The Assistant General for Latin America, Fr Alex Lam, presided over the Intermediate Provincial Chapter of the Augustinian Province of Brazil
As the Province marked its first decade, the third Intermediate Provincial Chapter of the young Province of Brazil was held.
From 13th to 15th September, in the house of Recanto Tagaste (Sao Paulo), the 40 capitular friars came together with the primary objective of revising and evaluating progress against the route map set out in the last ordinary chapter.
The assembly was officially opened with the Holy Votive Mass to the Holy Spirit, presided over by Fr Alex Lam, who attended on behalf of the Prior General, who was unable to be present himself, as he would have wished. This was expressed in a letter in which he warmly greeted the capitular fathers and recommended deep reflection on the journey of the Province, which he congratulated on the ten years since its foundation.
After the opening Eucharist, the work began. Sessions were scheduled across the following three days in which, in the words of the Assistant General, "the information gathered by the different commissions was dealt with and the opinions of the brothers generated in the different group sessions, were heard" as the relevant agenda items were discussed, not least of which was the go-ahead for a new Augustinian house in the northwest of Brazil.
Fr Lam also highlighted the celebratory character of this Chapter, since, as well as coinciding with the birthday of the provincial foundation, it also marked the 50 years of simple profession of Fr Eliseo; as well as the golden jubilee of priestly ordination of Fr Pelayo and the silver jubilee of Fr Cristiano Zaferino.
The laity dedicate themselves to the Order in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida
It was on the 16th September, in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida, that the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Augustinian Province of Brazil took place. Twenty-two buses filled with parishioners from parishes and schools across the Province were there.
The liturgical celebration was presided over by the Archbishop Emeritus of Aparecida, Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, who was accompanied by the Assistant General of the Order of St Augustine for Latin America, the Prior Provincial of the Province of Brazil, Fr Maurício Manosso, the priors provincial of Our Lady of Consolation of Brazil and of St John of Sahagún (who was also represented by Fr Jesús Torres as councillor for Latin America), the regional vicar of Argentina, and the secretary general of OALA.
In a festive atmosphere of thanksgiving, Fr Lam wished to convey the thanks of the Order to Cardinal Damasceno, "who was very affable, simple and approachable.”
The celebration, as it turns out, was widely broadcast live on Aparecida television and on other Catholic television stations in Brazil.
Also happening for this tenth anniversary…
During August, as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Augustinian Province of Brazil, the musical ‘Augustinian Heart’ was performed. This told the life and spirituality of Augustine in verse and song. The event was broadcast by the social networks of the Province and by TV Evangelizar in Brazil. The musical featured, as the communications office of the Province reports, the participation of some well-known names in the world of Catholic music in Brazil, and of the religious of the Order of St. Augustine.