Augustinian Winter Magazine

AUGUSTINIAN

Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova

F

rom all corners of the world, we are called to serve

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Winter edition of Augustinian. It is a joy for us to journey with you through all the seasons of our lives. As an Augustinian community, we journey together with one mind and one heart intent upon God. Our unity does not, however, always mean uniformity.

In this issue of Augustinian, you will discover the incredibly rich diversity and many exciting cultures that make up the Augustinian community around the world. You will meet Augustinians with diverse backgrounds from all around the globe and hear vocation stories of how God called our brothers from places like Japan, Peru and the Philippines. You will read and hear about people like Fr. John Futoshi Matsuo, O.S.A., who met an American Augustinian, Fr. Tom Dwyer, O.S.A., in his high school in Fukuoka, Japan; Fr. Luis Guerrero, O.S.A., whose mother worked in San Agustín high school in Lima; and Brother Nicholas Stone, with strong Filipino ties, who met the Augustinians by way of his teacher and mentor.

While there are many differences among us by way of custom, food, music and language, there are common Augustinian values that unite us. Rediscover how the spirit of God and the Augustinian charism come alive through friendship, silence, smiles, prayer and breaking bread together!

You will meet fellow Servants of God Fr. John McKniff, O.S.A. and Fr. Serapio Rivero, O.S.A., who shared these values in our Missions in Peru and dedicated their lives to building loving communities where all are welcome, all are loved. Let’s continue to pray through their intercession and advance their causes for sainthood!

The Province of St. Thomas of Villanova serves in concert and collaboration with friars in many different countries and Jesus Christ serves as the bond of our fraternity, calling us to preach, serve, help and heal all of our sisters and brothers wherever they may be.

These are indeed exciting times for the Province and all of our Augustinian friends. We look forward to all the many ways we can partner to help people in darkness see the great light! Thank you for all the many ways you support, pray and assist us in our Mission. As St. Augustine says: “Each of us strengthens all of us.” The Augustinian values of unitas, caritas and veritas have permeated the whole world! Let us continue to walk together with one mind and heart. Let us recognize our unity and celebrate our diversity, loving God and our neighbors wherever we find them.

Peace always,

Fr. Rob

VOLUME

19,

ISSUE 1 Winter 2023

AUGUSTINIAN

Publication of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Affiong Inyang EDITOR

accent communications, inc.

DESIGN

CONTACT

Editor

Augustinian Provincial Offices

214 Ashwood Road

Villanova, PA 19085

PHONE 610.527.3330

FAX 610.520.0618

EMAIL communications@augustinian.org

AUGUSTINIANS

Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A.

PRIOR PROVINCIAL

Aldo Potencio, O.S.A.

SECRETARY and TREASURER

COUNSELORS

Kevin M. DePrinzio, O.S.A.

Raymond F. Dlugos, O.S.A.

Robert J. Guessetto, O.S.A.

Joseph L. Narog, O.S.A.

James D. Paradis, O.S.A.

Luis A. Vera, O.S.A.

PROVINCIAL OFFICES

John F. Deary, O.S.A.

DIRECTOR OF AUGUSTINIAN LAITY

John E. Deegan, O.S.A.

DIRECTOR OF JUSTICE AND PEACE

Richard C. Ekmann, O.S.A.

ARCHIVIST

Affiong Inyang

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Lacie Michaelson

DIRECTOR OF AUGUSTINIAN

DEFENDERS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR

Joseph L. Narog, O.S.A.

DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS

Madonna Sutter

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

Augustinian.org

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TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023

Applebrook Golf Club 100 Line Road • Malvern, Pennsylvania

Proceeds to benefit the Fr. George F. Riley, O.S.A. Fund for Augustinian HealthCare and the M. Louise Fitzpatrick Fund for Formation.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

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Fr. Robert Hagan, O.S.A.

Gary and Eryn Holloway

Mark and Tricia Jackson

Kevin and Karen Lucey

Fr. Lee Makowski, O.S.A.

Jeff and Suzanne Mullen

Tim and Kelly Mullen

Brian and Barb Riley

Jon and Christine Robbins

Fr. Michael Sullivan, O.S.A.

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who do not travel read only one page.”

- St. Augustine

Padre Riverito, Servant of God

By Affiong Inyang Communications ManagerCommunications Manager

the Province Around

June 18

Fr.Luis Guerrero O.S.A., of the Peruvian Vicariate, had his ordination and was welcomed to the priesthood by his older brother, who is also an Augustinian father! Fr. Luis’s parents were in attendance and are proud that God called both of their sons to the cloth.

Fr. Luis smiles at attendees with his father beside him

Members of the Peruvian Vicariate stand proudly with their newly ordained Father

Fr. Luis enjoys Pisco, a local Peruvian drink, with his mother Brothers embrace and share a tender moment together

Fr.Luisreceiveshispriestlychasuble fromhisbrother,Fr.MiguelOblitas, duringhisordination

August 6

A capture of Br. Nicholas Stone at his Simple Profession, flanked by his parents in the background.

is pictured at the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish in the Bronx, NY at the Solemnity of St. Nicholas of Tolentine. The Bronx church remembered their patron Saint by holding a small parade, which led into their Parish.

September 10

September 10

Fr. Luis Vera and Fr. Carlos Urbina pass out communion to parishioners during Mass at the Solemnity of St. Nicholas of Tolentine.

on next

Fr. Luis Vera (middle)

(l-r) Fr. Joseph Tran, Fr. Luis Vera, O.S.A., Jesus De la Rosa, Director of Faith Formation and an Affiliate of our Order

w Watch Br. Nicholas's Simple Profession

1 View St. Nicholas of Tolentine Solemnity Photos

September 16

Augustinians from around the world gathered in San Diego, CA, for the Augustinian Intermediate Chapter. In addition to the chapter, they also celebrated the 100th anniversary of St. Augustine High School!

September 23

September 27

Br. Atsushi Kuwahara, O.S.A., was ordained as a deacon at Tokyo Catholic Seminary.

