My immersive experience in Mexico

I had a good experience with my Assumptionist brothers in Mexico learning the language, the culture, and participating in the mission with them for almost three months. I was in Calmeca, Puebla from June 8 to June 15 doing mission with the youngsters and adults and talking to them about vocation.

The people are generous, kind, and sociable. We arrived in Calmeca on Saturday and on Sunday, we presented ourselves to the parish priest, Father Enrique. There were a lot of people attending the Sunday Mass and many altar servers serving the Mass. The parish priest gave us permission to organize activities and participate with people in their daily tasks.

I enjoyed running and playing soccer with the youngsters. On Thursday afternoon, we had adoration, we prayed and listened to music with the community. On the following day, we visited the sick. It was a good experience for me. After Calmeca, I went with the brothers (Eduardo, José, and Rafael) to Zapoapan, Veracruz. We had a week of mission from June 15 to June 22.

I went afterward to Tlilapan, Veracruz for one month. On the first week, I participated in an annual retreat with my Assumptionist brothers. We spent and enjoyed our time together praying, reflecting, and living our brotherhood.

I treasured my time with my Assumptionist brothers. In the following weeks, I worked at the center called “The House of Mercy” in Orizaba from Monday to Friday, helping to prepare food for the migrants. In the afternoon, I had class with a teacher named Filomena to improve my Spanish.

There was the town feast during my stay in Tlilapan. The patron saint of the parish is Saint James the Apostle. The feast began on July 23 and finished on July 28. After the Mass on July 23, people put in front of the main entrance of the church a handmade and decorative façade.

After the people finished putting up the façade, there was food for everyone including the beer and entertainment. Everyone was entertained by a person carrying a pyrotechnic bull. The following day, the community gathered in the church to change the vestment of Saint James. They incensed and danced around him.

On the morning of July 25, the people gathered in front of Oxxo to receive Bishop Eduardo. He celebrated the Mass honoring the Patron Saint of the town. The parishioners showed their devotion to Saint James by decorating the Church. Also, they showed how excited they were to receive the bishop with a handmade carpet inscribing, “Welcome to Tlilapan Bishop Eduardo.”

The atmosphere of the town was filled with joy. The two sides of the street were filled with vendors and games. The town feast continued until Sunday. On Sunday, there were other communities that pertain to our parish came to Tlilapan for Mass. In the evening, there were boxing matches and music as well.

From August 18 to 25, I participated in the pilgrimage with people from the United States, France, Canada, and Mexico. It was an enriching and unforgettable experience. Toward the end of the pilgrimage, on the Saturday of August 24, we participated in the Mass of final vows of Brother Rafael Huerta.

The last part of my experience in Mexico was in the community of San Andres. I participated in the activities of the community as well as the parish. I accompanied some of the fathers in the celebrations and I liked very much the commitment of the Assumptionist brothers in the parish ministry and the general atmosphere in this town located in the southern part of Mexico City.

Those were some of my experiences in Mexico. I give thanks to God and my Assumptionist brothers. Hopefully one day, there will be more young people who will join our community and our Assumptionist brotherhood.

Hno Binh Nguyen, a.a.

Celebrating St Augustine with the Augustinians of the Assumption

My experience sharing the celebration with my brothers Augustinians of the Assumption begins on the morning of August 28th, 2023, in the prayer of lauds, a moment of encounter with the whole "Augustinian family, united in one prayer, asking our holy intercessor St Augustine to enable us to experience brotherhood.

May we, gathered to meet Jesus Christ, experience in our lives the mercy of God, so that, through his teaching and witness, we may find in him a model of life that will enable us to attain holiness. At the end of the prayer all of us at Casa Dufault shared this celebration with a rich lunch.

My brother Jose de Jesús (Assumptionist aspirant) and I, rushed out to support our brothers of our community of San Andrés Apóstol, to organize the feast in honor of our patron Saint Augustine of Hippo, likewise to celebrate the 28 years of religious life of our formator, Father Sébastien Bangandu and the fourth renewal of temporary vows of our brother Rafael Huerta Ramos.

