Augustinian Companion By Father John Deary, O.S.A., Director of Augustinian Laity
Connection
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any individuals come to know St. Augustine, his story, and his insights into Christian life, and find him to be a valuable model and guide. Some express a desire to continue their faith journey with Augustine at their side. While lay individuals often come to know the Augustinians through the pastoral care the friars offer and the printed materials distributed, many people today are just as likely to find us through the internet and popular social media platforms or have discovered our Augustinian Journey App, without any direct personal acquaintance with Augustinians or our ministries.
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he Order of St. Augustine is composed of four distinct groups: Friars, Contemplative Nuns, Laity and Religious Institutions that follow the Rule of St. Augustine. In 2019, at the Order’s 186th General Chapter, Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A., Prior Provincial, proposed the idea of an additional group called Companions of St. Augustine to help journey with our new acquaintances, creating bonds of friendship and connection through Augustine. This
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contemporary path to Augustine is relevant in that though the concept of community is a fundamental aspect of Augustinian life, there are people who cannot regularly participate in community life because of their distance from Augustinian communities, limitations of health, or some other legitimate reason, but who wish, nonetheless, to follow the spiritual path of St. Augustine.