All smiles at our Overbrook event “A Profile in Augustinian Leadership.”

Friars flock together in fraternal fellowship

(l-r) Fr. James Flynn, Fr. Robert P. Hagan, Fr. John Lydon, Fr. Robert Guessetto, Fr. Joseph Farrell

Br. Atsushi was ordained by Fr.Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, Archbishop of Tokyo

1 View Br. Atsushi Ordination Photos

1 View Intermediate Chapter Photos

September 29

Fr. Allan Fitzgerald and Fr. Joe Farrell participated in the Fr. Bill Atkinson Pilgrimage, hosted by the Father Bill Atkinson Service Corps. In addition to them, Fr. Bill Gabriel and Fr. Robert P. Hagan were also in attendance, with Fr. Rob presiding over the Prayer Service.

November 4

Merrimack College celebrated their 75th Anniversary and Fr. Raymond Dlugos, Vice President of Mission and Ministry, was awarded the St. Augustine Medal. The medal is given to one who best exemplifies the values and mission of St. Augustine.

Fr.Robblessestheoffering atthePrayerService

(l-r) Fr. Daniel Madden, Fr. Ray Dlugos, and Fr. Bryan Kerns

Fr. Fitzgerald and Fr. Farrell walk in the pilgrimage with high spirits

1 View Pilgrimage Photos

w Watch Fr. Ray St. Augustine Medal

November 21

In the spirit of Vocations Awareness Week, Fr. Rob models our popular “Restless” wristband! If you would like a free bracelet, scan here:

November 8

links to: bernadette.dilucido@augustinian.org

Fr. Ray Dlugos celebrates the annual Blue Mass of Thanksgiving for First Responders and blesses their fire trucks.

December 8

Fr. Bill Gabriel blesses the Christmas Tree at Malvern Prep, to the delight of the students.

By Fr. David Cregan, O.S.A.

Collaboration International Education

In the spirit of the Augustinian intellectual and spiritual tradition, in my position of Associate Dean of New Initiatives in the College of Professional Studies at Villanova University, I am currently working on three partnerships with international Augustinians. I have been in conversation with Yago Piedra Luis-Yagüe, Director General of Real Centro Universitario Escorial-María Cristina in Madrid, Spain. We have been sharing ideas of how we might collaborate on academic programs and exchanges between the two universities. Real Centro Universitario Escorial-María Cristina was established in 1892 by the Regent Maria Christina. The university has been run by the Augustinian Order ever since.

Additionally, I am in the beginning stages of building a program to be run by the College of Professional Studies at Villanova to advance Augustinian spirituality

and the Augustinian intellectual tradition. This project would support academic programming, spiritual formation and personal enrichment. In recent months, I have begun a new collaboration with two Augustinian Friars from the Province of Peru. They have already established a similar website, focused mainly on spirituality in Spanish. I am hoping to be able to integrate these programs to create global access to the Augustinian tradition.

Finally, I have been fortunate enough to do graduate studies in Dublin, Ireland. Irish hospitality is hard to beat! At Villanova, our Irish Studies program is in the exploratory stage of how we might work more closely with the Irish Augustinians in order to set down deeper roots for Villanova students and faculty to study and live in the midst of the rich global Augustinian legacy of unitas, caritas and veritas.

Background: Cliffs of Moher, Dublin, Ireland

Fr. David Cregan, O.S.A.

Queen Regent of Spain, María Christina of Austria Real Centro

Escorial-María Cristina, Madrid, Spain

By Madonna Sutter Director of Advancement

The Barb and Brian Riley Fund for Mission and Ministry

The Province Announces $ 6 MillionGift

The Province of St. Thomas of Villanova received the single largest gift in its history from Barb and Brian Riley of Chester County, PA. Their gift of $6,000,000 will fund the Barb and Brian Riley Fund for Mission and Ministry, which will strengthen the mission of the Augustinians through the direct support of our Augustinian Friars and their

ministries in greatest need for programmatic and personnel needs. “This transformational gift,” remarks Prior Provincial Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A., “will have far-reaching effects not only on our ministries but — more importantly — on the people whom we serve.”

The Riley Fund will assist St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish in the Bronx (where the Augustinians have been for over one hundred years) to support its large Hispanic and Vietnamese population in a variety of ways — particularly the parish’s soup kitchen and food pantry, which help hundreds of people per week. The fund will also assist the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia on Broad Street in South Philadelphia in responding to the needs of its local and regional community. The Shrine provides spiritual direction; a counseling center; and opportunities to pray, walk and be pilgrims in the context of St. Rita of Cascia, peacemaker and healer.

Alongside the Shrine in Philadelphia, the fund will support the Province’s first foundation in North America (St. Augustine Parish), which serves a large Filipino population, and the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (A.D.R.O.P.), an Augustinian ministry that sponsors a Unity Health Clinic that serves an uninsured immigrant population.

Barb and Brian Riley

Barb Riley was first introduced to the Augustinians through her childhood parish (St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Villanova, PA) and throughout her grade school years as a student in the parish school. She and her husband Brian later connected with the Augustinians at Malvern Preparatory School, where one of their sons graduated and another is currently enrolled. In addition to being Malvern parents, Brian serves

TheRileyswithFr.RobonasitevisittoourparishintheBronx

Barb comments, “We want to help people and make an impact on their lives. It’s important to us to give back to those that really need our help because we have been so blessed. In addition to supporting our Augustinian

be aware that we must also support the Augustinian Order, which founded our schools and continues to sponsor them. We want people to recognize that were it not for the friars, our Augustinian schools would simply not exist. It is our responsibility to ensure the legacy of our Augustinian schools, but let’s not forget that the friars and their ministries need our help, too.” Brian comments: “We are grateful to the Augustinians, and we know that their Order and mission are focused on serving Jesus Christ and all of God’s children.”

A portion of the Riley gift will fund an endowment to ensure that the Riley Fund will live on in perpetuity. The Augustinians are immensely grateful for the Rileys’ generosity and their faith and trust in us to use their gift to strengthen our Augustinian mission.

on Malvern’s Board of Trustees.

