Robert
P. Terranova, O.S.A.
I began my contact with the Augustinians when I was in the sixth grade. My family had moved from West Philadelphia to the parish of St. Denis in Havertown, a western suburb of the city. The Augustinians served in St. Denis. I remember being impressed by the kindness and the dedication of Fr. Joseph Getz as well as by the kindness and dedication of the other Augustinians who served in the parish at that time.
After graduating from St. Denis grammar school, I went to Monsignor Bonner High School, which was also staffed by the Augustinians. At the time there were over three thousand students in the school. By this time I did have a sense that the Augustinians lived a community life in which there was a real sense of friendship. One of my teachers was Fr. Bernard Dunleavy. He was a very fine math teacher as well as coach of the cross-country team at the time. While he was a demanding teacher, it was clear that he was also a very authentic person. Just a couple of years after I graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School, I learned that Fr. Dunleavy, while only in his mid-thirties had died from cancer. So during my high school years I once again had experienced some very outstanding Augustinians. And at that time I seriously considered entering the Augustinian formation program at that time. However, because of family circumstances I decided to go on to college instead of entering the formation program.
I went to Villanova University and once again had contact with the Augustinians. During the four years at Villanova, I worked a couple of summers at the Gulf Oil Corporation and another couple of summers in construction. I also worked in the restaurant and catering business throughout those years. Upon graduating from the university, I did enter the Augustinian formation program. That was in the summer of 1967. Some years later Fr. Joe Duffy, who was the provincial at the time, gave a sermon for the 50th anniversary of priesthood of Fr. John V. Casey, O.S.A. Fr. Duffy's theme was that while our God is always faithful and kind to us in the love of the Lord Jesus, our God is also a God of surprises. Fr. Duffy mentioned a major surprise for Fr. Casey, who after being recently ordained and sent to the Philippines some fifty years earlier, ended up as a prisoner of war for a few years. In my life as an Augustinian, I certainly have experienced the faithfulness and the kindness of the Lord. I have particularly experienced these in the joys and challenges of our Augustinian community life, as we strive to live with one mind and heart journeying together towards God. There have also been surprises. The biggest was the privilege I had to serve in Peru for eleven years after having served in this country for more that 15 years. I did have some understanding of Spanish at the time, but I was in no way fluent in the language. I really thought that I was too old to go to the missions. But the Lord had another plan, and my time there in Peru was a great blessing for me.
To anyone who would be considering becoming and Augustinian, I would give the assurance of the faithfulness and the kindness of the Lord Jesus, particularly in the experience of Augustinian community life with the values of friendship, interiority and service to the church. I would also say that there are bound to be some surprises, some delightful and others not delightful, but all part of God's plan to bring one to the fullness of life and joy in the Lord Jesus.