Augustinians
Encyclopedia
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430), applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:
1) several mendicant
Orders of friar
s, who lived a mixed religious life of contemplation and apostolic ministry and follow the Rule of St. Augustine
, a brief document providing guidelines for living in a religious community. The largest and most familiar, originally known as the Hermit
s of Saint Augustine (O.E.S.A. - Ordo Eremitarum sancti Augustini), is now simply referred to as the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.). Two other Orders, the Augustinian Recollects
and the Discalced Augustinians
, were once part of the Augustinian Order under a single Prior
General. The Recollect friars, founded in 1588 as a reform movement of the Augustinian friars in Spain
, became autonomous in 1612 with their first Prior General, Enrique de la Sagrada. The Discalced friars became an independent religious congregation with their own Prior General in 1592, and were raised to the status of a separate mendicant Order in 1610.
2) various congregations of clerics, known as canons regular
, who also follow the Rule of St. Augustine, and embrace the evangelical counsels
and lead a semi-monastic life, while remaining committed to pastoral care
, appropriate to their primary vocation as priests
. They generally form one large community, which might serve parishes in the vicinity, and are organized into autonomous
religious congregations, which normally are distinct by region.
, we read:-
The Order of Saint Augustine is composed of the following:
In addition to these three branches, the Augustinian family also includes other groups:
a) Religious institutes, both male and female, formally aggregated to the Order by a decree of the Prior General (this would include the Augustinians of the Assumption, the Sisters of St Rita
, etc.)
b) Other groups of lay Augustinians
c) Lay faithful affiliated to the Order
The Augustinian, or Austin, friars (O.S.A.), are a mendicant
order. As consecrated religious, they pray the Liturgy of the Hours
throughout the day. This Latin Rite Order, while a contemplative Order, differs from traditional monastic Orders in three ways: 1) They do not take vows of stability, meaning that they can live in one house (called a friary or sometimes a monastery) typically for several years before being moved into a different community of the Order. 2) They are engaged in apostolic
activity, such as mission work, education, prison ministries, etc. The Order is under the supervision of a Prior
General in Rome, and as an international Order they are divided into various Provinces throughout the world, with each Province being led by a Prior Provincial; (3) As an Order, they have a special commitment to corporate poverty
as opposed to simply the poverty professed by the individual friar. While this is not currently legislated as it was in the origins of the Order, this is to be a distinguishing mark of their lives as a community.
Like all Catholic religious orders, the Augustinians wear a religious habit
, consisting of three pieces: a tunic
, a cincture
, and a shoulder cape with hood. The tunic and shoulder cape may be black or white (white typically being reserved among the professed friars for tropical locations, and where Dominican
friars are not present, so as to avoid confusion), and a black cincture. Novices of the Order wear a white tunic and hooded cape with a black cincture. When white is used by professed friars, however, a scapular
is added to the habit, which is the same as the Dominican habit, thus the possible confusion. This is due to St. Dominic's origins as a canon regular.
As consecrated religious, Augustinians profess the evangelical counsels
of chastity, poverty, and obedience. They follow the Rule of St. Augustine, written sometime between 397-403, for a monastic community Augustine founded in Hippo (modern day Algeria), and which takes as its inspiration the early Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles, particularly Acts 4:32: "Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common" (RSV).
By decree of the Holy See, the Augustinian Order is granted exempt status, which places it under the direct dependence of the Pope, meaning that bishops have no jurisdiction with regards to the internal affairs of the Order.
, Latium
, Umbria
, Liguria
, England
, Switzerland
, Germany
, and perhaps France
. In 1243 the Tuscan
hermits petitioned Pope Innocent IV
to unite them all as one group. Innocent IV issued the Bull Incumbit Nobis on 16 December 1243, an essentially pastoral letter which, despite its brevity, basically served as the magna carta initiating the foundation of the Order as it is known today. This papal bull
exhorted these hermits to adopt "the Rule and way of life of the Blessed Augustine," to profess this Augustinian manner of life in a way that they themselves would decide with regards to specific charism and apostolate, and to elect a Prior General. The bull also appointed Cardinal Riccardo Annibaldi as their supervisor and legal guide. The importance of this man in the foundation of the Order cannot be overstated.
These Tuscan hermits came together for a general chapter in March of 1244, as decreed by the Bull Praesentium Vobis, a chapter presided over by Cardinal Annibaldi. At this chapter the Order formally adopted the Rule of St. Augustine
, to follow the Roman office with the Cistercian psalter
, and to hold triennial elections of the Prior General. The first Prior General was Friar Matthew, followed by Adjutus and Philip. In the Papal Bull
Pia desideria, issued 31 March 1244, Pope Innocent IV
formally approved the foundation of the Order.
In 1256 Innocent's successor, Pope Alexander IV
, called together various other hermit groups from around the world and ultimately joined them to this existing Augustinian Order. From June to July of 1255 he issued 22 bulls of instruction, encouragement, and protection of the young Order. His bull Cum Quaedam Salubria summoned all the hermits of St. Augustine and St. William to send two representatives to Rome for a General Chapter, again to be held under the supervision of the kindly Cardinal Annibaldi, and during this Chapter the following groups of hermits, inter alia, were amalgamated to the Order, which up to then had only consisted of the groups of the Tuscan hermits: the two Orders of St. William the Hermit (the Malevale and MonteFavale communities), the Brittin, and the Bonites (named after St. John the Good). This historical union has subsequently been referred to as the Grand Union of 1256. At this Chapter Lanfranc Settala, the leader of the Bonites, was elected Prior General. This 12-year-old religious Order of friars now consisted of 100 or more houses.
