The monastery Saint Rita of the Augustinian Recollects contemplatives in Jalpan de Serra, Queretaro, Mexico, solemnly celebrated the feast of its headline on May 22, with a large presence of a hundred faithful and members of the Augustinian Recollect Family.

The main program of the celebration was a solemn Eucharist followed by a fraternization. Many are those who wanted to cover this contemplative community in its patronal festival, including a dozen nuns from the monastery of Santa Teresita of the Child Jesus of Ahuacatlan de Jesús, San Luis Potosí, a little less than 70 kilometers away. This is the monastery from whose community the nuns who founded Jalpan in December 2002.

The Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity was in charge of organizing the liturgy and the subsequent coexistence, with an abundance of joy, fraternity and affection for the sisters and with great devotion to the saint. Dressed as a gala and with bouquets of roses in their hands, they filled the atmosphere and the liturgy are colorful.

In addition, this patronal festival was chosen for Elia Hernández to begin her trial year as a member of the Secular Fraternity.

At least a hundred parishioners accompanied the nuns on their patronal feast, cramped and hot in the small chapel but with open and cool hearts, willing to build himself with the example and testimony of the Saint of Casia.

Two Augustinian Recollect religious from the community of Hospitales approached from the Mexico City to accompany the sisters in the Eucharist and fraternization.

During the gathering, various Mexican appetizers and delicious cakes were distributed, baked by the expert hands of the nuns of both monasteries, Jalpan and Ahuacatlan.

The following day, May 23, the Augustinian Recollect Sergio Sánchez, president of the Secretariat of Spirituality and Ongoing Formation of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Augustinian Recollects, met with the Secular Fraternity, composed by twenty members and half a dozen aspirants.

The Augustinian Recollect charism is permeating this mountain region by the hand of the roses of Saint Rita and with the testimony of the contemplative sisters, a blessing in these warm lands.

Saint Rita, pray for us and intercede for the contemplative community and the brotherhood of Jalpan.