Augustinians
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Augustinians are members of several
- Various congregations of priests. They generally form one large community which might serve parishes in the vicinity, and are organized into autonomous congregations.
- Several orders of reform movement in Spain, became autonomous in 1612. The Discalceds became an independent congregation in 1592, and were raised to the status of a separate mendicant order in 1610.[3]
There are also some Anglican religious orders created in the 19th century that follow Augustine's rule. These are composed only of women in several different communities of Augustinian nuns.
Charism
In a religious community, "charism" is the particular contribution that each religious order, congregation or family and its individual members embody.[4] The teaching and writing of Augustine, the Augustinian Rule, and the lives and experiences of Augustinians over sixteen centuries help define the ethos and special charism of the order.
The pursuit of truth through learning is key to the Augustinian ethos, balanced by the injunction to behave with love towards one another. These same imperatives of affection and fairness have driven the order in its international missionary outreach.[5] 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.
Augustine spoke passionately of God's "beauty so ancient and so new",[6] and his fascination with beauty extended to music. He taught that "whoever sings prays twice" (Qui cantat, bis orat)[7] and music is also a key part of the Augustinian ethos. Contemporary Augustinian musical foundations include the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, where orchestral masses by Mozart and Schubert are performed every week, as well as the boys' choir[8] at Sankt Florian in Austria, a school conducted by Augustinian canons, a choir now over 1,000 years old.
Augustinians have also produced a formidable body of scholarly works.[9]
Background
Augustinian friars believe that
While in early Medieval times the rule was overshadowed by other Rules, particularly that of
Several groups of canons were established under various disciplines, all with the Augustinian Rule as their basis. It was adopted by the Canons Regular of the
Orders, groups, and societies
Canons Regular
The
Augustinian Friars
The 2008 Constitutions of the Order of St. Augustine[16] states that 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 nunsbelonging 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)
The Augustinian, or Austin, friars (OSA), are a mendicant order.[18] As consecrated religious, they pray the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day. This Latin Church 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.
As consecrated religious, Augustinians profess the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience. They follow the Rule of St. Augustine, written sometime between 397 and 403 for a monastic community Augustine founded in Hippo (in modern day Algeria), and which takes as its inspiration the early Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles, particularly Acts 4:32: "The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common." (NAB).
By decree of the Holy See, the Augustinian Order was historically granted what was known as exempt status, which placed made it directly dependent on the Pope, meaning that bishops had no jurisdiction with regards to the internal affairs of the order. This is now expressed by saying that the order is an institute of pontifical right.[19]
History of the Friars
The Augustinian friars originated after the older
Little Union
In 1243 the Tuscan hermits petitioned Pope Innocent IV to unite them all as one group. On 16 December 1243 Innocent IV issued the bull Incumbit Nobis, 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 Augustine of Hippo, to profess this Augustinian manner of life in a way that they themselves would decide with regards to their specific charism and apostolate, and to elect a Prior General. The bull also appointed Cardinal Riccardo Annibaldi as their Cardinal protector. The importance of this man in the foundation of the Order cannot be overstated.[20]
As decreed by the bull Praesentium Vobis, the Tuscan hermits came together for a general chapter in March 1244, a chapter presided over by Cardinal Annibaldi. At this chapter the Order formally adopted the Rule of St. Augustine and determined to follow the Roman office with the
Grand Union of 1256
In 1255 Innocent's successor, Pope Alexander IV, issued the papal bull Cum Quaedam Salubria summoning all the various groups of Augustinian hermits and the Hermits of Saint William to send two representatives to Rome for a General Chapter, again to be held under the supervision of his nephew, Cardinal Annibaldi. 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 (including the Hermits of the Holy Trinity):
- the Hermits of Saint William
- the Brittin (named after St. Blasius de Brittinis)
- the Bonites (named after St. John the Good) The Fratres Saccati in Italy, and some of the houses of the Poor Catholics united with the Bonites. By 1256 the Bonites possessed eleven monasteries.
At this Chapter Lanfranc Settala, the leader of the Bonites, was elected Prior General.[10] The belted, black tunic of the Tuscan hermits was adopted as the common religious habit, and the walking sticks carried by the Bonites in keeping with eremitical tradition—and to distinguish themselves from those hermits who went around begging—ceased to be used.[21] The 12-year-old religious Order of friars now consisted of 100 or more houses.