Arriving in the parish, we began to help the cooks in the preparation of food and in the decoration of the parish hall where the conviviality would take place at the end of the celebration of Mass.

After a hard work, the bells of the San Andrés parish sounded for the Eucharistic preparation. As we prepared for Mass, we received the guests and relatives of both brother Rafa and Father Sébastien.

I also met for the first time my brothers Angel Gabriel and Eliud Tlecuile (Assumption postulants) who live in the Emperatriz de América parish; I met the others formator fathers and Father Louis Kivuya, the new regional superior of Mexico, which was a great experience to be able to visualize and know the majority of the members of the Assumptionist community of Mexico.

The moment of the Eucharistic celebration began with the entry of the regional father who presided over the Eucharist, followed by Brother Rafa and his parents, Father Sébastien and some other priests and religious who accompanied them to witness the act of renewal of vows.

The liturgical team included my religious brothers, postulants and aspirants. A good number of parishioners, relatives, friends of the Assumptionist community participated in the Mass.

After the liturgy of the word, the regional father invited Brother Rafa to the altar for the renewal of his vows. This personal moment was the most special, as I have never witnessed a renewal of vows. There were many mixed feelings at that time in my mind, to see how my brother Rafa gave his life to Jesus Christ, promising to serve him in poverty, chastity and obedience, step out of himself to the service of others. His renewal of vows was for me an experience that I keep deep in my heart and that I share in this little review. The mass ended with the blessing of the regional father.

They say that Mexicans make a party for absolutely everything and this celebration would not be an exception. All the parishioners, family and friends of the Assumptionist family, were cordially invited to taste a delicious meal prepared with much love by the community of San Andrés.

The atmosphere was very festive, many smiles, many hugs, we toasted with a little wine, Rafael and the brothers dancing to the rhythm of the cumbias, a moment of joy where each of us could share the gift of life.

In my experience, I can say that in the celebration of St Augustine, I was able to know a little more about the Assumption charism, I could know its warm closeness and I could feel welcomed by a simple but wonderful family.

Erick Maximino Rojas, candidate

Ángel Mixteco Cocotle, assumptionist postulant

On Monday, August 7, 2023, at 7 pm, we met at the Dufault house for the entrance mass to the postulancy of the aspirant Ángel Mixteco Cocotle, originally from Magdalena-Veracruz. Indeed, after a year of aspirant, Angel made his second step in the Assumption formation which is the postulancy.

The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Father Flavio Bustos Castillo, the outgoing regional superior. Concelebrated Fathers Miguel Díaz Ayllón and Sébastien Bangandu Mwanza, formator. The liturgical animation was ensured by Father Jesús Tlecuile Mixteco and the postulant Eliu Tlecuile Zepahua.

The Mass was attended by lay Assumptionists, friends of the house and also parishioners of the Lord of Mercy chapel where Angel carried out his apostolate.

During the homily, Angel was given a few minutes to share about his call to follow Jesus Christ in the congregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption. After the homily, the cross was handed over him and the habit was given to him. After the mass, we met in the room to share some walnut peppers and enchiladas.

In addition to being an event that is part of the celebrations of the Assumption of Mary in this month of August, it is for me a joy with much meaning, because Angel is the result of an Assumption missionary journey of many years and that has been the origin of several vocations.

At the same time, the area of Veracruz has put us in contact with many young people interested in deepening their faith and their Christian vocation through our charism and spirituality. As an Asuncionist missionary, I know the indigenous area from which Angel comes. Surely Angel had not yet been born when the Assumptionist presence was on mission in their territories.

As a result of our missionary and apostolic work in this area, seven years ago, we had a priest who is now parish priest in one of our three parishes and I was also able to share in the growth of many children who are prepared and committed today.

So for me it is a great joy that Angel starts today this new adventure. The challenge will not be easy, but with our support and prayer, the best is yet to come in the life of Angel and for us members of the great family of the Assumption.

Thanks to our benefactors, friends and associates of the Assumption who help us in different ways to continue with the formation of young people who want to dedicate their lives to the service of the Kingdom of God. May God accompany the Angel and may St Mary Assunta take care of him in this new journey.

Maricarmen Martínez Álvarez, lay assumptionist