Barb and Brian Riley visited St. Nicholas of Tolentine parish in the Bronx to see the needs that the Riley Fund will address. Pictured with the Rileys are (l-r) Fr. Luis Vera, O.S.A., Pastor; Fr. Joe Murray, O.S.A.; Fr. Rob Hagan, O.S.A. and Fr. Carlos Urbina, O.S.A.

The Rileys’ son Jack poses with Fr. Jim Flynn, O.S.A. at Jack’s graduation from Malvern Prep

In Paradisum

Why did God make us?’ God made us to know him, to love him, to serve him in this life and to be happy with him forever in heaven. A very simple statement about the purpose of life. And that was the kind of spirit that carried Joe. He was a humble man. He loved God. He loved his neighbor. And as a priest he wanted to help people to be saved. He had a special ministry to the sick and the elderly in the hospital ministry. He was in the parish ministry and visited the hospitals in the nursing homes and in a special way as an Augustinian, he built it. He visited and ministered to the elderly and sick Augustinians over a number of years in an active way. I think he did a total of 20 years doing that. And even when he retired, he was active! I remember regularly seeing him taking communion to those in the nursing care area of the monastery. And he was a lover of scripture. He preached God’s words in his parish ministry and lived God’s words.”

~ Fr. Edward Dixey, O.S.A.

Fr. Joseph John Getz, O.S.A.

“My greatest comfort and relief is in the consolation of friends. Friendship has joys that captivate my heart — the charms of talking and laughing together and kindly giving way to each other’s wishes, reading elegantly written books together, sharing jokes and delighting to honor one another.” – St. Augustine

Fr. Thomas Michael Murnane, O.S.A.

t Caroll High School, he caught the Augustinian charism and then spent the rest of his life sharing it as a teacher, a guidance counselor, a headmaster, etc.. He would say one of the greatest joys in his life would be just walking the campus and encountering families and parents who were lost, who needed directions. And he would help them find their way across campus to the admissions office.

We priests were talking about how Tom came out of the seminary just as Vatican II was ending and people he had studied with and priests that he had known were leaving the church. But Tom stayed. He stayed through it all. If we know anything about life, it’s change. We’re living through it now. Health, world, country, pandemic… But he held firm to his faith, his way, and his truth and his life never wavered.

And it’s a great example and inspiration to all of us as we go through the changes in our life, through the sickness in our life, through the losses in our life. To hold on to that constant, ever loving, ever ever forgiving, ever healing presence of Jesus Christ. And as an Augustinian and as a teacher, he spent his whole life helping others find their way, find that truth. And so while we feel that sense of separation and some tears in our eyes, like Tom, we’re very grateful, we’re unafraid, and we’re inspired to go out and live that same way.”

~ Fr. Robert P. Hagan

Looking back over my years as an Augustinian, there are several friars who I consider to be friends as well as brothers in Augustine. John Stack falls at the top of that list. Fr. John Stack had many nicknames or, as one might say, terms of endearment. You may at one time have called him Kiwi at one point in his life, Stacker or just plain old John. Whatever name you may have used has a lot to do with your relationship with him. To me, he was always John.

Growing up as an Augustinian, we never talked about the day that one of us might have to preach at our funerals, but we all know the reality of death that haunts us and eventually catches up with us as we attempt to age gracefully. I have no intention of offering a eulogy, honoring John’s accomplishments. In the true spirit of how I knew John Stack, he would vehemently be opposed to my wasting my time and yours talking about him, when in fact there are many other aspects of his life that can be looked at as teachable moments for us. All that becomes the true legacy of any one of us at death. How will we be remembered?

He was there when it was time for many of his students to grow and mature, as he was there when a family member had passed on. He nourished many of us by his jokes and dry sense of humor at times, maybe bordering on sarcasm, which is a hidden Augustinian talent. Warmly, John, you will be missed, but it’s your appointed time to rest in peace.”

Mostardi, O.S.A.

~ Fr. Joseph

Fr. John Peter Stack, O.S.A.

Fr. George Francis Riley, O.S.A.

He had the beautiful kind of twinkle in his eye, that childlike sense that Jesus celebrates in the gospel, to live like children. Children, they’re simple, enthusiastic, they try to make friends and they laugh. George loved to laugh, love to make us laugh. And he laughed his whole life. It was a theology of laughter for him. It was a way and a means of helping people get close to him and then him helping us get close to God.

And we’ve all seen the pictures, right? He’s with Sinatra, Grace Kelly and Heisman Trophy winners. But he was also with the dishwashers, the guys who pumped his gas, the cooks and the housekeepers. The Lord is his light and in turn shared that light with all of us, all of us here in Villanova, New Jersey. He welcomed everybody in. There was a method to his madness. “I’ll make him laugh.” “I’ll tell the joke.” “I’ll build a relationship.” “I’ll make a friend and I’ll connect my Augustinian heart to his or hers.” And then the second part of that gospel kicks in. Come to me all you who are labored and find life burdensome. And I will give you rest.

George was willing to help others through his sacramental life, through confessions, through the Eucharist, through conversation, through travel, etc. He gently reminded people that maybe felt forgotten or didn’t feel worthy to darken the doorway of church that they were always welcome. And that was George’s gift. It is the Augustinian way to search for God in the company of friends and to see everyone as a potential friend. To not judge and to open your heart to someone else’s, where grace can enter in.”

~ Fr. Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A.

Fr. Francis Anthony Sirolli, O.S.A.

Frank was in many parishes that are listed here in the program. And it was at one parish in Staten Island, New York, Our Lady of Good Counsel that I got to know Frank well because I was assigned with him. And in being assigned with him, it was very easy to see that he was an excellent teacher, an excellent preacher, an excellent writer, an excellent spiritual director, and in his own way, brought people to Christ. He was a great priest, a great Augustinian. Frank did it his way. And as I got to know Frank, he became a very good friend.

