Story & Photos By Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga
“The Holy Father asked us [Augustinian Recollects] to place our charism and spirituality in the hands of the laity.”
Rev. Fr. Lauro V. Larlar, OAR, opened his homily thus during the Thanksgiving offered for his 50th Anniversary Celebration as an Augustinian Recollect at Sto. Tomas de Villanueva-Recoletos Chapel, San Carlos City, July 10, 2022.
Fr. Larlar went on to reflect on the Gospel by highlighting the Church’s call to synodalit y, that he said “is very Recollect” because it comes from community and communion.
The former prior provincial (2003 to 2009) of the Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno also shared that his 50 years as a religious and a missionary were rigged with challenges which his brothers in the Order also experienced. He mentioned that putting the OAR spirituality and charism in the hands of the lay persons is primary among the challenges.
In return, he challenged the laity to answer the call to synodality by living God’s love in the family, the smallest yet the most important form of community.
The celebration is also symbolic of a transition for the Augustinian Recollect Community in San Carlos City as it included incoming administrators Rev. Fr. Cristopher Maspara, OAR and Rev. Fr. Excel Saycon, OAR. Outgoing community prior Rev. Fr. Vicente Ramon, Jr., OAR introduced them, while Rev. Fr. Joel Alve, OAR and Rev. Fr. Renier Alviola, OAR also con-celebrated.
