Augus%nian  Volunteers  are  Catholic  men  and  women  who  wish  to  serve  God’s  people  in  partnership  with  the  Augus%nians  and  others.  The  service  of  the  volunteers  is  with  established  educa%onal,  social  and  health  programs  and  varies  according  to  the  needs  of  the  sponsoring  site  and  the  individual  volunteer.  

The  experience  of  the  Augus%nian  Volunteers  is  designed  to  facilitate  a  person’s  desire  to  serve  others.  It  is  also  focused  on  the  volunteer’s  personal  and  spiritual  development  in  the  Augus%nian  tradi%on.  By  building  and  living  in  community  with  other  volunteers  and  forming  rela%onships  with  local  Augus%nian  communi%es,  the  volunteers'  lives  will  be  enriched  as  they  enrich  the  lives  of  others.

Community.Service.

Spirituality.

Inside

2-3Alumni Weekend 2012

Did You Hear?

Bronx Closing Event

4-5Bronx Dedication

6-7In Gratitude

8-9

Volunteer Blogs

Save the dates

10True Hero

InsightsAugustinian Volunteers

214 Ashwood Road

Villanova, PA 19085

610.527.3330 ext. 291

osavol@gmail.com

www.osavol.org

Augustinian Volunteers, 2011-2012

Volume  2—Spring  2012

From  the  Director’s  Desk...Dear  Friends  and  Family  of  the  AVs,It  is  with  a  saddened  heart  that  we  will  be  closing  the  Bronx,  NY  site  at  the  end  of  this  year.    Being  one  of  the  original  sites,  the  Bronx  was  integral  in  the  development  of  the  program  to  what  it  has  become  today.    We  want  to  thank  so  many  people  for  making  the  Bronx  Augustinian  Volunteer  experience  so  special,  especially  the  Friars  of  St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentine  both  past  and  present,  the  service  site  supervisors  and,  of  course,  our  Bronx  community  alumni  and  current  volunteers.

Over  the  years,  our  Bronx  Volunteers  (48  total  including  the  volunteers  this  year)  have  put  in  over  80,000  service  hours  and  have  affected  thousands  of  lives  in  the  New  York  area.    We  have  served  in  shelters,  schools,  NGOs,  AIDS  ministries,  ESL  classes  and  soup  kitchens.    We  want  thank  each  of  you  for  what  you  contributed  to  the  Bronx  community.    The  legacy  of  the  Bronx  will  never  be  forgotten  and  will  endure  in  the  countless  relationships  that  were  formed.

While  this  is  a  great  loss  for  the  Bronx  alumni  and  the  Augustinian  Volunteers  as  a  whole,  we  are  excited  about  opening  a  new  site,  Ventura,  CA  and  re-­‐opening  our  Philadelphia,  PA  site.    In  all,  we  will  be  adding  six  

volunteer  positions  including  a  legal  placement,  campus  ministry  at  co-­‐ed  high  schools  and  working  with  the  elderly.    These  are  all  new  ministries  and  positions  that  we  have  not  been  able  to  offer  in  recent  years,  and  a  true  testament  to  young  people’s  abilities  and  desire  to  connect  with  the  ideals  and  mission  of  the  Augustinians.

Our  international  volunteers  continue  to  settle  into  their  new  placements  and  adjust  to  the  cultures.    Soon  they  will  be  going  on  Midyear  Retreat  where  they  will  reWlect  on  the  time  they’ve  spent  in  their  respective  sites  and  how  they  hope  to  grow  in  the  second  half  of  the  year.  

On  June  26  we  welcome  back  our  2011-­‐12  domestic  volunteers.    Please  keep  them  in  your  prayers  during  their  End-­‐of-­‐the-­‐Year  Retreat  in  Villanova,  PA  and  as  they  return  home  to  their  families.      

 Thank  you  for  your  support  of  time,  talent  and  treasure,

Patrick  DiDomenicoDirector  of  the  Augustinian  Volunteers

   Alumni  Weekend  2012AV  alumni,  along  with  family  and  friends  gathered  in  the  Philadelphia  

area  May  4-­6.  Below  are  pictures  that  highlight  various  events  throughout  the  weekend.  

Did you hear...?A few updates from the AV world...

1. New Sites: Philadelphia, VenturaThis year the Augustinian Volunteers will be re-opening the Philadelphia, PA site and starting a brand new site in Ventura, CA. In Philadelphia, the volunteers will serve at the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (A.D.R.O.P.), assisting in a variety of outreach projects; Covenant House, providing educational and vocational support to homeless youth; and Philadelphia V.I.P., working as a paralegal for those at-risk of homelessness.

