The Augustinians, Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova

Contents Letter from the Provincial Called to Religious Life & the Augustinians Discovering Augustinian Spirituality Meet the Newly Professed Interested in the Augustinians and Religious Life? The Augustinians: Embracing the Future Images from the Missions Living Waters Footsteps The Augustinian Family: Profile In Paradisum The Medicine of Mercy Keeping Track Letter from the Provincial Dear Friend, Augustine says: “Some people have plenty of money. Let them feed the poor, clothe the naked, build a church, and use their money for whatever good purposes they can. Other people have the gift of counsel. Let them guide their neighbors, dispersing the darkness of doubt with the light of loving faith. Still others have the ability to teach. Let them make distribution from the storerooms of the Lord, handing out food to their fellow servants, confirming the faithful, calling back those who stray, seeking the lost, as best they can” (Sermon 91, 9). Augustine is talking about gifts, gifts that each and every one of us received from God, so that we may serve others and serve God. In my role as Provincial, I find myself reflecting more and more on these gifts – and thanking God for his blessings. As an Augustinian, I look around our Province and I am filled with hope and thanksgiving for the gifts living within each friar. Augustinians hold within themselves what we commonly refer to as our charism. This charism is the unique gift given each of us by the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this charism is what truly makes us unique as Augustinians. I give thanks for this charism. I see it in my brothers each day, in the work they do and in their friendships with others. In recent months, we as a Province have been blessed to witness the solemn professions of Kevin DePrinzio, O.S.A, Joseph Narog, O.S.A, and Carlos Urbina, O.S.A. I am honored and grateful to be able to call these young men my brothers. The gifts they bring to our Augustinian family are tremendous, and I know their Augustinian charism will serve them well in their ministries. Inside you will find an introduction to these young Augustinians. They are wonderful men, and we welcome them with both joy and thanksgiving. As we keep on walking, moving forward, let us pray together that young people continue to be drawn to the religious life. As Augustinians, we have much that is appealing to young individuals discerning religious life. We offer community – and we embrace charism. Augustinians recognize the gifts inside each individual as gifts from God. By embracing these unique gifts, Augustinians oftentimes find themselves serving God and the Church in unique ministries. You will read about one such ministry in our profile of the Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center, tucked away amidst the Great Smoky Mountains in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Our friars there love what they do, and this cannot be overstated. Running a retreat center allows each of them to embrace their gifts in their day-to-day ministry. Living Waters is surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty in every season of the year. If you have the opportunity, I strongly urge you to make a retreat at Living Waters. Our friars are ready to welcome you. As always, thank you for traveling with us on the Augustinian Journey. Know that we are indebted to you for your support, friendship and prayers. May the gifts residing within each one of you continue to bring blessings both to you and to the world! Yours in Saint Augustine, Donald F. Reilly, O.S.A. Prior Provincial Called to Religious Life & the Augustinians The Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova was proud to celebrate the solemn profession of Brothers Kevin DePrinzio, O.S.A., Joseph Narog, O.S.A., and Carlos Urbina, O.S.A., on October 11, 2003, at Saint Thomas of Villanova Church on the campus of Villanova University. It was a wonderful day for the entire Augustinian family, as Kevin, Carlos and Joe made their solemn commitment to the Order of Saint Augustine. The religious life has much to offer to these men, and they in turn have much to offer to the Augustinian way of life – and to the communities in which they will serve. Read more about these young Augustinians below. Father Robert Prevost, O.S.A., prior general of the Order, received the solemn vows of Kevin, Carlos and Joe during the profession ceremony. Following below are inspiring and insightful words given by Father Prevost at the solemn profession. I want to begin these reflections this afternoon with a poem, in Spanish, written centuries ago by an Augustinian: No me mueve mi Dios, para quererte, El cielo que me tienes prometido, Ni me mueve el infierno tan temido, Para dejar por eso de ofenderte. Tú me mueves, Señor, muéveme el verte, Clavado en una cruz escarnecido, Muéveme all ver tu cuerpo tan herido, Muéveme tus afrentas y tu muerte. Muéveme al fin tu amor, y en tal manera Que aunque no hubiera cielo yo te amara, Y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera. No me tienes que dar porque te quiera, Pues aunque lo que espero, no esperara Y lo mismo que te quiero, te quisiera. What is it that makes us love God? What moves our heart, what gives us life, what could possibly be the motivation for us to make the choices we do? For what reason are these three brothers of ours making their solemn and perpetual commitment today, consecrating their lives as Augustinians? The first part of the response we find in the Gospel they have chosen for this Eucharist, to which we have just listened: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. This I command you: love one another.” How do we, as Augustinians, experience this love, find God’s love in our lives, and develop our own response to that mystery of Divine love in our own experience? In one of the Desert Fathers, we read the words: “The further away I am from people, the closer I find myself to God.” We will never find those words in Saint Augustine. He will, rather, tell us that the more we love one another, the more assured we will be that we are living in God’s love. How do we do this? Following Jesus Christ and the Gospel in a specific way – in a way in which our heart is given totally and undividedly to God, living and working together as friends in community, and seeking to serve, to respond with generosity to the needs of others. The form of life that we Augustinians take on is expressed through the evangelical counsels, that Joe, Kevin and Carlos will profess – solemnly and perpetually – during this Eucharist: poverty, chastity and obedience. Poverty? Does that make sense in 21st century United States? Do we really understand what this