Message of the Prior General on the occasion of the World Day of Consecrated Life

As the Church marks the 30th anniversary of the World Day of Consecrated Life on February 2, 2026, the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, Fr. Joseph L. Farrell, OSA, addresses a message of hope, gratitude, and renewed mission to the brothers and sisters of the Order. Set against the backdrop of the recently concluded Jubilee Year of Hope and the historic election of an Augustinian, Pope Leo XIV, the letter calls consecrated men and women to be faithful witnesses of peace, communion, and evangelical creativity in a world marked by division, while reaffirming prayerful support for the Holy Father and thanksgiving for the gift of the consecrated vocation.

Full text of the Message:

Message

Dear brothers and sisters,

As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the celebration of Consecrated Life Day, I am happy to share this greeting with you. The Universal Church has recently concluded the Jubilee Year of Hope, and we give thanks to God for the countless blessings we received as an Order during the Jubilee. We preserve in our hearts St. Paul's message that continues to ring clear after the closure of the Holy Year ... Hope does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5)

The day after Easter Sunday in April 2025, the death of Pope Francis brought with it great sadness. However, less than three weeks later, that deep sadness was transformed into an exaltation of joy with the election of our brother, Robert Prevost, as the successor of St. Peter and the Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo XIV.

We take pride in the fact that our brother shared with the world on the day of his election that he is a "son of Augustine". With his election to the papacy comes great responsibility and we must keep the Holy Father in our daily prayers in a special way. He counts on our prayers in his new and challenging ministry, and we can assist him most with prayerful support by offering our brother's intentions to God in our common and personal moments of prayer.

We live in a world in which there is great civil disturbance. As consecrated men and women, who profess vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, we must continue to proclaim the Peace of the Risen Christ, as the Holy Father did on May 8, 2025 from the center loggia of St. Peter Basilica. La Pace sia con tutti voi! We give witness to this peace with our words and with our lives. It is the peace of Christ that fills our hearts and it is that which can bring reconciliation to division, a healing balm to wounded relationships, respect for differences, and wisdom in times of difficult decisions. It is that same peace that inspires us to reach out to those who are most vulnerable and in need.

After the election of our brother to the papacy, there is a new spotlight shining on the Augustinian Order, and we are given numerous new opportunities to shine as sons and daughters of Augustine. Let us find ways in which we can be proud of sharing our lives and the value we place on community life and the evangelical counsels we profess to live. Now is the moment to be creative in the way we bring the good news of the Gospel to our brothers and sisters in the world, and we do this as sons and daughters of Augustine and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today is a day for us to give thanks to God for the vocation to the Consecrated Life that we have received. We pray for each other and ask for the grace to be faithful witnesses to the vocation we have received and to the vows we profess.

May Our Mother of Good Counsel protect and guide us while we pray for all who are currently discerning a vocation to the consecrated life in our Augustinian communities.

Fr. Joseph L. Farrell, Prior General O.S.A.

Rome, January 31, 2026