On 25th June, having approved the guidelines for the next four years, the delegates to the U. S. Chapter elected Joseph Gallardo from among the three religious who had received most votes from the members of this religious province. The election has been confirmed by the Prior General, and the entire community has given thanks to God in the singing of the Te Deum.
Father Gallardo was born in Los Angeles (California) on the 12th February 1959. Having entered the Order, and alter a period of postulancy in Oxnard, he did his novitiate in Monteagudo (Navarra, Spain). He studied theology in the Theological Centre of Marcilla (Navarra, Spain) and whilst resident in Tagaste Monastery (Suffern, New York), completed his studies in the nearby Immaculate Concepcion Seminary in South Orange. He made his solemn profession on the 28th August 1993, and was ordained to the priesthood on the 1st October 1994, in Suffern. He has carried out the pastoral ministry in various parishes, and has been prior at St Augustine Monastery in Suffern. He was elected provincial in June 2009, and re-elected to this position on the 25th June 2013.
Priority objective
Having looked at the situation of the Province, its needs and its oportunities, the religious have set forth the following as a demanding priority objective: «Revitalizing and restructuring of the province through a thorough and effective program of vocational recruitment, initial and continuing formation, and New Evangelization in order to strengthen our Augustinian Recollect way of life».
The commissions looking into these matters have put forward a series of decisions, approved by an absolute majority at those participating, which make up an ambitious programme for action.
Amongst these decisions, the ones prioritising on charismatic identity and the commitment to vocational promotion stand out, as well as the social apostolate, pro-life issues, the structure of formation –both inicial and ongoing-, communications, the secular fraternity and the promotion of the life of the bishop Alphonse Gallegos and of the favours received through his intercesión.
The Province
The Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Augustine, isn’t quite fully staffed, nor is it that extensive. It is made up of 44 religious, of which 33 are priests. Among them is Monsignor David Arias, auxiliary bishop emeritus of Newark, New Jersey. Nine out of the ten ministries are located in the United States, largely along the West Coast, and only one is located beyond this region, in Mexico City.