EUROPE/SPAIN - First Encounter of Augustinian Recollect Bishops to commemorate centennial anniversary of the Chapter that established the apostolic end and led to the missions

La Rioja (Agenzia Fides) – November 25-30, the Monastery of San Millan de Yuso (La Rioja, Spain) is hosting the first Encounter of Augustinian Recollect Bishops, presided by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect for the Congregation of Bishops, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and General Brother of the Augustinian Recollect Bishops. There are now 20 Bishops who are members of the Order, in 9 countries of the Americas and Asia.
The Encounter is taking place on the 100th anniversary of the chapter celebrated by the Order in San Millan de la Cogolla and that determined the apostolic end of the congregation, their definintive decision to go to missionary territories, and place an emphasis on studies, especially on Saint Augustine. To commemorate the historic meeting, the Order organized various activities in the Monastery of San Millan, to be celebrated between November 25 and December 6. Among them is the First Encounter of Augustinian Recollect Bishops; an Augustinian Recollect Family Encounter for the anniversary of the Recollection (November 28, 2008), and the meeting of the General Council with the Provincial Priors (December 1-6, 2008).
On November 25, the workshops began with the opening speech from Bishop Juan José Omella of Logroño and Calahorra-La Calzada (Spain), the Diocese to which San Millan pertains. The theme was: “The Bishop, servant of the Word and of the Church.” In the afternoon, it continued with Augustinian Recollect Bishop Emiliano Antonio Cisneros of Chachapoyas (Peru), “The challenges of evangelizing Latin America, since our existence.” The rest of the talks are: “Living the Augustinian Recollect charism in its three dimensions,” “Profile of the Augustinian Recollect Bishops and his relationship with the Order,” “The Order of Augustinian Recollects is renewed,” and “The First Centenary of the General Chapter of San Millan, July 16-27, 1908.”
Tomorrow, November 28, there will be a meeting of the 8 Provincial Priors of the Recollects' Provinces. Cardinal Re will preside the Mass in Thanksgiving and hold a conference on “The responsibility of being the Apostle's successors.”
On Saturday, November 29, there will be a meeting of the General Council with the Bishops and Provincial Priors, moderated by the Bishop of the Prelature of Chota (Peru), Bishop Fortunato Pablo Urcey, OAR, and by the Vicar General of the Order, Bishop Miguel Miro. On Sunday, November 30, the Bishops and Provincial Priors will take advantage to visit some of the various important sites of the Order's history found in the local area.
Following the Bishops' Encounter, December 1-6, there will be another encounter for the General Council with all the Provincial Priors. Over the course of these 6 days, the religious will revise and study “the state of the Order, the renewal, the common difficulties, collaboration, and carrying out the guidelines from the General Chapter.”
The Order of Augustinian Recollects was founded on December 5, 1588 in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain). They are now 1,200 religious in 205 communities throughout the world. They are in 19 countries, with large concentrations in Spain and the Philippines, and the Americas. They attend over 200 parishes, 50 schools and universities, in addition to the 8 mission territories in Africa, America, and Asia. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 27/11/2008)