From March 31 to February 6, Rosa María Mora Correa, president of the Mexican Federation of Augustinian Recollect nuns, carried out the “canonical” visit of the community of the Bogotá monastery of Our Lady of Candelaria, as established in the instruction application of the Apostolic Constitution Cor orans.
There were two reasons for the visit: to promote fraternal coexistence and express to each one of the sisters that, despite the geographical distance between the monasteries, they are and feel united in prayer and in the communion of charism and spirituality; and hold meetings with the community to carefully analyze the essential elements of the contemplative life: formation, prayer, word of God, Eucharist and reconciliation, fraternal life in community, autonomy, federation, cloister, work, silence, media and asceticism.
On January 31, Sister Rosa María left the “Juan Santamaría” international airport in San José, Costa Rica, bound for Bogotá, where the Augustinian Recollect Juan Pablo Martínez Peláez, vicar of the Province of Candelaria, received her and moved to the Bogota neighborhood of Suba where the monastery is located. Her sisters received her with joy from her, showing her fraternal affection with countless details, among them, a banner with the word “welcome” and drawing an airplane together with very significant images of Colombia.
February 2 took place in a festive atmosphere as two important events were being celebrated: the feast of the head of the monastery -Our Lady of Candelária- and the World Day of Consecrated Life. Already from vespers the Eucharistic celebration was solemn and presided over by Juan Pablo Martínez Peláez; the songs that enlivened the celebration were in charge of the sisters who, after previous preparation, interpreted them magnificently.
On the same day 2, the day of the feast, the mass was celebrated by Fray Nairo Hernán Lara Malagón, Augustinian Recollect at 6:00 p.m. The meal had a special touch since it was held in the monastery gardens, which have the blue sky and a beautiful panorama of the city of Bogotá as a background. When contemplating this picture, desires to pray for all the people in the city in need of prayers naturally arise.
One of the places that all Recollects and Recollects, being in Colombia, want to visit is undoubtedly the Candelaria Desert, the cradle of the Recollection in America and where the Marian dedication of Our Lady of Candelaria has been venerated for 400 years. The nuns traveled there and were received by the friars of the community and by the group of novices who are being formed in that convent. The coexistence and welcome was immensely fraternal. The nuns felt completely confident and were able to feel the affection and appreciation that the friars profess for the community of contemplative Augustinian Recollects, who began their founding journey in Colombia five years ago.
The visit began with the Eucharistic celebration at the feet of Our Lady of Candelaria, to which the Augustinian Recollect nuns entrusted all the Augustinian Recollect friars and prayed especially for the intentions of the Prior General of the Order and for the perseverance of the young novices from the convent that hosted them.
The rest of the days the federal president dedicated to the personal interview with each one of the sisters, who thanked God for the time of conversation with the federal president.
On the last day of Sister Rosa María’s stay, two important visitors arrived. In the morning, Fray Antonio Abecia Valencia, a Recollect, interpreter of some of the songs on the album titled “Mother of Silence”, arrived to spend a few hours with the community and greet Sister Rosa María.
Despite his busyness, the prior provincial José David Niño Gómez, accompanied by brother Nairo, also personally approached the monastery to congratulate the sisters on the occasion of the celebration of their titular, and took advantage of the occasion to meet and greet sister visitor, who had the opportunity to express his gratitude for all the spiritual, moral and economic help that the Augustinian Recollect Province is providing to the nuns of the Bogota Recollect Monastery.
On the morning of February 6, Sister Rosa María said goodbye to her, but with the intention of returning to continue accompanying that young community.
