Midwest Augustinian Fall/Winter 2018

Augustinian

The

Midwest

“One Mind, One Heart”

FALL/WINTER 2018

LETTER FROM THE PRIOR PROVINCIAL DEAR FRIENDS OF THE AUGUSTINIANS, Each year at Thanksgiving, we look forward to spending time with family and friends. This holiday and all the holidays come and go very quickly and we barely have time to reflect on the meaning of the day, let alone consider for what we are thankful. Gratitude is more than just thanking God and others for another wonderful day with family, friends, and food. Bringing the words grateful and attitude together (gratitude) signals something that is more than just feeling satiated at a particular moment on the annual holiday. The posture of being grateful provides the opportunity to strengthen our relationships with one another which, in turn, can lead toward healthy living. We have been taught in our religious formation that an integral life leads toward holiness. Hopefully, we integrate a deep sense of being grateful into our daily attitudes which, in turn, help us through some of the challenging moments of our lives.

Advent is upon us. I invite you to place yourselves in a posture of gratitude for the blessings we have in Christ, who became poor so that we become rich in grace and blessings.

I write you now in the middle of November from Rome, where I have been attending meetings for all newly elected major superiors of the Order. I have the opportunity to acquaint myself with fellow Augustinians who have taken on this challenging ministry in their respective circumscriptions of the Order worldwide. These meetings consist of theoretical and practical issues associated with both leading and accompanying the friars in our community life and ministry.

This past September, Fr. Richie Mercado, O.S.A. (Provincial Secretary) and myself attended the Chapter meetings in our missions in Peru. I presided over a series of meetings with the majority of our Peruvian brothers who continue to serve the Vicariate of San Juan de Sahagun in Chulucanas in Northern Peru. I was impressed by their youth, enthusiasm, and energy. They provide witness to their faith by serving a poor population, especially in the “campos" where the majority of the Augustinian communities reside. They are at the beginning of a major project constructing a new regional school in the city of Trujillo, which, when finished, will serve and educate more than a thousand children in the immediate area of the city, the same city where the formation houses are located for the candidates and professed members of the Order.

Speaking of construction, the parishes of Our Mother of Good Counsel and St. Bernard both in Homer Glen (the Joliet Diocese) are anticipating a new friary to be built by the Fall of 2019. This joint effort between these two Augustinian ministries will house the friars who serve in the parishes and others who wish to reside there living in community together. Further, St. Rita High School has just completed and dedicated a new facility on campus called the "Mrozek Family Fitness Center." The High School is fortunate to have Ernie Mrozek (Augustinian Affiliate) and his family for their leadership in helping to conceive of the project as well as for their generosity in realizing the project.

Lastly, we are very happy to announce that Br. Jack Tierney, O.S.A. will be making his final commitment to the Order by professing Solemn Vows on December 16. His witness of final commitment furthers the legacy of the Order in the U.S. as Br. Jack continues on in his spiritual formation in anticipation of serving the Church as priests. Please pray for them and for all vocations to the Order of St. Augustine. Be assured of our prayers for you.

God's Blessings to All,

Very Reverend Anthony B. Pizzo, O.S.A.

Prior Provincial of the Midwest, Canada, and Chulucanas, Peru

THE MIDWEST AUGUSTINIAN FALL/WINTER 2018 The Midwest Augustinian is a publication of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel.

CONTENTS

FALL/WINTER ISSUE 2018 4 CONTEMPLATIVE AUGUSTINIAN SISTERS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS The Augustinian Sister of Our Mother of Good Counsel held a Eucharistic Liturgy and reception on the grounds of their New Lenox Monastery in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of their Community.

For additional copies, or to unsubscribe, please contact the Province Office: Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel 5401 South Cornell Avenue Chicago, IL 60615

5 CAUSE FOR BEATIFICATION OF AUGUSTINIANS OPENS IN POLAND The first public session opened for the cause of beatification of three Augustinian brothers (Fr. Christopher Olszewski, Fr. Edmond Wilucki, Br. Casimiro Lipka) presumably killed in hatred of the faith at Auschwitz and Dachau.

PHONE 773-595-4021 EMAIL sean@midwestaugustinians.org WEB

www.midwestaugustinians.org

6 HOW WE LIVE: PRAYING THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS

by Br. Sam Joutras, O.S.A. Augustinian life, in part, revolves around praying the Office. Beginning, punctuating, and ending the day with this communal prayer helps me to perceive the hand of God in the midst of busyness of this way of life.

AUGUSTINIANS Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel PRIOR PROVINCIAL

Very Rev. Anthony B. Pizzo, O.S.A.

7 FINDING "TENT CITY" AT THE US-MEXICO BORDER

by Fr. Robert Dueweke, O.S.A.

PROVINCE SECRETARY

Augustinian friars of the Midwest Province gathered on the Feast of St. Nicholas of Tolentine to bless a new memorial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, in Alsip, IL.

Rev. Richie Mercado, O.S.A. PROVINCE TREASURER

Rev. James Halstead, O.S.A. FINANCE OFFICE

Sr. Mary Ann Hamer, O.S.F. Dn. Robert Carroll, C.P.A. PROVINCE COUNSELORS Rev. John D. Merkelis, O.S.A. Rev. Homero Sanchez, O.S.A. Rev. Robert Basler, O.S.A. Rev. James Halstead, O.S.A. Br. Joe Ruiz, O.S.A. Rev. Richard Young, O.S.A. PROVINCIAL OFFICES DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS

Rev. Richie Mercado, O.S.A. CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

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KEEP ADAPTING: AN INTERVIEW WITH FR. JIM THOMPSON, O.S.A. with Sean Reynolds

11 WHAT WE'RE READING

by Br. Spencer Thomas, O.S.A. After professing their vows to the Augustinian Order, friars from our province typically enter into graduate-level studies at the Catholic Theological Union. So, what exactly are these men studying?

12 A NEW CHAPTER IN PERU

by Fr. John Lydon, O.S.A. After September the members of the Vicariate came together for their annual retreat and then the Vicariate chapter to install the new leadership team of the Vicariate.

14 AUGUSTINIAN FRIARY TO BE BUILT IN JOLIET DIOCESE

by Fr. Joseph McCormick, O.S.A. A new Augustinian friary will soon be built in Homer Glen, Illinois, which will accommodate up to six Augustinian friars.

Mr. Michael Gerrity

16 IN MEMORIAM

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

18 "IN HONOR AND MEMORY OF..."

