Missions and social works.
Missionaries out of necessity
Statutes of the Missions
Constitutions of the Order of Augustinian Recollects
The religious orders are different because they have their own way of life marked by their “charisma”, that is,
their way of life and doing things as desired by their founders and which constitutes the core of their way of life.
With fidelity to the charisma and creativity about putting it into practice in different historical and geographical
contexts, the Constitutions express this charisma in the way of particular laws.
When someone joins a religious order they publicly profess these Constitutions, and they follow their legislative and programmed content and are obliged to fulfil their determinations because they see in them the “ideal” of the life that they have chosen.
The current Constitutions of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects are from the year 2011, following a process of renovation and adaptation throughout history. Given that they bring together all the life and activity of the Order there is a part dedicated to the missions. It could be said that the Augustinian Recollects are missionaries by law, by obligation, by obedience to their charisma and the desire of their founders.
Numbers 285 to 289 of the Constitutions of the Augustinian Recollects are dedicated to the missions. They show that the missionary labour is “a primary activity of the Church
which is part of its essence and never concluded”, and that the Order is missionary “by tradition and right of heritage”. They ask every one of the Provinces to make “a clear and firm choice” for the missions and that be maintained with the necessary religious and resources. All the religious throughout their period of formation should promote this missionary spirit and be disposed to put in practice the missionary spirit.
The importance given to the missions is shown in the petition that those who would be destined to go to the missions will be distinguished for their “apostolic zeal and evangelical audacity”, up to such a point that they will send those religious who feel specially called to that task and offer themselves as volunteers.
The Constitutions have direct recommendations for missionaries: they remind them that their way of life, their charity and their words should be the driving force of their work. They also ask of them enculturation, adaptation to the society in which they are going to work, and that they would collaborate in a spirit of good-will with the civil authorities “but in no way” make unjust pacts or get involved in affairs which are merely political or in political interests which could impede or undermine their ministry”.
Also, all religious should cooperate and be implicated in the missions “in such a way that the missionaries always feel the support and affection of their brothers”.
The missionary dimension of the Augustinian Recollect charisma. [In Spanish]
When someone joins a religious order they publicly profess these Constitutions, and they follow their legislative and programmed content and are obliged to fulfil their determinations because they see in them the “ideal” of the life that they have chosen.
The current Constitutions of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects are from the year 2011, following a process of renovation and adaptation throughout history. Given that they bring together all the life and activity of the Order there is a part dedicated to the missions. It could be said that the Augustinian Recollects are missionaries by law, by obligation, by obedience to their charisma and the desire of their founders.
Numbers 285 to 289 of the Constitutions of the Augustinian Recollects are dedicated to the missions. They show that the missionary labour is “a primary activity of the Church
which is part of its essence and never concluded”, and that the Order is missionary “by tradition and right of heritage”. They ask every one of the Provinces to make “a clear and firm choice” for the missions and that be maintained with the necessary religious and resources. All the religious throughout their period of formation should promote this missionary spirit and be disposed to put in practice the missionary spirit.
The importance given to the missions is shown in the petition that those who would be destined to go to the missions will be distinguished for their “apostolic zeal and evangelical audacity”, up to such a point that they will send those religious who feel specially called to that task and offer themselves as volunteers.
The Constitutions have direct recommendations for missionaries: they remind them that their way of life, their charity and their words should be the driving force of their work. They also ask of them enculturation, adaptation to the society in which they are going to work, and that they would collaborate in a spirit of good-will with the civil authorities “but in no way” make unjust pacts or get involved in affairs which are merely political or in political interests which could impede or undermine their ministry”.
Also, all religious should cooperate and be implicated in the missions “in such a way that the missionaries always feel the support and affection of their brothers”.
Statutes of the Missions
