The Order of St. Augustine in Spain will welcome Pope Leo XIV in June with particular enthusiasm: He has visited the country on 10 previous occasions before becoming pope when he served as prior general of the Augustinians from 2000 to 2024. Robert Prevost traveled to M\u00e1laga, Seville, Le\u00f3n, Valencia, Zaragoza, Santander, Huelva, Valladolid, Madrid, Bilbao, Palencia, and \u00c1vila.<\/p>\n
On June 7, the second day of his apostolic journey, the pontiff will hold a private meeting with a delegation of the Augustinian community at the apostolic nunciature in Madrid.<\/p>\n
The Augustinian province of San Juan de Sahag\u00fan in Spain and Portugal comprises 338 religious with solemn vows, forming 36 communities distributed across 39 houses, including two communities in Portugal and two formation communities where 45 brothers are undergoing formation.<\/p>\n
While primarily established in the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish Augustinian province also extends to other parts of the world: Antilles, Argentina, India, Peru, Venezuela, and Tanzania, in vicariates. It also has two delegations in Central America and Cuba.<\/p>\n
In total, this subdivision of the Order of St. Augustine is present in 12 countries in addition to Spain and Portugal: the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, United States, Argentina, India, Peru, Venezuela, Tanzania, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
The order\u02bcs international character is evident in Spain\u02bcs Augustinian communities. In Barcelona, \u200b\u200bthe community consists of four religious, two originally from the Philippines and two from Tanzania. Together, the four of them provide pastoral care for three parishes within the Archdiocese of Barcelona.<\/p>\n
One of these is St. Augustine Parish, where on June 10 Pope Leo XIV will meet with diocesan charitable and assistance organizations. Situated off the beaten tourist path, it is located in the Raval neighborhood, one of the most disadvantaged in Barcelona. Indeed, very close to the parish, the Missionaries of Charity provide meals to about 400 people each day.<\/p>\n
In the Canary Islands, the Order of St. Augustine has maintained a presence since the 14th century, and numerous missionaries have set out from there. Currently, a single community remains in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife Island, comprising four religious: Father \u00c1ngel Andr\u00e9s, a 77-year-old Spaniard who serves as coordinator; Father Manuel \u00c1ngel Andr\u00e9s Alegre, a 96-year-old Spaniard; Father Aldrin Alvarado, 45, originally from the Philippines; and Father Jojo Neyssery Lonankutty from India, also 45.<\/p>\n
The Order of St. Augustine in Spain runs 17 schools and three university residential colleges in addition to the Royal University Center Escorial-Mar\u00eda Cristina. This work benefits nearly 18,000 students and employs 1,500 teachers, support staff, and administrators.<\/p>\n
The Spanish Augustinians maintain two formation houses, one in Valladolid and another in El Escorial, where the novitiate is also headquartered.<\/p>\n
Each educational center features a pastoral team coordinated by a designated leader and comprising both Augustinian religious and lay members responsible for planning and promoting activities related to the apostolate and evangelization.<\/p>\n
The events surrounding the pope\u02bcs visit to Spain are being organized by the Augustinian family in collaboration with other religious congregations including the Augustinian Recollects, Discalced Augustinians, Assumptionist Augustinians, Augustinian Missionaries, Augustinians of the Amparo, and Contemplative Augustinians, thereby bringing together approximately 8,000 pilgrims from various parts of Spain.<\/p>\n