Cecilia Castañera

I am Cecilia Castañera.  I was born in Barcelona, Spain.  I have a brother who is a Legionary priest (Fr. Pedro), a sister who is consecrated (Mercedes) and a brother who is married (Santiago).  The four of us have the grace and privilege to take care of my mom, who is our marvelous angel.  She is 94 years old and has very advanced dementia.

I am in a grand community of apostolate in Madrid, Spain (Cerro del Coto).  It is “grand” because there are 21 of us, because the average age is between 40 and 45 years, and because they are grand consecrated women that love and give witness to a great love for their consecration.

I have always had apostolates in Europe: in ECYD, sections, missions, schools, academies, the formation center and university.  In the last five years, I have also in an informal way, been collaborating in spreading and deepening our charism among the consecrated women.  I have done so through multiple modalities and in an “official” way, in the renewal courses of the past three years.

The experience of helping in the central commission of our statutes in 2012-2013 was a turning point in my life in Regnum Christi.  It began a journey of renewal and rediscovery of our charism that has accompanied and prepared me during these years and until now.  I particularly have a renewed Christ centeredness through the contemplation of the heart of Christ the King and the redeeming and victorious force of his love.  I have a renewed call to collaborate in the establishment of his Kingdom in the hearts of this secularized world.  This path has planted in me a deep hope in our path and a renewed love for this work of God. I believe that we have a very great charism that continues to unfold and acquire new nuances that never cease to amaze me.  The strength of our renewed ecclesiality particularly draws my attention, as well as the communal dimension with everything that it can mean.

In the assembly, I want to continue letting myself be surprised.  I have an enormous trust and hope in the action of the Holy Spirit, and that is why I want to listen a lot to God and to others.  I ask God and I ask for prayers for this, so that there is a lot of listening, a lot of personal detachment and searching together.  I ask for prayers for this harmony.  This is how our territorial assembly of consecrated women was: a joy and a harmony in the differences and therefore a lot of richness.