In Ventura, the AVs will be working in three co-ed high schools (St. Bonaventure, Santa Clara, Villanova Prep) as campus ministers and service coordinators. One volunteer will be working at Help of Ojai, a non-profit that provides a variety of services to the homeless population in the area.

2. New Chicago PlacementNext year we will be growing from four to five volunteers in Chicago, IL. In addition to the sites where we currently serve, a volunteer will be working at St. Elizabeth Elementary School. The volunteer will be primarily in Pre-K, but will also work in the after-school program. To learn more about the school, visit: www.stelizabethelemchgo.com

3. Alumni Monthly NewsletterWe will be changing the way we keep alumni informed by creating a monthly newsletter which will contain updates from the AV world, upcoming events, and opportunities to stay involved.

4. Augustinian Youth EncounterIn July 2013, the Augustinian Youth Encounter will take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil in conjunction with World Youth Day.

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Potluck  at  Bellesini  Friary

Dinner  at  Burns  Hall

Broad  Street  Run  BBQ

3

Saying Goodbye to the Bronx...

On Thursday, May 24 around 30 Augustinians, alumni, past and present site supervisors, and current volunteers

gathered in the dining room of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Friary in Bronx, NY to celebrate the many years the AVs have served there before it closes at the

end of this domestic year. Fr. Joe Mostardi, “grandfather of the program,” blessed us with his gift of cooking, and

several people spoke about their gratitude toward the volunteers, the impact they’ve witnessed, and how their presence will be

missed. In the Augustinian spirit, the evening was filled with laughter,

nostalgia and great company. Thank you to all who were able to be there!

“BeholdIn your midst has come a

New LifeThis Child of the Universe”

-­‐Siena  House  statue  inscription,  submitted  by  Katie  Porter

"New York City lives, but the Bronx ROCKS!"

-Fr. Bill Wallace to AVs, submitted by

Brian Strassburger

Photos of each Bronx volunteer community hang in the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Friary dining room.

Clockwise L-R: Br. Michael Duffy, Fr. Roger Zhang, Patrick DiDomenico, Fr. Joe Mostardi, Brian Roe, Eileen King, and Prior Provincial Fr. Mickey Genovese

Fr. Bill Wallace, Augustinian site supervisor, and Fr. Richard Nahman, prior of St. Nick’s

L-R: Joanna Bowen (07-08, Advisory Board

member), former AV staff members Jane O’Connor

(07-08) and Eileen King (02-03) with Founding

Director Fr. Joe Mostardi

Past and current Siena House volunteers with Sr. Mary Doris, Director of Siena House and Sr. Cecilia, Assistant Director of Siena House.

L-R: Katie Porter (07-08), Bekah Coleman (11-12), Sr. Mary Doris and Sr. Cecilia

Susanna Seibert, current volunteer, with her alumni mentor, Bea Przybysz-

Frey, Bronx 02-03 and daughter Natalie.

Brian Roe, Bronx 09-10, and Fr. Joe

Girone, pastor of St. Nick’s

2000-­2001The  AV  program  

begins,  Bronx  is  one  of  the  two  original  sites

L-R: Maura Shaughnessey, Jason Cullen, Janina

Kearns-Broek

2001-­2002The  tragedy  of  9/11  occurs  during  AV  orientation

2002-­2003“I will never forget the community we were apart of – with the priests at St. Nick's who hosted us for dinner each week, the families we met and children we taught at St. Rita's, the students we mentored at St. Nick's, our fellow volunteers, and even the bus drivers we came to know on the Bx3 while traveling to and from work.” -Claire Grabowski-Cooper

2003-­2004AVs  move  from  Riverdale,  

NJ  to  Bronx,  NY

2004-­2005“My time in the Bronx really opened my eyes and my heart to the severe injustice so many immigrants experience. I kept a photo of my Bronx community and my students on my desk throughout law school and it served as constant motivation for me – a reminder of why

I went back to school. Now as an immigration attorney, I know I would not be where I am today had it not been for my time in the Bronx. We carry our time in the Bronx with us in all that we do and will continue to share the love, faith, and courage of the community wherever we are.”

