The M. Louise Fitzpatrick Fund for Formation

Augustinian Vocations

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The invitation to men to consider the Augustinian way of life is a priority for the Province so that the distinctive gift of Augustinian spirituality might continue to exist and serve the Church in the years ahead. The invitation is a call to those who share a passion for Christ and the Gospel, and who experience the desire to live with like-minded men in spiritual communion and in service to God’s people.

Augustinian Vocation Ministry carries with it many expenses:  the production of promotional materials, professional vetting of inquirers, the travel of vocation promoters, etc. Once an inquirer is accepted into the initial live-in experience of formation, the Province assumes the costs of room, board, health insurance and education for the duration of the formation process.

Augustinian Formation

Augustinian Formation unfolds in community but begins with honest self-awareness and the companionship 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 to 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 St. 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. Your generosity of the Augustinian Formation process allows those who are called to focus on their education and spiritual training which will help to preserve a strong presence of Augustinians now and into the future.

The Process of Formation

  1. Discernment

  2. Associate Program

  3. Pre-Novitiate

  4. Novitiate

  5. First Vows

  6. Pastoral Year

  7. Solemn Vows

    For those going onto Holy Orders:

  8. Ordination to the Diaconate

  9. Ordination to the Priesthood

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Becoming a solemnly professed Augustinian priest or brother is a lifelong commitment to God, to the Church, and to the Augustinian Order. The formation process is structured to ensure that the Augustinian way of life is suitable for the candidate. It is a time to develop both the mind and the heart to better help Augustinian Friars serve God's people.