On 22 August 1256 the Italian Williamites, unhappy with the arrangement of the Grand Union, left the Order and adopted the Rule of St. Benedict.
This early time in the Order's history was characterized by a great devotion to learning, to study, to prayer, to service of the poor, and to defense of the Pope and the Church - a particular charism of the Order rooted in the fact that it is the only Order in the history of the Church to be founded directly by the Pope. The great 14th-century Augustinian historian, friar Jordan of Saxony, O.S.A., in his work The Life of the Brothers, writes:
The Augustinian Hermits, while following the rule known as that of St. Augustine, are also subject to the Constitutions, first drawn up by Augustinus Novellus (d. 1309), Prior General of the Order from 1298 to 1300, and by Clement of Osimo. The Rule and Constitutions were approved at the
General Chapter held at Florence
in 1287 and at Ratisbon in 1290. A revision was made at Rome in 1895. The Constitutions have frequently been printed: at Rome, in 1581, and, with the commentary of Girolamo Seripando
, at Venice, in 1549, and at Rome, in 1553. The Constitutions were revised again and published at Rome in 1895, with additions in 1901 and 1907. Today, the Order follows the Constitutions approved in the Ordinary General Chapter of 2007.
The government of the order is as follows: At the head is the Prior
General, elected every six years by the General Chapter. The Prior General is aided by six assistants and a secretary, also elected by the General Chapter. These form the Curia Generalitia. Each province is governed by a Prior Provincial
, each commissariat
by a Commissary General, each of the two congregations by a Vicar General
, and every monastery by a Prior
(only the Czech monastery of Alt-Brunn
in Moravia
is under an abbot
) and every college by a Rector
. The members of the Order number both priests and lay brother
s. The Augustinians, like most religious orders, have a Cardinal Protector
. The choir and outdoor dress of the friars is a tunic
of black woolen material, with long, wide sleeves, a black leather girdle
and a large shoulder cape to which is attached a long, pointed hood reaching to the girdle . The indoor dress consists of a black tunic
and scapular
, over which the shoulder cape is worn. In many monasteries. white was formerly the color worn in areas where there were no Dominicans.
were formed in 1588 in Italy as a reform movement of the Order, and have their own constitutions, differing from those of the other Augustinians. Their fasts are more rigid, and their other ascetic exercises stricter. They wear sandals, not shoes, a practice which accounts for their name (scalzo or "barefoot"). In an effort to preserve their roots in the hermit life, the Discalced Augustinians practice strict silence and have in every province a house dedicated to recollection situated in some retired place, to which friars striving after greater perfection can retire in order to practice severe penance
, living only on water, bread, fruits, olive oil and wine. The Augustinian Recollects
developed in Spain in 1592 with the same goal. Currently, though, they are primarily found serving in pastoral care
. They were a major force in the evangelization
of the Philippines
.
friars arrived in Philadelphia. Michael Hurley was the first American to join the Order the following year. The friars established schools throughout the Americas, including the two Augustinian institutions of higher learning in the United States: Villanova University
in Pennsylvania
and Merrimack College
in Massachusetts
.
The following high schools were also established: Malvern Preparatory School
in Pennsylvania (1842); St. Rita of Cascia High School
in Chicago
(1909); St. Augustine High School
in San Diego, California
(1922); Villanova Preparatory School
in Ojai, California
(1925); Cascia Hall Preparatory School
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
(1926); Monsignor Bonner High School
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
(1953); St. Augustine College Preparatory School
in South Jersey
(1959); Austin Preparatory School
in Reading, Massachusetts
(1961) and in 1962, Providence Catholic High School
, which serves the Diocese of Joliet
in Illinois
. The educational and spiritual traditions of the Order enrich each of these academic communities.
follow the more ancient form of Augustinian religious life, which developed toward the end of the first millenium, and thus predates the founding of the friars. They represent a clerical
adaptation of monastic life, as it grew out of an attempt to organize communities of clerics to a more dedicated way of life, as St. Augustine himself had done. Historically it paralled the lay movement of monasticism
or the eremetical
life from which the friars were later to develop. In their tradition, the canons
added the commitment of religious vows
to their primary vocation
of pastoral
care. As the canons became independent of the diocesan
structures, they came to form their own monastic communities. The official name of the Order is the Canons Regular of St. Augustine (C.R.S.A.).
Like the Benedictine
s, they do not form one legal body, but are a union of various independent religious congregations. Though they also follow the Rule of St. Augustine, they differ from the friars in not commiting themselves to corporate poverty
, which is a defining element of the mendicant orders
. Unlike the friars and like monks, the canon are generally organized as one large community to which they are attached for life with a vow of stability. Their houses are given the title of an abbey
, from which the canons then serve various surrounding towns and villages for spiritual services. The religious superior of their major houses is titled an abbot
. Smaller communities are headed by a prior
or provost
.
