An article in the Catholic Sentinel recently highlighted the effort to make the Stations of the Cross at St. Rita's Retreat Center in Southern Oregon more permanent. Fr. Jim Clifford, OSA, led a special ceremony blessing the new Stations. "A wooded path that helps worshipers participate in the last hours of Jesus’ life now has signs made of ceramic, not laminated paper. St. Rita Retreat, on a quiet hill above the Rogue River Valley, has had a Stations of the Cross trail since it opened in mid-1980s. The images were drawn on paper and sealed in plastic for protection. But time wore down the holy pictures. An anonymous donor came forward to pay for the same images to be cast in a more durable
From the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Facebook page: "This last week at Westmont College in Montecito, 54 young people from across our Archdiocese including 2 of our own participated in the SAW (Signed and Anointed to Witness) leadership retreat. Let us pray for all of them as they go back to their parishes that they will always remain open to the Holy Spirit and help build up the kingdom of God in their communities!"
The Province of St. Thomas of Villanova released a trailer video today to better promote the cause of Servant of God Fr. Bill Atkinson, OSA. Fr. Bill was an Augustinian who, after an accident, became quadriplegic, and is believed to be the first priest in the history of the Church to be ordained with such a condition. He is being especially promoted among groups that advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities. Watch the video and to learn more about Fr. Bill, click HERE.
"What does a deacon do?" Is a question that is often asked of deacons. For newly ordained Deacon Maxime Villeneuve, OSA, the answer last Saturday was- baptisms, three of them to be exact! Br. Max began his diaconal ministry at St. Patrick's Church in San Diego, CA in July and was asked by Fr. Carlos Medina, OSA, to assist the priests of the parish by celebrating baptisms. For Br. Max, the experience of offering the Sacraments on behalf of Christ and the Church to the people of God was deeply moving. "It is amazing to consider that my many years of study and preparation have brought me to this point, having the honor of baptizing and bringing young children into God's family. It is a both a
On the night of July 13th, 2017, the San Diego Padres hosted "Catholic Night" and invited the Catholic community of the city to the game. Wishing to support the local Church and take in a fun game of baseball on a warm summer night, four friars from the St. Augustine Monastery community decided to join in on the fun. Pictured above you will find Br. Maxime Villeneuve, OSA, Fr. John Grace, OSA, Br. Arturo Renteria, OSA, and Br. Adnan Ghani, OSA. There was a healthy spirit of cheer and rivalry as Br. Arturo rooted for the visiting team, the Chicago Cubs, while the others rooted for the Padres. The "Catholic Night" promotion included a special commemorative ball cap featuring the classic "Swi
With the arrival of summer, many of the friars of the province are afforded some time for fun and recreation. This gives Fr. Tom Davis, OSA, associate pastor of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Los Angeles, the time to indulge in a favorite pastime of his- fishing! Pictured above with part of his 15 fish haul that included yellowtail, rockfish, cuda, and a calico bass, Fr. Tom got the most out of his day out on the water on the Aloha Spirit sportsfishing boat. His fishing was gotten the attention of others, Fr. Tom was featured in an article on BDOutdoors.com which shared tips on how to get the most out of the summer fishing season in Southern California. Happy fishing!
Newly ordained Fr. Philip Yang, O.S.A. celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving at the parish of his youth: St. Thomas Korean Catholic Center. The Mass was attended by many hundreds of Fr. Phil's family and friends, as well as many Augustinians. Click HERE to see the photo album in which you can see the photos of the celebration!
At the invitation of the Knights of Columbus, three Augustinians took part in the 4th of July festivities on Coronado Island this year. As you can see from the pictures, it was a fun day for all involved. The friars assisted with carrying flags, and Fr. John Grace, OSA rode in a car sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. The friars enjoyed representing the Order and celebrating their patriotism. Fr. John noted, "Isn't it amazing how in this country, three friars- one from Pakistan, one from Mexico, and myself from Ireland can march in a parade together to celebrate this great country." Br. Arturo Renteria, OSA shared that he had many positive conversations with the parade watchers along the