Three Brazilians, two Costa Ricans, one from Venezuela, one from Guatemala, a Mexican, an Argentinian, one from India and one from Honduras are preparing for their definitive acceptance into the Order of Augustinian Recollects in the Monastery of Yuso San Millan de la Cogolla ( Rioja, Spain) These young religious belong to four of the eight Provinces the Order has in the World (St. Nicholas, St. Thomas, St. Joseph and Our Lady of Consolation).

Bernardo Cerda, the director of this Preparation Course for the Solemn Profession calls it “a time of preparation through an intense life in common, and above all, a serene reflection so that the candidate is totally aware of the importance and transcendence of the solemn profession”.

From the 7th January to 2nd February this year the General Secretariat of Formation organized a preparation course for the solemn profession in Manizales, Colombia. Fifteen religious took part – eight Colombians and seven Brazilians- who belong to the Provinces of Our Lady of the Candelaria and St. Rita’s.



Three Brazilians, two Costa Ricans, one from Venezuela, one from Guatemala, a Mexican, an Argentinian, one from India and one from Honduras are preparing for their definitive acceptance into the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Four Weeks

For the four weeks the young religious will share their life, prayer and community experience led by a team made up of Bernardo Cerda, Rafael Sanchez and Juan Manuel Ramirez ( who was unable to attend). Each week will have a central theme led by people specialized in the different areas to be looked at.

Fr. Bernardo Cerda, the director of the course spoke in the first week on the anthropology of the consecrated life and the anthropological bases of the religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

The re-elected Provincial of St. Jospeh’s. Jose Ramon Perez, gave the retreat during the second week. Then, in the third week, it was the turn of Angel Antonio Garcia Cuadrado, an expert in Augustinian Recollect spirituality to speak to the future solemnly professed on the history and spirituality of the Order. The Missionary aspect will be presented by Santiago Martínez Lázaro who has been working in our Missions in Brazil for a few years .

The fourth and final week will offer a complete and documented vision of the ministerial and education Apostolate. Fr. Roberto Sayalero and Jose Maria Sanchez, experts in their fields will be the speakers.

Alfonso Lorda, prior provincial of Our Lady of Consolation and Miguel Ángel Hernández, prior provincial of St. Thomas of Villanueva, accompanied by Julio Amezua, vicar provincial of Brasil, paid them a visit. Both provincials spoke of the present reality and future projects of their respective Provinces. In the next few days Rafael Mediavilla, prior provincial of San Nicolás de Tolentino Province is expected to pay a visit too.



All those involved, the organizing team as well as those taking part are very aware that these courses are a moment of grace where God is the real protagonist. Means

All those involved, the organizing team as well as those taking part are very aware that these courses are a moment of grace where God is the real protagonist. So that the experience can be truly fulfilling they can count on various means of discernment: the experience of the life in common, the serene reflection, personal and community prayer, Silence, recollection, spiritual reading, lection divina, missionary witness and recreation in common.

Those taking part

- Province of St. Nicholas: Luis Amílcar Reyes Juárez (Honduras), Gustavo Adolfo Solís Araya (Costa Rica), Mario Alberto Corrales Céspedes (Costa Rica), Gerardo Cortés González (México)

- Province of St. Thomas of Villanova: Arlindo de Cristo Sales (Brasil), Paulo Santos Barbosa (Brasil), Murilo Oliveira Alves (Brasil), Ezequiel Soria Díaz (Argentina), Shyju Joseph Pallathiparambil (India)

- Province of St. Joseph: Alfredo Sánchez Quevedo (Venezuela)

- Province of Our Lady of Consolation: Ismael Xuruc Santizo (Guatemala)