The distinctive habit of the canon regular is the rochet
, worn over a cassock
or tunic
, which is indicative of their clerical origins. This has evolved in various way among different congregations, from wearing the full rochet to the wearing of a white tunic
and scapular
. The Austria
n congregation, as an example, wears a narrow band of white cloth--a vestige of the scapular--which hangs down both front and back over a cassock
for their weekday wear. For more solemn occasions, they wear the rochet under a purple mozzetta
.
Communities of canons served the poor and the sick throughout Europe, through both nursing and education. They include the canons of the Hospice
at the Great St. Bernard Pass
in the Alps
on the border of Switzerland
, where they have served travelers since the mid-11th century. This community is the one which developed the familar canine
breed of St. Bernard
to assist the canons in their ability to find travelers buried by avalanche
s.
The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
are a newly founded Tridentine rite
congregation.
As well as telling his disciples to be "of one mind and heart on the way towards God" Augustine of Hippo taught that "Nothing conquers except truth and the victory of truth is love" (Victoria veritatis est caritas), and the pursuit of truth through learning is key to the Augustinian ethos, balanced by the injunction to behave with love towards one another. It does not unduly single out the exceptional, especially favour the gifted, nor exclude the poor or marginalised. Love is not earned through human merit, but received and given freely by God's free gift of grace, totally undeserved yet generously given. These same imperatives of affection and fairness have driven the order in its international missionary outreach. This balanced pursuit of love and learning has energised the various branches of the order into building communities founded on mutual affection and intellectual advancement. The Augustinian ideal is inclusive.
Augustine spoke passionately of God's "beauty so ancient and so new", and his fascination with beauty extended to music. He taught that "to sing once is to pray twice" (Qui cantat, bis orat) and music is also a key part of the Augustinian ethos. Contemporary Augustinian musical foundations include the famous Augustinerkirche
in Vienna where Orchestral Masses by Mozart
and Schubert
are performed every week, as well as the boys' choir at Sankt Florian
in Austria, a school conducted by Augustinian canons, a choir now over 1,000 years old.
The primary among these are the Third Order
s associated with the various branches of the mendicant Orders. These are the Augustinian Lay Community and the Secular Augustinian Recollects
. They make a formal and public commitment as laity
to follow as best as possible the life and charism of the Order.
Other associations which support the spirit and work of the friars and Sisters include: Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary of the Belt in Italy, the Friends of Augustine in the Philippines, the Augustinian Friends in Australia are some examples of Augustinian lay societies.
1) several mendicant
Mendicant
The term mendicant refers to begging or relying on charitable donations, and is most widely used for religious followers or ascetics who rely exclusively on charity to survive....
Orders of friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s, who lived a mixed religious life of contemplation and apostolic ministry and follow the Rule of St. Augustine
Rule of St. Augustine
The Rule of St. Augustine is a religious rule employed by a large number of orders, including the Dominicans, Servites, Mercederians, and Augustinians.-Overview:...
, a brief document providing guidelines for living in a religious community. The largest and most familiar, originally known as the Hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
s of Saint Augustine (O.E.S.A. - Ordo Eremitarum sancti Augustini), is now simply referred to as the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.). Two other Orders, the Augustinian Recollects
Augustinian Recollects
-History:The Order of Augustinian Recollects or simply the Augustinian Recollects are a Roman Catholic mendicant Catholic religious order of friars and nuns. They are a reformist offshoot from the Augustinian hermit friars and follow the same Rule of St...
and the Discalced Augustinians
Discalced Augustinians
The reform movement of Roman Catholic religious orders, which occurred as part of the Counterreformation developing in Catholic Europe, also found sympathy among the friars of the Augustinian Order...
, were once part of the Augustinian Order under a single Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
General. The Recollect friars, founded in 1588 as a reform movement of the Augustinian friars in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, became autonomous in 1612 with their first Prior General, Enrique de la Sagrada. The Discalced friars became an independent religious congregation with their own Prior General in 1592, and were raised to the status of a separate mendicant Order in 1610.
2) various congregations of clerics, known as canons regular
Canons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
, who also follow the Rule of St. Augustine, and embrace the evangelical counsels
Evangelical counsels
The three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth stated in the Canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
and lead a semi-monastic life, while remaining committed to pastoral care
Pastoral care
Pastoral care is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation, or to persons of all faiths and none within institutional settings. This can range anywhere from home visitation to formal counseling provided...
, appropriate to their primary vocation as priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. They generally form one large community, which might serve parishes in the vicinity, and are organized into autonomous
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
religious congregations, which normally are distinct by region.
The Augustinian Friars
From the 2008 Constitutions of the Order of Saint AugustineOrder of Saint Augustine
The Order of St. Augustine —historically Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini", O.E.S.A.), generally called Augustinians is a Catholic Religious Order, which, although more ancient, was formally created in the thirteenth century and combined of several previous Augustinian eremetical Orders into one...
, we read:-
The Order of Saint Augustine is composed of the following:
- a) friars, whether professed or novices, who are members of the various Circumscriptions of the Order (meaning a Province, Vicariate, or Delegation).
