Fuensanta Linares, a member of the Secular Fraternity of Santa Rita in Madrid, tells us how faith and apostolate are lived in its fraternity (FSAR), animated by the Augustinian charism- recollect.
Fuensanta is happily married and lives in Madrid (Spain) with her husband and her three children. The couple belongs to the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity of Santa Rita since 2017. On September 28, 2018 they made their promises along with other fraternities, becoming form part of the Secular Fraternity in a definitive way. She tells Fuensanta that a Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity is not just another group of the Parish, rather it is a community of brothers governed by Statutes and a Rule of Own Life, in which the fundamental elements of the Augustinian Recoolects-charism are highlighted: interiority, community and apostolate at the service of the Church.
The Fraternity is made up of a group of lay brothers called by the Holy Spirit to live the faith with joy, hope, charity, humility, a sense of gratuitousness and fidelity, according to the charism of the Augustinian Recollects, under the protection and example of the Virgin of the Consolation, and accompanied by his spiritual assistant.
The apostolate that is lived from the Fraternity has its foundations in the Sacrament of Eucharist, from which one can be salt and light of Christ for the world. In addition to this, the fraternities seek to be present in all the pastoral activities of Santa Rita Parish with a humble and cheerful attitude. The Fraternity meets fortnightly following the Pilgrims training program, in which reflection and sharing around certain readings in a context of trust and prayer. In addition to these meetings recurring, meetings are also held on significant dates of the Order and retreats on strong seasons of Advent and Lent.
Fuensanta explains that being part of the Fraternity has given her many things, including It is worth noting the feeling of welcome, peace and security that is received by being part of a great family, with which joy and consolation are shared in prayer. She has also allowed us to discover Jesus in others and in the lives of the Saints of the Order, discoveries that have encouraged her to seek more and more the encounter with God.
For her it is important to live the apostolate with the brothers because the community is a gift, a center of mission and service. In fact, when Saint Augustine (354-430) converted and received baptism (year 387), returning almost immediately to Africa, he founded a monastery in which the community life is a basic element and proposes as an ideal for the monks to live with a single heart and one soul oriented towards God. This, typical of Augustinian communities, is the way to join the Church, which is the great community founded by Christ Jesus.
Today, like tomorrow, we celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost, Catholic Action Day and the Secular Apostolate, it is opportune to talk about the role of the Holy Spirit in the Fraternity. By saying from Fuensanta, the Holy Spirit is always present, accompanying, driving and encouraging; feeding the inner growth of each member of the Fraternity and giving them new siblings. The Holy Spirit is the guide of the Fraternity, the one who points out the path to follow.