vow is about? Does it make sense to us today? And if it doesn’t make sense here, where some have suggested that we need to change the name of this vow, I suspect it makes less sense in some of the poorer countries of the world, where by entering a religious life, a candidate finds that upon entering religious community, he now has access to housing, food, education, health care, etc., that he would never have if he didn’t become a member of a religious community! What is this “poverty” about? It’s about a common sharing of goods, as a means of searching for God in and with other human beings, without all the trappings of material possessions, which so often possess us. It’s about a simple lifestyle, which I believe all of us need to work towards, that will enable us to experience and believe in a deeply-rooted solidarity with the poor and suffering of this world; it’s about a freedom to leave all things behind to follow Christ, wherever we might be called to do so. The practical witness given by the sharing of possessions, both material and spiritual, in the community and by an active commitment to the promotion of solidarity needs to take a variety of forms: Responsible work and simplicity of life, a committed defense of human rights, participation in the promotion of Justice and Peace, an evangelizing presence among the needy. These are some of the ways that our vow of poverty – our vow of the communion of goods – can be translated into a truly prophetic way of life that will give the people with whom we live and work a message of hope. What about the vow of chastity? Does this vow make sense today? How many people really understand what this style of life is about? Chastity is about an undivided heart; the ability to love without possessing, and without being possessed (or obsessed), and without the obligations that are placed on one because of physical and emotional ties. Chastity is about the freedom to be generous to all people, without expecting or looking for reciprocation. It is an expression of our willingness to be chaste and celibate, as a powerful symbol of the coming of the Kingdom of God – and as a statement that only God, ultimately, can fulfill the longing of the human heart. We have, by our profession of this vow, been placed on a higher plane – like it or not. Greater are the expectations that are placed upon us. People want to believe in the possibility of what we profess, but we must be willing to live out what we say with our words of profession. Obedience: on one level, someone might ask, what’s so special about that? Is there anyone here who does not have to obey his boss, and to fulfill very strict requirements in order to keep his job? And what about the “obedience” that is lived, even demanded, between husband and wife? Some could rightly ask us who has the greater weight placed upon him: a religious, to whom a great amount of flexibility is oftentimes given, in terms of job, living arrangements, and other decisions? Or the man or woman in the working world, whose life literally depends upon his/her ability to obey, to comply, to fulfill what is expected? Obviously, our vow of obedience is meant to touch upon a different level of human reality and relationship. Our vow calls us to look at issues related to authority and leadership, what the traditional vow of obedience seeks to express. There is a popular perception that obedience is about the subjugation of some people to the commands and dictates of the superior. However, the fundamental meaning of “obedience” is quite different. It is inherent in the word itself: obaudire means to listen attentively; that is, to listen to God, to others, to life’s circumstances. Augustine’s “you are nearer to me than I am to myself” is very apropos here. We are to listen to God who is within us; we are to listen to God’s word in community; we are to listen in order to discover not necessarily what I want, but what is best for the good of the community. In a society that promotes the seizing of power – where there are political structures that are both corrupt and oppressive, where the manipulation of the truth can often be used to accomplish the goals of a small group of people, and models of leadership that do not permit dialogue and participation are so often prevalent – it is extremely important that our way of life offer another choice, another model, for those who believe. True obedience for Augustinians requires careful listening, “disciplined conversation” – dialogue, in an attitude of service. (This is an aspect of our lives that has meaning in the Church and in our society today, if we live what we profess in a prophetic way.) Ultimately, our vow of obedience is supposed to draw us closer to the experience that was central in the profound insight of the poem with which I began this homily: the cross of Jesus Christ. We may run from this one for a long time. Sooner or later, it is something that all Christians are called to live, and to embrace – if not any sooner, then certainly as we approach our own death. As religious, people often turn to us, looking for a deeper sense of understanding the suffering in their lives (whatever the cause may be). If we have not begun to get in touch with this dimension of our own lives, we will never be able to walk with others in their moments of pain and suffering. Our lives need to reflect an authentic sense of hope in the Resurrection – but you cannot truly rise until you have died. The gesture that these three men will make in a few minutes, of lying prostrate on the floor here before us, is a symbol of the cross; a symbol of dying; an expression of their giving their lives wholly to Christ, to the Gospel, to God’s love, to all of you. The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience are the Augustinian way of leading us to know God’s love, to live in and share that mystery of divine presence with all of God’s people. We are called to be witnesses in the world today of a dimension of reality that is not readily visible to the human eye – but which the human heart longs for, and needs in its struggle to move beyond the limits of everyday human routine. As Augustinians, we join together as friends, in community, united in our common search for God, and in our commitment to serve the Church, to serve the People of God. Discovering Augustinian Spirituality For those seeking a deeper sense of spirituality in their own lives, the Augustinian tradition has much to offer. But how does one go about finding this tradition? How does someone engage this tradition in one’s spiritual life? How does an individual make Augustinian spirituality a part of daily life? For over a year now, a small group of Augustinians and members of the extended Augustinian family have gathered every few