order of Augustinian Recollects renewing itself" delivered by the meeting's principal host, Javier Guerra, the Prior General of the Order. In the afternoon, a cultural activity on the Monastery of San Millan will be presented.

Though the Day of the Recollection is officially celebrated on the 5th December, on this occasion this gathering will bring the date forward and celebrate it on November 28.

Also on this date the Augustinian Recollect bishops will be joined by the Provincials of the eight Recollect provinces. After the meeting with the bishops they will have their own sessions with the General Council.

The day's work will start at 9 in the morning with a special address by Cardinal Re to the Recollect bishops on "The responsibility of the successors of the Apostles".

At ten o'clock, in the Language Hall of the monastery, the Augustinian Recollect José Javier Lizarraga, doctor in Church History will give a conference on "The first centenary of the General Chapter of San Millan, 16-27 July 1908".

At twelve o' clock a special thanksgiving Eucharist will be presided by Cardinal Re, followed by a fraternal meal.

At 3:30 in the afternoon, there will bea general presentation of the Augustinian Recollect Family, moderated by Jesús Lerena, one of the general councilors. Besides the friars there will also be some Augustinian Recollect cloistered nuns, religious women from the various congregations of active life, the Secular Fraternity, and other groups like the Augustinian Recollect Youth and the Association of Christian mothers of St Monica.

Saturday, November 29, will be used to have a plenary session of the General Council with the bishops and the Recollect Provincials. This meeting will be moderated by the bishop of Chota (Perú), Fortunato Pablo and by the Vicar General of the Order, Miguel Miró.

On >Sunday, the 30th, bishops and Provincials will visit various significant places in the History of the Order which are found in the Ebro region: Alfaro, birthplace of St. Ezequiel Moreno; the novitiate house in Monteagudo, which is the only Recollect house to survive in Spain from before the "Desamortización" of Mendizábal - where St. Ezekiel Moreno is buried and a Museum is also dedicated to his memory; and then Marcilla which was for many decades house of formation and studies for the religious of St. Nicholas Province.