There was one word that always stuck in my mind to describe him, and that’s the word juxtaposition, juxtaposition, juxtaposition. I love the word because it’s when you have two totally opposite things that somehow can coincide together. And that was Frank, because Frank had one side of him that was tough. He loved a good argument and he would definitely be the last one standing. And then a couple minutes later, he would be writing a beautiful poem about the delicacy of a flower opening! That was Frank. And in the midst of his own way of doing it, he would make a friend, be a friend and bring the friend to Christ. And I saw how many people he brought back to church, many people he inspired to follow the Lord.

Frank was also able to laugh at his own shortcomings. And what was funny about it was one of his shortcomings is he couldn’t remember people’s names. Remember the birthday party we had for Frank where everyone wore a name tag? Even his mom, his mom, wore a name tag. This smile that’s on the program is the smile you would get because he was able to laugh at his shortcomings. Thank you Frank, for being that smile for us.”

~ Fr. Stephen Curry, O.S.A.

Augustinians Return to Staten Island

It was in the late nineteenth century when the Augustinian Friars first made their presence felt on Staten Island. They established Augustinian Academy, which served 1,450 students between 1899 and 1969 – 245 of whom went on to serve in the Order. They also established the parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel, which remained guided by the Augustinians until 2016.

Needless to say, the Augustinians still have many friends on Staten Island, many of whom joined us for an Augustinian friendship gathering on November 10. The evening

Fr. Rob and the Jaenicke family

Fellowship for an Evening of

By Sarah Reisert Assistant Director of Engagement

started with a celebration of Mass presided over by Prior Provincial Fr. Rob Hagan, O.S.A. and concelebrated by Fr. Joe Mostardi, O.S.A. and Fr. Bob Terranova, O.S.A. in the beautiful chapel of Notre Dame Academy High School. A buffet supper and fellowship followed in the Academy’s dining hall. Many thanks to Kate Jaenicke, president of Notre Dame Academy, for hosting the Augustinians. Fr. Rob shared his experience of spending

his pastoral year on Staten Island as a young friar in formation. He recounted the day he and other parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish watched the Twin Towers fall on 9/11 from the Church’s parking lot. Fr. Rob shared, “It was a day that we will never forget. I attended many funerals of those who died on 9/11 and consoled the family members left behind. Staten Island will always

hold a special significance for me in that it allowed me to witness the resiliency of people with faith in the wake of horrible tragedy.”

The Augustinians cherish our legacy on Staten Island and enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with former parishioners and friends.

Fr. Rob with L to R: Margaret Murphy, Meaghan Murphy and Kathy Cornell Head

Fr. Joe Mostardi, O.S.A. with Jane and Frank Baldassare

1 View Staten Island Fellowship Photos

By Sarah Reisert Assistant Director of Engagement

Celebrating Members of Our Leadership

at the and

n Sunday, October 23, members of the St. Thomas of Villanova Leadership Society and the St. Augustine Legacy Society gathered in Corr Chapel on the campus of Villanova University for the celebration of Mass – presided over by Prior Provincial Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A. and music provided by musicians from St. Thomas of Villanova Parish.

Afterward, all gathered at St. Augustine Friary, home of the Provincial Office, for a delicious brunch and recognition of their faithful support and ous hearts, which allow the friars to live their way of life and perform their ministries. Members received legacy coins and St. Thomas of Villanova pins as a small token of their dedication to the Augustinians.

“We are so grateful to the members of our giving societies, whose generosity sustains the Augustinian way of life,” said Brian Kelley, the province’s associate director of advancement.

“Their gifts ensure a strong Augustinian presence in our schools, parishes and ministries, and support our friars in formation and those who are infirm and elderly.

It’s a pleasure to be able to honor them in this small way.”

Fr. Rob with Pat and Judith Welde

Fr.RobcongratulatesVillanova LeadershipmemberGeorgeVanKula

Augustinian Fund Giving Societies Legacy Mass Brunch and

Guests are all smiles with Director of Advancement Madonna Sutter

Fr. Michael Sullivan, O.S.A. joined by Fr. Rob for the celebration of Mass

1 View Legacy Mass and Brunch Photos

A Profile in Augustinian

By Sarah Reisert Assistant Director of Engagement

Friends of the Augustinians Gather at Overbrook for the First Time Since 2019

Over 220 people gathered at the Overbrook Golf Club in Villanova, PA on September 27 for A Profile in Augustinian Leadership featuring guest speaker Kyle Neptune, the William B. Finneran Endowed Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Villanova University.

Members of the Mullen and Harvey families celebrate a fun evening with Jay Wright and Frank Chambers, O.S.A.

Fr. Rob introduces Coach Kyle Neptune to guests

Fr. Rob and Patty and Jay Wright welcome Coach Kyle Neptune into the Augustinian community

Coach Neptune began his coaching career as a video coordinator for the Villanova Wildcats in 2008 and was part of a staff that helped guide the Wildcats to an NCAA East Regional championship and the program’s first NCAA Final Four appearance in 24 years. As a Villanova assistant coach from 2013-21, Neptune was a part of a run that produced 233 victories, seven BIG EAST regular season titles, four BIG EAST Tournament crowns and two NCAA national championships.

There was much excitement and energy in the room while friends were busy reconnecting at the first Overbrook event since 2019. Coach Neptune shared his vision of what Augustinian leadership looks like. “We invited Kyle not just as a basketball coach, but as a leader in our community,” said Fr. Rob Hagan, O.S.A., Prior Provincial and chaplain of the Villanova men’s basketball

team. “Having succeeded coach Jay Wright after serving under his tutorship for the last ten years, we were excited to hear how he’s incorporated his Augustinian values into the culture of the basketball program and how he leads with those values.”

The Augustinians wish Coach Neptune much good luck during his first basketball season as Head Coach.