months to wrestle with these very questions. They gather to discuss something they all cherish – Augustinian spirituality – and they do so with a bold vision for the future: To make Augustinian spirituality both accessible and inclusive so that people from all walks of life can have access to it. In other words, to inspire those thirsting for deeper meaning in their lives with a uniquely Augustinian spirituality. The Augustinian Spirituality Planning Group is comprised of individuals representing diverse relationships with both the Augustinians and Augustinian spirituality. From Augustinian friar to Augustinian secular, from Augustinian school alumni to Augustinian Volunteer alumni, and from former Augustinian to staff members at Augustinian institutions – together the group brings a wealth of diverse encounters with Augustinian spirituality to the table. The group’s dream is to make that spirituality available to others. What happens, for example, to the thousands of individuals who graduate from Augustinian institutions each year? What becomes of the growing number of young adults whose lives are transformed each year through the Augustinian Volunteer program? How does a former Augustinian engage Augustinian spirituality in his life as a layperson? Where do those who have never heard of the Augustinians find Augustinian spirituality, and how do they incorporate it into their day-to-day lives? What happens when a family moves and is no longer attached to their Augustinian-run church? Or vice versa? It is a question with limitless answers and limitless potential: How does one connect to Augustinian spirituality? The Augustinian Spirituality Planning Group is excited by the question and committed to making the limitless answers to it a reality. To share your thoughts with the Augustinian Spirituality Planning Group, or just to follow along with its activities as they happen, visit the group’s web-log on the “Online Resources” page of www.augustinian.org. Recommended Reading: Our Restless Heart: The Augustinian Tradition By Thomas F. Martin, O.S.A. Both engaging and accessible, Our Restless Heart shares the spiritual legacy of Saint Augustine from the early Church through today. Available through Orbis Books at www.orbisbooks.org or by calling 800-258-5838. Meet the Newly Professed The Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova is proud to introduce to you its newest Augustinians, young friars who have made their solemn profession to the Augustinian Order in the last year. Kevin M. DePrinzio, O.S.A. Born: May 3, 1976 Birthplace: Darby, Pennsylvania First Profession: August 12, 2000 Solemn Profession: October 11, 2003 Joseph L. Narog, O.S.A. Born: January 3, 1959 Birthplace: Pottsville, Pennsylvania First Profession: August 12, 2000 Solemn Profession: October 11, 2003 Carlos E. Urbina, O.S.A. Born: March 28, 1963 Birthplace: El Salvador First Profession: August 12, 2000 Solemn Profession: October 11, 2003 Interested in the Augustinians and religious life? Brother Kevin DePrinzio, O.S.A., shares with us some thoughts about his Augustinian vocation. Look for other Augustinians – both newly professed as well as jubilarians – to share thoughts on their own vocation to religious life in future issues of the Augustinian Journey. What intrigued you about the Augustinian way of life? Although I did not articulate it as such at the time, community was what intrigued me. The friars at Monsignor Bonner High School each had rather distinct personalities, yet treated each other as brothers. There was a care, a love, and a respect that they had for one another that for me came across so clearly. How did you know you were being called to an Augustinian vocation? How does anyone know when they are being called? I remember my brother asked me after I entered how I knew God was calling me. And I said to him, think about what made you want to marry your wife. That sort of deep knowing that goes on inside of a person, that pull – that is what was happening to me throughout high school and college. Yet it’s not just an interior thing either. While I was feeling attracted to the Augustinians, others were seeing it in me too. I was gifted with many people in my life that asked me if I had ever considered priesthood and religious life. I found myself working in youth ministry while in high school and I became very involved in campus ministry in college. Yet ministry wasn’t enough for me. I wanted a way of life – the way of life I saw in the friars at Bonner. You spent your pastoral year at Monsignor Bonner High School. What was it like going back to Bonner after having been a student there? I guess when I first “envisioned” myself as a friar when in high school, I saw myself as a friar at Bonner, since that was my firsthand experience of them at the time. Never did I imagine returning so soon! Yet that return was a return home and a chance for me to give back to the school that gave me my community of brothers. The school – faculty, staff, and students – were so welcoming and supportive of me during my pastoral year. The friars with whom I lived and worked made me feel at home again. That experience gave me a great affirmation and confirmation of my life’s choice. To learn more about a vocation with the Augustinians, please contact: Father Jim McBurney, O.S.A. Provincial Offices P.O. Box 340 Villanova, PA 19085-0340 Phone: 610.527.3330 ext. 284 E-mail: vocations@augustinian.org The Augustinians: Embracing the Future As many of you may know, the Development Office has been working very hard preparing for the launch of the Campaign for the Augustinians, the Province’s first major fundraising effort in 42 years. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $25 million. This figure will provide for the renovation of Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery, incorporating a Residential Care Center, and begin to build an endowment for the larger mission of the Order. The Feasibility Study by Federico & Cummings allows us to proceed with confidence with this major philanthropic effort. We are very excited about the progress we’re making and the enthusiasm that is being generated. The Campaign for the Augustinians will be a nationwide endeavor. Although most of the Province’s ministries have been located on the East Coast, their influence has extended across the country and internationally as well. We have divided the country into five geographic regions and have put honorary and working co-chairs in each region. The quiet phase of the campaign will begin in the first quarter of 2004. To date, chairs for the Campaign for the Augustinians include: Joseph D. Calderone, O.S.A. Francis Chambers, O.S.A. Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Clay III John E. Deegan, O.S.A. Mr. Robert DiConcini Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A. Kevin F. Dwyer, O.S.A. John J. Farrell, O.S.A. Mr. Arthur Furia Paul W. Galetto, O.S.A. Anthony M. Genovese, O.S.A. Mr. William Hallissey Stephen J. LaRosa, O.S.A. Mr. Bradley MacDonald Mr. Michael MacDonald Lee J. Makowski, O.S.A. James E. Martinez, O.S.A. James J. McCartney, O.S.A. Ms. Alice Murray Mr. James Murray Donald F. Reilly, O.S.A. George F. Riley, O.S.A. Mr. John Smock Michael P. Sullivan, O.S.A. Robert M. Thornton, O.S.A. Mr. Thomas Thornton The Augustinians are truly fortunate to benefit from a long list of friends and champions, but our goals are ambitious and our dreams big. We know we can succeed, but we also know we can’t do it alone. Simply put – this campaign depends on you. When you join in this journey with the Augustinians of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova, you connect with a rich tradition of excellence that’s more than 200 years strong. Our goal is to continue that tradition so that the Augustinians can fulfill God’s plan for generations to come. Please join us as we embark on this exciting venture. There are many ways to help. Please contact: Natalie Agraz Director of Development Augustinian Provincial Offices P.O. Box 340 Villanova, PA 19085-0340 Phone: 610.527.3330 ext. 265 E-mail: development@augustinian.org Images from the Missions Saint Monica Parish, Nagoya, Japan Pastor: Father Thomas P. Dwyer, O.S.A. Address: Sasaoka Catholic Church Chuo-ku, Sasaoka 1-16-1 Fukuoka 810-0034, Japan Website: www2.odn.ne.jp/csasaoka/ Sasaoka Catholic Church is home to some 800 parishioners in the suburb of Fukuoka City. Founded in 1961 by Father Edward Griffin, O.S.A., today Father Thomas Dwyer, O.S.A., the current pastor, is beginning to raise funds to build a new church for the parish. Each Sunday the small church overflows with parishioners. Father Dwyer also spearheaded the building of a new kindergarten that sits adjacent to the church. Sasaoka Catholic Kindergarten, with Father Masaki Imada, O.S.A., as principal, is a well-known and respected institution in the community. Some 150 students, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, attend Sasaoka Kindergarten. Living Waters During autumn the mountains burn with color. In winter, a blanket of snow silences the trees and covers the valley in peaceful whiteness. Come spring and the mountains sing with birds and the streams gurgle to life. And summer, well, then there is green as far as the eye can see. Such is life in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, a small hamlet of a town tucked away on the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and there certainly isn’t a bad time to make the trek. It is in just such a setting that a small community of Augustinians live, work and pray. Resting on the western edge of the town of Maggie Valley, just before the road begins to ascend toward Great Smoky National Park, are Saint Margaret of Scotland Church and the Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center. The two work hand-in-hand in ministering to both the small parish community in Maggie Valley and the thousands of visitors and travelers who make their way to Living Waters for pray and reflection. In a land where Catholics are few, it is a unique ministry, one filled with much ecumenical potential. Today, the main strip through Maggie Valley is Highway 19, and it is dotted with motels, restaurants, and shops catering to migrating vacationers heading to the Great Smokies or the Cherokee Indian Reservation, both of which are just minutes from the town. Still, it is a small, quiet town, one where everyone knows your name – but more importantly, one where everyone cares for everyone else. It is a close-knit town, and it is easily seen in the close-knit parish community of Saint Margaret Church. Some 50 years ago, however, there wasn’t much in the way of tourism in Maggie Valley, and Highway 19 was a pretty barren road. A gas station. A small grocery store. That was about it, and there certainly was no Catholic church. The closest church was Saint John the Evangelist Church in nearby Waynesville, where Father Dennis McGowan, O.S.A., has served as pastor since 1999. A man named Michael Murphy laid the cornerstone of the first church in Maggie Valley, Saint Margaret of Scotland Church, in 1967. Murphy had been a frequent visitor to the area and bought the property on which the church sits in the mid-1950s. Not only did Murphy build the church – a beautiful building with two glass sides overlooking the mountains – but with the Diocese of Charlotte unable to provide a priest to staff the church, Murphy himself began studies for the priesthood, eventually becoming Saint Margaret’s first pastor. Today, Saint Margaret’s pastor is Father Frank Doyle, O.S.A. He came to Maggie Valley in 1998 with Father Terry Hyland, O.S.A., and Brother Bill Harkin, O.S.A., to establish an Augustinian presence in the region. Father McGowan followed a year later. It wasn’t long before the community of Saint Margaret’s embraced the Augustinians, and certainly vice versa. Sitting at the base of the hill on which Saint Margaret’s Church is perched is the Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center, a converted motel that draws countless retreatants each year. Brother Bill was recently appointed Director of Living Waters, succeeding Father Hyland, who ran the retreat center for the Augustinians’ first five years in Maggie Valley and is now at Monsignor Bonner High School. Also on staff at Living Waters are Father Doyle, who assists individuals with directed retreats, and Sister Frances Marie Grady, S.C.L., who works as a sabbatical advisor and also provides directed retreats and spiritual direction. Living Waters offers a wonderful retreat experience to countless individuals and groups each year. Be it a structured retreat, a private sabbatical, or just some days of personal rest and relaxation in the mountains, Living Waters provides its retreatants with a relaxing and renewing spiritual experience. Over 20 formal retreats are offered each year, including retreats centered around nature, Lent and Holy Week, life transitions, distinct forms of spirituality, and much more. In addition to these retreats, which are open to anyone visiting Living Waters, the staff at Living Waters also hosts retreats and conferences throughout the year. From youth groups to diocesan priests, from religious communities to college spring break volunteers, Living Waters has the room to accommodate them all. The Reflection Center includes rooms for 45 individuals in its main complex, additional rooms for those on sabbatical or other extended stays, and a cottage that can accommodate a small group of five retreatants. When individuals and