What is an Augustinian Recollect?

He is a man who, in order tolove God and his neighbor, has professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, lives in community of brothers according to thecharism of Saint Augustine and the spirit of the Order and serves the Church in parishes, missions, schools and formation houses.

In what does vocation consist?

Each vocation is an internal call.  The vocation to the Order of Augustinian Recollects is a personal call from God to be part of this family in order to follow Jesus Christ in the communitarian religious life.

Men

The men can be:

• Priests. The Augustinian Recollect priests are men who, aside from the vocation to the communitarian religious life in the Order, are called in the Church to perform activities proper to the ministerial priesthood.

• Brothers. The Augustinian Recollect brothers are men who, having a vocation to religious life in the Order,  do not feel called to the ministerial priesthood.  They are Augustinian Recollects who serve the Church of God and humanity in varied professions and tasks. 

Women

Our family includes women as well, the Augustinian Recollect female religious, in two possible forms of religious life:

• Contemplative life. They are totally dedicated to prayer.

• Active life. They work in various mission fields. 

Even though the masculine and feminine branches are independent from each other, the spiritual bonds of Saint Augustine unite them. 

Can I be an Augustinian Recollect?

If you are a male  over 18 years of age, you trust in the help of God and you have an authentic vocation to the religious life among the Augustinian Recollects, you can be one.  Trying to be one will depend on you.

How do I know that I have a vocation?

You yourself have the response.  We can help you.  We offer you vocation accompaniment and to participate in an experience of discernment.  We help you, through adequate means, to see signs of a possible call.   We guide you in taking a well-founded decision. 

How  much time does the experience take?

It deals with a personalized process, according to your personal characteristics and to the level of your vocational maturity.  You can enter in the process or leave when you and/or the director of the experience deem it opportune.

This experience consists of the following phases:

• The following of a vocation or aspirancy: It takes much time as it is necessary until  there is already an adequate discernment and decision in direct contact with counselors and vocation promoters.  In this phase, the aspirant remains in his own context of study, work or family.
• Philosophate – postulancy:  two or three years in one of our seminaries.
• Novitiate:  A year dedicated to study and experience of religious life.
• Theologate:  four years of theological deepening.
• Pastoral and communitarian experience:  A year in the house of our community to which you are assigned

What happens to my studies, my career, with my present situation?

You can continue the normal course of your life until you take the decision with the enlightenment of the Lord,  whether you continue in your present state or to change the course of your life.  You can finish your present studies or your academic and professional career or continue them later with a personalized accompaniment in the context of the mission of the Order.

What happens if I decide not to continue  in the program of vocation discernment?

You will have had a profound experience of Christian life, a greater knowledge of yourself, of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and its works. Moreover, you will have decided with greater clarity your proper way.

Where and with whom can I talk?

You can fill up the form included in this same page.  The vocation promoter nearest your place of residence will contact you and you can start your vocation discernment with the Augustinian Recollects.