Celebrating the Augustinians in the Merrimack Valley
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Celebrating the Augustinians in the Merrimack Valley PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION The Constitutions of the Augustinian Order provide that the Prior Provincial be assisted in the ministry of pastoring and governing the Province, by friars whose advice, collaboration and consent help to ensure that the needs and duties of the Province and its individual members are prudently and adequately addressed. Fr. Michael F. Di Gregorio, O.S.A. Prior Provincial, Province of Dear Friends of the Augustinians, Saint Thomas of Villanova This year marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of an Irish Augustinian missionary in what is now the Fr. Francis J. Horn, O.S.A. Archdiocese of Boston. Indeed, a reason to celebrate the Treasurer of the Province Augustinians in the Merrimack Valley! Our Augustinian presence in Massachusetts began modestly, but since that time, many friars have ministered in Merrimack schools PROVINCIAL and parishes founded by our friars and served by us COUNSELORS through many generations. Today, we serve at St. Augustine Parish in Andover and Fr. Francis J. Doyle, O.S.A. St. Mary of the Assumption in Lawrence as well as Prior, Blessed Stephen Bellesini Friary Merrimack College. Although we are not present at Austin Preparatory School, our values and tradition still permeate Fr. Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A. throughout the school. Many friars also extend their Associate Athletics Director, service in parishes where they minister on the weekend. Villanova University On behalf of my Augustinian brothers, I want to thank Fr. Robert J. Murray, O.S.A. our benefactors who have responded generously to our Head of School, needs. It is important that we continue to collaborate with St. Augustine Preparatory School all who have been so generous to us. Your partnership with us is critical to our future success and to the future of Fr. Joseph L. Narog, O.S.A. the Province. Director of Vocations, Saint Thomas of Villanova Parish Let us celebrate together our ministry in the Merrimack Valley and look to continue to be present in this region for Fr. Arthur Purcaro, O.S.A many years to come. May God bless you and reward you Assistant Vice President for Mission and for your kindness. Ministry, Villanova University In Augustine, Fr. Luis A. Vera, O.S.A. Pastor, Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish Father Michael F. Di Gregorio, O.S.A. Prior Provincial 1 The Augustinians in the Merrimack Valley Augustinian presence in what is now the Archdiocese of Boston began with Father Philip Lariscy, O.S.A., an Irish missionary who, in 1818, built Saint Augustine Chapel in Dorchester Heights, South Boston. This place of worship is recognized as “the oldest standing Catholic church building in the Archdiocese.” During the four years that he spent in the Boston area, Father Lariscy served the faithful of Salem, Lynn, Lowell and New Bedford. Bishop Cheverus wrote of him, “He is strong and robust and pious. He has already brought back some hardened sinners. He preaches in Irish every Sunday at the first Mass…. He is a humble man and asks for nothing except work.” We would love to think that the character and work of Father Lariscy set the tone for the many friars who would follow him later throughout the Merrimack Valley when, beginning with Father James O’Donnell, O.S.A. in 1848, and continuing through to today, Augustinians have served the people of Lawrence, Andover, Wilmington, North Reading, and beyond, in a succession of parishes, schools and various other works. Father O’Donnell’s pioneering efforts at Saint Mary’s Parish, Lawrence and Saint Augustine Parish, Andover, not only brought the Augustinian charism to this corner of the archdiocese, but also opened a path for a steady stream of vocations over many years from these same parishes — and others — into the Order. We need think of the names of some of the many native sons of the l-r: Very Reverend Henry E. Greenlee, O.S.A., Provincial, region who have served the Order Mr. Edward F. Williams, His Excellency, Richard J. Cushing, and the Church well throughout D.D., Mrs. Edward F. Williams, Reverend Vincent A. the years as Augustinians: the three McQuade, O.S.A. Fathers Lamond and two Fathers Merrimack College, 1958 Walsh, McCranor and Lehane; Frs. Caffrey, O’Connor, McCarthy, Fenton, D’Angelo, Dennis, Hanouille, McNally, Sullivan, Murphy, O’Brien, Moriarty, Cullinane, Regan, Hughes, Kennedy, Nugent, Driscoll, Riordan, Dorgan and many more. 2 Back Row, l-r: Father Mariano Arconada, O.S.A., Father John Lamond, O.S.A., Father Emile Misson, O.S.A., Father Edward Carney, O.S.A., Father William Donovan, O.S.A., Father John McCusker, O.S.A., Father Joseph Conroy, O.S.A., Father Hugh O’Neill, O.S.A. Front Row, l-r: Father William “Pete” Kelly, O.S.A., Father John B. Martin, O.S.A.