-Leslie Campbell-McCarthy

2005-­2006“The Bronx was an experience

that will live in my heart forever.” -Alyssa Small

A BRONX TALE 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 1 2

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L-R (top): Kevin Martin, Shawn Chase; (bottom) Bea Przybysz-Frey,

Claire Grabowski-Cooper, Jenn Caccavaro-Kosses

L-R: John Powers, Ashley McCann-Remignanti, Katie Hewett, Anna Grobe-Hjorth

L-R: David Lemay, Sandy Ross-Matthews, Mick Ryan, Nicole Lawton-Bussiere, Justin English

L-R: Leslie Campbell-McCarthy, Carmen Targa, Sarah Angell,

Stephanie Schmitt-Lyons

L-R: Jackie Johns-Greca, Sara Pheasant-Reed, Alyssa Small,

Meredith Duval-O’Brien

AV  Presence  in  the  BronxFr.  Joseph  Girone,  O.S.A.  Pastor  of  St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentine

Upon  their  arrival  in  the  summer’s  heat  of  August  when  all  the  Bronx  lives  its  life  on  the  streets,  the  volunteers  stepped  cautiously  as  often  they  came  with  not  so  positive  images  of  this  borough  of  NYC.  The  canyon  of  apartment  of  buildings  on  Andrews  Avenue  and  the  largeness  of  the  parish  itself  were  overwhelming.  A  quick  glance  at  where  they  had  to  park  the  volunteer  car  was  enough  to  swear  off  driving  for  the  whole  year.  

Adding  to  this  trepidation  was  the  dawning  awareness  on  Fordham  Road  that  they  were  no  longer  the  dominant  culture  but  were  now  living  and  serving  in  a  neighborhood  where  the  minorities  were  indeed  the  majority.  

By  June’s  departure  time,  these  fears  had  changed  into  expressions  of  feeling  at  home  and  becoming  stalwart  defenders  of  the  Bronx  and  its  people.  As  anything  in  life,  this  transformation  developed  as  they  became  more  involved  with  the  people  they  served  at  their  sites,  whether  children  or  adults.  By  listening  to  their  stories  of  struggle,  failure  or  success,  the  experience  put  a  human  face  to  a  place.    Relationships  made  all  the  difference.  That  which  separated  moved  to  an  appreciation  of  what  is  common  to  all.

Even  though  many  of  the  people  could  not  quite  understand  what  a  volunteer  was,  the  fact  that  someone  actually  gave  a  year  of  their  life  for  them  had  to  leave  an  impression.    

Part  of  the  Bronx  experience  for  the  volunteers  and  the  local  Augustinians  was  the  regular  Monday  night  social  and  dinner  at  the  rectory.  Their  presence  to  us  was  a  breath  of  fresh  air  as  they  brought  their  enthusiasm  and  stories  to  our  common  table.  I  believe  those  Monday  night  meals  gave  them  the  opportunity  to  appreciate  the  different  personalities  that  share  the  one  black  Augustinian  habit  as  well  as  an  insight  into  ministry  in  the  Church  today.

Although  they  are  leaving,  their  group  pictures  are  on  our  dining  room  wall.  Their  photos  will  come  to  life  like  Harry  Potter’s  moving  pictures  as  we  turn  to  look  up  at  them  and  say  to  each  other,  “remember  when…”  

"The time I spent in the Bronx as a volunteer was one

of the greatest years of my life. I have yet to experience a more intense time of personal and spiritual growth. It was

an honor to serve that neighborhood and to be so

deeply welcomed into the Augustinian

community there." -John Powers

2006-­2007“The Bronx uniquely taught me that

dependency isn't a weakness but actually what God had in mind for us.”

-Pete Callaghan

2007-­2008

2008-­2009"The people of the Bronx have an unmatched flair for life. Their world is a captivating melody of sights, sounds and smells. Their struggles are masked by their

infectious love for one another; a result of their deep faith." -Meg McKennan

2009-­2010“What we all had in the Bronx no

one can truly understand, but that is what makes it so precious,

it is ours to always hold in our hearts!” -Alli Lua

2011-­2012After  12  years,  the  Bronx  AV  site  will  be  

closing.

2010-­2011“Andrews Ave. and the entire

neighborhood was a place where I learned to feel comfortable in the

uncomfortable and where I learned to give and receive love in a new

way." -Laura Collins

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L-R: Brian Strassburger, Pete Callaghan, Lauren Fawls, Lindsey Kelpin, Melanie Stevens-Hoeman

L-R: Lauren Clark, Katie Porter, Lauren McNamee, Danielle

Demoree, Sean Denehy

L-R: Andrea Mendoza, Meg McKennan, Kendra Bradner, Katie Abajian

L-R: Brian Roe, Alli Lua, Lauren Vetter, Natalie Jones

L-R: Bekah Coleman, Susanna Seibert

Reverence  and  IrreverenceKendra  Bradner  08-­09United  Nations,  St.  Rita  Immigration

