St. Rita is one of the most popular saints, especially in the Augustinian Family. The convent of Marcilla has welcomed devotees from all over the area in its celebration, magnified by the golden anniversary of four members of its Secular Fraternity.
Since the date of her canonization in 1900, the convent of Marcilla has been one of the focal points of devotion to Saint Rita in the middle area of the Autonomous Community of Navarre, in an area of about 30 kilometers.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the Secular Augustinian-Recollect Fraternity linked to the conventual community, even though it arose on the occasion of the fifteenth centenary of the death of Saint Augustine (1930), bears the name of Saint Rita of Cascia.
More than the study and knowledge of the Bishop of Hippo, its first glue was the cult and devotion to the saint of the Impossible. In Marcilla, to be a tertiary – as the members of the Society were and still are called – was equivalent to being devoted to St. Rita in an eminent degree.
That is surely the reason why, throughout its almost centennial history, its members have always been women. And that, too, is the reason why its annual calendar revolves around May 22, the liturgical feast of St. Rita. And this year, the festival has brought together very special characteristics, which make it a real milestone.
Centenary of the Mission in China
Due to the first centenary of the Mission of the Augustinian Recollects in Shangqiu (Henan, China), the activities planned in Marcilla to solemnize and disseminate this anniversary were concentrated on these privileged dates, in order to increase its radius of diffusion as much as possible.
In addition to the attraction of the now traditional missionary raffle organized by the Secular Fraternity, there was the screening of the documentary Sowers of Hope and the public exhibition of the traveling exhibition of the centenary on ten canvases, which were adorned with a series of Chinese objects from the collections of the local Missionary Museum.
Golden Jubilee
Four members of the Fraternity also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the issuance of their promises in 2024: two – Celia Navarro and Blanca Catalan – on this same day in 1974 and another two – Josefina Jimeno and Kechu Sobejano – in October.
The year 1974 marks the beginning of a movement of renewal and high growth of the Society, on the initiative and impulse of the Augustinian Recollect Pastor Paloma, a Filipino friar then professor of Sacred Scripture at the Theological Center of Marcilla.
The central moment of the golden anniversary was during the main Eucharist of the day, at 6 p.m. The crowd came and filled the convent temple to overflowing and participated in the colorful procession through the campus, presided over by the new archbishop of Pamplona and Tudela, Florencio Roselló Avellanas.
This Mercedarian friar, surprisingly elevated to be shepherd of the diocese of Pamplona, had been dedicating the last 100 days marathonly visiting the parishes and diverse communities of his Diocese. Still, he had not yet made visited Marcilla, so it was highly anticipated.
The priests of the community and some other diocesans from the surrounding area concelebrated with him. The novices of the Recollect convent of Monteagudo, located 50 kilometers away, collaborated as acolytes and bearers of the processional litter carrying the saint.
The procession, amidst singing, took place through the front gardens of the convent before the Eucharist. In his homily, Monsignor Roselló described the figure of the saint at length and in detail.
Fr. General’s Message
At the time of thanksgiving, the prior of the community and assistant of the Fraternity of Marcilla, Pablo Panedas, gave the four fraternal sisters an apostolic blessing and read a message from the prior general of the Augustinian Recollects, Fr. Miguel Angel Hernandez.
It recalled Pope Francis’ demand in his Audience to the General Chapter of the Augustinian Recollects in 2022 to “place the charism in the hands of the laity.” Thus, the Prior General indicated that these Golden Jubilee “are concrete proof of the desire that the Augustinian Recollects have always had to transmit their charism also to the laity”.
He then thanked them “for walking with us, for trying to incarnate in your lives the fundamental values of our Augustinian Recollect spirituality.” He reiterated his recognition and that of the entire Order: “We thank you for your example of perseverance, effort, and dedication, and we publicly thank you for having been a light for other people on the journey of faith throughout these 50 years.”
The president of the Secular Fraternities of Spain, Maricela Valles, also participated in the celebration and imposed the insignia of the Fraternity on each of the four honorees.
The feast of Saint Rita, always festive and multitudinous, has been especially emotional and, in a way, historic this year because of the anniversary. And, at the same time, it opens the preparatory period for the centenary of the Fraternity of Marcilla in seven years, in 2030.
