Each year in May student nurses from Villanova University and senior students from Malvern Prep have the opportunity to experience ministry in our foreign missions. During that month approximately 12 nursing students from Villanova journey to South Africa and use their skills in serving the needs of the children of St. Leo’s School, St. Theresa’s Home and the patients Hillcrest Aids respite. The Malvern seniors travel to Peru and South Africa as part of the commitment to serving the poor. They... [More]

When a religious order begins ministry in a foreign mission, its entire purpose is to establish and grow the local Church. The Augustinians who serve in foreign lands look to establish the Order in that mission territory. We have been blessed with many vocations in our missions in Japan and Peru. The cost of educating, housing and preparing a young Peruvian or Japanese friar is expensive. Can you help us? It costs approximately US $5,000.00 per year for the education and formation of a young A... [More]

On September 3, 2011, Bishop Dominic Ryoji Miyahara, a long time friend of the Augustinians, consecrated our new church complex of St. Augustine, in Fukuoka, Japan. The wide stained glass window covering the back of the church is an abstract picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary with her arms encircling the congregation. It is a symbol of the long Japanese Catholic tradition of respect and love for Our Lady. The church seats two hundred and eighty people. With the excellent plan of sliding doors th... [More]

The weekend of January 12—15, 2011, seven young men and women gathered at the Augustinian House in Ocean City, New Jersey. It was not a weekend at the Jersey Shore. These men and women had been initiated into the Augustinian Volunteers and were spending this weekend preparing spiritually, emotionally and socially to begin a year of service alongside the Augustinian Friars in Peru and South Africa in serving the needs of the poor. The Augustinian Volunteers are not the Peace Corp. Yes they... [More]

Two of the first friars to serve in Peru since the mid 1960s celebrated their 50th Anniversary as Augustinian Friars. Bishop Daniel Turley, O.S.A., Bishop of Chulucanas, Peru and Father Richard Palmer, O.S.A., from our mission of Pacosmyo, Peru, professed their first vows as Augustinian Friars in the Midwest Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel 50 years ago. Both friars were part of the early establishment of the Peruvian mission and have served there these many years

The Augustinian Friars extend to all who share in our foreign missions the greetings of a Happy New Year. May 2012 be a year of growth in the love of the presence of God in our lives and the lives of the people we serve. May it be a time of peace in your life, your family and our world. A Blessed New Year! Fr. Tony

We have received word that Fr. Charles Bodden, OSA, a friar of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, Chicago, suffered a fatal heart attack on December 16, 2011, while at our monastery in Lima, Peru. Fr. Bodden was 61 years old and had spent decades serving in many of the missions in Peru. He was responsble for overseeng the construction of many of the mission buildings. After a Mass of Christian Burial in San Jose Obrero, Chulucana, Peru, Fr. Bodden was buried in the land which he loved ... [More]

December 15, 2011, saw flights arriving from Peru and South Africa bearing the Augustinian Volunteers who have seved in our missions in Peru and South Africa for the past year. Three returned from South Africa and four from Peru. They spent the weekend on retreat reflecting on their experiences. On Saturday evening they joined the parish community of St. Thomas of Villanova, Villanova, PA, at the parish evening liturgy where they were recognized for their service with the Augustinian Friars serv... [More]

A goal of any missionary group is to put itself out of business. This is done by dedicated work for many years in establishing in the mission territory native leaders in the local Church and the Order. In the 25th year of the Vicariate, the American friars can look with great satisfaction to witness this goal: native Peruvian friars in leadership roles as the Vicar, as pastors in our parishes and as priors in our Augustinian Communities. Of the 24 friars of the Vicariate in solemn vows, 18 are n... [More]

At this time of Thanksgiving we reflect on the blessings in our lives. In the Mission Office we give Thanks to the many, many people who support us in so many ways In our mission ministry. We could not serve the missions without your support of encouragement, prayer and financial support. Thank YOU for all you do for the missions. In St. Augustine,   Fr. Tony