Historical and biographical review of some of the main figures of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Order of Augustinian Recollects from its foundation to the present day.
Father Mariano Gazpio, born in Puente La Reina, Navarra, Spain, in 1899 and passed away in Pamplona, Navarra, in 1989, undertook his formation as an Augustinian Recollect religious in Monteagudo, San Millán, and Marcilla. In 1921, he travelled to Manila to complete his theology and was ordained as a priest in December 1922. He served as curate of the Cavite Puerto/San Roque parish until March 1924, when he volunteered as a member of the pioneering Augustinian Recollect mission to China, arriving in the missions of Shangqiu at the age of 24.
His missionary zeal was stronger than any fear of the hardships he knew lay ahead; thus, he and five confreres established themselves in Kweiteh (Henan, China), without knowledge of the language and culture, in a place devoid of peace, on the brink of a bloody civil war.
His personal effort and abilities enabled him to learn the language quickly and well. His amiable character, humility, and deep spiritual life earned him the confidence and affection of many, who actively joined him in the task of evangelization.
During the 28 years he spent in China, he served as director of the School of Catechists of Chutsi, vicar general of the diocese, and religious superior of the mission during its most difficult years.
Father Mariano was a missionary in a world engulfed by war and pain, yet he rose to the occasion. He placed his trust in God and loved his confreres—and even his persecutors—without fear or reservation. Amidst persecution and threats, he exuded peace and kind words, transforming isolation and contempt into a promotion for peace and complete trust in God.
Father Mariano and other missionaries launched supportive social works to alleviate the sufferings of the people until the Spanish confreres were expelled from China in 1952.
Before his return to Spain, he was appointed secretary during the delegated general visit of Fr. Victorino Capánaga, which took him to the Augustinian Recollect parishes and houses in the Philippines from January to March 1952.
In Spain, the testimony of the many confreres who admired him in China was imparted to the young religious at the formation centres of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in Navarra. Initially, he was the master of novices in Monteagudo and later became the spiritual director in Marcilla, serving until nearly 90 years old.
He lived, enjoyed, and promoted community life, the search for truth, commitment to the mission, assistance to his confreres, and accompaniment of the faithful and catechumens. These are the very characteristics of the Augustinian Recollect charism, which guided and motivated his life.
On 22 May 2021, the Holy See officially recognized that Father Mariano lived the virtues (faith, hope, and charity; prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude) in a heroic manner, declaring him Venerable. This step precedes his recognition as Blessed and, later, as Saint.
Holiness is a grace of God. A saint lives a life founded upon God and draws strength from Him. Father Mariano deserves recognition because his life demonstrates that we, too, can live in such a manner: we are called to be saints, and that path is attainable.
Venerable Mariano serves as a model of identification, an impetus to live the Gospel without excuses or detours. For the Augustinian Recollect Family, it is good news to know that one of its members has lived his faith unwaveringly, a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus.
Among the lessons his life imparts to us are his constant awareness of the presence of God and his life of prayer; his dedication and commitment to the activities entrusted to him with a deep sense of responsibility; his capability and openness to new life paths; filial and affectionate obedience to the Church; the ability to overcome one’s temperament and choose simplicity and ingenuity; the ability to recognize the good and not be swayed by criticism towards anyone, including those who did wrong.
Fray Mariano is a particularly significant model in these troubled times of endless and exaggerated disputes and debates, of irreconcilable standpoints, of strained relations, and of denialism or post-truth polarization. His peace and simplicity, his preference for silence and understanding, are authentic recommendations for today’s world.
