They had the opportunity to learn about community life and the particularities of the Augustinian Recollect Family over a weekend, with sincere and open testimonies and dialogues with a nun, a member of the Secular Fraternity and a Recollect religious.
Five young men have participated in the Saint Ambrose Aspirancy of Guaraciaba do Norte (Ceará, Brazil) in the last vocational pastoral meeting scheduled for the 2024 academic year, after having started a first contact and accompaniment with the vocational promoter.
The meeting took place during the weekend of Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 1. During those three days they lived with the Augustinian Recollect community of Guaraciaba and the two aspirants who currently reside in this house while finishing their secondary school studies.
The Augustinian Recollect Family in Ceara asked for prayers on their social networks for the five young men who showed their interest in learning more about the Augustinian Recollect life. In fact, the program that was prepared included the experience of community life and meetings and dialogues with various members of the Augustinian Recollect Family who spoke to them frankly about their vocation.
Thus, the five vocations also visited the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe of the contemplative Augustinian Recollect nuns and met with the prioress, Maricruz Hernández, who opened their eyes to contemplative life in the Church and to the Augustinian Recollect charism applied in this female monastery.
They also visited a member of the Augustinian Recollect Secular Fraternity, Efigênia Alves, who welcomed them into her home to show them what the life of a lay Augustinian Recollect is like, who fully lives the spirituality and charism of the Family but within their usual, family and work life.
Finally, to close these testimonies, the Augustinian Recollect Santiago Martínez, prior of the male community of Guaraciaba and parish priest of the Parish of Our Lady of Joys, also held a close conversation with them where personal issues of living the consecrated vocation were discussed.
In addition to various moments of play, participating in the usual occupations of the community (from cleaning the house to community recreation) and daily community prayer, with the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, there was a special moment of prayer next to relics of saints.
These five young men now know better the reality of the Augustinian Recollect consecrated life and will be able to decide with more knowledge whether to continue forward with a more committed discernment.
In this way, the annual Vocation Ministry program in Guaraciaba do Norte has come to an end until the next pastoral course begins in 2025.