- b) the contemplative nuns belonging to the monasteries of the Order.
- c) the members of the Augustinian Secular Fraternities, legitimately established by the Prior General.
In addition to these three branches, the Augustinian family also includes other groups:
a) Religious institutes, both male and female, formally aggregated to the Order by a decree of the Prior General (this would include the Augustinians of the Assumption, the Sisters of St Rita
Sisters of St Rita
The Sisters of Saint Rita are a Roman Catholic religious order. They were founded in 1911 by Father Hugolinus Dach, an Augustinian priest from Würzburg, Germany....
, etc.)
b) Other groups of lay Augustinians
c) Lay faithful affiliated to the Order
The Augustinian, or Austin, friars (O.S.A.), are a mendicant
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
order. As consecrated religious, they pray the Liturgy of the Hours
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
throughout the day. This Latin Rite Order, while a contemplative Order, differs from traditional monastic Orders in three ways: 1) They do not take vows of stability, meaning that they can live in one house (called a friary or sometimes a monastery) typically for several years before being moved into a different community of the Order. 2) They are engaged in apostolic
Apostolic
Apostolic may refer to:An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles...
activity, such as mission work, education, prison ministries, etc. The Order is under the supervision of a Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
General in Rome, and as an international Order they are divided into various Provinces throughout the world, with each Province being led by a Prior Provincial; (3) As an Order, they have a special commitment to corporate poverty
Corporate poverty
Corporate poverty is the practice of refusing to own property, either individually or corporately. This practice of Middle Ages religious communities developed based on Christian religious beliefs. Practical considerations generally allow for some exceptions....
as opposed to simply the poverty professed by the individual friar. While this is not currently legislated as it was in the origins of the Order, this is to be a distinguishing mark of their lives as a community.
Like all Catholic religious orders, the Augustinians wear a religious habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
, consisting of three pieces: a tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
, a cincture
Cincture
The cincture is a liturgical vestment, worn encircling the body around or above the waist. The term has two distinct meanings, the usage generally dividing along denominational lines...
, and a shoulder cape with hood. The tunic and shoulder cape may be black or white (white typically being reserved among the professed friars for tropical locations, and where Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friars are not present, so as to avoid confusion), and a black cincture. Novices of the Order wear a white tunic and hooded cape with a black cincture. When white is used by professed friars, however, a scapular
Scapular
The term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
is added to the habit, which is the same as the Dominican habit, thus the possible confusion. This is due to St. Dominic's origins as a canon regular.
As consecrated religious, Augustinians profess the evangelical counsels
Evangelical counsels
The three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth stated in the Canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
of chastity, poverty, and obedience. They follow the Rule of St. Augustine, written sometime between 397-403, for a monastic community Augustine founded in Hippo (modern day Algeria), and which takes as its inspiration the early Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles, particularly Acts 4:32: "Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common" (RSV).
By decree of the Holy See, the Augustinian Order is granted exempt status, which places it under the direct dependence of the Pope, meaning that bishops have no jurisdiction with regards to the internal affairs of the Order.
History of the Friars
The Augustinian friars came into being as part of the mendicant movement of the 13th century, a new form of religious life which sought to bring the religious ideals of the monastic life into an urban setting which allowed the religious to serve the needs of the People of God in an apostolic capacity. At this time there were a number of eremitical groups living in such diverse places as TuscanyTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and perhaps France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1243 the Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
hermits petitioned Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
to unite them all as one group. Innocent IV issued the Bull Incumbit Nobis on 16 December 1243, an essentially pastoral letter which, despite its brevity, basically served as the magna carta initiating the foundation of the Order as it is known today. This papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
exhorted these hermits to adopt "the Rule and way of life of the Blessed Augustine," to profess this Augustinian manner of life in a way that they themselves would decide with regards to specific charism and apostolate, and to elect a Prior General. The bull also appointed Cardinal Riccardo Annibaldi as their supervisor and legal guide. The importance of this man in the foundation of the Order cannot be overstated.
These Tuscan hermits came together for a general chapter in March of 1244, as decreed by the Bull Praesentium Vobis, a chapter presided over by Cardinal Annibaldi. At this chapter the Order formally adopted the Rule of St. Augustine
Rule of St. Augustine
The Rule of St. Augustine is a religious rule employed by a large number of orders, including the Dominicans, Servites, Mercederians, and Augustinians.-Overview:...
, to follow the Roman office with the Cistercian psalter
Psalter
A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
, and to hold triennial elections of the Prior General. The first Prior General was Friar Matthew, followed by Adjutus and Philip. In the Papal Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
Pia desideria, issued 31 March 1244, Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
formally approved the foundation of the Order.
In 1256 Innocent's successor, Pope Alexander IV
Alexander IV
Alexander IV may refer to:* Pope Alexander IV , Pope from 1254 until his death* Alexander IV of Macedon , son of Alexander the Great...