Avid Villanova basketball fan Vic Maggitti takes a time out with Head Coach Kyle Neptune

(l-r) Fathers Joe Narog, O.S.A.; Rich O’ Leary, O.S.A.: Rob Hagan, O.S.A.; Kevin De Prinzio, O.S.A.; Joe Mostardi, O.S.A.; and Elizandro Contreras pose with Coach Neptune, Coach Joanie Milhous, (women’s field hockey) and Jay Wright

1 View Profile in Augustinian Leadership Photos

Intro By Fr. Joe Farrell, O.S.A.

Article By Affiong Inyang Communications Manager

The International Multicultural yet

From the Grand Union in 1256, the Augustinian Friars were already an international Order with 180 communities established in a dozen countries. Now, 767 years later, we are present in over 40 countries and originate from just over 50 nations. The term, globalization, which we hear more and more frequently in the news,

has always been a part of the Order of Saint Augustine. Now, more than ever, we realize how interdependent we are as an Order as we encourage each other to share the gifts, talents, skills and experiences that we bring to the Order and to the global church.

The diverse reality that exists in the Order was most clearly evident at the Intermediate General Chapter 2022 in San Diego, California. The physical presence of friars from around the globe along with many virtual presentations, songs, music, and encounters with our Augustinian Contemplative nuns and our lay collaborators, parishioners, students, seculars, affiliates and members of fraternities contributed to the multicultural and multi-national atmosphere and was a living affirmation of the global community in which the Augustinians minister.

Although language differences can sometimes create a barrier to communication, we were able to surpass this obstacle by challenging each other to discover ways of communicating with each other at small group working tables and during times of prayer, recreation and meals. It was not an uncommon occurrence to have eight friars sitting at a table from eight different countries. We found ways of communicating and sharing in a language that was, at times, very different from our mother tongue. The beauty of our Augustinian fraternity is that we were able to assist each other as brothers in learning about each other and

Fr. Joseph Farrell and Fr. Wilson Posligua Bran, O.S.A., the Provincial Superior of the Province of Quito in Ecuador, joyfully embrace each other at the Intermediate Chapter in San Diego last September

1 View Intermediate Chapter Photos

Order: United in One

Mind & Heart

evident throughout the Chapter, the common denominator that influenced every aspect of the encounter and that gives life and purpose to our Augustinian community is that we are united in charity, a divine love that calls us together as one. Charity, the unifying aspect of our community life, does not erase or eliminate our diversity so that we are all the same, but rather highlights it in such a way to awaken us to renewal as Augustinians as we authentically live our vocation as friars.

supporting each other in the challenges of our particular circumstances while celebrating with each other in successes and new opportunities. Each one of us, from our home circumscriptions, brought diversity to the unity that calls us to live together with one mind and heart on our way to God. The ethnic, lingual, cultural, racial, social and age diversity of the Intermediate General Chapter animated our encounters and conversations, which encouraged each one of us and strengthened our unity as an Order.

As we discerned at Chapter how a renewal will direct us into the years ahead, with our focus always on Christ, we realized that we continue to walk together, in a synodal way, with the diversity of the gifts we bring. While the international diversity was

continued on next page

Fr.RobertGuessetto,O.S.A.,sitsinan interpretation boothasheassistsinlivelanguage

The friars make their way to St. Augustine High School to celebrate it’s 100th anniversary

Fr. John Futoshi Matsuo

Ordained | August 6, 2022

Where are you from?

Fukuoka, a city located in the Southwest Japan.

Tell us more about your journey and how you became connected to the Augustinians.

When I was 14, my family moved to an Augustinian Parish in Fukuoka, so that was the first time I met the Augustinians. I’ve attended church since I was young but this was the first time I saw priests up close and witnessed how they lived together. Their lifestyle just fascinated me. In high school, one of the American friars, a parish priest called Fr. Tom Dwyer, was very kind, very gentle to everyone. He gave my mother a role in the parish creating newsletters and as a result she became more active in church. He’s like a savior to me; he made my mother a good Catholic and he invited me to attend vocation retreats.

Fr. Matsuo enjoys pork ramen (a noodle and broth dish) that is popular in his hometown

I went to a couple of vocation retreats, but the trip that stands out the most was when a friend of mine, who was also a Jesuit priest, invited me to go to Korea for a pilgrimage. So I travelled with him and met with Korean Christians for the first time in my life. One of them was an old man who was able to speak Japanese because of the Japanese occupation in Korea. The Japanese occupation was a terrible and brutal period for the Korean people and Southeast Asia in general. That was in the front of my mind during my time there but one of the first things that man said to me was “I was taught Japanese, and because of that I can speak with you.” And he was always smiling, just all the time smiling, and he generally looked very happy and was so welcoming to me. And I was just amazed at his attitude; I didn’t really expect that.

When I came home later, I reflected on our conversations and why it was possible for us to bond and have such a nice time together. We were

different ages, had different cultures, nationalities, so what did we have in common? Only Jesus. Yes. We were both Christians, both Catholics, and that’s the only thing we had in common, and yet that was enough! That experience made me begin to think about my faith more seriously and led to a period of soul searching and reflection. After the trip I wanted to do something else with my life, something meaningful.

I was a programmer at the time but I wanted to do something for people, to work with them more closely. The assistant pastor of my parish, a Japanese Augustinian friar, told me that if I was interested in studying theology, he recommended I go to Catholic university in Tokyo. I didn’t answer immediately and told him I’d think about it. A week later, I went to see him and I suddenly asked, “May I join the Augustinians?” I don’t know remember how I came up with the idea, it’s almost like God nudged me and the spirit answered

the question on my behalf. I was accepted, that was the more surprising part! And since then I’ve been able to live this beautiful life with lots of help from my brothers who encourage me along the way.

What is your favorite thing about your culture/country?

The food! Japanese food is amazing. Pork ramen is my favorite dish; in fact, it’s a specialty of my hometown Fukuoka. It’s what we are known for.

Below A colorful scene inside a train in Fukuoka

Tonkotsu or pork bone ramen is primarily sold as Hakata Ramen in Fukuoka City

What facet of your culture do you think can enrich the Order for the better?