On 9 April 1256 Pope Alexander IV issued the bull Licet Ecclesiae catholicae (Bullarium Taurinense, 3rd ed., 635 sq.) which confirmed the integration of the Hermits of John the Good (Rule of St. Augustine, 1225), the Hermits of St. William (Rule of St. Benedict), the Hermits of Brettino (Rule of St. Augustine, 1228), the Hermits of Monte Favale (Rule of St. Benedict), other smaller congregations, and the Tuscan Hermits into what was officially called the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine.[10] Almost from the beginning the term "hermits" became a misnomer for they ranked among the friars, and became the fourth of the mendicant orders. The observance and manner of life was mild relative to those times, meat being allowed four days in the week.[22]
In August 1256, a number of Williamite houses withdrew from the newly formed mendicant order and were allowed to continue as a separate congregation under the Benedictine rule.[23][10]
The early years in the order's history featured 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 a Pope. In his work The Life of the Brothers, the 14th-century Augustinian historian and friar Jordan of Saxony writes:"It is certain that in its modern state the Order is principally founded on spiritual works, those that pertain to the contemplative life. These are as follows: the singing of the divine office; the service of the altar; prayer; psalm singing; devotion to reading or study of sacred scripture; teaching and preaching the word of God; hearing confessions of the faithful; bringing about the salvation of souls by word and example.".[24]
The Order expanded beyond Europe to the eastern Mediterranean, briefly acquiring a convent in Acre just prior to its conquest in 1291. In the middle of the fourteenth century, the Augustinian Friars acquired the large convent of San Salvatore in Venetian Heraklion (medieval Candia) where they attempted to use the cult of Nicholas of Tolentino to appeal to the local Greek-speaking population.[25] The building stood on Kornaros Square until its demolition in 1970.
The Augustinians count among their number over a dozen saints and numerous members declared
Privileges of the order
Discalced and Recollect friars
The
Organization of the order
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. A revision was made at Rome in 1895. The Constitutions were revised again and published at Rome in 1895, with additions in 1901 and 1907.[10] 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
The Augustinians follow the rule of St. Augustine which is divided into 8 chapters (purpose and basis of common life, prayer, moderation and self-denial, safeguarding chastity and fraternal correction, the care of community goods and treatment of sick, asking for pardon and forgiving others, governance and obedience, and observance of the rule).[28] The Augustinians also use the charism or "gift from the Holy Spirit" to guide the communal life.
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. In hot climates Augustinians tend to wear white habits as they are easily distinguishable with the Dominicans (i.e. without long scapular, rosary, etc.).
Charism of the Order of St. Augustine
"The foundation of Augustinian life is life in common,"[29] with a contemplative dimension.
Provinces of Augustinians throughout the world
Abbey of Brno
Delegations of Central America (Costa Rica) Province of England and Scotland Vicariate of Antilles (Puerto Rico) Vicariate of Apurimac (Peru) Vicariate of Argentina Province of Belgium Province of Bolivia Delegation of Brazil (Castille) Vicariate of Brazil (Holy Name) Vicariate of Brazil (Mother of Consolation) Province of Cebu (Philippines) Province of California Province of Canada Province of Castille (Spain) |
Province of Chile Vicariate of Chulucanas (Peru) Province of Colombia Vicariate of the Congo Delegation of Cuba Province of Germany Province of Spain Vicariate of India Vicariate of Iquitos (Peru) Province of Italy Vicariate of Japan Delegation of Kenya Delegation of Korea |
Province of Madrid Province of Mechoacan (Mexico) Province of Mexico Province of Nigeria Vicariate of the Orient (Pacific Ocean islands) Vicariate of Panama Delegation of Indonesia Province of Peru Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines Province of Poland Province of Quito (Ecuador) Delegation of Tanzania Vicariate of Venezuela Vicariate of Vienna |
Aggregated communities
Other orders and groups belong within the Augustinian family either because they follow the Rule of Augustine,
- The Alexian Brothers, the Brothers of the Assumption (in the Congo), the Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation and San Guillermo Parish Church (which was buried half its 12-m height on September 3, 1994, due to the lahar slopes of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines), the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word[34] (who established the University of the Incarnate Word in Texas), the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, and the Augustinians of the Assumption.
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 in voluntary work, gifts of money and goods, and of study and promotion of St. Augustine and Augustinian teaching.
The primary among these are the
Other associations which support the spirit and work of the friars and Sisters include: the Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary of the Belt[36] in Italy, the Friends of Augustine in the Philippines, and the Augustinian Friends[37] in Australia.
Devotional practices
The particular devotional practices connected with the Augustinian Order, and which it has striven to propagate, include the veneration of the Blessed Virgin under the title of "Mother of Good Counsel" (Mater Boni Consilii), whose miraculous picture is to be seen in the Augustinian church at Genazzano in the Roman province. This devotion has spread to other churches and countries, and confraternities have been formed to encourage it.[38] Several periodicals dedicated to the honour of Our Lady of Good Counsel are published in Italy, Spain and Germany by the Augustinians. The Augustinians, with the approbation of Pope Leo XIII, also encourage the devotion of the Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Besides this devotion, the order traditionally fostered the Archconfraternity of
There are also a number of facilities dedicated to Mary under the title Our Lady of Grace. The Canadian Augustinians operate the Marylake Shrine of Our Lady of Grace at King City, Ontario; Our Lady of Grace Monastery is located in Nova Scotia.[39]
Saints and Blesseds
- Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, Bishop (d.527)
- Saint Clare of Montefalco, (d. 1308)
- Saint John of Sahagún (a Sancto Facundo) (d. 1479)
- Saint John Stone(d. 1539), a martyr of the English Reformation.