groups come to Living Waters, because of the diversity of programs, each experience is unique. Common to all retreatants, however, is a spiritual experience that leaves individuals relaxed and renewed. One would find it difficult not to relax at Living Waters. There’s the stream running along the front of the Reflection Center, providing a continuous calming ripple. There are the mountains all around you that reach toward the heavens, and the trails that lead into them. There’s the abundant wildlife that calls the region home. There’s the church that Father Michael Murphy built, complete with its wondrous views of the Great Smokies. And then there are the Augustinians, ready to welcome you to Maggie Valley. *Retreats and Programs* Listed below is only a sampling of the many programs and retreats scheduled for 2004 at Living Waters. For a complete listing, and to register for either a formal retreat or a private sabbatical, go online at www.catholicretreat.org, call 828.926.3833, or write to: Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center, 103 Living Waters Lane, Maggie Valley, NC 28751. May Nature Retreat May 24-30, 2004 Sister Fran Grady, S.C.L., and Freeman Owle The hills are alive with music, with dogwood, with God. Feel the excitement of springtime opening the mountains and you to the gentle touch of God’s creative love. Hear the ancient Cherokee stories about earth. Walk, listen, journal and pray your way into the source of all new life. Note: Similar nature retreats are also scheduled for July 5-11, August 9-15, and October 11-17. Creative Mystery May 31-June 4, 2004 Sister Fran Grady, S.C.L. An invitation to all artists – poets, writers, visual artists, musicians, dancers, etc. – to share and rejoice in the Divine Gift of our creative and artistic energy. By rejoicing in our creative and mysterious expression, we allow God’s creative power to transform us into wholeness and holiness. Traveling Along Life’s Road in Search of God: An Augustinian Pilgrimage June 28-July 4, 2004 Father Jim Wenzel, O.S.A. Guided by Augustine’s words, “It is not with our eyes, but with our hearts that we must seek God,” this six-day prayer/community experience offers retreatants an opportunity to explore significant places in their own journeys and to relate them to Augustine’s own journey and life. Living the Paschal Mystery August 30-September 5, 2004 Father Terry Hyland, O.S.A. The Paschal Mystery is not a “whodunit,” but a way of living that is deeply connected to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will explore how this awareness transforms our everyday life experience. Solitude Retreat September 20-24, 2004 Come and enjoy the peaceful quiet of the mountains, allowing nature to minister to you in utter silence. Listen to the Inner Teacher’s direction. Meals in silence and daily Eucharist in Saint Margaret of Scotland Church. Footsteps News and Notes from the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova and the Augustinian Order. Collection of Prayers from the Confessions Published New City Press has just published one of the last books to be completely edited by the late Father John Rotelle, O.S.A. Father Rotelle, founder and director of the Augustinian Press, was instrumental in bringing to English publication numerous works both by Augustine and about Augustinian history and spirituality. The newly released Prayers from the Confessions breaks the Confessions into individual prayers and categorizes them by theme. Father Rotelle wrote of the collection in the foreword to the book: “Imbedded in these thirteen books are awesome, moving prayers, which depict the ‘everydayness’ of human life. These are what I sought to collect in this book.” New City Press is also teamed up with the Augustinian Heritage Institute in the major project of translating all of Augustine’s works into English. To find out more about this series, “The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century,” or to order Prayers from the Confessions, contact New City Press at www.newcitypress.com or 202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538. Province of Cebu Strengthens Missions In a spirit of inter-Province cooperation, the Augustinian Province of Cebu (Phillippeans) continues to bolster the missions in Japan and South Africa with much needed personnel support. Recently, Father Benjamin Gamos, O.S.A., joined Father Edward Hattrick, O.S.A., and fellow Filipino friar Father Benjamin Unabia, O.S.A., in Botha’s Hill, South Africa. Father Unabia has been serving in the South African missions since 2001. Also recently, Father Jesus Dano, O.S.A., traveled from Cebu to serve in the Japanese missions. Father Dano is currently studying the Japanese language and ministering with the Augustinian communities in Tokyo. Augustinian Bishop Named Congratulations to Father Giovanni Scanavino, O.S.A., who was named bishop of the Diocese of Orvieto-Todi, Italy, this past November by Pope John Paul II. Father Scanavino currently serves as the Prior Provincial of the Italian Province. Augustinian Receives Papal Honor Paul John Paul II recently conferred upon Father Augustine Esposito, O.S.A., the Papal Honor of the Cross, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice. The honor was bestowed upon Father Esposito by Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua at a ceremony held at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. This particular Papal Honor is awarded in recognition of special service to the Church and the Papacy. Father Esposito currently serves as president of Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, PA. He is also active in retreat ministry and serves as spiritual director for many priests and seminarians in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. 