, called together various other hermit groups from around the world and ultimately joined them to this existing Augustinian Order. From June to July of 1255 he issued 22 bulls of instruction, encouragement, and protection of the young Order. His bull Cum Quaedam Salubria summoned all the hermits of St. Augustine and St. William to send two representatives to Rome for a General Chapter, again to be held under the supervision of the kindly Cardinal Annibaldi, and during this Chapter the following groups of hermits, inter alia, were amalgamated to the Order, which up to then had only consisted of the groups of the Tuscan hermits: the two Orders of St. William the Hermit (the Malevale and MonteFavale communities), the Brittin, and the Bonites (named after St. John the Good). This historical union has subsequently been referred to as the Grand Union of 1256. At this Chapter Lanfranc Settala, the leader of the Bonites, was elected Prior General. This 12-year-old religious Order of friars now consisted of 100 or more houses.
On 22 August 1256 the Italian Williamites, unhappy with the arrangement of the Grand Union, left the Order and adopted the Rule of St. Benedict.
This early time in the Order's history was characterized by a great devotion to learning, to study, to prayer, to service of the poor, and to defense of the Pope and the Church - a particular charism of the Order rooted in the fact that it is the only Order in the history of the Church to be founded directly by the Pope. The great 14th-century Augustinian historian, friar Jordan of Saxony, O.S.A., in his work The Life of the Brothers, writes:
Organization of the Order
General Chapter held at Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in 1287 and at Ratisbon in 1290. A revision was made at Rome in 1895. The Constitutions have frequently been printed: at Rome, in 1581, and, with the commentary of Girolamo Seripando
Girolamo Seripando
Girolamo Seripando was an Augustinian friar, Italian theologian and cardinal.- Life :He was of noble birth, and intended by his parents for the legal profession...
, at Venice, in 1549, and at Rome, in 1553. The Constitutions were revised again and published at Rome in 1895, with additions in 1901 and 1907. Today, the Order follows the Constitutions approved in the Ordinary General Chapter of 2007.
The government of the order is as follows: At the head is the Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
General, elected every six years by the General Chapter. The Prior General is aided by six assistants and a secretary, also elected by the General Chapter. These form the Curia Generalitia. Each province is governed by a Prior Provincial
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
, each commissariat
Commissariat
A commissariat is the department of an army charged with the provision of supplies, both food and forage, for the troops. The supply of military stores such as ammunition is not included in the duties of a commissariat. In almost every army the duties of transport and supply are performed by the...
by a Commissary General, each of the two congregations by a Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
, and every monastery by a Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
(only the Czech monastery of Alt-Brunn
St Thomas's Abbey, Brno
St Thomas's Abbey in Brno a big austrian church]] located in the Czech Republic. The geneticist and Abbot Gregor Mendel was its most famous religious leader to date, and between 1856 and 1863 conducted his experiments on pea plants in the monastery garden...
in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
is under an abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
) and every college by a Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
. The members of the Order number both priests and lay brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
s. The Augustinians, like most religious orders, have a Cardinal Protector
Cardinal protector
Since the thirteenth century it has been customary at Rome to confide to some particular Cardinal a special solicitude in the Roman Curia for the interests of a given religious order or institute, confraternity, church, college, city, nation etcetera. Such a person is known as a Cardinal Protector...
. The choir and outdoor dress of the friars is a tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
of black woolen material, with long, wide sleeves, a black leather girdle
Girdle
A girdle is a garment that encircles the lower torso, perhaps extending below the hips, and worn often for support. The word girdle originally meant a belt. In modern English, the term girdle is most commonly used for a form of women's foundation wear that replaced the corset in popularity...
and a large shoulder cape to which is attached a long, pointed hood reaching to the girdle . The indoor dress consists of a black tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
and scapular
Scapular
The term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
, over which the shoulder cape is worn. In many monasteries. white was formerly the color worn in areas where there were no Dominicans.
Discalced and Recollect friars
The Discalced AugustiniansDiscalced Augustinians
The reform movement of Roman Catholic religious orders, which occurred as part of the Counterreformation developing in Catholic Europe, also found sympathy among the friars of the Augustinian Order...
were formed in 1588 in Italy as a reform movement of the Order, and have their own constitutions, differing from those of the other Augustinians. Their fasts are more rigid, and their other ascetic exercises stricter. They wear sandals, not shoes, a practice which accounts for their name (scalzo or "barefoot"). In an effort to preserve their roots in the hermit life, the Discalced Augustinians practice strict silence and have in every province a house dedicated to recollection situated in some retired place, to which friars striving after greater perfection can retire in order to practice severe penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
, living only on water, bread, fruits, olive oil and wine. The Augustinian Recollects
Augustinian Recollects
-History:The Order of Augustinian Recollects or simply the Augustinian Recollects are a Roman Catholic mendicant Catholic religious order of friars and nuns. They are a reformist offshoot from the Augustinian hermit friars and follow the same Rule of St...
developed in Spain in 1592 with the same goal. Currently, though, they are primarily found serving in pastoral care
Pastoral care
Pastoral care is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation, or to persons of all faiths and none within institutional settings. This can range anywhere from home visitation to formal counseling provided...
