Chronicle: 3 September 2025

ORDINARY GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE 2025

Day 3 - 3rd of September 2025: A Journey of Renewal, Discernment, and Fidelity

The third day of the Ordinary General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine commenced with a meaningful Mass at 7:30, presided over by Fr. Michael Bielecke, OSA, who was celebrating the anniversary of his profession of vows. Fr. Bielecke reminded all that such anniversaries are not merely a celebration of personal perseverance but a testament to God’s fidelity and providence in their lives, turning struggles into occasions for grace and calling for grateful remembrance.

Following the sacred celebration, the Chapter proceeded with its preliminary agenda. Fr. Alejandro Moral Anton extended an invitation for renewal within the Order. The day's proceedings were initially moderated by Fr. Pasquale Di Lernia, the Secretary General, who formally invoked the convocation of the General Chapter by calling the names of the participants, noting one capitular's impending arrival.

Fr. Joseph Farrell, OSA, the Vicar General, delivered his important discourse. The Chapter President then warmly welcomed the capitulars, emphasizing the fraternity and hope shared across the Order and acknowledging the challenges of the present world, from violence and migration to youth loneliness and indifference to faith. He urged an Augustinian response of seeking truth, nurturing interiority, and living fraternity with hope, wishing the Chapter to be a true time of grace, unity, and renewal under the intercession of St. Augustine and Mary, Mother of Consolation.

Fr. Farrell’s address portrayed the Augustinian story as an ongoing pilgrimage, highlighting the Order's future engagement with internal growth (new members, communities) and external challenges (war, famine, natural disasters), alongside navigating technology and synodality. He underscored the mission towards "Paradiso" (eternal heaven), intrinsically linked to synodality, and the call to share God's unconditional love through ministering for the salvation of others and going "two by two" to the peripheries, seeking the common good and rooted in justice and equality.

The morning continued with the election of various essential roles for the Chapter, conducted through both open votes and secret ballots.

The elected scrutineers included P. Rommel Delariarte, P. Felix Meckl, P. Terence Spiteri, P. Juraj Pigula, P. Michael H. Bielecki, and P. Elías Enrique Neira Arellano. P. Anthony B. Pizzo, P. Marco Antonio Luna Madrano, and P. Martin Davakan were elected as moderators.

The Juridical Commission members elected were P. Carlos Ramiro Alonso Garcia, P. Olivier Gangola Bawa, and P. Frederick Cañete Comendador.

For the Editorial Committee, Fr. David Alvarez Cineira, P. Pasquale Cormio, and P. Barnaby Rowett Johns were chosen. Finally, P. Benjamín Garcia Franco was elected as the Prior of the Chapter and Fr. Leandro Santos De Carvalho as the Economo.

After a brief interlude, the delegates listened to a presentation by Bishop Wilder Alberto Vasquez Saldaña, OSA, who shared the realities of his Prelatura de Chuquimbambilla in Peru, extending an invitation to experience its people, culture, and missionary life.

The afternoon session featured a crucial intervention by S. Ecc.za. Mons. John Joseph Kennedy, Secretary for the Disciplinary Section of the Dicastero per la Dottrina della Fede. Mons. Kennedy spoke extensively on the protection of the vulnerable, referencing Pope John Paul II's 2001 message and detailing the Dicastery's work, which includes a significant percentage of cases involving minors and crimes against faith. He specifically encouraged Augustinians to pursue studies in Canon Law to manage penal cases, outlining various canonical processes and noting the frequent precedence of civil proceedings. A key future development he highlighted was the upcoming 3rd version of the Vademecum, which will emphasize sharing information with victims' families, acknowledging their critical need for transparency, and stressed the essential right of defense for accused priests.

The day concluded with small group discussions, organized by language, where friars reflected on the day's profound themes. The major takeaways from these conversations underscored the great importance of formation and the degree of responsibility of the religious congregation in addressing these critical issues.