Fifty people accompanied by the religious advisor meet in Oxnard under the motto “Living in harmony as a community” on a day of prayer, reflection, formation, meeting, presentation of new members, and shared leisure.
Last Saturday, July 27, the Augustinian-Recollect Secular Fraternities of California (United States) held their annual meeting at the St. Augustine Priory in Oxnard. It is one of the most important moments of conviviality, prayer and formation in the agenda of each of the Fraternities.
At the annual meeting, convened by Raul Ramirez, regional president of the West Coast Secular Fraternity, the new members and candidates of each of the Fraternities have a special role and have the opportunity to get to know each other and introduce themselves.
At the same time, those who attend for the first time have the opportunity to discover that beyond their local Fraternity; there are many people who, like them, wish to live Augustinian Recollect values and come from different places: it is the consequence of having a large family distributed throughout the world and of which people from so many cultures and nations are part.
Another special moment occurs in the joint renewal of baptismal promises that, at each annual meeting, the members of the Fraternity of California reaffirm together and in public as a sign of affirmation, identity, and mutual support.
The formative part focused on the theme “The Shared Augustinian Charism: Augustinian Recollect Laity and Religious,” offered by the Augustinian Recollect Rafael Castillo, who is the spiritual superior of the St. Augustine Priory and advisor of the Oxnard Fraternity, which welcomed everyone. The Eucharist was presided over by the Vicar of the Province in the United States.
The atmosphere of Fraternity and brotherhood was enjoyed at all times. As always, the bonds of mutual knowledge that make it possible to move from Fraternity to friendship were greatly strengthened: there was time to pray together, to reflect on the themes proposed, and also to get to know each other better personally, to comment on personal aspects, to recognize and admire the gifts of the brothers and to support and encourage them in their daily difficulties.