. They were a major force in the evangelization
Evangelization
Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...
of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
The Augustinians in North America
The North American foundation of the Order took place in 1796, when IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
friars arrived in Philadelphia. Michael Hurley was the first American to join the Order the following year. The friars established schools throughout the Americas, including the two Augustinian institutions of higher learning in the United States: Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Merrimack College
Merrimack College
Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The following high schools were also established: Malvern Preparatory School
Malvern Preparatory School
Malvern Preparatory School, commonly referred to as Malvern Prep, is an independent Catholic middle and high school for boys located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. It was started and is still run by Order of Saint Augustine...
in Pennsylvania (1842); St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and is operated by the Order of Saint Augustine...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(1909); St. Augustine High School
St. Augustine High School
St. Augustine High School is a private Catholic high school for young men under the direction of the Order of Saint Augustine located in the North Park district of San Diego, California and founded in 1922. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego.Named after Saint Augustine of...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(1922); Villanova Preparatory School
Villanova Preparatory School
Villanova Preparatory School is an Augustinian Catholic co-ed day/ boarding school located in the small town of Ojai, California, USA. Sitting on more than 120 acres, Villanova's campus has sports fields and trails, modern gym, tennis courts and well equipped classrooms with up-to-date technology,...
in Ojai, California
Ojai, California
Ojai is a city in Ventura County, California, USA. It is situated in the Ojai Valley , surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,461 at the 2010 census, down from 7,862 at the 2000 census.-History:Chumash Indians were the early inhabitants of the valley...
(1925); Cascia Hall Preparatory School
Cascia Hall Preparatory School
Cascia Hall Preparatory School is an Augustinian Roman Catholic coeducational college-preparatory day school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-History:Cascia Hall was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1926 at its current location, a campus at 2520 South Yorktown Avenue in midtown Tulsa. The school's...
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
(1926); Monsignor Bonner High School
Monsignor Bonner High School
Monsignor Bonner High School is an all-male Augustinian Catholic High School in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, United States. Bonner was created in 1953 as Archbishop Prendergast High School for Boys...
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
(1953); St. Augustine College Preparatory School
St. Augustine College Preparatory School
St. Augustine College Preparatory School is an all-boys Roman Catholic four-year high school located in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township, New Jersey, United States...
in South Jersey
South Jersey
South Jersey comprises the southern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation is a colloquial one, reflecting not only geographical but perceived cultural differences from the northern part of the state, with no official...
(1959); Austin Preparatory School
Austin Preparatory School
Austin Preparatory School is a co-educational Catholic school located in Reading, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1961...
in Reading, Massachusetts
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
(1961) and in 1962, Providence Catholic High School
Providence Catholic High School
Providence Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in New Lenox, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Providence Catholic is a private school run by the Order of Saint Augustine. The president of Providence is Father Richard McGrath, OSA, with Mr...
, which serves the Diocese of Joliet
Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the City of Joliet in Illinois and its surrounding counties: DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Kendall and Will. It is governed by a...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The educational and spiritual traditions of the Order enrich each of these academic communities.
Aggregated communities
Other orders and groups belong within the Augustinian family either because they follow the Rule of Augustine or have been formally aggregated through their constitutions into the worldwide Augustinian Order. These are not counted comprehensively in this article only because the Catholic Church's system of governance and accounting makes only the numbers of ordained clerics relatively accessible and verifiable. Some of these include:- The HieronymitesHieronymitesHieronymites, or the Order of St. Jerome , is a common name for several congregations of hermits living according to the Rule of St. Augustine, with supplementary regulations taken from the writings of the 5th-century monk and scholar, St Jerome. The principal group with this name was founded in...
, the Sisters of St RitaSisters of St RitaThe Sisters of Saint Rita are a Roman Catholic religious order. They were founded in 1911 by Father Hugolinus Dach, an Augustinian priest from Würzburg, Germany....
, the UrsulinesUrsulinesThe Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
, the Canonesses of St. Augustine of the Mercy of JesusCanonesses of St. Augustine of the Mercy of JesusThe Canonesses of St. Augustine of the Mercy of Jesus are a Roman Catholic religious order of canonesses who follow a semi-contemplative life and are also engaged in the ministry of caring for the sick and needy, from which they were also known as "Hospitaller Sisters".In the 12th century, a group...
, the Augustinians of the Assumption (which includes a Byzantine RiteByzantine RiteThe Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
provinceEcclesiastical ProvinceAn ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
, the Alexian Brothers (located in the USA, Europe, England, Ireland the Philippines and India), the Brothers of the Assumption (in the Congo), the Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (Philippines), the Congregation of Our Lady of the MissionsCongregation of Our Lady of the MissionsThe Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women. They were founded in Lyons, France in 1861 by Euphrasie Barbier. The Congregation's presence is felt worldwide...
, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate WordSisters of Charity of the Incarnate WordThe Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is the name of two Roman Catholic religious orders based in the state of Texas.- Houston Order :...
(who established the University of the Incarnate WordUniversity of the Incarnate WordThe University of the Incarnate Word is a private Catholic university located within the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights in Texas, United States....
in Texas), and the Sisters of St. Joan of Arc (in Quebec, United States, and Rome) are just some of the Augustinian family of orders.