50 Years of Villanova University Law School The 2003-04 school year marks the 50th anniversary of Villanova University’s School of Law, which was established in 1953 under the presidency of the late Father Francis X. N. McGuire, O.S.A. The Augustinian tradition is especially tangible at the Law School these days as Father John Denny, O.S.A., serves in his second year as the first ever chaplain and counselor to the Law School. With some 8000-plus alumni educated in the Augustinian tradition, that is, a community of scholars searching for truth, committed to ethical values and dedicated to social justice and human rights, the Villanova University Law School invites alums and friends alike to join in this celebratory year. For more information on special anniversary events, visit the Law School online at www.law.villanova.edu or call 610.519.7000. Thagaste Symposium at Merrimack College Each year, Merrimack College hosts an annual gathering of scholars and students to discuss the influence of Saint Augustine on ideas and issues of interest and concern to contemporary scholars. This year’s symposium was held on October 1, 2003, and delved into Augustine’s ideas on teaching and how Augustinian pedagogy distinguishes Merrimack College as a contemporary institution of higher education. Father Gary McCloskey, O.S.A., Provost and Dean of the College, was one of the main presenters at the symposium, a day which highlighted for students and professors alike the distinct nature of an Augustinian education. The Thagaste Symposium is just one of several annual events sponsored by the Center for Augustinian Study and Legacy at Merrimack College. Japan Vicariate Gathers The Japan Vicariate held its annual meeting in October 2003 at the Augustinian mission site in Nagasaki, Shiroyama Catholic Church. The church, which sits on a hilltop just 800 meters from the epicenter of the atom bomb explosion of 1945, was established by the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova in 1952. The weeklong gathering of friars from all the mission sites in Japan – Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Tokyo – gave the Augustinian community a chance to review the past year and plan for the future of the Vicariate. At the end of the gathering, the friars celebrated a wonderful Mass with the entire student body of Saint Mary’s School. Established by the Augustinians shortly after their arrival in Japan in the 1950s, Saint Mary’s was the first parochial school in all of Japan. Monastery Renovations Update The $12.5 million renovation to Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery on the campus of Villanova University is well underway. Shown here is an architectural rendering, done by the architectural firm Kitchen Associates, of the new glass chapel facing the heart of the Villanova University campus. The Province is working closely with Kitchen Associates and the Trammell Crow Company, project managers for the renovation, to ensure an August 2004 completion date, at which time the friars will return to their beloved campus home. Augustinian Volunteers Online This year’s group of Augustinian Volunteers are well on their way to completing their 2003-04 service year, serving at volunteer sites in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, San Diego, California, and the Bronx, New York. Shown here is Merrimack alum and current San Diego volunteer Jennifer DePoy at El Hogar Infantil La Gloria, an Augustinian-sponsored orphanage in Mexico. Jennifer also devotes hours of service working at an after-school program at the Villa Nueva Housing Development. To learn more about this year’s volunteers – and to read about their year of service as it happens – visit the new Augustinian Volunteers website at www.osavol.org. A special weblog allows volunteers to post their reflections and experiences as the year goes on, giving the entire Augustinian family a chance to share the volunteer experience with them. Cascia Comes to Philadelphia The Shrine of Saint Rita in Cascia, Italy, has invited the National Shrine of Saint Rita in Philadelphia to enter into a “twinning” this year. Cascia has been doing this for several years with shrines and churches dedicated to Saint Rita throughout the world — in Spain, Portugal, Lebanon, Brazil, among others. For the first time, the twinning will take place with a shrine in the United States. Elements of the twinning include the visit of a delegation from Cascia to Philadelphia in April, led by the Archbishop Riccardo Fontana of Italy. A special Mass to be celebrated by Justin Cardinal Rigali and Archbishop Riccardo Fontana will be held at the National Shrine of Saint Rita at 12:00 P.M. on April 17. For more details, call 215.546.8333 or e-mail ritashrine@aol.com. The Augustinian Family Profile: Michael Connor “The Augustinian Family” profile is an ongoing series of conversations with members of the Augustinian family, people that live each day with an Augustinian heart. Here we profile Mr. Michael Connor, a 1999 graduate of Villanova University and former Augustinian Volunteer. During both his education at Villanova and his year of service as an Augustinian Volunteer in Camden, NJ, Michael developed close ties with the Augustinians. Those ties remain strong still today as Michael serves as a member of the Augustinian Spirituality Planning group. He is a fine example of someone who lives his life in close relationship with God, Saint Augustine and the Augustinians. *What was your first exposure to the Augustinians?* I attended Villanova University and attended the Sunday evening Masses presided by Augustinians. A professor at Villanova, Father Martin Laird, O.S.A., was the first Augustinian I got to know during my last two years. The last few months of school I then met Father Joe Mostardi, O.S.A., as I looked closer into the Augustinian Volunteers. *What intrigued you about the Augustinian Volunteers?* I loved the idea of curious people living together. The program offered the opportunity to explore the other side of the fence, while living with others my age. The program required its members to be open to a common life together, sharing prayer, meals and time. *What did you gain from your year of service? What intangibles do you carry with you from your year as an Augustinian Volunteer?* I guess I realized that life is not easy for anyone, no matter what your socio-economic or family background. My experience reinforced the knowing that we all desire to be known and to belong, and all – to some degree – wonder if our invisible God can love us as much as some people say. *Any specific memory that stands out from your time as an Augustinian Volunteer?* I can recall attending a retreat with SILOAM held for persons who were infected with HIV/AIDS. Looking back, I would have paid money to see the transformations that all the retreatants underwent in the three short days they were given at the shore in Sea Isle, NJ. SILOAM provided a simple yet invaluable service to these people (and no doubt to the world), in that they welcomed those who were often unwelcome; they reminded everyone of their inner spiritual treasures and then sat back and listened. The freedom people experienced was thick in the air on that last day. The rooms we stayed in that day were filled with presence that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. It was magical. *What was it like living in a prayerful community with others?* It was great. We decided to pray four nights a week, and took turns leading each week. I can’t count how many times we all broke out into laughter during prayer, but I think we all benefited greatly from the commitment we made to each other. I learned how other people connect with God, and how communal prayer can be the glue of a community. Ego and prayer didn’t mix well, so I found our prayer life to be very beneficial to the overall health of our house. *How does Augustinian spirituality enter into your own spiritual life?