End of Theological Conference - Different types of Augustinians

Well, I survived last night's lecture - actually, it seemed to go down rather well.  Of course, what I hadn't been told (and perhaps just as well) was that the lecture was going to be televised.  That did throw me a bit but, when you have no option, the only thing to do is go for it.  The television station is Channel 5 here and is called Fe TV (faith TV).  I have noticed, actually, that it has one of the best news programmes available on the television here and it seems to be a station that is watched by many people.

As well as Fe TV there is also a radio station (Radio Maria) which is also run by the church.  Radio Maria is a very big thing here and has a vast listenership.  One of the formation team here in the seminary is very involved in it and has explained to me that it is run entirely on donations.  Originating in Italy, Radio Maria now exists in many countries.

The Theological Conference concluded with last night's presentations and people seemed pleased with how it had gone.  Certainly, it was impressive to see how well the seminarians were able to express themselves and handle questions from the audience.  I'm not sure if I could have done the same at their age, about 100 years ago!!!

Today we are all going to visit the nuns of the Visitation who are enclosed sisters who live in a monastery here in Panama City.  The same nuns used to have a monastery in Stamullen, Co. Meath, but they had to withdraw from there due to lack of personnel.  It is certainly not just the Augustinians who are experiencing growth in Latin America and shrinkage in Europe.  Here in Panama, as well as the Augustinians (OSA) there is also the Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR).  This order began as a reform movement of the Augustinians and eventually separated and went its own way.  The separation took place in the 16th century at a time when there were a great many reform movements in the church - this was the period of the Council of Trent, the Protestant Reform, and the Catholic Counter-Reformation.  There are approximately 1,200 Recollects worldwide compared with approximately 3,000 Augustinians.  Recollect Augustians are present in Panama and run some important secondary schools, but there are only about 20 of them.

There is also another male religious order, also founded as a reform movement from the Augustinians which is the Discalced Augustinians, founded at the end of the 16th century also (Discalced = Barefoot - they were never actually barefoot but were distinguished by their wearing of sandals and not shoes). The Discalced number approximately 200 worldwide. The Discalced Augustinians are not present in Panama - as far as I am aware their largest presence is in Brazil

Neither of these reform movements ever arrived to Ireland.  The Recollects are a Spanish foundation and the Discalced are an Italian foundation so, probably, language was a factor in their geographical distribution.  The three orders, while separate, cooperate in many projects.  Most recently, the three collaborated in the production of new liturgical texts ("propers") for use on Augustinian feast days.  The three Priors General also meet regularly to promote working together.  Below you can see a picture of each habit - all very similar, and yet different but all having the same Cincture (belt) which is the defining element of the Augustinan habit - male and female
N

Augustinian Recollects

Discalced Augustinians

Augustinians