Prior General’s Message

Prot. CG 160/2023

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace.

Dear brothers and sisters:

As we prepare our bags to return to Rome after two months in Asia (the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia), I would like to take this opportunity to write this letter for the communities of the Province of St. Ezekiel, simply to express our gratitude and to tell them: “Thank you very much for everything.” Speaking of suitcases, we have to get large ones to bring with us all the gifts received from the different places we have visited. But you know what? We do not put the best and most valuable gifts in the suitcase, but we keep and carry them tenderly in our hearts.

We take with us the gift of fraternity. We have met many religious and formandi who ceased to be mere statistical data in order to become our brothers. We were able to share with them experiences, stories, laughters, jokes, moments of prayer, vibrant celebrations of the Eucharist and pleasant conversations.

Likewise, we take with us the gift of having set foot on a land where the most important pages of Recollect missions have been written.  This experience makes us feel greatly honored and at the same time,  profoundly desirous of being faithful to our Recollect vocation.

We take with us the gift of having met people who always smile, who are always happy, people who sing, dance, work, pray, love and always look for ways to make you feel at home.

During this visit we have learned to bless the people, who gently take your hand and have their forehead touched by it. There were countless times that we have repeated this gesture, but in reality, we are the ones who have been truly blessed by God to become part of the life, dreams and hopes of these people who always smiles even in the midst of difficulties.

To the elderly and sick religious: I thank you for your dedication and work, and I ask you to help us to continuously write new pages in the history of the Recollects, mainly with your testimony of life and prayer, reminding us with your life experience that nothing is achieved without sacrifice, without effort and principally without God in our heart. Continue showing us with your life the way of observance, fidelity and surrender to God and to the brothers.

To  the  younger  religious:  We need your willingness to go where you are needed; we need your enthusiasm, generosity and courage, your capacity to take risks; we ask for your radicality, restlessness, understanding and the courage not to conform with the values of the world.

To those in formation:  the professed formands of Mira-Nila, the novices and pre-novices of Antipolo,  the postulants and aspirants of Baguio, I do thank you for your  desire to be part of  this  family.  You  have  seen the beautiful history of the Recollection of which we are proud. Be with us to make it grow, help us write its new chapters, and prepare yourselves well during these years of formation so that one day we can continue sowing dreams and bringing the hope of the Gospel to all corners of the world.

To the Augustinian Recollect Sisters: We will never forget the lesson of fraternity you have given us. I will never forget the joy, communion and affection with which you have received us in your communities. I will never forget how you traveled many kilometers to meet us and share with us a little bit of your time. We do not only share one common habit and name.  We are indeed one family in St. Augustine, and we want to continue deepening not only our life of communion, but also our shared mission, collaborating with you as we learn from each other. Thank you very much. May God bless you always.

To the members  of the Secular  Fraternity:  Thank you for wanting to share with us the way of life of the Recollection. Thank you for bringing our charism to the world, to families, to work and to places where we cannot easily go. Thank you for wanting to live your faith according to our Augustinian Recollect spirituality. Walk with us and help us with your example to live with fidelity and greater authenticity our religious consecration.

To the RAY. We would like you to get to know us better and feel proud of us. We would like you to be part of the musical score of the Augustinian Recollect Family, that manifest the musical note of joy, aspirations and hope for all. Our charism is a gift and a task: a gift that we have to thank God for every day, because we do not deserve it, but a task and a commitment to live it every day with profound gratitude and humility. Spread with your life to other young people the joy of having discovered the treasure of the Augustinian Recollect charism.

To the FORSOAR: Keep looking for ways to be close to us, to continue drinking from the same fount as we do, that is, the heart of Augustine. Continue accompanying us and collaborating with us in the mission that the Lord entrusted to us. Continue sanctifying yourselves by living this charism and helping us in the mission of evangelizing as Recollects. Continue being a family as you build it together with us.

To all those who collaborate with us in the various ministries: Infinite thanks to all of you because our mission would be fruitless and unrealizable without your esteemed collaboration. Continue to help us fulfill our commitments, help us carry out our mission and pray for us so that our life may be the light and example for all of you, and try to sanctify yourselves in the work you do with us because we need not only good, but above all holy collaborators.

Finally, I want to enjoin all the religious of the Province to never forget who we are and what we have in the Philippines. We owe to the missionary zeal of many religious who left behind their family, homeland and culture and gave themselves wholeheartedly to the evangelization of the Filipino people.

You are the fruit of the dream and missionary activity of many generations of Recollects. Thus, I ask you, please do not lose the essence, do not forget your roots, do not enclose yourselves in your little world. Tell the Lord as the prophet does, “Here I am, send me.” Have the courage to explore other seas and jungles, to go to other fields, and to reach out to other peoples who are in dire need of the proclamation of the Gospel by Recollect missionaries.

Thank you for everything.

Thank you Philippines, thank you Vietnam, thank you Indonesia. God bless you.

Maraming Salamat. Quezon City, November 30, 2023

Fr. Miguel Angel Hernandez Dominquez
Prior General

Fr. Luciano M. Audiso
General Secretary