When  I  think  about  our  community’s  time  in  the  Bronx,  now  three  years  out,  what  I  remember  most  are  the  people  who  shaped  our  experiences  as  volunteers.  It  is  so  special  that  we  were  invited  to  become  a  part  of  the  broader  community,  by  really  everyone  we  met.  Whether  it  was  the  priests  of  St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentine  welcoming  us  to  dinner,  our  Andrews  Ave.  friends  welcoming  us  as  “stoop-­‐sitters,”  students  at  St.  Rita’s  excited  to  see  us  in  the  morning,  or  the  sisters  and  residents  of  Siena  House  inviting  us  to  Christmas  and  Halloween  parties,  we  were  always  met  with  open  arms,  smiling  faces  and  warm  hearts.  

That  openness  is  what  I  try  to  carry  with  me  most,  and  it  demands  both  reverence  and  irreverence  at  the  same  time.  Openness  to  others  and  to  new  experiences  demands  reverence  for  people,  for  community,  and  for  all  the  little  ways  in  which  our  lives  are  connected  with  the  lives  of  those  around  us.  It  demands  that  we  go  beyond  ourselves  and  invite  others  in,  or  be  willing  to  accept  an  invitation,  even  when  we  may  be  uncomfortable.  Openness  also  demands  irreverence  for  many  of  the  things  that  normally  consume  my  daily  thoughts  –  work,  school,  money,  sleep,  self-­‐consciousness,  etc.  In  short,  to  not  take  myself  so  seriously.  

As  volunteers,  we  were  challenged  to  maintain  this  balance  of  reverence  and  irreverence  on  a  daily  basis,  and  the  result  is  many  beautiful  and  joyful  memories,  all  reWlective  of  the  relationships  built  with  those  around  us.  I  will  close  with  just  a  few:  • Making  the  priests  laugh  at  Monday  dinners  (especially  Fr.  Joe)• My  community  member  Meg  making  each  holiday  special  for  the  priests  and  for  us,  whether  by  hiding  army  men  in  the  cabinets  for  April  fool’s,  or  painting  Easter  eggs  with  Fr.  Bob  and  Fr.  Richard

• Many  laughing  lunch  breaks,  and  then  tearful  goodbyes,  with  MaryAnne  from  St.  Rita  Immigration

• Facebook  messages  I  still  get  from  Leticia  and  Edward• My  student  “Sir”  Ajdin’s  insistent  letters,  and  his  beautiful  friendship  with  Ljuca

• Dee,  Mobbx  and  other  stoop  friends  teaching  us  a  whole  new  lexicon  (including  “ma  dude”)

Thank  you,  to  all  who  made  our  year  so  special,  and  especially  to  Meg,  Katie  and  Andrea;  the  priests  of  St.  Tolentine  Parish;  our  friends  on  Andrews  Ave.;  MaryAnne;  and  my  students.  Your  friendships  will  inspire  me  always.  

“In the Bronx, I learned poverty is not only measured in dollars and cents, and love is not only measured in chocolate hearts and flowers. Poverty exists in a homeless person starved for meaningful conversation and a sense of belonging.  Love exists in a small soup kitchen that welcomes him. Poverty exists in a child, whose parents must work multiple jobs, starved for affection. Love answers with an after-school program full of dedicated volunteers ready to hug them. Poverty exists in a social worker, who is undervalued and overworked,

starved for appreciation. Love exists in the smile of those poor people they serve who cannot afford to pay them. In a community, saddled with stereotypes and clashing cultures, poverty is everywhere, but so are loving people ready to help.” -Kevin Martin

“The Bronx was a life-changing experience for

me. I learned to live simply, love deeply, and experience life fully. The

memories and friendships that I made there

definitely influenced the person I am today.” -Anna Grobe-Hjorth

L-R: Lindsay Field, Laura Collins, Hannah Brencher, Becca Provost

Kendra’s community with the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Friars. L-R (top): Fr. Richard Nahman, Kendra Bradner, Andrea Mendoza, Fr. Bill

Wallace, Meg McKennan, Katie Abajian. Bottom: Fr. Joe Girone

“Hope does not disappoint”-Janina Kearns-Broek

6

Thank you to all those who donated to the Augustinian Volunteers in 2011-12... (Please note that the list of donors below are only those whose donations we received between January 2011 - May 2012)

George AbateJorge AbdallahHarry and Delia AmatoSamuel and Patricia AmatoAmerica’s Charities Timothy and Donna AndersonRobert and Karen AustinDonald and Katherine Awalt

