The Augustinian Recollect missionary María del Rosario Fernández is the superior of the convent of her missionary Congregation in Monteagudo (Navarra, Spain). This house houses the sisters who, in a situation of dependency, live here and are cared for. Rosario tells how they live her reality.
In this convent of the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries, almost all the resident sisters are elderly and some are quite ill. It is perceived that they want to accept the disease from faith, as a true gift from the Lord for having a long life.
However, sometimes it is also difficult to accept everyday reality, the present is hard, especially when that memory of the past is still very present. It is not uncommon to hear expressions around our house such as “Now I can’t”, “Before I…”, “Why don’t they count on me anymore…”.
From the community we try to attend to them fully, in all their physical, mental, spiritual and relational needs. The goal is for all of them to continue to feel that they are living members of the community and of the Congregation.
Our Congregation of Augustinian Recollect Missionaries does not skimp on providing the means we need so that this attention can be carried out. But not only here: we have a large number of older sisters in most of the communities, in addition to the five houses specially designed to care for them, like this one in Monteagudo.
It is sometimes perceived when someone has not been able to assume old age and heal wounds and personal deficiencies. Above all, because these challenges, over the years, are accentuated. Then those frequent claims are heard about what is not accepted or does not want to be given.
With the help of God we are doing what we can, from the experience of our Augustinian Recollect charism of fraternity and always counting on the constant support of the Lord. It is not easy at all, but God’s grace is always present, for which he did not stop thanking him.
To complete this testimony, I wanted to ask five of our sisters in our community a few simple questions. These are their answers.
How do you live the disease from the point of faith?
— With great joy and peace, although sometimes it is difficult for me.
— With patience, accepting and offering pain to God.
— I live it well because I see in it the will of God.
— I live grateful to God, although I suffer at this moment.
— Very calmly for the moment, but afraid of the unknown.
Do you feel supported, cared for, loved by your community?
— Yeah.
— Yes, I have no complaints.
— I feel good, it is a very good community, we are many older sisters and all wanting to do God’s will.
— I feel good, but I think we have to improve.
— Yes, I feel how they care about me.
What do you expect from your community and from the Congregation in general?
— I expect acceptance and love.
— I hope you consider me as a person who lives and feels. I look forward to more communication, to show that we really love each other and to be united.
— I expect the good and the less good.
— I don’t expect anything else, because they give me everything I need.
— I expect commitment and gratitude.
What do you miss, what would you ask for?
— I miss unity and joy.
— I don’t miss anything, because I have enough.
— I’m not missing anything.
— That we stay attentive to see if we have what it takes and that we live more together.
— I don’t miss anything. I would ask that there always be unity and closeness.