* It helps remind me that we are all beckoned to follow an almost inaudible calling that, more often than not, leads us each down different avenues. When I get to know people, I can better see how each person is called to different and yet equally difficult tasks throughout life. When confusion sets in, I am reminded that all answers are found within, the only place of beginning. From this place, all energy and love come and move outward to the world. *You are a member of the Augustinian Spirituality Planning Group. With that in mind, how might Augustinian spirituality be appealing to others?* In a culture that constantly calls for external validation, Augustinian spirituality remains the bank of wisdom and knowledge that provides a means to internal recognition of an infinitely greater value. I truly believe that people desire to love themselves despite the tremendous energies that we spend on maintaining our narcissistic, overly obsessive and superficial lenses. This spirituality could prove to be a roadmap to steer others in the right direction. The opening lines of Augustine’s Confessions include the following: “You stir us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” What does “restless heart” mean to you personally? It means a feeling of being continually haunted by fragments of truth that lay partially digested within. It means knowing that I can never sleep peacefully until I have found my soul rhythm. To me, a restless heart is a device created by God to remind me constantly that I am not ready yet, and at the same time reminds me that something magical is urgently waiting to take place. In Paradisum We celebrate here the lives of friars from the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova who have made the final journey home to Christ. We remember them as friends, family and faithful companions along the journey. *Profiles of our most recently deceased:* Patrick J. Rice, O.S.A., died peacefully on October 21, 2003, at the age of 84. Patrick Rice was born on July 12, 1919 in New York City, the son of Patrick Rice and Catherine Callan. He was baptized in Good Shepherd Church, New York City, and attended the parochial school there from 1925 to 1933. He attended Manhattan College High School from 1933 to 1937 and went on to earn a degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College in 1941. He then made application to the Order and spent a year at the Augustinian Preparatory Seminary, Staten Island. He entered the novitiate in 1943 and made first profession on September 10, 1944. He then spent a year at Villanova College for course work in Philosophy and went to Augustinian College, Washington, DC, in 1945 and completed his theological studies in 1949. During this time in Washington, he completed a Masters degree at Catholic University. He professed solemn vows in 1947 and was ordained to the priesthood in Washington, DC, on June 8, 1948. In 1949, Father Rice was assigned to live at Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish in Jamaica, NY. He served at Saint Nicholas as associate pastor until 1955, and during this time attended Columbia University for doctoral studies in economics. After assignment to Monsignor Bonner High School for the 1955-1956 academic year, in the provincial chapter of 1956 he was appointed to Saint Mary’s Hall, Villanova, as sub-master and procurator (1956-1958). Father Rice was assistant director of the Augustinian Seminary Guild from 1958 to 1959. In 1959, he was assigned to Merrimack College, North Andover, MA, and he worked there as college procurator until 1965 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1961 to 1966. In 1965, Father Rice came to Villanova University and he spent the next 34 years working at the university and living at Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery. Among the many offices and duties he had at the university were assistant procurator for the college, vice-president for student affairs, and executive vice-president for administration. He retired from Villanova in 1998. Father Rice was a quiet gentleman, a dedicated priest, a gracious brother, a keen administrator, and faithful confessor for the Villanova students. He assisted on weekends at various parishes in Pomona, NJ, and later at Saint Mary Magdalene in Rose Tree, PA. His love for the University and for the campus led him to oversee in detail the maintenance of the campus. As an Augustinian with great love for Villanova, Father Rice was – and remains – well loved by his beloved university community. James Thomas Deery, O.S.A., died on November 14, 2003, at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, Drexel Hill, PA, at the age of 80. Son of James and Marie Deery, “Jacques” was born on December 5, 1922, in Saint Louis, MO. “Jacques” attended Our Mother of Good Counsel Parochial School, Bryn Mawr Grammar School, and graduated from Lower Merion High School in 1940. He professed vows on September 10, 1947, graduated from Villanova College with a degree in Philosophy in 1948, and made solemn vows on September 10, 1950. Jacques was ordained on June 5, 1951, in Washington, DC, and graduated from Augustinian College in 1952. Father Deery’s first assignment after ordination was to Saint John Sahagun Friary in Washington, DC, where he taught at Archbishop Carroll High School, a school he would come back to four more times during his ministry throughout the Province. Over the years Father Deery found himself in most of the Province’s classrooms, including Austin Prep in Reading, MA, Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, PA, Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in the Bronx, NY, and Saint John Neumann High School in Golden Gate, FL. When Father Deery wasn’t teaching in the classroom, he was busy touching people’s lives in parish communities up and down the East Coast. As an associate pastor in many of the Province’s parishes, Father Deery connected with countless families and created community wherever he went — from Saint Augustine Church and Holy Rosary Church in Lawrence, MA, to Immaculate Conception in Hoosick Falls, NY, and many places in between. In 1998, Father Deery moved from Our Mother of Good Counsel Monastery in North Andover, MA, to Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery on the campus of Villanova University, where he remained until January of 2003. For the past year Father Deery lived with the community at Saint Augustine Friary in Villanova. Father “Jacques” was an only child, and he saw the entire world as his immediate family, a family with whom he was always