Alline BallentineAmy BaribeaultPatrick BayerGary and Lori BeckerVictoria BlairByrna BornsteinLynsie BourgeoisJoanna BowenJoseph and Jeanne BoyleNeil and Eileen BrazitisDustin and Janina BroekRegina BrownVincent BufanoEdward and Rochelle BurnsMichael and Dolores BurnsDavid Burns

C & V Landscaping, Inc.Michael and Felicia CaesarDonald and Gloria CafarellaCharles and Diane CampbellHugh and Cheryl CampbellJoseph CarliniJohn and Marianne CarrLisa CharestChildren of the Father FoundationJoseph and Ethel CirottiEdward and Joan CoffeyJason CoitoBeth CollKenneth and Annette Colloton

Thomas and Kathryn ColvinCharles ConnollyHolly ConnollyMichael ConnorMeg CostantiniAchille and Mary CostantiniJohn and Linda CoughlinKathleen CoughlinPete and Morag CravenTimothy and Martha CravenNancy CroninCummings Properties

Kate DaveyAnthony and Patricia DellomoShawn and Laura DeVeauJohn and Kathleen DeWanAndrew DiDomenicoPatrick and Amy DiDomenicoLucy DiGennaroMary DillonTina DiMarcantonioPaul and Pamela DohertyBrendon and Kathleen DolanWilliam and Amrie DombrowskiJohn DonnellySpiros and Ottilie DroggitisDavid and Karen DrohanRonald and Mary Ann DulmaineAzucena DumlaoJane Dustman

Eric EckRonald and Marcia EllisThomas and Jacqueline EngelhartJohn EnnyFilomena EspositoLeslie and Joan Esposito

Anne FarrellJames and Patricia FeeJames and Patricia FeeneySusan FergusonMary FergusonFidelity Charitable Gift FundSteven and Christene FieldLouise FitzpatrickDavid and Sara FlemingBrian and Christine FlynnAllison FolkerRosalie FosterAndrew FraserBeatrice Frey

April GagneKevin GagneBruce and Marcia GagneNorman GallantFrank GaltieriEllen GiordanoRichard GoochThomas and Jacqueline GordonRosemarie GrablewskiDavid GrayWilliam and Katherine Green

Stephen HaleMary HallRichard and Diane HalleFrancis and Tricia HallinanRobert HallyHarry and Emily HardinDenise HarrisCharles and Barbara HeffernanAmy HellerMichael and Mary HeneghanTimothy and Catherine HennessyVelia HinojosaNicholas and Anna HjorthMatthew and Karen Hogan

Bert and Joan ImfeldThomas and Rose IngelsbyDaniel Irwin

Ian and Angela JacksonPatricia JacksonJeffrey and Kathryn JaenickeElizabeth JetteNatalie JonesGreg JosephJohn and Patricia JoyceIlon JungJust Give

Mary KelleherJohn KelleyStephanie KelliherKathleen KellyJames and Kimberly KellyKevin and Andrea KellyStephen and Donna KentShannon KeoughMichael and Marion KilloranCole KingseedJustin KnabbCharles and Mary KnibbsWilliam and Debbie KnoblauchJulia KroppHannah KunbergerGeorge KunbergerLeo and Dolores KupiecJoseph and Kelli KupiecKaitlyn KupskiLeo and Dolores KupiecJoseph and Kelli KupiecKaitlyn Kupski

JC LambRonald and Lucille LampardWilliam and Mary Jean LaveryKevin LeachDeborah LeavittPeter and Nancy Lee

Fredrique and Anna LehmannJaimie LeonardLinbeck Group, LLCEko and Prima LisuwandiEd and Mary Jo LivaGordon and Sophia LoseyJohn and Patricia LoughranDonald LoverskyJames and Maria Lynch

David and Debra MaccoyMartin and Jacqueline MaddenEdward and Susan MagargeeFilomena MagaveroMichael and Gertrude MangionePatrick ManningThomas and Shiela ManningFrancis and Rosemarie MarinelliBruce MarksKevin and Christy MartinGregory and Margaret MartinezCharles and Joanne MatsingerErik MayerJoyce MayernikTerence and Patricia McCabeJohn and Lisa McCarthyFrancis and Mary McCrossinBryan McGannJohn Richard and Lois McGinnisThomas and Maryann McGivneyMary McGonigleJames and Anne McMaster

John McTearCarl and Patricia MehalickLisa MehalickAndrea MendozaLeah MitchellLyon and Virginia MoreheadDuane and Katherine MorningredFr. Joseph Mostardi, OSASamuel Mostardi EstateCheryl MrazikRobert and Elizabeth MulhernRobert and Mary MulhernLeslie MullinJoseph and Dolores MullinStephen and Patricia MurphyAaron Murray

