Seminary in Panama: New Vocations and La Chorrera

Last Sunday, after Mass, we went to visit the Augustinian community in the city of La Chorrera. This is a new parish which is being opened by the Augustinians in Panamá. In fact, the friars (three of them) have only been in the house for three days. It is a very small and basic house but will suffice for the moment. The friars here have track record when it comes to starting off in places – they have always worked on the church or the school first and then, later, on the house. In Penomene, for example, where they run a secondary school, the three friars who first went there lived with host families for the first year and a half. Each day they would meet at the school, teach for the day, return, each one to his host family, and then, later in the evening, after supper, they would gather in the park and have some community time together and also help each other correcting copies etc. It is certainly a sign of their commitment to community life that they met every single night during that year and a half.

The chapel you can see in the photograph below is of a chapel next door to the house in La Chorrera (which means, literally "the one that flows" - the pictures of the waterfall and river show what gives rise to this name) – this is the chapel for the barrio in which they are living, a larger parish church will be built when they can find a site and raise the money to build it. I found it very interesting that before they moved in to the house the local people had furnished it and had even filled the fridge and presses with groceries – what a wonderful welcome!!!

La Chorrera seems to be a largish provincial town. It has a newly built university which suggests that there must be a significant population of young people; and there is a lot of building of houses - from very basic to extremely luxurious. In fairness to the Augustinians who have moved in there, their house is very simple and is kitted out similarly.

It is very encouraging for me, that as we, in Ireland, are very obviously shrinking, there is growth in other parts of the world. In Europe we are closing houses; in South America, Africa, and Asia, they are opening houses.

The best sign of that that I have come across was the other night when I went to visit the Augustinian Seminary which was hosting a special day for those who will join the Order this year; at least, those who will join the Pre-Novitiate (technically, a pre-novice is not yet considered to be a member of the Order even though they do live the common life with the others in the community. This is to do with the fact that, as pre-novices, they have not yet made any formal commitment to the Order).

Seven young men are in the process of making the decision to join the Augustinians in Panamá (see pictures below) – this figure should be added to the fourteen who are already in the pre-novitiate, some of whom are due to go to the Novitiate this year. There are others who are studying theology at the theologate in the Escorial Monastery, outside Madrid, in Spain. The future is looking good for this Vicariate which will probably soon become an independent Province.

Obviously, not all of these students will continue with us right up to and beyond Solemn Profession (and/ or Ordination) but, nonetheless, it is a great-sized group to start off with. Realistically, it is to be expected that at least half of them will leave us at some stage during the formation journey. In fact, it would be worrying if this were not so as it would suggest that the students are not reflecting seriously on the choices they are faced with. This, in fact, is part of the reason why students are expected to be in formation for a minimum of eight years before making a final commitment in their Solemn Profession.

That’s all for the moment. I am off to a place called Chitré on Saturday so I may not be able to post again until Monday, depending on the internet connection.
Until then, take care, and, as always, feel free to leave comments.
N