Augustinians - Vocations

English-speaking Augustinians have been welcoming enquirers for more than 750 years, since the founding of Clare Priory in England in 1244, pictured at left.

We west-coast Augustinians welcome candidates, between 18 and 45 years of age, who have the same desires as those first friars in England: a desire to help create vibrant community life, with daily prayer and Mass together, study, and service to others, (which with us is helping create schools with a religious and family spirit, parishes with Augustine's sense of community, or helping in our service to the poor).

Exploring a vocation with us is as easy as 1-2-3.

1) Make contact with Fr. Tom Whelan, O.S.A., the vocation director for the Province of St. Augustine, by email or calling (415) 387-3626. In your message give him your postal address so he can send you information about our Order, our history and traditions, and our formation program. He will help you to get acquainted with the Augustinians in the community closest to you.

2) After getting acquainted with the Augustinians, you will have a chance to take part in a Discernment Retreat at St. Augustine Monastery, San Diego, held each spring and fall. You will meet Order members there, candidates living in community, and other enquirers. You will also visit sites where Augustinians are in ministry.

3) If you have enjoyed your visits and experiences with the Augustinians and the feeling is reciprocal, you will be invited to make an application. Upon acceptance, you will try living the Augustinian way of life at St. Rita House, in San Francisco, as a pre-novice.

The photo on the left shows those who took part in the 2011 Fall Vocation Discernment Retreat at the Augustinian Monastery in San Diego. Our Province has two discernment retreats each year. Those who have expressed an interest in the Augustians, and religious life, gather together to ask themselves how God is calling them; meet for discussions about St. Augustine; listen to presentations by Augustinian friars in various ministries; ask questions; and visit several Augustinian ministries in and near San Diego. Discernment leads to contemplation, followed by action, about how God is calling you. Is God calling you? Email Fr. Tom Whelan for the next retreat date.

The members of the St. Rita of Cascia community in San Francisco are pre-novitiate students, and Augustinians Fr. Ronnie Custario and Tom Whelan, studying philosophy at the University of San Francisco and The University of California - San Francisco. As pre-novitiate students they live with, and learn about Augustinians, religious community prayer life, and St. Augustuine, while discerning their call to the Augustinian way of life.

Members of the 2011-2012 International English-Speaking Novitiate, in Racine, WI, USA. Each year a novitate class begins in late August, lasting for one year. The novices focus on prayer, Augustinian spirituality, Augustinian History, and personal formation in Augustinian community life.