Our respect for silence. We admire silence because it gives us an opportunity to listen deeper, which helps us serve people better. The space that silence

inhabits is not emptiness, it’s actually full of meaning and that’s something the Japanese know inherently.

After the tsunami in 2011, I had the opportunity to work as a volunteer in the region affected for a short period of time. I was able to listen to the stories and the people said that they’re so happy with the volunteers’ presence, because otherwise they cannot really express how they feel, what they think and what they’ve been through.

They cannot really express the most difficult part of their experience; it’s something that they cannot put into words. But just something as simple as our presence was appreciated and was comforting to the people. And that is how we can to contribute to the Church, to the Augustinians, by sharing this very Japanese concept of occupying space. Not necessarily to verbally express our ideas, but to use the power of presence.

Share a favorite song lyric in Japanese.

From the song “Ue o Muite Arukō” by Kyu Sakamoto: Happiness lies beyond the clouds, above the sky

(l-r) Fr. John Futoshi Matsuo, O.S.A., Archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami, and Fr. Thomas Hiroyuki Shibata, O.S.A.

Kyu Sakamoto

To hear the song mentioned above, open your phone’s camera app and hover over the QR code to watch the video

Fr. Luis Oblitas Guerrero

Ordained | June 18, 2022

Where are you from?

Lima, Peru.

Tell us more about your journey and how you became connected to the Augustinians.

My mother worked at the San Agustín school in Lima. So, my brother likes to say that we are Augustinians from our mother’s womb! At school, I was baptized by an Augustinian friar and I had communion and confirmation there as well. Out of nowhere, in my last year of high school my older brother decides to enter the convent. When I first saw him approach God it

seemed strange to me because he initially asserted himself as an agnostic. He went from refusing to do his confirmation to living in a retreat and the rest, as they say, is history. It was like a plot from a movie. I found it not only strange but also painful because I am really close to my brother.

My brother is someone who I trust and know, so hearing him speak about God’s love and providence impacted me much deeper than hearing it from any other person. I joined a youth group called Communio, which was a beautiful experience because I got to interact with lay people whose goal in life was to become saints. This was a turning point for me because it made me think that maybe even I could be called to sainthood and that left a deep impression on me. My group was radically committed to their faith, and they preached and prayed in public and exhibited a strong devotion to worship.

I felt called to spend my time inside the chapel and the more time I spent in there, the more intensely this feeling grew. This new urge pulled me into seeking out more intimate spaces to pray to God, to be alone with him. I really enjoyed those spaces and the private time

Fr. Luis Guerrero, O.S.A., stands beside his family at his post-ordination celebration

“In Chulucanas, the closeness of the people here is incredible.”

Friends and family gather at Fr. Luis Guerrero ordination displaying signs in support of Servant of God, Fr. Serapio Rivero

I spent in prayer and contemplation. So while I was attending college, I started discerning this call from the Lord. It did not begin as an express call to religious life, it was just me wanting more of God and trying to find ways to feel his presence more. I wanted a deeper union with God, more intimacy, more cherished moments between him and I. Once I decided that this was my calling there was no other place to go than to the Augustinians, the order that spiritually raised and cared for me.

What is your favorite thing about your culture/country?

If there is something we coastal Peruvians are proud of, it is our food! For us there is nothing better than Peruvian food. Along the coasts we have a very well-known dish that consists of fish cooked in lemon with chili and a little bit of onion. As you move along the coast, different regions serve it with different ingredients. It tastes incredible.

What facet of your culture do you think can enrich the Order for the better?

The smiles on our faces, our innate happiness. On the coast we are naturally full of joy, and a lot of that joy can be attributed not just to the weather, but to the music. We listen to music such as salsa and criolla, which has a lot of African influence and an upbeat, vivacious energy to it. Here in Chulucanas the closeness of the people here is incredible. The children come and hug me and their parents bring me gifts. And this affection is so beautiful, I really enjoy it. It ties in with the Augustinian focus on friendship. It can be found inside of our charism, we have one soul and one heart that is forever seeking God.

Brothersinmorewaysthanone!

Beyond friendship, however, I think we should focus more specifically on friendship. For example, in my community we don’t typically give each other Christmas gifts because it hasn’t been initiated by anyone, so it was not a part of our communal culture. But interestingly enough, the locals give me Christmas presents. The love that I receive from the lay people and various outsiders made me realize that I also have to actively cultivate this energy via the friendships I have with my brothers.

This form of active friendship is so rooted in Chulucayan culture and it has helped me to remember that I am friends with my brothers. Within this sacred fraternity, we are all brothers. With them, I can share my belongings, my thoughts, my dreams, my ideas and my time. But how does one establish true and engaged friendships? For a friendship to be truly profound, one must actively and tangibly invest energy, resources and time into the relationship. That giving energy tends to be infectious, so the more time you take to find ways to pour into the members of your community, most of them will surely try to re-gift that energy back to you to the best of their ability. What better foundation for community could there be?

Share your favorite scripture.

It was the biblical quote that I chose for my solemn vows, Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” For me this scripture perfectly reflects what I try to live every day.

Philippines/America

Br. Nicholas Stone

Simple Vows | August 6, 2022

Where are you from?

North Carolina, born and raised.

Tell us more about your journey and how you became connected to the Augustinians.

I didn’t grow up with the Augustinians in that way. I actually met them through my mentor teacher who went to Villanova and is originally from around the university. She grew up around the Augustinians and her mother even worked with the Augustinians. While I was teaching in Northern Virginia and discerning my call, we used her connections and I got in touch with the Vocations director, Fr. Joseph Narog, O.S.A. By God’s grace, I now find myself here.

Br. Nicholas Stone arranges vegetables for a dish he is preparing

One of the things that attracted me to the Augustinians is their emphasis on community. There are certain aspects of our religious life that are in common, like prayer and dinner. Between going to classes, my ministry commitments and assorted meetings, it is imperative to me to spend time in common with my community. Throughout our day, we derive grace and strength from moments spent with our loved ones.