Canons Regular
The canons regularCanons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
follow the more ancient form of Augustinian religious life, which developed toward the end of the first millenium, and thus predates the founding of the friars. They represent a clerical
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
adaptation of monastic life, as it grew out of an attempt to organize communities of clerics to a more dedicated way of life, as St. Augustine himself had done. Historically it paralled the lay movement of monasticism
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
or the eremetical
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
life from which the friars were later to develop. In their tradition, the canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
added the commitment of religious vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
to their primary vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
of pastoral
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
care. As the canons became independent of the diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
structures, they came to form their own monastic communities. The official name of the Order is the Canons Regular of St. Augustine (C.R.S.A.).
Like the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
s, they do not form one legal body, but are a union of various independent religious congregations. Though they also follow the Rule of St. Augustine, they differ from the friars in not commiting themselves to corporate poverty
Corporate poverty
Corporate poverty is the practice of refusing to own property, either individually or corporately. This practice of Middle Ages religious communities developed based on Christian religious beliefs. Practical considerations generally allow for some exceptions....
, which is a defining element of the mendicant orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
. Unlike the friars and like monks, the canon are generally organized as one large community to which they are attached for life with a vow of stability. Their houses are given the title of an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, from which the canons then serve various surrounding towns and villages for spiritual services. The religious superior of their major houses is titled an abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
. Smaller communities are headed by a prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
or provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
.
The distinctive habit of the canon regular is the rochet
Rochet
A rochet is a white vestment generally worn by a Roman Catholic or Anglican Bishop in choir dress. It is unknown in the Eastern Churches. The rochet is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower...
, worn over a cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
or tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
, which is indicative of their clerical origins. This has evolved in various way among different congregations, from wearing the full rochet to the wearing of a white tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
and scapular
Scapular
The term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
. The Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n congregation, as an example, wears a narrow band of white cloth--a vestige of the scapular--which hangs down both front and back over a cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
for their weekday wear. For more solemn occasions, they wear the rochet under a purple mozzetta
Mozzetta
The mozzetta is a short elbow-length cape that covers the shoulders and is buttoned over the breast. It is worn over the rochet or cotta as part of choir dress by some of the clergy of the Catholic Church, among them the Pope, cardinals, bishops, abbots, canons and religious superiors...
.
Communities of canons served the poor and the sick throughout Europe, through both nursing and education. They include the canons of the Hospice
Great St Bernard Hospice
The Great St Bernard Hospice is a hospice or hostel for travellers in Switzerland, at 2469m altitude at the Great St Bernard Pass in the Pennine Alps. The frontier with Italy is only a few hundred metres to the south.-History:...
at the Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass is the third highest road pass in Switzerland. It connects Martigny in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland to Aosta in Italy. It is the lowest pass lying on the ridge between the two highest summits of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa...
in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
on the border of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where they have served travelers since the mid-11th century. This community is the one which developed the familar canine
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
breed of St. Bernard
St. Bernard (dog)
The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size.-Appearance:The St. Bernard is a large dog...
to assist the canons in their ability to find travelers buried by avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
s.
The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem is a clerical Institute of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church, founded in 2002 in the Diocese of La Crosse, and currently located in Chesterfield, Missouri, in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis...
are a newly founded Tridentine rite
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
congregation.
Charism
The teaching and writing of Augustine, the Augustinian Rule, and the lives and experiences of Augustinians over sixteen centuries help define the ethos of the order, sometimes "honoured in the breach".As well as telling his disciples to be "of one mind and heart on the way towards God" Augustine of Hippo taught that "Nothing conquers except truth and the victory of truth is love" (Victoria veritatis est caritas), and the pursuit of truth through learning is key to the Augustinian ethos, balanced by the injunction to behave with love towards one another. It does not unduly single out the exceptional, especially favour the gifted, nor exclude the poor or marginalised. Love is not earned through human merit, but received and given freely by God's free gift of grace, totally undeserved yet generously given. These same imperatives of affection and fairness have driven the order in its international missionary outreach. This balanced pursuit of love and learning has energised the various branches of the order into building communities founded on mutual affection and intellectual advancement. The Augustinian ideal is inclusive.
Augustine spoke passionately of God's "beauty so ancient and so new", and his fascination with beauty extended to music. He taught that "to sing once is to pray twice" (Qui cantat, bis orat) and music is also a key part of the Augustinian ethos. Contemporary Augustinian musical foundations include the famous Augustinerkirche
Augustinerkirche
The Augustinian Church in Vienna is a parish church located on Josefsplatz, next to the Hofburg, the winter palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Vienna. Originally built in the 14th century as the parish church of the imperial court of the Habsburgs, the harmonious Gothic interior was added in the...
in Vienna where Orchestral Masses by Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
and Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
are performed every week, as well as the boys' choir at Sankt Florian
Sankt Florian
Sankt Florian is a town in Upper Austria, Austria. It is 10 miles from Linz, with a population of 5,500 and an elevation of 296 meters above sea level.-St. Florian's Priory and basilica:...
in Austria, a school conducted by Augustinian canons, a choir now over 1,000 years old.
