Representatives of the Augustinian Recollects, contemplative Augustinian Recollects, Missionaries Augustinian Recollect Sisters and Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternities have been among the almost 200 assistants.
From July 24 to 28, the Augustinian Family in Brazil (FABRA) celebrated at the Monastery of Itaicí, in Indaiatuba (São Paulo), its XV Congress, with the participation of more than two hundreds of men and women religious and lay people from all the Orders and Congregations of the Augustinian Family in Brazil. The theme has been “Church and prophecy in the light of Augustine”, and the motto “Called to be prophets today”.
Coming from communities and ministries across the country, the participants were able to reflect, dialogue, share experiences and pray together in the Augustinian way, with the same objective that FABRA itself has: “to bring together the Augustinian Family so that it lives deeper way the spirituality of Saint Augustine, creating unity in diversity.
FABRA has been meeting since 1975, when the first national meeting took place, of which Eneas Berilli, an Augustinian Recollect, and Josefina Casagrande, an Augustinian Recollect missionary participated, considered pioneers of this inter-congregational organization together with the Augustinian Jaime Soria Cabeza and Sister Maria Gonçalves Alves. The four have been present at this XV Congress and have received a tribute and recognition.
On this occasion several conferences have taken place, such as the one entitled “Augustinian Spirituality and Mission ”, by the Augustinian Mário Sérgio, doctor in Patristics and head of the Center for Augustinian Studies of the Augustinians in Brazil; or that of Luiz Antônio Pinheiro, also Augustinian and current coordinator of FABRA, entitled “Augustín, prophet in his time”.
Other activities came to recall the prophetic testimonies of the Augustinian Family in Brazil, a space in which the figure of the Augustinian Recollect missionary Cleusa Rhody Coelho, had a special role, murdered in Lábrea (Amazon, Brazil) for her defense of the rights and dignity of indigenous peoples.
In addition, in different groups called “Shops”, there were moments of reflection and sharing experiences and knowledge in specific topics such as youth ministry, social ministry, parish ministry, sustainability, education and institutional scope, always from the prophetic aspect that has marked this XV Congress of FABRA.
The congress ended with a Letter of Commitment. The Augustinian Family in Brazil wants continue to offer a prophetic witness to society, following the model of Augustine, who intervened in his time and time to promote the Kingdom of God and the dignity of people.