17 OUR NEWEST DONORS

Dr. Sean Reynolds, Ph.D. ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATE

Ms. Adriana Moreno ADVANCEMENT ASSISTANTS

Mrs. Karon Basile Mrs. Anne Russell DATABASE MANAGER

Mr. Joseph Zurawski

Mission Statement of the Midwest Augustinians We, the Augustinians of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, are members of the worldwide Order of St. Augustine in the Roman Catholic Church. Centered in the Eucharist and prayer, we search for God in community by sharing our lives, goods and spiritual journey with each other and the people of God. In harmony of mind and heart on our journey toward God, our experience of common life flows into and shapes our ministries. We continue to serve the Church in schools, parishes and missions as we seek to discern new paths of service to which God calls us.

Contemplative Augustinian Sisters Celebrate 50 Years

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he Contemplative Augustinian Nuns of Mother of Good Counsel held a Eucharistic Liturgy and reception on the grounds of their New Lenox Monastery in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of their community. Sr. Mary Grace Kuppe, Prioress,hosted friends, family, benefactors, and Augustinian sisters from Europe and Latin America for the sunny afternoon Mass.

The liturgy—presided by Vicar General Joseph Farrell, O.S.A., and concelebrated by Bp. Robert Prevost, O.S.A., Prior Provincial Fr. Tony Pizzo, O.S.A., and Fr. Bernie Scianna, O.S.A.—also commemorated 2018 as a new beginning for the community, as new sisters from the Monastery of the Conversion in Spain and the Monastery of the Incarnation in Lima, Peru, came to join the sisters as new members of the Mother of Good Counsel community, who will also be bringing a new form of Augustinian Contemplative life to the United States.

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The community first came to the United States in 1968 and established their first monastery in a mansion on the ground of the St. Augustine Minor Seminary in Holland, MI. From there the sisters moved to St. Louis, before settling in their current location 18 years ago. At the time of their 50th anniversary the community included Sr. Mary Grace, Sr. Camino Fernandez, Sr. Mary of Good Counsel Villar, and Sr. Carmen Mirvalles.

“Their commitment to prayer for all of us is palpable. When we ask them to pray for us and our intentions, we know that this is a serious promise from them to do so,” said Fr. Bernie.

“Contemplative Life is a unique and sometimes misunderstood life. Some may say that they are wasting their time, but as Jesus told Mary in the Gospel, they have chosen the better part--to sit at the feet of the Lord and listen to Him!” In his homily, Bp. Prevost described the continuity of the community, saying “They continue to allow their

community to be built out of living stones, with great generosity and incredible trust in the God's Providence which has accompanied them as they have taken one risk after another in seeking to respond to God's call.”

Testimony to the impact that the small contemplative community was also offered by the many neighbors who came to join in this celebration. “I came to know the Augustinian Sisters through a close friend, Peg Coughlin.

It was during the time when she was caring for Fr. Mike Schweifler, O.S.A. through his medical journey. I knew the Sisters prayed daily for Fr. Mike.

And it worked! From the first time I attended Mass at the convent, I learned prayer is not something you schedule on your calendar or a menu of words to recite. When you're in the presence of the Augustinian Sisters, you understand that prayer is a two way communication with God. When I have the opportunity to visit the Sisters for Mass, I leave a better person with peace in my heart.“

The Cause for the Beatification of Three Augustinian Holocaust Martyrs Opens in Krakow

Announcement from Postulatio Generalis Augustiniana

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he first public session of the cause of beatification or declaration of martyrdom of the Servants of God Gulielmo Gaczek and three Augustinian brothers (Fr. Christopher Olszewski, Fr. Edmond Wilucki, Br. Casimiro Lipka) presumably killed in hatred of the faith at Auschwitz and Dachau (1941-1942) took place in the chapel of the episcopal palace of the historic city of Krakow. The celebration was presided by His Excellency Msgr. Marek Jędraszewski. With the first session the tribunal appointed by the Archbishop begins the important work of listening to the various witnesses, after having taken the oath of their respective office. The Postulator General of the Order was represented by the VicePostulator, Fr. Marek Donaj O.S.A.. Present at the celebration was the provincial superior of the Polish Province, Fr. Wiesław Dawidowski O.S.A. with a representation of the Augustinian brothers and sisters, religious and diocesan clergy and members of the people of God.

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How We Live: Praying the Liturgy of the Hours

By Br. Sam Joutras, O.S.A.

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s a pre-novice enters the house of formation, he will find that his community gathers in the chapel not only for daily Mass, but also in the morning and evening, to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. From the beginning, Christians “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42). One of the salient marks of early Christians was their devotion to pray at set times during the day. These set times arose from ancient Jewish tradition, which held fast to morning, evening, and night prayers in the Temple.

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As Christianity grew, so did the practice of praying at fixed times. In the third century, as monasticism found its beginnings in the desert, Christians desired to give unbroken, uninterrupted praise to God, following what we know today as the Liturgy of the Hours. St. Benedict, who lived in the fifth and sixth centuries, believed that “To pray is to work; to work is to pray.”

Following his inspiration, Christians also began to call the Liturgy of the Hours the “Office,” or opus in Latin, meaning work.

Many times in the history of the Church, the

"Hours" continued on page 21

Finding "Tent City" at the U.S. - Mexico Border

By Fr. Robert Dueweke, O.S.A. "Build the Wall! Even Heaven has a gate.”

So reads a Texas bumper sticker proclaiming that the car owner favors building a huge wall along the entire USMexican border. Immigration is one of the most contentious issues worldwide. The massive movement of peoples is a global phenomenon. To date over 65 million people are on the move due to war and climate change. The situation is so serious that the United Nations has issued the Global Compact on Migration, defining the rights to liberty and protection of migrants from arbitrary detention. In the United States, immigration is also a hot-topic issue, especially after September 11, 2001, when national security concerns were linked with border crossings.

Immigration became politicized and partisan. Emotions and opinions tend to override the gathering of facts and asking questions about why there is immigration in the first place.

Recently, I was in the desert border town of Tornillo, east of El Paso, where the infamous “Tent City” can keep 3800 unaccompanied minors or children who have been forcibly separated from their parents and are detained for deportation.

People in the town were reluctant to talk about the situation.

Road barriers and security kept unwanted visitors at a distance.

Interestingly, unsupportive of this policy, El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles prohibited his deputies from working off-duty with the federal facility.

