BROTHERS How did you meet your community? The Augustinians did a mission in my parish when I was in seventh grade, and I remembered them from that. Also, my mother was educated by the Augustinians in California in high school and has a great love for them. Additionally, some of my extended family members were involved in different Augustinian parishes and schools in the Midwest.
Did you grow up involved in the church and in service?
My two brothers and I attended Catholic grammar school and went to Sunday Masses. My mother was very formative in our faith life, teaching us to share our gifts with others. I remember as a child volunteering at the local homeless shelter and also visiting retired Holy Cross Sisters in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Do you have a favorite way to pray? Having scheduled, communal times for prayer at the beginning and end of each day serves as bookends for my daily ministry. Setting aside time for personal reflection and contemplation is a catalyst to notice the continual work of the Holy Spirit.
Your best experiences so far as a brother? Being present to people during the height of the pandemic was meaningful. Our community sought to include everyone in its pandemic outreach. This showed me the beauty of how the Augustinians bring everyone together for the common good.
Better together BROTHER DAVID RELSTAB, O.S.A. When Brother David Relstab, O.S.A. was thinking about a life of church service, what drew him to religious life was its most distinctive quality: community. Sharing meals, prayer, and daily living with a group of men focused on a common mission was a big attraction. As an auto technician with a newly completed degree in automotive engineering, Relstab—who by then was looking into vocation options— did a 180-degree turn away from engineering. He connected with the Augustinian Friars, and in 2018 he took the formal step of entering the formation (or preparation) program to join the community.
COURTESY OF THE MIDWEST AUGUSTINIAN FRIARS
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