Augustinian lay societies
The lay societies are voluntary groups, generally made up of people who are either married or single and have sympathy with, and interest in, the Augustinian approach to life. These lay people do not take monastic vows, but offer support to the work of the Augustinian Order through voluntary work, gifts of money and goods, and of study and promotion of St. Augustine and Augustinian teaching.The primary among these are the Third Order
Third order
The term Third Order designates persons who live according to the Third Rule of a Roman Catholic religious order, an Anglican religious order, or a Lutheran religious order. Their members, known as Tertiaries, are generally lay members of religious orders, i.e...
s associated with the various branches of the mendicant Orders. These are the Augustinian Lay Community and the Secular Augustinian Recollects
Secular Augustinian Recollects
The Secular Augustinian Recollects, is the Third Order of the Order of Augustinian Recollects...
. They make a formal and public commitment as laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
to follow as best as possible the life and charism of the Order.
Other associations which support the spirit and work of the friars and Sisters include: Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary of the Belt in Italy, the Friends of Augustine in the Philippines, the Augustinian Friends in Australia are some examples of Augustinian lay societies.
See also
- Austin Friars St Monica's SchoolAustin Friars St Monica's SchoolAustin Friars Saint Monica's School, more commonly known as "Austin Friars", is a relatively small Roman Catholic independent school located in the City of Carlisle, England. The Senior School provides secondary education for 350 boys and girls aged 11–18. There are 150 children aged 4–11 in the...
- Augustinian nunsAugustinian nunsAugustinian nuns are the most ancient and continuous segment of the Roman Catholic Augustinian religious order under the canons of contemporary historical method. The Augustinian nuns, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , are several Roman Catholic enclosed monastic orders of women living...
- Bridgittines
- Canons RegularCanons RegularCanons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
- Canons Regular of Saint John CantiusCanons Regular of Saint John CantiusThe Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius is a clerical Institute of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church, founded in 1998 in the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Society of St. John Cantius by Fr. C. Frank Phillips, C.R., the pastor of St. John Cantius Church in Chicago...
- Canons Regular of the Immaculate ConceptionCanons Regular of the Immaculate ConceptionThe Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception is an Institute of Consecrated Life which follows the Augustinian Rule, and is part of the Canonical Order of the Canons Regular of St...
- Canons Regular of the LateranCanons Regular of the LateranThe Canons Regular of the Lateran , formally titled Canons Regular of St. Augustine of the Congregation of the Most Holy Savior at the Lateran is an international religious order of priests and Brothers in the Catholic Church....
- Dominican OrderDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
- Holy Jesus HospitalHoly Jesus HospitalThe Holy Jesus Hospital is a museum and tourist attraction in Newcastle upon Tyne, England in the care of the National Trust.The site of the hospital has been in use for 700 years helping the townspeople, and this history is explained by the museum currently on the site...
- Independent Augustinian CommunitiesIndependent Augustinian CommunitiesIndependent Augustinian communities are Roman Catholic religious communities that follow the Augustinian Rule, but are not under the jurisdiction of the Prior General of the Augustinian hermits in Rome....
- Liturgy of the HoursLiturgy of the hoursThe Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
- Norbertines
- Order of AubracOrder of AubracThe Order of Aubrac was a hospitaller and military order founded, with its headquarters at Aubrac in the Diocese of Rodez, in the mid-twelfth century. The Augustinian rule was approved for the order by the bishop in 1162. Its original purpose was to safeguard the local hospital for pilgrims on the...
- Order of Augustinian Recollects
- Order of the Canons Regular of Premontre
- Our Lady of Good CounselOur Lady of Good CounselOur Lady of Good Counsel is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, after an allegedly miraculous painting now found in the thirteenth century Augustinian church at Genazzano, near Rome, Italy. Measuring 40 by 45 centimeters the image is a fresco executed on a thin layer of porcelain no thicker...
- Society of Saint AugustineSociety of Saint AugustineThe Society of Saint Augustine , also known as the "Augustinians of Kansas" is a Roman Catholic Institute of Consecrated Life which takes as its pattern of living, the way of life delineated in the Rule of Saint Augustine of Hippo...
External links
- International Order of St. Augustine
- Augustinians in Canada
- Augustinians in Slovakia
- www.augnet.org
- Catholic Encyclopedia entry for the "Hermits of St Augustine"
- Catholic Encyclopedia entry for "Canons and Canonesses Regular"
- Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception
- The Augustinian Recollects
- Augustinian nuns (America)
- Augustinian nuns at Santo Quattro, Rome, Italy
- Augustinian nuns at Cascia, Italy
- List of Augustinian Saints
- Augustinian Missionary Sisters
- Italian language site of the Discalced Augustinians
- Augustines of the Mercy of Jesus
- Augustinian friars in Britain
- Augustinian friars in Ireland
- Brothers Hospitallers of St John of God
- Augustinian Canons of Stift Klosterneuburg in Austria
- Order of the Hermit Friars of St. Augustine (O.S.A.)
- The Society of Saint Augustine (S.S.A.)
- Augustinians in Brazil (Portuguese language)
- Augustinians of the Midwest
- Augustinians of the East Coast, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova
- Order of Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Independent Catholic
- Priestly Society of St. Augustine (Societas Sacerdotalis Sancti Augustini)
- One Mind, One Heart - Augustine's Spirituality of Religious Life
- Holy Rosary Church, New York
- Catholic Encyclopaedia article
- Contributions from Augustinian Theologians and Scholars Collection is located at the Special Collections/Digital Library in Falvey Memorial Library at Villanova University.