I left this desolate area with feelings of sadness and anger. I asked myself, if I were a parent escaping extreme poverty and violence, how would I feel if my child were taken from me perhaps never to be seen again?

How might we apply the insights of philosopher Bernard Lonergan to the issue on immigration? The first we should consider is what Lonergan, in his major work Insight, calls the “flight from understanding.” The broken immigration system and policies portray an avalanche of misunderstandings. The failure to be intelligent, reasonable, and responsible leads toward decline and violence. He writes: [It] blocks the insights that concrete situations demand. There follow unintelligent policies and courses of action. The situation deteriorates . . . policies become more unintelligent and action more inept. What is worse, the deteriorating situation seems to provide the uncritical, biased mind with factual evidence in which the bias is claimed to be verified. So . . . intelligence comes to be regarded as irrelevant to practical living. Human activity settles down to a decadent routine, and initiative becomes the privilege of violence (Preface, 8).

Insights are blocked because all the relevant questions are not asked and answered, and result in the generation of a series of bad decisions. Why do so many people want to leave their countries in the first place? Answers give us insights into extreme poverty and the collapse of agriculture due to trade agreements like NAFTA. These policies encourage drug cartel activity and violence. What are the effects of trade agreements on livelihoods?

Do we ask the question? Do we care?

Another factor is group bias; it is the most dangerous and destructive of the biases that Lonergan identifies. Lonergan explains that group bias is the refusal to consider the pertinent facts and the insights of another viewpoint. It is rooted in a group-think that defends an opinion or emotion at all cost.

Group bias is responsible for labeling all immigrants as terrorists and rapists. Fear is aroused and infectious. Skin color, votes, and dark money add fire to the immigration debate. Migrants have become scapegoats for deeper insecurities. Group bias against immigrants is unfounded, cruel, and unacceptable to a nation that has been home to immigrants.

As a nation, we are slipping into the longer cycle of

decline with unforeseen consequences. We need to check our own biases and act intelligently, reasonably, and responsibly. Perhaps we, like Sheriff Wiles, can stand together with another “moving viewpoint” of compassion and understanding, one that has claimed to be the Good Shepherd, the bread of life, living water, and the Gate.

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Keep Adapting

An Interview with Fr. Jim Thompson, O.S.A.

By Sean Reynolds, Director of Communications “I will keep going and keep serving until I am physically no longer able,” says Fr. Jim Thompson, now in his new residence at St. John Stone Friary in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

Only five months earlier, Fr. Jim had moved to the Augustinian community at the St. Anthony Home in Crown

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Point, Indiana, to recover from surgeries for a fractured hip, a fractured pelvis, and a fractured ankle. No one, even those who knew him well, expected him to be back on his feet in an active community so quickly. However, few priests have as much experience as this Augustinian in overcoming and adapting to physical limitations in pursuit of their calling to serve the Church. “The greatest gift that God has given me,” he says, “is the strength to adapt.”

On April 19 of 2018, Fr. Jim stepped off onto the Monroe Street platform of Chicago’s “L” train system—a familiar route for him as he headed to the Thursday meeting of his Blind Service Association dowtown. “The platform was crowded and I though I was headed right toward the escalator, but instead I was headed toward the opposite end of the platform,” he remembers. His white cane—that he as used since becoming legally blind inthe 1980s—went off the edge of the platform, and before he could respond, Fr. Jim fell over the edge and onto the tracks.

“I didn't even know what happened until I felt the tracks under my face. The first thing I thought was not pain, but train.

Because of the time of day and so on. Fortunately, there was no train coming immediately and people were very good. They panicked, they got me up.”

He arrived by ambulance at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where X-rays revealed fractures in his ankle, hip and pelvis, which would require surgery. The next week he moved to the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab—what Fr. Jim jokingly called “the Disneyland of the medical world”—where he spent three weeks, mostly doing leg excercises while still unable to put weight on either of his feet.

It was in the skilled care unit at St. Anthony Home, where many of the retired and infirm Augustinians reside—that Fr. Jim began to walk again, only now having to learn to use a walker in place of his cane to feel his surroundings. “Everybody was happy when I finally got the permission to begin doing real walking type physical therapy and exercises. It went very well. I'm a dedicated patient and I was determined that this was going to go well and it did. I exceeded expectations.”

The news of Fr. Jim’s recovery has been welcomed and inspiring to those of us who have witnessed the blessing his

what we have to tell a lot of people to do. In other words, you figure it out by yourself."

Now I'm to the point where I really need the help of orientation mobility trainers, because I can't figure it out. In other words, I don't know how to adapt.

I don't know how to accomplish what I need to accomplish the way I used to be And after you had received the able to. So it's different. But, I'm ready. diagnosis, when did it start to affect And I have good contacts here your ministry, your ability to say mass? in Chicago with the Blind Service See, again, I'm good at adapting, Association and the with the guild for the because at that point, the year after I went blind, which they now call Second Sense, to Duquesne University for three years and the Hadley School for the Blind. I'm to get a master's degree in Formation, also learning braille by correspondence. preparing to be a novice master. So I What I need ... All I have to do is call and was still able to read, though it became say, "Look this is a problem I'm having," progressively more difficult. they say, "Come down, we'll work with See, I didn't have any trouble doing you." And so what I need to keep going is available It's truly great to see you to me. And again, I intend up and I know a lot of to keep going until I can't. people will be happy to I don't think that the see you back. I wanted to When I ministered to the sick, I didn't blindness will stop me. It'll start, as we discussed, with slow me down, it'll make when you first started to have to do anything more than be me as I me much more cautious experience a loss of vision obviously, which I learned after being ordained am, being blind, and I realized that people recently. But it's amazing I was first diagnosed what you can do. took what they needed to take. In other with Retinitis Pigmentosa, You have a very rare which is RP, about three words, I ministered, I heard confession, experience in that you are years after I was ordained a legally blind person who in. I was at Saint Rita I anointed them, I said mass, all of that. says mass. Can you talk Parish, and went to an eye about that experience in doctor, and they couldn't And then if they wanted to talk about my terms of what materials get me to 20/20. blindness, I'd talk about it. you used, or what So, they sent me to the innovations you came up UIC. That doctor was a bit with to help keep saying confused, because I was like mass?

