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Roots of Augustinian Spirituality

Augustinian Spirituality is based on principles found in Holy Scripture and guided by the thought of St. Augustine of Hippo, the great Fifth Century African Doctor of the Church and framer of the ideals of our community life.

Some key elements of Augustinian Spirituality are

The Word of God

It was the words of Holy Scripture ("Let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh." --Romans 13: 13-14) that occasioned Augustine's conversion. Augustine's study of the Scriptures made him a formidable theologian.

The Word of God is for us a primary place of encountering God, of discovering the mystery of God's love and action in our world.

Discovering God in Community

Augustine writes frequently of how God has worked through people. Indeed, true friendship is for Augustine a way of experiencing the love of God.

Augustinians are called to live in community--or better, in communion. We are called to live in such a way that, through our sharing of faith and life together, we and others will come to know God's presence and love.

Interiority

The theme of interiority is well known in Augustine's writing. It is deep within one's heart that God is found. Silence needs to be given a special place in our life. Meditation, contemplation, personal reflection and other forms of prayer allow space in our lives to encounter the mystery of the Divine Presence.

The Restless Heart, always seeking God and not finding rest until it rests in God, is an image which holds a central place in the spirituality of Augustine.

Promotion of Justice, Unity, Harmony, Peace and Reconciliation

Augustinians are called to contribute to the promotion of justice. Augustine wrote, "You give bread to a hungry person, but it would be better if no one were hungry". We are challenged to address the root causes of hunger and other injustices of society.

Basic principles of Augustinian life include unity in diversity, respect for the dignity of each and every person, the promotion of the common good and the sharing of all God's good gifts among all people.

Hatred and violence will grow as long as people continue to be forced to live in extreme poverty, oppressed by many forms of injustice. All around us, people live in despair and hopelessness.

While many are looking for revenge, we Augustinians can give witness to the Gospel values of unity, harmony, dialogue, peace, reconciliation and justice.

Apostolic Service

The Augustinian Order is a Christian Apostolic Fraternity. As such, we are dedicated to serving the Church in a variety of ministries.

Our friars work as active contemplatives in preaching and teaching, in spiritual direction and counseling; in parish, campus and hospital ministries; in theological research, and in the arts and sciences. We also serve as missionaries in Peru and Japan. We minister in high schools and universities, and are also involved in retreat work.

Where there's a need, we'll share our life as community in witness to the love of Christ.

Is God Calling You to the Augustinians?

Does Augustinian spirituality and vision of religious community life appeal to you? If it does, perhaps God is calling you to the Augustinians. For information about Augustinian vocations, or to contact the Augustinian Vocations Director for help in your vocational discernment:

     » Visit the Augustinian Vocations pages