What is your favorite thing about your culture/country?

Food is probably the biggest way in which I relate to my culture. The way my family came together around food shaped me significantly as I was growing up. A bunch of us would get together every weekend after Mass and there would be food, music, and everyone is talking and just hanging out. The time we spent together was very intentional and we faithfully attended every week. Schedule-wise, sometimes life happens and someone has to travel or can’t attend due to a conflicting appointment, but that was okay because we always showed up the next week. That’s the reason why the majority of my family lived

within a three-hour radius of each other. It was very important for us to regularly be together as a family, to eat with each other and cook for one another. If the family needed to come together for a family member who was struggling for any reason, or wanted to celebrate something positive (like a baptism or a wedding), it was easy for the whole family to gather together since that was vital to us.

I’ll never forget the first time I went to Old St. Augustine’s and a Filipino family immediately recognized me as a Filipino and invited me to lunch. The family was asking me about the Filipino community in Northern Virginia so I described how we go to Mass, then go home to take a nap, and later we show up at this person’s house for evening prayer. The priest shows up, we have evening prayer, and then dinner is set out

– continued on next page

Br. Stone embraces a loved one at his simple profession

on three tables. I go on to describe what’s on each table and how when the priest leaves the men go over here and the kids go over there and the women go in another direction. When I finish describing everything to them, the teenage son leans over to his mom and declares that “Filipino gatherings are the same everywhere!”

This concept of breaking bread together, of steeping ourselves in the communal aspect of cooking and creating memories, was an invaluable part of my childhood. Cooking together with my aunts, uncles and grandparents instilled in me a joy to cook for others in order to share that special feeling. It’s one of the main ways that I show love and hospitality and share my culture with others.

What facet of your culture do you think can enrich the Order for the better?

As the order becomes more concentrated and we Augustinians are pulled in different directions, I think it’s important to recognize that we are not called to be cloistered. The need to come together, to be together in community, these exterior signs of community, of family and closeness, enrich our interior well-being, mental health and our spirituality. The balance between working in the “outside” world and nurturing our home front (families and communities) is something that the Filipino culture has mastered.

Filipinos inherently understand that these values of closeness, family and togetherness are absolutely essential for community welfare and cohesiveness. There is a tendency in religious life to

emphasize ministry and service because we have been called to serve. While Augustinians thankfully have a better balance than other orders, there is always more that can be done to invest in our gatherings and ensure that we consciously and emphatically bond with one another.

Share a favorite quote/ saying/ proverb/

lyric that you love.

“The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual strengthening the bonds of family and community, from the mere animal biology to a spiritual act.”

~ Michael Pollan

The brothers share a chuckle at dinner

Our Mother of Good Counsel

wWatch Br. Nicholas Cook His Great Uncle's Filipino Pancit Recipe

Foreign Missions

By Affiong Inyang Communications Manager

On the inside of the cover page there is a quote by St. Augustine that states, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” This quote makes me think of passports and how a few of us will come before the father with a spiritual passport full of stamps, visas, dreams, memories and character reviews. Below is an overview of two Servants of God that our order is blessed to have. If they each had a book of life one could sign, the pages would overflow from the sheer amount of people who would write the countless ways that these two holy men have touched them.

Peru

2002, his community was Chosica, where he was a teacher and spiritual director at the college and curate in various Augustinian parishes. He made the simplicity of everyday life the path to holiness. In him was seen a possible and attainable holiness.

At Mass he made the mystery felt. When he was already in very poor health, they told him that it would be better to stop celebrating Mass. He replied: “If you don’t want me to die, let me celebrate it.” For almost sixty years in Chosica he was doing the same thing, the same tasks, the same services, the same practices and providing the same care — a man who did not attract attention for extraordinary events or for great academic titles. He simply knew how to live without ringing bells or setting off fireworks.

Fr. Serapio Rivero Nicolás, O.S.A, was born in 1917 in Spain. He was a few years old when he was confirmed — it was the custom of those times — and he made his first Communion. In his native town, he completed his primary studies until one day the Augustinian vocational leaders passed through Bercianos looking for children who wanted to go to their minor seminary. “I want to be an Augustinian like you” was his answer.

Assigned to Peru, the first year he was in the Chancay seminary house. From March 1944 to November 24,

He passed by on tiptoe — as Fr. Senén González, O.S.A. says — like a little ant and without making a sound. But he won the hearts of everyone, from the children of the Santa Rosa School who began to call him “Father Riverito” to the inhabitants and faithful of the parishes entrusted to the Augustinians who also called him that. As an Augustinian, he was a lover of the habit and felt a great sense of belonging to the Order and the Province, with devoted and sincere love for his brothers.

At his funeral, a group of people began to shout: “Riverito Santo.” The Peruvian vicariate eventually decided to promote his Cause.

– continued on next page

Peru Cuba Philippines

He was a remarkable pastor. Fr. McKniff was well known to everyone since he frequently strolled through the parish. To evangelize and serve others in the name of Christ, he founded numerous Catholic Action organizations, including the Young Catholic Workers and Legion of Mary. His sermons, leadership and example inspired individuals to have a profound spirituality. He encouraged parishioners to host prayer vigils in their homes.

He worked relentlessly in a setting that was becoming more hostile to defend and advance the Christian faith. His life was under jeopardy. He was held captive. But the most challenging aspect of this period was that he lost the Augustinian community life that he loved so much when 37 of his Augustinian brothers were exiled from the nation.

John J. McKniff, O.S.A., was a deeply spiritual Augustinian missionary who served three nations in total. He is most known for his passion for pastoral ministering to the underprivileged in Peru and Cuba. Born in Media, Pennsylvania, he joined the Augustinian Order in 1924 and was ordained as a priest in 1930.

The majority of his adult life was spent working as a missionary in the Philippines, Cuba and Peru. Though he was a part of the Augustinian Villanova Province, he collaborated closely with Augustinians from the Midwest during his time of service in Peru. After teaching at Villanova College he travelled to Philippines and taught for three years. In 1939 he was transferred to Cuba and was appointed pastor of El Cristo del Buen Viaje Parish in the old district of Havana.