29 years old. And then, he my ministry as novice master of formation said, "Could we see your mother?” Sure Yes, one of the characteristics that work. And then I went to Canada to enough, my mother had classic RP. She they use to define being legally blind is be on the staff of Southdown Institute, didn't know that, but she did. And so, when you can no longer read normal which was a treatment center outside they said, "Sir, you have RP even though print without magnification. When I yours is atypical." Typically, the periphery Toronto for clergy, religious men, and reached the point of being legally blind, religious women. goes first, and then the center. In my case I was working at the Little Company of I was actually in Canada when I was it was more like macular degeneration and Mary Hospital, and so the department of diagnosed as legally blind, so in Canada, that's what confused them. The center rehabilitation supported my taking, first the Canadian National Institute for the went first and my periphery was still of all, a typing course at the Lighthouse Blind, which is the blind association. somewhat good. for the Blind, and then a basic computer They provided me with an orientation And so, I was visually impaired course following that, to learn how to use beginning in 1975 and it It's a progressive mobility trainer, and he took me around a computer. and said, "Okay, walk, use the cane," and disease. So, it wasn't going to get better, And so, as it became more and more basically they said, "There's nothing I can it was only going to get worse. It was in difficult for me to read the normal mass teach you because you spontaneously do 1984 that I was finally determined by text, I would simply type it into the minsitry has been to the Order, and especially the community of Chicago’s south side.

On the morning of November 5, I went to visit Fr. Jim at St. John Stone Friary to speak with him—not just about this latest recovery—but how the jounrey of his priesthood has been marked by a continous strength in overcoming and adapting to disability.

His combined experience of priestly ministry and disability is rare, valuable, and inspiring. Below is a transcription of our conversation—edited for length constraints—where Fr. Jim adresses his experience with blindness, the way this has impacted his faith and ministry, and what place disability has within the future of priesthood in the Church.

doctors to be legally blind and I was really happy, because I had impaired vision, but being legally blind entitled you to the Talking Book Program of the Library of Congress. So I've been dealing with it since before I was 30. And over that time, I've have found that I adapted quite well, until recently.

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they called you a “wounded healer." Do be with other people to whom they don't computer and then raise the font. But have to explain what it's like to be blind, you find that your own experience with even with that, my joke is, the letters are disability has helped in your chaplaincy but can simply talk and share ideas. And going to get larger and larger and there's if you've got a problem, you talk about it. at Little Company of Mary Hospital? gonna be one letter on a page, you know, I did that, well, for probably close to 20 it won't work.

At first, because I was aware that years. But just me being who I am and But, there's an app called iBreviary, my vision was largely gone, it kind of being blind I think is a help to a lot of which has everything for each day, both embarrased…because I walk with a guide people. in terms of the office, the breviary, and cane, they knew I was blind. I had some In this blind support group, we laugh the missal. So what I do now is pre-read vision, but basically I was blind. And when we're together because people say, and pre-read until I'm sure I have the they'd say, "How do you do what you "Ooh, how do you do what you do," and basic ideas in my head, and so I don't use do?" And basically, my answer would be, what we say is, "What else am I gonna any book at the altar at all. I'm confident "The alternative is not acceptable." I'm do? I don't have a lot of choices, either enough that when I've gone over it five, not going to stay in my room and stare at I do or I don't." What we're doing is six times the night before, the morning of, the wall. As long as I can do something, what we need to do if we want to keep I'm able to just go ahead and celebrate the I'm going to do something, and God going. We really encourage each other, mass of the day because I know it. enables me to do that.

So you learn to see in different ways.

When I ministered to the sick, I didn't and we don't stop. We push a bit, and we I say I see with my hands, I also see have to do anything more than be me as I meet the challenges that come up, and also help each other meet with my feet. If I drop the challenges. And so it's something, I can't see it, kind of a unique group of but I can slide my feet and people. pretty well find out where it is, and then bend down and Just to close, I wanted get it. And then in terms of to talk about the role of I had some vision, but basically I was blind. And getting places places around clergy with disabilities, the city, you develop a they'd say, 'How do you do what you do?' And and whether the church is motor memory. in a place now where they So because you started going blind right after you became a priest, how did that affect your faith, or what was your conversation with God like around that time?

basically, my answer would be, 'The alternative is not acceptable.' I'm not going to stay in my room and stare at the wall. As long as I can do

I never felt abandoned or like I was being punished.

There was nothing that could be done about it.

There was no correction, no cure. And so it was a question of walking the way I was going. And again, I just say God is good, because only on a rare occasion, I will want to read something or look at something, and I just can't get ... and I want take the computer and throw it through the window. But that’s very rarely. And when that would happen, I'd say, "Calm down." I mean, I would talk to myself and say, "God, help me. I just need to calm down. This is fine. We'll figure out a way here." And so, again, it's partially my temperament.

In 2014, you were profiled by CBS, and they called you, "A person you should know." The term that they used was

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The Eastern Province of the Augustinians has a very good example. Fr. Bill Atkinson was paraplegic, and he was injured in a novitiate. And after his rehabilitation, they actually allowed him to be professed, study theology, and he was the first paraplegic man to be ordained. And that permission was given by the Archbishop of Philadelphia. And so, again, just like anybody, it's on a case by case basis.

There was a time when, if you were disabled in any way, if you were missing a finger, you could not be ordained.

Especially if it was your thumb and your forefinger, because that's how you held the host.

And so, no, you wouldn't be ordained.

And now, I mean, that's, again, there's open consideration for that to happen. So there is a very much changed attitude.

something, I'm going to do something, and God enables me to do that.

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am, being blind, and I realized that people took what they needed to take. In other words, I ministered, I heard confession, I anointed them, I said mass, all of that.

And then if they wanted to talk about my blindness, I'd talk about it.

Have you been able to help others in their experience of losing vision, or serve as an example?

Yes, with the Blind Service Association downtown, for a good ten years I would call people who were interested on the phone and interview them. Alot of blind people, especially if they're not accepting of it, just get isolated. They won't go out of the house. And so the trick is that, if you can get them to come once, and to

will ordain men who are blind or men who suffer from disabilities. Do you know at all?

WHAT WE'RE READING After professing their vows to the Augustinian Order, friars from our Province typically enter into graduatelevel studies at the Catholic Theological Union, in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. During a five-year period in which they earn their masters, friars reside in St. Augustine Friary, across the street from CTU, with the exception on their third year, which they spend on pastoral service.

So, what exactly are these men studying? for our Fall Issue we asked Br. Spencer Thomas, O.S.A. to discuss what he has been reading in his first semester of graduate school. Br. Spencer, an alum of Cascia Hall in Tulsa, OK, professed his first vows to the Order this August, at the age of 25.

