Some of the treasures of the history of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and the environments and spaces where it has carried out its work throughout history and today.
The term “mission” has acquired a new meaning: before Vatican II, it referred to a place where the Gospel was unknown or Christianity was in the minority. The Vatican Council introduced new criteria. Generally, in societies considered missions, where inequality, poverty, or injustices are more evident, the promotion of human dignity has become a necessary precursor to evangelization.
This broader understanding of mission is not new, but it has become more pronounced. For three centuries in the Philippines, the missionaries of the Province built not only churches but also schoolhouses and forts. Before teaching the catechism, they learned the alphabet In a novel approach, they included young girls in their teachings, starting with the alphabet and then catechism. They distributed Communion and also provided daily bread by developing agriculture and constructing roads, bridges, and dams.
This expanded concept of mission has enabled missionary work even from a great distance. Wherever a Christian is found, mission work includes solidarity, upholding human dignity, denouncing injustices, and seeking reparation for victims.
The Province has established venues for meetings and mutual collaboration, facilitating the practice of missionary and social responsibility by many.
The 1997 Provincial Chapter mandated the pairing of ministries, fostering awareness and collaboration with the missions among the faithful, which materialized starting in 1999 with Mission Day. Students from some schools engaged with other, smaller schools in very challenging circumstances. Since 2000, the Province has established the Commission on Missions to foster all types of missionary initiatives within this domain.
Individuals with a strong social conscience and organizational skills have taken further steps. In Spain, committed support groups have been founded: APAL Association (Valladolid, 1990), Hope NGO for Development (Lodosa, 1994), Support Group for the Labrea Mission (Getafe, 1994), and Fortaleza Support Association (Getafe, 2009).
Individual initiatives have also been found: numerous men and women sponsoring scholarships; volunteers using their vacation time or taking leaves of absence from work to assist in Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Sierra Leone.
The Province has depended on partnerships with, and the assistance and guidance of, Non-Governmental Organizations for Development that originated within the Order, such as Haren Alde (1992-2017) and ARCORES, the Augustinian Recollect International Solidarity Network (since 2017).
