In March 2016, the first stone of the Monastery of Cristo Rey and Santa Clara de la Cruz de Montefalco of the Augustinian Recollect Nuns of Santiago Tepeyahualco, Hidalgo, Mexico was laid; In November 2019, this monastery was blessed, whose canonical erection took place on November 22, 2022.
In a solemn Eucharist presided over by Monsignor Domingo Díaz Martínez, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico, the canonical foundation of the new cloistered convent of the Augustinian Recollect nuns, located in this Archdiocese, took place.
Monsignor José Hirais Acosta Beltrán, Bishop of Huejutla, Hidalgo, Diocese to which the Macuxtepetla convent belongs, community of origin of the eight founders of the new Tepeyahualco convent, participated in the celebration. Also concelebrating were Monsignor Salvador Rangel Mendoza, OFM, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Brother Carlos González, Provincial Prior of the Province of San Nicolás de Tolentino, Brother Gerardo Ruiz, Spiritual Assistant of the Federation’s Cloistered Augustinian Recollect Nuns. of Mexico and fifteen priests. About two hundred people including family, friends and benefactors joined the great event.
Special mention deserves the presence of the Recollect nuns from the Tlaxcala convents, who sang the mass with special mastery and anointing; the nuns of Puebla, Morelia, Jalapa, Macuxtepetla, Jalpan and those of the new foundation of Cuautinchan, Puebla. The presence of the male and female religious life was not lacking: the missionaries of the word, the Franciscans and the contemplative Carmelites and the Daughters of Mary Immaculate of active life.
At the beginning of the Eucharist, Monsignor José Hirais Acosta Beltrán read the decree for the erection of the new convent issued by the ordinary of Tulancingo, His Excellency Domingo Díaz. The prioress of the community of Macuxtepetla read the names of the founders of the new community, who immediately placed beautiful flower crowns on their heads.
In his homily, the president took as his starting point a question that some parishioners asked him: What are these women doing in the convent? To which the bishop replied: “they make saints”. After clarifying that it was not about images of wood, resin or paintings of different sizes…, so that they would not place their orders. I extensively develop the qualities of the saints, characteristics that would surely adorn the nuns of the new convent: detached women, Samaritans, wise in spiritual things, with a clean heart, missionaries from contemplation, who build the Church. They are leaven and leaven of life of faith; light and salt of the earth. They stand out for humility, truth, prudence and patience… He concluded that surely all those present want to be saints. That is the teaching that will be lived in the new convent, always counting on the fragility of the human condition and the grace of God.
At the end of the Eucharist, Sister María Rita Herrera, until that moment prioress of the new community, read the act of the event which was signed by the clergymen present for happy memory.
Immediately afterwards, the religious community held its first council to elect the new prioress and vice-prioress of the community, in the presence of the bishops. Sister Teodora Olivares Ramírez was elected prioress and Sister María Rita Herrera, vice-prioress.
The event closed with an abundant and rich meal typical of the area.