Br. Spencer Thomas, O.S.A.

In my "Introduction to New Testament Scripture" course, we are currently reading a book entitled, Composing Sacred Scripture: How the Bible was Formed, by Donald Senior, C.P.. This book looks at the various historical, literary, and methodological components that gave rise to the development of the Bible. One chapter, of particular interest, discusses the way in which the disciples and early church members sustained the collective memory of Jesus in various communities of faith.

Before the composition of the writings that would eventually make up the New Testament, the experience of Jesus was communicated to these earliest believers by word of mouth; this was the primary means by which the faith was shared.

Insights such as this help me to better understand the historical and cultural context that shaped the writers, readers, and message of the New Testament scriptures.

Another book that is of particular interest is entitled, Culture, Inculturation, & Theologians: A Postmodern Critique, by Gerald Arbuckle. This is one of the texts being utilized in my World Christianity and Interreligious Dialogue course, a class that explores in depth the historical and cultural diversity of the Catholic faith tradition, as well as how our Church is being called to grow and evolve in intercultural dialogue with other faith traditions. This book helps in this task by looking at the historical development of “culture” from an anthropological perspective, as well as offering a firm theological framework for bridging the gap between Gospel and culture—a framework that is rooted in the intercultural awareness and sensitivity of Jesus Christ.

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A New Chapter in Peru

By Fr. John Lydon, O.S.A.

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n September the members of the Vicariate came together for their annual retreat and then the Vicariate chapter to install the new leadership team of the Vicariate. Bishop Dan Turley graciously interrupted his busy schedule to direct the retreat for the Vicariate members focusing on the call to holiness that Pope Francis promoted in his recent encyclical on the theme.

As the retreat ended, we moved into the Vicariate chapter with the installation of Fr Ramiro Castillo as the new vicar.

Fr Tony Pizzo, the new provincial of the Midwest province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, presided the Chapter since he is a Spanish speaker.

After the opening mass and a dinner welcoming all the friars coming from different parts of the country where the Augustinians serve, everyone met in the auditorium and

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approved the agenda and other minor details. The following day was the installation mass, with the presence of Bishop Dan Turley and Bishop Bob Prevost joining the fraternal celebration.

Fr Tony received the commitment of Fr Ramiro to serve and then with the handing of the seal the official change of leadership took place.

Fr Ramiro is the second Peruvian born Augustinian to lead the Vicariate, after the previous Vicar, Fr. Fidel Alvarado, O.S.A. completed the maximum of eight years of service.

He comes from the mountain parish of Santo Domingo, in the dioceses of Chulucanas, which for over 20 years was under the care of the Augustinians.

In 1984 we returned the parish to the dioceses in order to go to the more isolated mission area of Pacaipampa.

From our long stay in Santo Domingo we have received five priests who originated from that parish.

Besides Fr Ramiro, also installed as members of the Council was Fr. Wilder Vasquez, O.S.A., who was on the previous council that ended its term at the chapter. His presence ensures a degree of continuity in the governance of the Vicariate since all of the other members are serving for the first time.

Fr Wilder is from the mountain region of Cajamarca where the Augustinians have never served but which produced a couple of vocations because of the vocational promotion of a dioceses priest who knew the Augustinians

in Trujillo. The third member of the Council is Fr. Miguel Sedan,O.S.A. who comes from the city of Piura, which is the largest city near Chulucanas. He is the first vocation from that city to join the Augustinians.

The final member of the Vicariate is Jose Falu Benites, O.S.A.. He is one of the younger members of the Vicariate being ordained just a year ago. A native of Chulucanas his family had long ties to our parish in Chulucanas and he has a sister that is a religious as well.

After the installation of the new Council, all the members of the Vicariate were involved in the planning process to develop the Vicariate’s programa to guide the Council in the next four years. They approved both a new slogan for the year, which reflects the vision of the Vicariate as well as a plan of actions to be promoted during the following 4 years. Much discussion was spent on the need to fortify vocational promotion, especially in light of the declining numbers of young men considering priesthood or religious life throughout Peru. Fruit of this dialogue was an increased effort to

animate young men to participate in the vocational retreat held in November.

With the finishing mass the four days of meetings in the Chapter came to a close. As sign of gratitude to the Lord for the signs of His grace working in the Vicariate, the last day of the chapter a pilgrimage was made to the town of Otuzco where the most popular Marian devotion of northern Peru is centered.

The devotion is called the Virgen de la Puerta (Virgen of the Door), who was crowned by Pope Francis in his recent visit to Peru. It is a devotion started by the Augustinians around the year 1600 and has its name from the 1700s when pirates invades and burned the city of Trujillo and then began to head up to Otuzco. The residents put the statute of Mary in the door of entrance to the walled city and as the pirates grew close, they decided to turn around. For the people of the town there was the deep conviction that the Virgen placed in the town’s door was the cause for the miraculous change of direction of the pirates and from that point on the name Virgen of the Door was given to the statue and its place in the town became a pilgrimage that is the largest for the northern part of Peru.

Touring the future campus: Fr. Fidel Alvarado, O.S.A. (in blue polo) provides a tour for Fr. Tony, Fr. Richie, and Br. Sam around the construction site for the new campus of St. Augustine School in Trujillo. Currently only the initial surrounding wall has been completed.

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Clockwise from top: Future residents of the friary, Fr. Thomas Osbourne, O.S.A., Fr. Terry Deffenbaugh, O.S.A., Fr. Joseph McCormick, O.S.A., and Fr. Joseph Broudou, O.S.A.; the simulated plans for the new friary; statue of Our Mother of Good Counsel.

New Augustinian Friary to be built at Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish

By Fr. Joseph McCormick, O.S.A.

A

new Augustinian friary will soon be built in Homer Glen, Illinois. The friary will accommodate up to six Augustinian friars. Located at 160th and South Bell Road on the property of Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish, the new friary is a joint effort of the Diocese of Joliet, the Midwest Augustinians, Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish, St. Bernard Parish and other benefactors.

The friary will include two 2-room suites for the pastors of St. Bernard and Our Mother of Good Counsel, plus four large bedrooms, all with private baths. The common area will include a chapel, family room, dining

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room, kitchen, sitting room/parlor, storage, a 4-car garage, and an enclosed courtyard. There will also be an unfinished lower level that can accommodate two additional rooms in the future as well as space for additions to the garage.

