On November 6, 1971, the Recollects inaugurated their new residence in the Romareda neighborhood; on January 25, 1972, the Parish of Saint Monica was formally erected and on March 19, 1973, the temple was opened for worship. A history that is now celebrated with joy.
On September 15, the Parish of Saint Monica of the Augustinian Recollects in Saragossa, Spain, celebrated the 50 years of its official erection by the Diocese of Saragossa. Since then, seventy-five Augustinian Recollects have served in it.
Although this celebration has been delayed for various reasons, the parish community has finally been able to thank its presence in this area in the south of the city of Saragossa, where the Miguel Servet hospital, the old Trade Fair, the Metropolitan Seminary, the Auditorium of Saragossa, the football field and the Romareda High School of the Augustinian Recollects were also established.
The Romareda neighbourhood is today one of the most dynamic areas of the city. It was built on an old rosemary field on the outskirts of the city, with wide, straight streets, sidewalks for pedestrians and parking areas, in square blocks with twelve-floors towers, four apartments per floor, surrounded by gardens, according to a plan approved by the City Council in 1961.
The entrance monition, extensive and detailed, presented the history of the Parish in broad outline. Then, while the Romareda Choir performed the entrance song, two rows of concelebrants made their way to the altar. The president of the celebration, Carlos Escribano, archbishop of Saragossa, was accompanied by two emeritus bishops Recollects, Ángel San Casimiro and Eusebio Hernández.
In his homily, Carlos Escribano easily reviewed the half-century of parish life. He highlighted the construction of the temple, which was a great event at the time due to its novelty and its outer shape like a spaceship and its circular interior.
It reflected the post-conciliar mentality in its architectural form: the joint responsibility of lay people/religious/clergy in evangelisation and synodality in management, major axes of Vatican II which at that time was beginning to be put into practice.
As Escribano recalled in the homily, “from the altar all the faithful can be seen without difficulty: a clear sign of communion.” On behalf of the Diocese, he thanked the Augustinian Recollects for their work in the neighborhood, first with the Parish and a few years later with the launch of the Romareda High School, thus strengthening their evangelizing presence in all aspects, both community and educational: “The Augustinian Recollects have had an honorable past in this Parish, a joyful present and a future full of challenges,” he said.
The parish priest, the Augustinian Recollect Florencio Juntas, was the one who pronounced the words of thanksgiving after Communion. He did so with his own experiences, as he recalled his early days in the nearby community of the Romareda High School. He highlighted the enormous transformation of the neighborhood: “we have all grown gray hair”; and he thanked those who make the parish evangelizing mission a reality every day.
The Provincial Prior of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Augustinian Recollects, Carlos González, used a phrase from Saint Paul to give thanks for these 50 years of testimony in the Romareda neighborhood. This Province has a long history in the city throughout the 20th century; and, before the confiscation of Church property in the 19th century, it was the seat of one of the historic Recollect Provinces that disappeared in the debacle of 1835.
After the blessing, the Choir sang the Hymn to Saint Augustine and put the finishing touch to its liturgical musical performance. A publication with the history of the 50 years was then distributed, the moment was immortalized with a family photo and a meal was held.
The parish community responded generously with its presence. Many religious Recollect from various communities in Spain joined in (a total of thirteen), two priests and representatives of the religious communities that the Recollects serve as chaplains: Daughters of Charity of Saint Anne, the La Salle Brothers and Brothers of the Sacred Heart.