- Pastor, Father John J. Corr, O.S.A. Augustinian Community of Saint Mary of the Assumption, Lawrence, Mass., June, 1949 Saint Mary’s Parish in Lawrence produced a great number of mission churches, most of which grew into parishes in their own right, which were also served by the Augustinians: Immaculate Conception; Saint Augustine, Tower Hill; Saint Laurence O’Toole; Holy Rosary; Assumption; Saints Peter and Paul; Saint Augustine, Andover; Saint Thomas of Villanova, Wilmington. In the educational sphere, friars founded and staffed Merrimack College and Austin Preparatory School and the Augustinian charism continues to characterize these institutions, friars continue to serve on the Boards of both, and in the case of Merrimack, a community of friars is still present and active in various ways. While changing times and circumstances have affected the numerical presence of the friars in the Merrimack Valley, the institutional commitment of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova continues on with a dozen friars still present and active in the region. The memory of scores upon scores of Augustinians laboring in this area for over 200 years, bears witness to the desire of the Province to serve generations of the faithful, even as the graves of many of those same friars in Saint Mary Cemetery is testimony of an enduring bond of friendship forged with the people they served. Though none of us knows what the future will hold for society, the Church and our Province, please God, what was begun in faith, and sustained in love, will find new expressions in which the Augustinian way of life may continue to contribute to the proclamation of the Gospel and the coming in fullness of the Kingdom. 3 The Augustinian Fund VOCATION AND FORMATION Vocation programs, by which we seek to respond to inquirers interested in Augustinian religious life, and accompany those who are accepted as candidates, have many expenses: the production of promotional materials, professional vetting of inquirers, the travel of vocation promoters, etc. The Province assumes all costs of housing, education and insurance of candidates for the duration of the formation process. CARE OF THE SICK AND ELDERLY The Province owns and operates Saint Thomas Monastery on the campus of Villanova University where many of our retired and infirm friars reside. The Province is solely responsible for the expenses connected with the monastery, including nursing and health care, health insurance, housekeeping and dining services. The Augustinians are financially independent of their sponsored schools and parishes. They rely on the generosity of benefactors to sustain their way of life and ministries. The Augustinian Fund provides a reliable source of revenue to care for elderly and infirm friars, the education and training of future Augustinians, and the friars’ ministries that serve the poor and the disenfranchised. 4 Key Ministries THE AUGUSTINIAN VOLUNTEERS College graduates work in partnership with the Augustinians in service to the needy in schools, clinics, social services and foreign missions. They live a community life in the spirit of Saint Augustine and are in partnership with friars in various regions of the U.S. and Peru. FOREIGN MISSIONS The friars of our Province serve presently in Japan and Peru, but were missionaries also in Cuba and South Africa as well. Missionary work has always been one of the services of the Mendicant Orders of the Church. OFFICE OF JUSTICE AND PEACE The Province is committed to various works which are in direct service to the poor and marginalized: new immigrants, the imprisoned, youth, etc. One vehicle of our outreach is the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (A.D.R.O.P.), which operates a health clinic in South Philadelphia. 5 Augustinians in Formation Brother Javier Aguilar, O.S.A. Brother Elizandro Contreras, O.S.A. Brother Bill Gabriel, O.S.A. Choluteca, Honduras La Vega, Dominican Republic Dover, New Hampshire Brother Jeremy Heirs, O.S.A. Brother Bryan Kerns, O.S.A. Hebron, Kentucky Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Brother Atsushi Kuwhara, O.S.A. Brother Dan Madden, O.S.A. Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan New Hope, Pennsylvania 6 Augustinian Formation Program The Augustinian Formation process unfolds in community, but begins with honest self- awareness and the companioning of experienced friars who are available for this task. A regimen of prayer, community living, service and study become for the candidate a full-time occupation. Those who are called to serve and enter religious life commit an intense journey of academic and spiritual formation that focuses on the development of a mind and heart prepared both for life with others and generous service. The Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova assumes all costs related to Formation including education, living expenses, health insurance and other associated costs. The Augustinian Fund provides the necessary resources to support the journey of these young men who are studying to become spiritual leaders of tomorrow in the spirit of Saint Augustine.