Chronicle: 4 September 2025

ORDINARY GENERAL CHAPTER 2025:
CHRONICLE
DAY 4: 4th September 2025

Today, the fourth day of the Chapter, began with the celebration of the Holy Mass (in Spanish) of the Feast of our Lady of Consolation, Patroness of the Order. The mass was presided by P. Luiz Antonio Pinheiro. In his homily P. Pinheiro emphasized the need to bring consolation to our world following the model of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth: a mere presence which the Lord can mystically transform into a consoling presence.

After the mass and breakfast, the chapter members proceeded to the conference hall of the Augustinianum for the first session of the day.

The 1st session which began at 09:30 am was dedicated to the presentation of reports from the various regional federations of the Order. The session was moderated by P. Marco Antonio Luna Medrano.

a. The report of the European Union of Augustinians (OAE) was presented by P. Martin Davakan. He underscored the challenges of low childbirth, low numbers of local vocations, and the challenges and opportunities in getting vocations from various parts and cultures of the world. He encouraged focus on forming Augustinians with a mission spirit and identify those who are suitable to undertake missionary activities in areas of need in the Order.

b. The report of the Augustinian Union of Latin America (OALA) was presented by P. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros. He explained the mission and objectives of the body, underscoring a shared theological and pastoral reflection in the context of Latin America. Their areas of mission include education, youth ministry and lay fraternities, among others. The region has an encouraging number of candidates who show interest in joining the Order. However, the candidates often lack perseverance, often deriving from difficult family backgrounds. The region is also affected by problems of low childbirth, secularization, the crave for individual liberty, and consumerism.

c. The report of the Union of African Augustinians (UAFA) was presented by P. Anthony Ikechukwu Kanu. He explained the composition of the body, its values and strategic plans. He reported that member circumscriptions undertake collaborative formation programs such as a common novitiate program between Kenya and Tanzania and a collaboration in philosophical and theological formation between Nigeria and African candidates belonging to the Belgian province. The region has impressive statistics on vocations, but challenges remain with regard to funding the formation of those vocations, hence the need to assist these growing circumscriptions to establish structures that can eventually guarantee self-reliance.

d. The report of the Federation of Augustinians in North America (FANA) was presented by P. Anthony Pizzo. He explained the composition of the body and their goal to encourage collaboration and Augustinian fraternity among the North American circumscriptions. Areas of collaboration include secondary education, mission for Hispanics, formation (novitiate and post-novitiate), justice and peace and integrity of creation initiatives. He also highlighted the challenge of identifying not only willing but also skilled candidates to be trained for the task of doing formation.

e. The report of the Union of Augustinians in Asia and the Pacific (OSAAP) was presented by P. Wilson Viswanath Injarapu. He explained the composition of the body and the activities they are engaged in, including a common novitiate in Cebu and the desire to take the presence of the Order into other parts of Asia. He reported encouraging numbers of vocations in the region.

After the reports of the regions, the first session was ended and the brothers observed afternoon prayers, time for meal and rest, to resume the second session at 4pm.

The 2nd session of the day began at 16:00, dedicated to the presentation of the various commissions of the Order. The session was moderated by P. Anthony Pizzo.

a. Augustinians International: The presentation of the UN commission was done by P. Victor who is the representative of the order at the UN. He explained what he has been doing and the initiatives being undertaken in relation to the UN development goals and the aspirations of Laudato Sì, nicknamed human development goals. He emphasized the need for inter-congregational solidarity, the need to think global and act local, knowing that whatever we do at our local levels contributes to a wider global effort.

b. Patristic Institute, Augustinianum: The presentation on the Patristic Institute, Augustinianum, was done by P. Juan Antonio Cabrera, its president. He explained the mission, nature and life of the Institute. The mission is essentially to provide formation on the literature, history, and doctrine of Christian antiquity. The institute is a faculty under the Lateran university and is recognized as a unique centre of excellence both in ecclesiastical and civil academic centres. It has both lay and clerical professors from various best pontifical and secular universities of Italy, among whom only a few are Augustinians who teach also in other universities in Rome. He expressed concern over the low number of students, lack of a major presence of Augustinians in the Institute and a problem of generational continuity. He also called for the strengthening of the international character of the institute.

c. Augustinian Foundation: Managers of the Augustinian Foundation, Maurizio and Simona Cipriani, presented a report of the activities of the foundation, explaining its mission and activities since its beginning in 2014. They reported over 250,000 beneficiaries around the world: especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The foundation is also involved in communicating the activities undertaken by the Order through the foundation, as this encourages potential benefactors to come forward. They encouraged collaboration with the circumscriptions that have similar structures so we can walk together as an Order.

d. Communication of the General Curia: an organ established to ensure a more professional communication in the Order also presented a report of its activities. Its objective is to communicate effectively the works of the Order, including evangelization, the tradition of the order, crisis management, etc. The goal is to contribute to the unity of the Order, spread the apostolic work of friars and lay associations of the Order in the various circumscriptions. The capitulars were able to watch some scenes from a documentary film created by the communications office entitled I Love You, Tijuana, which deals with the mission carried out by the Augustinians of San Diego (California) in an orphanage in Tijuana (Mexico).
With these presentations done, the assembly was dismissed for the day and the chapter members proceeded for evening prayers and supper.