James and Darlene NevadaDavid and Susan NevadaThomas and Patricia NicholasNJTA Lead Agency for the ETC GroupE. C. Nossaman

Clare Oven

Alexander PaluchLeo and Maryanne ParsonsJohn and Maryanne PasconeEileen PatrickJohn and Marie PeltierFrank and Eileen PerpigliaPfizer FoundationHelen PintorShelley Poulsen

John and Amy Purcell

Mary Quilter

Doris RadiceDiane RadtkeMaria Clarita RectorJames and Lynn RichRobert RichardsGary and Elizabeth RicklingAnita RiskRichard and Jean Ann RittermannKaren RobichaudPaul and Judith RockarKevin and Eleanor RuaneCindy RuckerAlfred and Filomena Russo

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The  Power  of  RetreatDan  Madden,  Chicago

Kairos  is  supposed  to  bring  you  closer  to  your  own  self  and  to  God  and  get  you  to  treat  each  other  the  way  Jesus  would  treat  us.  So  when  one  of  the  guys  steals  another  kid’s  notebook,  in  which  the  kid  wrote  a  letter  to  his  dead  father  because  it  brought  him  comfort,  and  

then  berates  that  kid  that  he’s  crying  about  losing  something  stupid,  you  question  the  retreat’s  whole  purpose.  And  by  questioning  the  whole  purpose,  you  question  God’s  presence  on  the  retreat.  

But  then  you  see  what  happens  after:  the  whole  rest  of  the  group  rallying  behind  that  kid  and  telling  him,  “we  will  Dind  your  notebook.”  And  then  they  go  and  Dind  it.  And  one  of  the  cool  guys  stands  up  to  that  other  cool  guy  who  called  the  boy  a  whiner,  and  says,  “I  don’t  care  if  it’s  just  a  notebook,  it  was  important  to  him.”  

You  see  God  in  that  person  who  stood  up  for  the  other.  You  see  God  in  those  boys  who  stopped  being  tough  and  cool  and  started  being  someone.  And  you  see  it  in  all  those  other  troubled  boys  who  needed  this  retreat  for  guidance.  They  were  the  ones  who  began  living  up  to  God’s  image.  That’s  how  my  spirituality  has  grown.  It’s  grown  from  one  kid  who  has  had  a  history  of  struggles  coming  up  to  me  at  the  end  of  the  last  retreat,  giving  me  a  hug,  and  saying,  “thank  you.”  Kairos  is  much  deeper  than  just  being  away  from  school  and  sharing  your  feelings.  It  focuses  on  opening  yourself  up  to  God,  and  when  that  happens,  God  really  does  work  miracles.  

Love  One  Another  for  Love  is  of  God    Jimmy  Kane,  Lawrence

“Angel  of  God,  my  guardian  dear,  to  whom  God's  love  commits  me  here,  ever  this  day,  be  at  my  side,  to  light  and  guard,  to  rule  and  guide.  Amen.”

It’s  a  simple  prayer  we  say  at  the  end  of  each  day,  but  it’s  a  constant  reminder  that  God  is  present  in  my  life.  I  am  serving  as  an  Assistant  Pre-­‐K  teacher  at  Lawrence  Catholic  Academy,  the  only  Catholic  grade  school  left  in  Lawrence.  Pre-­‐K  has  been  an  absolute  joy.  Our  class  of  20  is  great  because  the  students  are  unique,  fun  and  always  ready  to  participate.  In  class,  we  spend  our  days  singing,  dancing,  making  creative  arts  and  crafts  and  having  as  much  fun  as  possible.    

So  where  do  I  see  God?  I  see  him  in  each  and  every  one  of  the  students;  they  are  full  of  life,  curiosity  and  pure  happiness.  I  especially  see  God  through  my  co-­‐teacher  Colette.  She  is  a  woman  

who  is  committed  to  her  faith  regardless  of  the  challenges  she  has  faced.  I  admire  Colette,  for  she  exudes  the  love  she  has  for  others  just  as  Jesus  has  shown  us.  I  can  see  that  God  has  a  special  way  of  placing  people  in  our  lives,  helping  us  to  learn  and  grow  throughout  our  journey.    