ready to strike up a conversation. For years he handed out Miraculous Medals on dental floss to people, especially at his beloved Ocean City, NJ. If anyone in this life experienced the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in the Gospel, that those who followed him would have hundreds of homes, families and friends, it was “Jacques.” The Medicine of Mercy When Father Dick Appicci, O.S.A., isn’t busy raising funds for Augustinian missions in Peru, South Africa and Japan, you are likely to find the 76-year-old Augustinian in prison. Specifically, SCI Chester, the State Correctional Institution in Chester, PA, where Father Appicci serves as a chaplain. Father Appicci is a man with an enormous heart – and enormous energy. Both are evident in his dedication and tireless service both to prison ministry and to the Province Mission Office. Having spent over 20 years as a missionary serving the people of Chulucanas, Peru, Father Appicci knows well the needs of those struggling to survive in Third World conditions. Perhaps it is his firsthand experience as a missionary that explains his ceaseless devotion to raising funds for those in need. Perhaps it is his enormous heart. For those that know Father Appicci, the latter goes without saying. And it is this very same heart that brings Father Appicci to the State Correctional Institution in Chester week after week. SCI Chester is unique as far as prisons go. Opened in 1998, it was Pennsylvania’s first facility – and only the second in the entire country – designed specifically to treat inmates with substance abuse problems. With a rehabilitative focus, SCI Chester provides its 1000-plus inmates with counseling, therapy and drug and alcohol treatment. Father Appicci has been involved in prison ministry for over a decade, and his current stint as chaplain at SCI Chester has the Augustinian working under fellow Villanova University alum Martin Dragovich, current Superintendent of SCI Chester. Dragovich earned a B.A. in Sociology from Villanova in 1972 and has been in the criminal justice system ever since, working at prisons throughout the commonwealth. He signed on at SCI Chester in mid-2003, and finds the unique rehabilitative nature of SCI Chester appealing. While working in correctional facilities for over 30 years may seem like an uphill and never-ending battle, Dragovich is quick to say that it is not a job without hope. “From time to time you do encounter a success story, and these moments demonstrate humanity’s ability to change.” Perhaps indicative of SCI Chester’s rehabilitative nature, Dragovich notes that is important to remember that people arrive at any given prison “as punishment, not for punishment.” Father Appicci agrees, and he lends his heart, friendship and compassion to the inmates he visits each week. About 18% of SCI Chester’s inmates are Catholic, and Father Appicci does his best to show them the medicine of mercy, following the words of Augustine: “There is always a medicine available, to be applied to what are practically daily wounds; the medicine consists of the good works of mercy” (Sermon 259, 3). Keeping Track Following the vow of obedience, friars find themselves called to where they are needed. Each issue of the Augustinian Journey hopes to connect you with some familiar faces as we provide brief updates on friars serving throughout the Province. Watch here — or visit our online directory at www.augustinian.org — to track down that old classmate, pastor, chemistry teacher, chaplain, philosophy professor, coworker or friend. Richard M. Nahman, O.S.A. Father Dick Nahman has lived with the Augustinian community of Cassaciacum in New Rochelle, New York, since 1997. Today, Father Nahman devotes much of his ministry to the marginalized. As a member of the nine-person Board of Corrections for New York City, he works to assure the human dignity of those who are incarcerated there. He also works closely with the Augustinian United Nations N.G.O. and both the Order’s and the Province’s Justice and Peace Commissions, both of which have chosen to dedicate much of their efforts this year to hunger awareness. To this end, Father Nahman worked to obtain the support of the non-profit organization Food for the Poor, an ecumenical Christian ministry linking the First and the Third Worlds. Food for the Poor is assisting the Augustinian hunger awareness campaign by sponsoring a pilgrimage to bring clergy to a Third World country in the Caribbean basin. A pilgrimage to Haiti for all professed Augustinians, cleric and lay, working in the United States is set for October 11-15, 2004. Father Nahman hopes the pilgrimage will both generate momentum in the fight against hunger and enable Augustinians to better spread awareness of this human tragedy. To contact Father Nahman: Cassiciacum 92 Elk Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10804-4213 Luis A. Vera, O.S.A. Father Luis Vera is currently the director of pre-novices and the prior at Augustinian College, the Province’s formation house in Washington, DC. The College has a truly international flavor these days, and Father Vera helps the community to embrace the diversity of culture and ideas, seeing it as an invaluable benefit to the formation process. Students from Central America, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Canada and all of the North American Provinces are currently represented in the community. When not attending to the needs of the community, Father Vera devotes much of his time to formation work, Hispanic ministry, the Province’s Justice and Peace Commission, and more. He was recently elected to the board of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States. To contact Father Vera: Augustinian College 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE Washington, DC 20017-2591 Gerard M. Duff, O.S.A. With over half a century as an Augustinian behind him, Father Gerry Duff is finally taking some much deserved time to relax and reflect on his 50-plus years of ministry. Alumni from Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, DC, Monsignor Bonner High School and Malvern Preparatory School remember Father Duff well, whether it was in the classroom learning Latin, on the golf course, or in the chaplain’s office. For the past 11 years Father Duff served as a chaplain to the aged and ill at Saint Joseph’s Villa, a healthcare facility operated by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. Father Duff recently retired from the Villa and currently lives with the community at Saint Augustine Friary in Villanova. He looks forward to returning to the newly renovated Saint Thomas Monastery on the campus of Villanova University this coming summer. To contact Father Duff: Saint Augustine Friary 214 Ashwood Road Villanova, PA 19085