Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Augustinian order to focus on evangelizing Europe, youth

Augustinian order to focus on evangelizing Europe, youth

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 at 5:59 pm by CNA Daily News

Augustinian order to focus on evangelizing Europe, youth 2013-08-30T17:59:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Aug 30, 2013 / 11:59 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Augustinian order is working on devising ways to evangelize secularized Europe and young people during the next few years, said members at the group’s meeting in Rome.

“Since we’re spread out in many different countries with many different governmental organizations, it’s important for us to stress our unity and the way we want to work together and present ourselves to the wider Church,” explained the order’s vicar general, Father Michael Di Gregorio.

He told CNA that the order aims to establish a new program for the next six years “to deal with issues that are relevant to us in our daily life, our ministry, to confront challenges as a religious community.”

As vicar general, Fr. Di Gregorio is currently leading the order’s “general chapter” in Rome until the new prior general is chosen.

Today is the second day of the order’s general chapter – a set of meetings that takes place every six years in which their head is elected and the new goals for the following years are established.

The gathering included an Aug. 28 Mass with Pope Francis at the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Rome.

Fr. Di Gregorio said that the Augustinians felt “greatly privileged” to have participated in the Mass, which he described as “very simple…but a very warm experience,” adding that the Holy Father “was very generous and hospitable to us.”

Setting goals for the next six years, the order will be particularly focused on evangelization in various regions of the world.

“We are trying to strengthen the mission in Cuba, and especially in Europe,” said Father Pedro Luis Morais on Aug. 30.

Fr. Morais told CNA that the previous general chapter several years ago had focused on extending the order of the Augustinians to different countries, including Korea, Vietnam and Czechoslovakia.

Now, the order wants to “focus on being closer to the people, especially to the young people, to be a sign of Jesus Christ and transmit the Gospel,” he explained.

These efforts must take into account cultural aspects of life in the modern developed world, noted the priest, who was born in Gijón, in Spain’s province of Asturias.

He added that the Augustinians will also be “trying to reorganize the order in some countries in Latin America, like in Brazil.”

Fr. Morias, who works in Madrid and was elected to represent Augustinians from Spain in the general chapter, took part in the Aug. 28 Mass with the Pope.

“It was really exciting,” he said. “That time with the Holy Father was for me a special moment of intervention from God in our lives.”

“He has invited us to be restless and to come out of ourselves,” he said. “To not be so centered in our own problems and to go to others and discover what their problems are because we need to somehow give them the message of salvation.”

He stressed that that “we need to take that Augustinian restlessness to our life so that we can be restless towards others,” adding that this task “is difficult” to put into practice.

“My main job is now in a residency for university students,” Fr. Morias explained, “and I’m also asking myself many questions” about how to put the Pope’s words in practice “concretely.”

At the same time, he reflected, “I need to transmit the spirit (of the chapter) to my brothers who have stayed in Spain.”

Europe

Previous Post

August 30, 2013

Bishops' immigration outreach based on 'pastoral' concern

Next Post

August 30, 2013 Legionary named as secretary general of Vatican City government

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, making them blossom like this flower and fragrant like this tree. What plant and tree are mentioned?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lebanon Cedar and Lilies Lotus and palm Iris and cypress Rose and olive