Episcopal Ordination of Fray Carlos: “I want to serve the Gospel for the hope of the world”

Note: This was translated from the original Spanish article posted in the official website of the Order of Augustinian Recollects (www.agustinosrecoletos.com)

More than 5,000 people accompanied the Augustinian Recollect Carlos María Domínguez in his episcopal ordination as the new auxiliary bishop of San Juan de Cuyo. He received the episcopal consecration through the laying on of handa of Archbishop Jorge Lozano of more than 20 bishops who concelebrated the Eucharist at the Aldo Cantoni stadium.

ARGETINA–A new Augustinian Recollect friar was ordained as bishop on June 29, 2019, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. Before the rite of ordination, a letter from Pope Francis stating the appointment of the new auxiliary bishop was read. “It seemed good to us, dear brother, to entrust this responsibility to you because we know that you are blessed with the qualities of mind and heart for the virtuous performance of this pastoral ministry,” said the Pontiff’s letter to the Augustinian Recollect bishop.

“The world needs our hope”

It was a celebration of hope, in which Carlos María Domínguez intends to base his episcopacy. In his first words as auxiliary bishop of San Juan de Cuyo, he sent a clear message to all faithful: “The world needs our hope.” In this way, he explained the motto chosen for his ministry: ‘Joyful in hope’, from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. “I want to serve the gospel for the hope of the world,” he said.

To the faithful of his new archdiocese, Carlos María Domínguez asked for “permission” to enter their lives and share the most valuable: Jesus Christ. “I want to walk with you and put my feet on the footprints of the teacher who is the way, truth and life; I want to proclaim Jesus and announce him to you with courage, that He is alive in our midst,” he encouraged.

The new bishop began by recalling the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians: “For we preach not to ourselves, but to Jesus Christ as Lord, and to us as your servants for the love of Jesus.” On this, he said excitedly: “Your gaze of merciful love has clothed me with the apostolic ministry and has transformed me into your servant for Jesus’ sake.”

Carlos María Domínguez thanked his family, who accompanied him in his vocation, and his religious family, the Order of Augustinian Recollects and their religious. “The Order has taught me to follow Jesus in fraternal community of brothers, being one soul and one heart in God,” he said. He also addressed a few words of thanks to the young people with whom he has shared the faith during this time.

A shepherd “who walks with his people”

The Prior General of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Fray Miguel Miró, OAR, “entrusted” the religious to the archdiocese. “We do it with hope and joy.” Miró affirmed that “it is an honor for the Order that Pope Francis has named one of his sons as pastor of this Church.”

The Prior General also expressed his joy that Carlos María Domínguez “can contribute his knowledge and his experience of fraternal life and pastoral service among the young Augustinian Recollects.” He also wished that he would be a pastor following the model set by Pope Francis, “who walks with his people and who approaches those in the peripheries.”

“You were called to serve”

For his part, the Archbishop of San Juan de Cuyo, Monsignor Jorge Lozano, who presided over the Eucharist, addressed in his homily some words to the new pastor: “Dear brother Carlos María, the episcopacy, we know, is neither an honor nor a prize. How sad it would be if we see it that way. As our teacher teaches, you were called to serve and not to be served. Jesus himself tells us that the greatest becomes the least and the servant of all. “

Finally, the archbishop showed the guides to follow the new assistant: “We want to be a church in San Juan, like a mother who goes to meet her children, those whom Jesus confides to us: the poor, the incarcerated, those who can not find a meaning for life, those who are in the geographical and live in the peripheries. I ask you to help us in this journey of faithful service to our time and to our people. “

Accompanied by bishops and religious

Beside the new bishop were the Augustinian Recollect pastors José Luis Azcona, Bishop-Emeritus of the Prelature of Marajó (Brazil); Jesús María Cizaurre, Bishop of Bragança (Brazil); Eusebio Hernández, Bishop of Tarazona (Spain); Héctor Pizarro, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Trinidad (Colombia); Alejandro Castaño, Bishop of Cartago (Colombia); and Emiliano Cisneros, Bishop of Chachapoyas (Peru).

Aside from the Prior General, Fray Miguel Ángel Hernández, OAR, Prior Provincial of Santo Tomas Province, along with dozens of Augustinian Recollect religious from Argentina and other parts of the world, was also present. Likewise, some members of the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity and young people of the Augustinian Recollect Youth were with Carlos María Domínguez.