Canonical renewal visit to Argentina: "The brothers are making a tremendous effort to push all initiatives forward"

During the days leading up to Holy Week 2025, Father Alexander Lam, General Assistant for Latin America, visited the five communities that make up the Vicariate of Argentina. Two in Buenos Aires, one in Mendoza, another in the northern Salta, and the parish of Santa María de Catamarca in the historic prelature of Cafayate, where the Augustinians have had a significant impact on the presence of the Order in South America.

"All these communities are fully established today thanks to the help of two brothers from Nigeria and another from the Province of Colombia," Father Lam points out to us still from Argentine territory. "There has been a healthy spirit of community and fraternal bonding. The truth is that they are working very hard serving in five schools in addition to several parishes.”

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"An Andean taste and feel." The Augustinian presence in a  mission territory with its own challenges

In the Prelature of Cafayate currently coordinated by our Augustinian brother, Monsignor Darío Rubén Quintana OAR, three Augustinians care for the extensive parish of Santa María de Cafayate, serving at fifteen chapels in a vast territory filled "with beautiful churches."

"The brothers are doing a remarkable job trying to respond to these many projects." This, unfortunately, takes a toll on community life. It is common in Latin America to see the difficulty of meeting the requirement of a minimum of three friars in our houses as called for by the constitutions," points out Fr. Lam. "Argentina is currently one of the jurisdictions, along with the two provinces of Mexico and the vicariate of Iquitos, whose Augustinian brothers are aging without the prospect of replacement." The reasons are multiple and range from the lack of vocations, to young people who do not persevere in their vocation, to brothers who have grown older or others who have left the Order. At this time, there are only two professed studying in Spain.

Under these circumstances, the Vicariate of Argentina is seeking ways to "revitalize itself," welcoming brothers from other jurisdictions to assist in their ministries. "They are discerning the next steps to be taken, evaluating their own presence in relation to the future, and responding to the vocational issue resulting from diminishment." "And yet, I believe that many actions are being taken with perspective and possibilities, both in Buenos Aires and in the north." For example, at this time, the master of professed of the Province of Brazil and the professed there are undertaking a missionary experience in collaboration with the Augustinian friars of the vicariate of Argentina, with the aim of announcing Jesus and promoting vocations to the Order.

Finally, Father Lam emphasized his "joy" and "satisfaction" after the "welcome" received during this canonical visit to Argentina on behalf of the Prior General. "There is a vicarial council with a lot of enthusiasm to further their mission and respond with generosity to the reality they face." In the midst of a country that is undergoing many changes, they are seeking stability, tackling the challenges that the country itself faces and fostering the dream they all share to move forward.