The new friary will house Fr. Joseph Broudou and Fr. Joe McCormick, the Augustinian pastors of Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish and St. Bernard Parish respectively— both in Homer Glen. The friary will be a residence for Fr. Terry Deffenbaugh, lifelong youth minister and currently chaplain and teacher at the University of St. Francis in Joliet and semi-retired Fr. Tom Osborne, founding pastor of Our Mother of Good Counsel who still helps there. In addition, the friary will be suited for retired or semiretired Augustinians and will also be able to accommodate seminary interns interested in parish ministry.

In recent years, the Midwest Augustinians have been increasing their presence and ministry in the diocese of Joliet. In nearby New Lenox, the Augustinians accepted the administration of Providence Catholic High School in 1984 and St. Jude Parish in 1993. In 1996 Augustinian Father Tom Osborne founded Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish in Homer Glen and in 2017 Augustinian Father Joe McCormick was appointed the pastor of St. Bernard Parish.

Up to the present, the Augustinian friars have lived in the rectory owned by Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish.

The project is being funded primarily by the sale of St. Bernard’s rectory which was owned directly by the diocese, the sale of Our Mother of Good Counsel’s rectory, a major gift from the Midwest Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel and other benefactors.

Novices

Pre-Novices

Men of Heart David Relstab, 22

Palos Hills, IL

Professed

Ramon Riesgo, 22

Chula Vista, CA

Matt Riggio, 40

Johannes Schmidt, 28

Downingtown, PA

Guayaquil, Ecuador

AugustiniAns

in

Ken Zesso, 24

Michael Riggs, 26

St. Charles, MO

Centereach, NY

Enrique Vasquez, 40 Salcedo, Dominican Republic

FormAtion

Javier Aguilar, 34

Sarfraz Alam, 34

Fr. John Arulthas, 44

Robert Baiocco, 46

Fr. Joseph Broudou, 55

William Gabriel, 26

Hyderabad, Pakistan

Toronto, Canada

Batavia, NY

Omaha, NE

Elizandro Contreras, 39 La Vega, Dominican Republic

Fr. Ray Flores, 45

Choluteca, Honduras

Las Cruces, NM

Dover, NH

Adnan Ghani, 33

Jeremy Hiers, 38

Emmanuel Isaac, 33

Sam Joutras, 26

Atsushi Kuwahara, 33

Daniel Madden, 29

Mauricio Morales, 28

Nick Mullarkey, 32

Gujrat, Pakistan

Hebron, KY

Faisalabad, Pakistan

Joliet, IL

Fukuoka, Japan

New Hope, PA

Granada, Nicaragua

West Des Moines, IA

Does God want you to be an Augustinian Friar?

Jeff Raths, 25

Arturo RenterĂ­a, 41

Joe Roccasalva, 28

Dominic Smith, 41

Spencer Thomas, 25

Jack Tierney, 28

Davison, MI

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL

Riverside, CA

Tulsa, OK

Sun Prairie, WI

Newly Solemnly Professed

Newly Ordained Nicholas Porter, 35

Maxime Villeneuve, 31

Bryan Kerns, 29

Philip Yang, 38

Los Angeles, CA

San Diego, CA

Philadelphia, PA

Anaheim, CA

www. au g u stinia nvoc a t i on s . or g VISIT US ONLINE!

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IN MEMORIAM:

Fr. Erwin James Dodge, O.S.A. It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Fr. Erwin James Dodge, OSA has gone to eternal life. He took his last breath this evening, September 19, 2018, at around 6pm. He was 94 years of age.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following supporters for including the Augustinians in their wills or estate plans: Pierre M. Adams

Dr. Phyllis Lauinger

Erwin was born February 20, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois to Francis and Harriet Dlotkowski. He was Baptized Leonard Erwin Dlotkowski at St. Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Chicago, March 2, 1924. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation June 9, 1938 at Five Holy Martyrs Church, Chicago. By court decree dated January 6, 1947, the family name was changed from Dlotkowski to Dodge, and Erwin’s name was changed from Leonard Erwin Dlotkowski to Erwin James Dodge.

Joseph F. Bamberger

Bonnie Leighty

Donald R. Berschback

William Leighty

Anne Berschback

Thomas Leo

Chuck Cassity

Steve Leos, Jr.

James A. Corona

Dolores P. Lundeen

James V. Corrigan

Robert H. Mace, Jr., Th.M.

Thomas C. De Corte

Elizabeth Manning

Delores Denning

Michael P. Manning

Joseph A. Drap

Dcn. Terrance McGuire

Sandra Lyn Drap

Kathleen McGowan

Carolyn A. Dunskis

Helen J. Merkelis

Gregory J. Flanagan

Donald V. Miller

Rita M. Fortino

Debra Molinari

Erwin is a 1942 graduate of Kelly High School, Chicago. Erwin served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. He was honorably discharged in March, 1946, having attained the rank of Pharmacist’s Mate First Class. He then studied at Loyola University, Chicago, earning a B. S. in Biology in 1950.

Dr. Robert J. Fredericks

Dr. Thomas J. Moore

John M. Freese

Harry J. O'Sullivan

Mary Friedel-Hunt

Adele O'Sullivan

John A. Gaberino, Jr.

Lorraine Pavelcik

He entered the Augustinian formation program in 1951. Following postgraduate studies at Saint Augustine Seminary, Holland, Michigan, Erwin was received into the Augustinian Novitiate September 9, 1952. He professed temporary vows September 10, 1953 and solemn (permanent) vows September 10, 1956.

Ardith E. Goodroe

William F. Pines

Frank D. Grimaldi

Connie Pines

Winifred M. Guthikonda

Mary Rasmussen

Richard H. Hagedorn

Richard Rasmussen

Following his temporary profession, he studied Philosophy at Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, in 1953 and 1954. He then followed the course of theological studies at Augustinian College, Washington, D. C., from 1954 to 1958. He earned an M. S. in Zoology from Catholic University of America, Washington, in 1957. He was ordained a Priest June 5, 1957.

David J. Hougan

Bernice A. Raubiskis

Lois J. Jacobs

Pauline Reidy

Michael C. Kirby

Michael B. Schneider, Sr.

Wayne G. Klasing

Lisa Ann Solava

Barbara G. Klasing

Richard C. Solava

After completing his initial formation, Father Dodge was assigned in 1958 to Saint Rita High School, Chicago, where he served as teacher and band/cheerleader moderator. He was transferred to Mendel Catholic High School, Chicago in 1961.