Augustinian  HospitalityMegan  Coughlin,  San  Diego

After  re-­‐introducing  myself  to  the  Augustinian  Order  I  quickly  became  sold  on  the  idea  of  living  together  in  a  way  to  become  closer  to  God.  The  Way  of  Life  those  in  the  Order  live  is  admirable  and  I  knew  I  wanted  to  volunteer  and  live  in  their  likeliness.  The  Augustinian  website  reads,  “live  together  in  harmony  being  of  one  mind  and  one  heart  on  the  way  to  God”.  The  Augustinian  Volunteers  fully  encompass  this  and  I  knew  I  found  what  God  had  in  store  for  me  after  graduation.  

Now  three  months  into  my  service  I  could  not  be  happier  with  my  decision.  Not  only  do  I  wake  up  every  morning  excited  to  serve  at  my  work  site,  I  wake  up  with  a  rewarding  feeling  of  belonging.  I  am  now  part  of  the  Augustinian  family  and  have  already  been  impacted  greatly  from  my  community  and  the  great  new  people  I  continue  to  meet.  

The  Augustinian  community  here  in  San  Diego  is  overwhelmingly  hospitable  and  friendly.  It  is  hard  to  put  into  words  the  gratitude  I  have  for  all  the  friars  and  deacons  we  have  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting.  Their  willingness  to  quickly  accept  us  into  their  lives  is  something  beautiful.  Every  Tuesday  night  my  community  members  and  I  are  invited  to  the  monastery  at  St.  Augustine’s  High  School  to  have  dinner  with  the  priests.  This  Tuesday  night  ritual  has  quickly  become  one  of  my  favorite  experiences.  The  food  is  amazing  but  it’s  the  conversation  and  company  that  really  makes  these  nights  special.  They  have  really  made  me  feel  home  here  in  San  Diego  and  are  always  helping  us  get  involved  in  different  activities  along  with  providing  us  great  insight  into  the  Augustinian  Way  of  Life.  

God  is  Here?Susanna  Seibert,  Bronx

God  is  in  the  people  with  whom  I  share  30  minutes  every  day,  whose  stories  I  don’t  know.  He  is  present  in  every  person  riding  the  subway  who  stares  at  the  wall  or  the  Dloor,  anywhere  but  at  his  or  her  fellow  passengers.  He  is  present  in  the  man  walking  through  subway  car  after  car,  repeating  his  request  for  food  or  money  in  a  monotone  voice,  perhaps  in  an  attempt  to  retain  what  dignity  he  can.  God  is  with  the  woman  prompted  by  the  Spirit  and  a  courage  I  do  not  possess  to  tell  her  captive  audience  that  God  loves  them,  and  we  don’t  have  to  wait  till  Christmas  to  tell  Christ  we  love  him  too.  God  is  in  the  midst  of  the  people  gathered  in  Grand  Central  terminal  to  pray  a  rosary  before  their  commute  home.  God  is  present  every  day  in  people  I  ignore  because  it’s  just  easier  that  way.

It  really  is  awe-­‐inspiring  that  this  international  organization  [United  Nations]  functions  as  well  as  it  does,  and  continues  to  set  such  lofty  goals.  Every  delegate,  minister,  advocate,  and  intern  at  the  UN  knows  what  the  problems  are,  but  the  prevailing  atmosphere  is  still  one  of  hope  and  determination:  there  is  a  way  to  make  life  better  for  each  and  every  person,  and  together,  we  will  Dind  it.  

How  are  our  current  domestic  and  international  AVs  doing?

8

Jimmy with students at LCA Susanna with supervisor

San Diego community with Friars

Dan with St. Rita students on Kairos

Mark your Calendars!

Please contact the AV office at osavol@gmail.com or 610-527-3330 ext. 291 if you are interested

in attending any of these events or learning more about them.

Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 10am Domestic End of the Year Mass & Brunch Villanova University, Corr Chapel

Sunday, August 26, 2012 Commissioning Mass and Dinner

Saturday, December 15, 2012International Re-Entry Mass and Dinner

When  the  Student  are  the  TeachersMatthew  Rigsby,  South  Africa

Volunteers  have  a  reputation  for  landing  at  a  site  with  dreams  of  remaking  the  culture  in  their  image.  How  quickly  reality  can  awaken  even  the  most  ambitious  dreamers.

I  realized  very  soon  in  my  service  year  that  I  would  receive  very  little  help  from  

the  teaching  staff  at  St.  Leo:  a  curriculum  was  nowhere  to  be  found;  a  schedule  and  class  list  were  nonexistent;  and  all  too  often  my  morning  drive  would  end  in  a  U-­‐turn  at  the  closed  doors  of  a  school  whose  students’  potential  was  being  strangled  by  a  culture  born  out  of  a  struggle  not  to  learn  and  achieve,  but  simply  to  exist.