Fr. McKniff took his first vacation in eight years in 1968 and the Cuban authorities took the opportunity to forbid him returning. The following three years were spent in ministry in New York parishes. But Fr. McKniff’s desire to go on missions persisted. He visited northern Peru in 1972. He assisted in putting into action the Chulucanas Diocese’s New Image of Parish pastoral strategy, which enlists a sizable number of devout laypeople to serve Jesus through various Church initiatives.

Fr. McKniff was weakened by a case of typhoid fever by the end of 1993 and had to unwillingly depart for America from Peru for medical treatment. After being admitted to a hospital, he passed away on March 24, 1994. John McKniff is renowned for his passion for missions, concern for the underprivileged and closeness to God. He was particularly gifted by God, and those closest to him who knew him best — his fellow Augustinians and the people to and with whom he ministered in northern Peru — acknowledged this. They requested that the canonization process be started in order for him to one day be hailed as a hero and a role model for all of God’s people.

By Madonna Sutter Director of Advancement

Join the Movement

Dear Friends of the Augustinians,

Madonna Sutter Director of Advancement

The Province received its largest gift ever through the extraordinary generosity of our good friends Barb and Brian Riley. Words cannot express our deep gratitude. The Rileys’ $6,000,000 gift will be used to establish the Barb and Brian Riley Fund for Mission and Ministry. It will have a direct impact on our ministries in greatest need, including St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish in the Bronx, New York, as well as the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, St. Augustine Parish (the first foundation of the Augustinians in North America) and the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor, all in South Philadelphia. The Riley gift will fortify our ministries through programmatic and personnel support to allow our friars to make positive change as they serve the Church and those in need. God bless Barb and Brian for this amazing gift and for their commitment to helping other worthy causes through their philanthropy.

We are gearing up for a busy spring with plans already in motion for our third annual Tolle Lege Day on Monday, April 24. I’m excited to see this endeavor grow each year through the efforts of our Tolle Lege Day Ambassadors, who on this one day reach out to friends and relatives on our behalf to ask for support of the friars. Won’t you consider becoming an Ambassador? It’s easy, we do the heavy lifting, and you will make an incredible difference.

On May 30, the Province will inaugurate a new engagement opportunity. Chaired by Advancement Council member Colleen Harvey Tegler and her husband Tom, we will host a Friends of the Augustinians Golf Outing at Applebrook Golf Club in Malvern, PA. Mark your calendar if you are a golf enthusiast, and if you don’t play golf, please plan to join us for dinner.

As the new year unfolds, I want to thank you for your continued support of our Augustinian Friars. I wish you a new year filled with laughter, good health and peace. May you only have good days in 2023.

Blessings, Madonna Sutter Director of Advancement

New Members Join the Augustinian Advancement Council

President and CEO of Metro Philly Management, Patrick Burns, is an accomplished business leader in the real estate, food retail, food and beverage, and hospitality industries with over 30 years of experience building a series of retail supermarkets and shopping centers, managing food service for upscale restaurants and catering facilities, and operating hotel establishments throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. His most notable accomplishments include the development and operation of supermarkets in underserved areas in and around Philadelphia, including the first “Fresh Grocer” concept store in 2001. In 2005, he opened The Fresh Grocer at 56th and Chestnut Street, which then was the largest supermarket in West Philadelphia. In 2009, Patrick eradicated Philadelphia’s two largest food deserts with the development of two new Fresh Grocer supermarkets at the Shoppes at La Salle on Chew Avenue and in the historic Progress Plaza Shopping Center on North Broad Street.

Fr. Paul has had a taste of almost all that the Augustinian smorgasbord has to offer: secondary education, higher education, missionary work, board representation and currently parish life (St. Paul Parish in South Philadelphia). He has found each one rewarding. As a result of a heart transplant in 2019, he also visits transplant patients at the University of Pennsylvania once a week. He has a YouTube channel that has a weekly episode on the Sunday Scriptures (Catholic Sunday Scriptures in Context) and in his free time he bakes his world-famous biscotti (just ask his parishioners). On December 18, 2022, he celebrated his 40th anniversary of ordination and with the new heart, he expects to go another 35.

Fr. Lee professed his solemn vows in 1979 and was ordained a priest in 1980. Since then, his assignments were at St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery (1980-1983), where he taught at Villanova University and pursued part-time studies. He then pursued his doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at the Catholic University, Washington, D.C., successfully defending his dissertation for a Ph.D. in Theology in 1992. In 1991, he returned to St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery and resumed teaching at Villanova University, where he continues today as an assistant teaching professor in the humanities department. Fr. Lee serves as a long standing weekend assistant at St. Simon and Jude parish in West Chester, PA.

Colleen has always been a part of the Augustinian family: her uncle (Fr. Bill Atkinson, O.S.A.) was an Augustinian, she is an alumna of Villanova University, and her children attend Villanova University and Malvern Prep. A resident of West Chester, PA, Colleen currently serves on the boards of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur; The Father Bill Atkinson O.S.A. Foundation; and The Love, Vaughn Foundation.

Patrick J. Burns

Fr. Paul Galetto, O.S.A.

Fr. Lee Makowski, O.S.A.

Colleen Harvey Tegler

Tolle Lege Day

Monday, April 24, 2023

24 Hours of Giving!

#TolleLegeDay

TolleLegeDay.augustinianfund.org

Friends

Interested in serving as a Tolle Lege Day Ambassador?

Contact: Brian Kelley, Associate Director of Advancement, Phone: 610.527.3330, ext. 239

Email: brian.kelley@augustinian.org

Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 11:30 AM

Applebrook Golf Club

100 Line Road • Malvern, PA

For details: AugustinianFund.org/golf-outing

Contact: Madonna Sutter, Director of Advancement

Phone: 267.272.3048

Email: madonna.sutter@augustinian.org