There he was a teacher, school newspaper and yearbook advisor, band moderator, athletic director and activities director.

Richard D. Kornowski

John S. Sosnowski

John N. Kost

Ned Van Hamm

Sandra Kruse

David Vaughan

John D. Kwiatkowski

Lisa Vaughan

Robert J. LaFortune

Martin H. Wojcik

Father Dodge returned to teaching at Saint Rita High School, Chicago, in 1984. He was also band moderator at the school, and moderator of the Ladies of Tolentine, a group of women which supported Province formation programs.

Anthony J. Lauinger

In 1993, he was assigned to the Augustinian community of Saint Clare of Montefalco Parish, Chicago, residing at the nearby Saint Alypius House. He served as a part-time chaplain at Holy Cross Hospital, Chicago. In 2003, Father Dodge was assigned to Saint Monica Monastery, Chicago, where he continued to live in retirement. When Saint Monica Monastery was closed in 2010, Father Dodge moved to St. Rita High School Monastery, Chicago.

In 2016, he was assigned to Bl. Stephen Bellesini Friary, Crown Point, Indiana, where his health care needs could be better met.

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Midwest Augustinian Restless Hearts Society

The Midwest Augustinian |

FALL/WINTER 2018

W

Thank You to Our Newest Donors!

e are so grateful for those that join us in our mission to serve the Church through their charitable support!

In each issue, we thank those newest donors that have given their first donation to support our Province.

Thank you to the following donors that began donating between August 10 and November 5, 2018. We ask all our readers to keep these newest supporters in your prayers.

Please note this is not a list of all donors from this period, but only those making their first donation to the Midwest Augustinians. If you feel your contribution is not properly reflected in this report, please contact the Advancement Office at advancement@midwestaugustinians.org at 773-595-4021.

Ms. Peggy A. Biby

Mr. and Mrs. Ross K. Horne

Mr. John C. Predkiewicz

Mr. Michael J. Boldyga

Ms. June M. Houston

Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Prieve

Ms. Sherri D. Bowlby

Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Jenkins

Mrs. and Mr. Maureen T. Provost

Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Boyda

Mr. Anthony F. Jurich

Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Rajewski

Ms. Mary Rita Braasch

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Kos

Mr. Donald E. Reimer

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Brennan, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Koteles

Ms. Cheryl Robertson

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brzeczek

Mr. and Mrs. Lance N. Krajacic

Mr. and Mrs. Lance C. Rowlen

Ms. Alison Bussinger

Mrs. Dorothy Larkin

Mr. and Mrs. Derek Rundle

Ms. Helen M. Chathas

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Lesnicki

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Ryan

Ms. Sandra A. Compisi

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence M. Lichtenstein

Ms. Maureen Sageser

Mr. and Mrs. James Lind

Ms. Claudia Santin

Mrs. Judith A. Dehm Miss Annette DesChatellier Ms. Dorothy Dlotkowski Mr. Gregory G. Dodge Ms. Bernice A. Droste Mr. and Mrs. Paul Eck Mr. and Mrs. Chris Esterhammer Mr. and Mrs. Jerome J. Ewald Mr. and Mrs. Kevin B. Flannery Mr. and Mrs. Gregory J. Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Larry Fugate Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gardner Ms. Anna M. Glosa Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Gnad Mr. and Mrs. John Graham Ms. Mary Greene Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Guilfoyle Mr. and Mrs. Santos Gutierrez Mr. Alan Hartmann Mr. and Mrs. Donald C. Henderson

Ms. Nancy Sander

Mr. and Mrs. William R. Luehrs

Mr. and Mrs. William A. Schneweis

Ms. Therese L. Maiberger

Mr. and Mrs. James N. Schroeder

Ms. Cheryl A. Malecki

Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Shadoin

Ms. Kelly Malecki

Mr. Bruce J. Shatel

Mr. and Mrs. James Maliszewski

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald D. Simpson

Mr. Paul A. Manthey

Mr. Maurizio Ursetta

Mr. William F. Marchand

Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. VanRyn

Ms. Janice M. McCann

Ms. Jean Volosin

Mr. and Mrs. John McDermott

Ms. Gertrude Wendling

Mr. and Mrs. Brian McKinney

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis P. Wetta

Ms. Carol A. Mendoza

Mr. and Mrs. James Whalen

Mr. and Mrs. Bradley A. Moses

Mr. and Mrs. Dale E. Wiggins

Mr. Michael E. O'Connell

Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Wright

Mr. Norbert E. Olaska

Mr. and Mrs. Ron M. Youngers

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Pack, Jr.

Ms. Linda S. Zerfas

Mr. and Mrs. James J. Panozzo Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Pfannenstiel Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Pfeifer

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Zwiesler Mr. and Mrs. Lester A. Zych

Ms. Arline M. Powers VISIT US ONLINE!

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I

In Honor and In Memory Of… n each issue, we recognize the Augustinians, parishes, schools, and individuals that have been honored with a tribute or memorial gift. The following gifts were received between August 10 and November 5, 2018. List a friar in the enclosed envelope with a donation, and he will be recognized in the next issue of The Midwest Augustinian!

Rev. Edward A. Andrews, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. Kevin G. Burns Rev. Charles J. Bodden, O.S.A. † Mr. Raymond M. Gutjahr Rev. Alfred M. Burke, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. Brad H. Stubitsch Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Ward Ms. Mary Rita Braasch Rev. Francis J. Crawford, O.S.A. † Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Rev. W. Timothy Cuny, O.S.A. † Dcn. and Mrs. Norbert G. Brossmer Mr. John J. Ziemba Rev. Bernard R. Danber, O.S.A. Mr. Gary R. Waxmonsky Rev. Erwin J. Dodge, O.S.A. † Dcn. and Mrs. Joseph Roccasalva Miss Joyce Oboy Mr. and Mrs. Brian D. Deenihan Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clam Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Dunmore Mr. and Mrs. Francis L. Olinger Mr. and Mrs. James J. Panozzo Mr. and Mrs. James Lind Mr. and Mrs. John Coogan Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Dombrowski Mr. Dunmore Folliard Mr. Gregory G. Dodge Mr. Michael J. Boldyga Mr. Norbert E. Olaska Mrs. Dorothy Larkin Ms. Carol J. Hobe Ms. Dorothy Dlotkowski Ms. Helen M. Chathas Ms. Suzanne E. Kukulski Rev. John F. Flynn, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. John C. St Andre Mr. Edward Flynn Rev. James C. Friedel, O.S.A.