And  there’s  the  point:  I  am  inextricably  bound  to  my  native  culture  as  the  Zulus  are  to  theirs.  I  have  arrogantly  walked  through  the  doors  of  a  school  and  concluded  the  staff  was  lazy.  I  have  been  frustrated  by  students  who  fail  to  study  or  do  homework.  I  have  questioned  why  no  one  here  seems  to  care  in  the  same  exact  way  I  do.  And  now,  though  it  took  me  far  too  long,  I  have  realized  the  bitter  shame  in  judging  another  person  whose  culture  I  never  took  the  time  to  truly  understand.  The  Zulus  are  a  people  who  lived  for  too  long  under  an  apartheid  system  that  subjugated  the  tribal  religions,  cultures  and  social  order  they  regarded  with  honor.  The  oppressive  Bantu  education  system  was  an  important  tool  in  apartheid  tyranny.

The  cycle  that  began  in  these  schools  continues.  Those  that  I  teach  with  were  at  one  point  students  of  apartheid.  It’s  no  wonder  they  don’t  share  my  enthusiasm  for  educational  development.  But  some  of  my  students  will  grow  up  to  be  teachers  themselves.  It’s  in  this  dream  that  I  can  help  shape  a  new  reality.  At  St.  Leo,  I’m  fortunate  to  spend  every  day  with  these  children  who  are  willing  to  teach  me  the  importance  of  educating  myself  before  trying  to  bridge  the  culture  gap  alone.  Call  me  crazy,  but  I  wouldn’t  trade  these  days  for  the  world.

TrustCynthia  Pompa,  Peru

Last  Monday  I  started  working  at  CEO  Betania,  an  empowerment  center  in  Chulucanas.  Although  I  really  enjoy  teaching  and  computers,  I  dreaded  going  back  after  day  one.  I  had  23  students  in  my  class  and  was  scheduled  to  teach  3  hours  every  day  Monday  through  Friday.  During  the  Dirst  class,  I  noticed  some  students  knew  a  lot  and  expected  to  learn  “theory”  and  for  me  to  “dictate”.  I  could  not  help  but  worry  and  stress,  thinking  I  had  no  clue  about  computer  theory  or  what  I  would  dictate  to  them.  I  stared  at  a  book  with  the  parts  of  the  computer  and  stressed  even  more,  thinking  I  was  completely  unqualiDied  for  this  position.

On  the  Dirst  day  of  class,  I  had  asked  each  of  them  to  write  on  a  piece  of  paper  their  previous  experience  with  computers  and  why  they  were  taking  that  class/what  they  wanted  to  learn.  I  took  a  glance  at  it  after  class,  but  as  my  stress  grew,  I  could  only  think  about  how  impossible  this  would  be,  how  I  wasn’t  prepared  to  do  such  a  job,  and  how  these  students  deserved  a  better  teacher.  

On  the  second  day,  I  asked  how  many  were  coming  from  outside  of  Chulucanas,  and  13  raised  their  hands.  Later  during  the  break,  I  sat  down  with  a  group  of  students  and  learned  that  one  of  them  travels  25  minutes  only  to  come  to  my  class.  She  works  on  the  Dield  and  this  was  her  only  way  of  continuing  her  studies.  So  that  night,  I  went  back  and  read  their  papers  more  carefully.  Only  six  had  a  well-­‐rounded  computer  experience,  but  17  wrote  none  and/or  that  this  was  their  Dirst  time  learning.  And  most  wrote  to  have  a  better  future  or  be  a  better  person  as  to  why  they  were  taking  that  class,  something  I  wasn’t  expecting.

I  then  realized  what  I  had  in  front  of  me  and  the  potential  of  this  class.  I  began  to  think  what  taking  this  class  meant  for  many  of  them,  learning  about  something  that  could  give  them  a  better  future.  Their  parents  may  not  be  able  to  afford  to  send  them  somewhere  else  to  a  University,  but  they  are  doing  their  greatest  efforts  to  continue  learning  and  progressing.  

Matt teaching at St. Leo’s

Cynthia with computer class

Learn more about the AVs...To finish reading excerpts from the blog entries on these two pages, along with the other domestic and international volunteers‘ entries,

check out our blog at www.osavol.org/blog.

9

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It is that time of year ago...We need your vote so, for the fourth year in a row, the Augustinian Volunteers can win the truehero.org award!

All you have to do is is go to truehero.org, look for “Augustinian Volunteers” and click on “VOTE”, then click on the link that is sent to your email.

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Voting deadline is June 30, 2012.