From July 1 to 5, the priests were hosted by the friar’s community of Santo Tomás de Avila. The gathering was marked with the 800th anniversary of the foundation by St. Dominic of the first convent of Dominicans in Spain. With the guidance of the Provincial Promoter, fr. Francisco Fassio, OP, nine priest-members took part in the assembly, which was made more joyful with the rite of admission of two new priests in the fraternity: Fr. Juan Jacinto del Castillo Espinosa (Diocese of Asidonia-Jerez), and Fr. Juan Antonio Martín Barrera (Diocese of Cádiz).
Consistent with the Church’s thrust on the continuing formation of the clergy, the days of the assembly were spent in prayer, mutual listening and the promotion of sacramental brotherhood in cheerful evangelical friendship. Two conferences were conducted: the prior of the fraternity, Fr. Carmelo de Lara Ginés, shared his reflection on the consecration of the secular priest according to the model of San Juan de Avila; the Provincial Promoter shared his reflection on the relationship between St. Teresa of Jesus and the Order of Preachers. Both conferences shed light on the human and apostolic aspects of the Dominican secular priest, especially at this moment in the life of the Church.
Inspired by the company of the friars of the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is consecrated to the mission in the Far East, the priests further engaged in a dialogue on the mission apostolate that flourished under the dedicated works the Dominicans. One of the Dominican missionaries who shared to the priests about his life and works was the prior of the convent of San José De Avila, fr. Carlos Linera, OP, former General Promoter of the Order for Justice and Peace. The priests likewise visited the tomb of San Juan de la Cruz, as well as the cave of St. Dominic and the monastery of the Dominican Nuns in Segovia.