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Dr. and Mrs. Kevin G. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Stephen H. Custer Mrs. Elvira Escalante Mrs. Marie C. Shroba Rev. Paul W. Galetto, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Rev. Karl A. Gersbach, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Bermel Rev. James R. Halstead, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. Richard J. Zaranek Rev. Joseph F. Hartman, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. James R. McInerney Br. Jack M. Hibbard, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Rev. Stephen M. Isley, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. John F. Fitter Mr. and Mrs. Mark D. Isley Rev. William W. Labadie, O.S.A. † Mr. and Dr. Anthony J. Lauinger Mr. Anthony J. & Dr. Phyllis Lauinger Rev. Francis X. Lawlor, O.S.A. † Mr. Frank J. Drabik Rev. Donald R. Lewandowski, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. Dale D. Novak Rev. Henry B. Maibusch, O.S.A. Mr. Joseph A. Shore Rev. Thomas R. McCarthy, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. Kevin G. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lepore Mendel Catholic HS - Augustinians Mr. and Mrs. Jerry P. Hartmann Rev. John D. Merkelis, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Mrs. Marie C. Shroba Ms. Janice H. Sosnowski Rev. John J. Molnar, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. Gregory R. Pawell Br. Nicholas J. Mullarkey, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. Larry E. Smith Rev. Gerald A. Nicholas, O.S.A.

FALL/WINTER 2018

Mr. and Mrs. John Coogan Rev. Richard T. O'Leary, O.S.A. Mrs. Elaine F. Brusewitz Rev. William A. Perez, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. Gary C. LaGere Very Rev. Anthony B. Pizzo, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Ms. Christine Bobek Br. Jeffrey D. Raths, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Raths Br. Joseph R. Roccasalva, O.S.A. Dcn. and Mrs. Joseph Roccasalva Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Ms. Maureen Heffernan Br. Joe L. Ruiz, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Rev. James G. Ryan, O.S.A. † Ms. Mary K. Schneider Rev. Raymond R. Ryan, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. William F. Bingham Rev. Bernard C. Scianna, O.S.A., Ph.D. Mr. and Mrs. Gary C. LaGere Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Tramontana Ms. Regina Kristopaitis Rev. John L. Seary, O.S.A. † Mr. Richard G. Napoli Rev. James J. Sheridan, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. Kevin G. Burns Mr. and Mrs. John C. St Andre Rev. John J. Sotak, O.S.A. † Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Rev. Christopher C. Steinle, O.S.A. Mrs. Marie C. Shroba Br. John J. Stobba, O.S.A. † Dr. Patricia A. McGlinn Miss Annette DesChatellier Mr. and Mrs. Chris Esterhammer Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Koteles Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brzeczek

Mr. and Mrs. James N. Schroeder Mr. and Mrs. James P. Finnegan Mr. and Mrs. John McDermott Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. LaPorte Mr. and Mrs. Lance N. Krajacic Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gardner Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Dombrowski Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hernandez Mr. William F. Marchand Mrs. Betty C. Gansinger Ms. Anna M. Glosa Ms. Arline M. Powers Ms. Gertrude Wendling Ms. Helen T. Bouchez Ms. June M. Houston Ms. Linda S. Zerfas Ms. Therese L. Maiberger Rev. Joseph G. Stobba, O.S.A. Dr. and Mrs. Kevin G. Burns

Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Cosgrove Mr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Culen Rev. R. William Sullivan, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Mr. John Seper Br. Jerome A. Sysko, O.S.A. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Kennedy Ms. Laura J. Nalepka Rev. Theodore E. Tack, O.S.A. † Dr. and Mrs. John A. Lewis, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Gary C. LaGere Rev. Gerard J. Theis, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Meyer Br. Spencer R. Thomas, O.S.A. Dcn. and Mrs. Michael Loeffler Rev. Raymond P. Wheeler, O.S.A. † Mr. and Mrs. James R. McInerney

PROVINCE ADVANCEMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL Norma Berman Ted C. Berman Anne Berschback Donald Berschback Matthew F. Coughlin, III Jim Foody, M.D. Nancy Foody Ryan Gandurski

Michael Gerrity, Chief Advancement Officer Mark S. Hacker Catherine Hennessy

"Hours" continued from page 8

Liturgy of the Hours has been revised; the most recent revision was in the Second Vatican Council, which sought to restore it more fully to its spiritual significance of offering praise to God at different times throughout the day.

Morning and Evening Prayer are the principal hours for the Office that are prayed in our Augustinian communities; Night Prayer, around 9 PM, is also fairly common. In our chapels, we sit in choir style, which means that we sit on opposite sides and face each other to facilitate recitation and singing. We use a book called the Breviary, which is the compilation of the daily Psalms, readings, and instructions for the Liturgy of the Hours. After an opening hymn, we begin a call-and-response form of reciting three Psalms that are arranged in a four-week cycle. Then there is a short reading from Scripture and a responsorial prayer, after which we recite or sing the Gospel Canticle.

Ed Hennessy For Morning Prayer, the Gospel Canticle is the Benedictus, the prayer that Zechariah recited when he could finally speak, after the birth of his son, John the Baptist (Luke 1:68-79). For Evening Prayer, it is the Magnificat, the prayer that the Virgin Mary said when she visited Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55).

We then end with Intercessions, the Our Father, and a closing prayer. While the Office may seem cumbersome at first, we become accustomed to its rhythm fairly quickly and delve into its depth as we settle into Augustinian life.

Augustinian life, in part, revolves around praying the Office. We are conscious of the importance placed on praying the Psalms by St. Augustine, who believed that the Psalms are a history of the soul. Beginning, punctuating, and ending the day with this communal prayer helps me to perceive the hand of God in the midst of busyness and discernment of this way of life: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” (Confessions 1, 1).

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Gregory Jania, Vice-Chairman Anthony J. Lauinger Pat Ormsby Very Rev. Anthony B. Pizzo O.S.A., Prior Provincial Lisa Ann Solava, PHR Richard Solava Robert Sullivan Denise M. Utter Robert Utter Martin Wojcik, CFRE Chairman Mike Zunica

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19

The

MIDWEST AUGUSTINIAN

Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel 5401 South Cornell Avenue Chicago, IL 60615-6200

NORPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID AURORA, IL PERMIT 437

Join Us In Person or Prayer for the Solemn Profession of Vows of Brother Jack Tierney, O.S.A. on Sunday, December 16 at 2 PM St. Thomas of Villanova Church Villanova University

DEC

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