- Saint Alonso de Orozco Mena (d. 1591)
- Saint Bartholomew Gutierrez (d. 1632)
- Saint Thomas ‘Kintsuba’ Jihyoe of Saint Augustine (d. 1637)
- Saint Nicholas of Tolentino (d. 1305),
- Saint Rita of Cascia,
- Saint Thomas of Villanova (d. 1555).
- Saint Peter Zúñiga (d. 1622)
- Blessed Clemente da Osimo (d. 1291)
- Blessed James of Viterbo, (d. 1307)
- Blessed Agostino Novello (d. 1309)
- Blessed Antonio Patrizi (d. 1311)
- Blessed Angelo da Foligno (d. 1312)
- Blessed Simon Rinalducci (d. 1322)
- Blessed Angelo da Furci (d. 1327)
- Blessed Gregorio Celli (d. 1343)
- Blessed Simon of Cascia (d. 1348)
- Blessed Gundisalvus of Lagos (d. 1422)
- Blessed William Tirry (hanged at Clonmel 1654)
- Blessed Stefano Bellesini(d. 1840)
- Blessed Mariano de la Mata (d. 1983)
- Venerable Alphonse Gallegos (d. 1991)
See also
- Augustinian nuns
- Augustinian nuns in the Anglican Communion
- Holy Jesus Hospital
- Independent Augustinian Communities
- Mercedarians, the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
- Order of Aubrac
- Order of Augustinian Recollects
- Order of the Canons Regular of Premontre
- Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Society of Saint Augustine
References
- ^ Besse, Jean. "Rule of St. Augustine." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ McBrien, Richard. "Rule of St. Augustine", The Harper Collins Encyclopedia of Catholicism (1995). p.112.
- ^ "Ordine degli Agostiniani Scalzi". Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
- ^ "The Augustinians", Province of St. Thomas of Villanova Archived February 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "San Agustín". 2008-02-14. Archived from the original on 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Augustine of Hippo, Confessions 10, 27
- ^ Augustine of Hippo Sermons 336, 1 PL 38, 1472
- ^ Sankt Florian boys' choir
- ^ "Collection Items: Contributions from Augustinian Theologians and Scholars". digital.library.villanova.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ a b c d e Heimbucher, Max. "Hermits of St. Augustine". Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2017-12-12 – via New Advent.
- ^ a b c "Augustine's Monasticism", The Order pf Saint Augustine
- doi:10.1086/723217.
- doi:10.1086/723217.
- ^ Anthony Allaria. "Canons and Canonesses Regular". New Advent. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2017-12-12. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "History of the order", Stift Kloster Neuburg
- ^ "Augustinians – Order of Saint Augustine". augustinians.net. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ Rule and Constitutions, Order of St. Augustine, Rome, Augustinian General Curia, 2008
- ^ "Charism – Order of Saint Augustine". augustinians.net. Archived from the original on 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ See BONIFATIUS PP. VIII, Sacer Ordo vester, 21.I.1298; Inter sollicitudines nostras, 16.I.1302, en Bullarium, 44–45. 50–52. CLEMENS PP. VI, Ad fructus uberes, 19.VIII.1347, Ibid., 64–65. Lumen Gentium 45.
- ^ Rano, Balbino, Augustinian Origins, Charism, and Spirituality, Villanova, Augustinian Press, 1994, 29
- ^ Andrews, Frances (2006). The other friars: the Carmelite, Augustinian, Sack and Pied Friars in the Middle Ages. The Boydell Press.
- ^ public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Augustinian Hermits". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 911. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ Webster, Douglas Raymund. "Williamites." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 30 May 2021 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Jordan of Saxony", Augnet Archived October 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- .
- ^ "Augustinian Saints, Blesseds, and Feast Days". Midwest Augustinians. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ "4044: from 1878 to 1902 – 02". Archived from the original on September 20, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "Roots of Augustinian Spirituality". Midwest Augustinians. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ "Charism", The Augustinians: Curia Generalizia Agostiniana
- ^ "Priestly Society of Saint Augustine". 2011-11-23. Archived from the original on 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Nicholas, Friar Shane. "Our History". www.aihmfriars.net. Archived from the original on 2017-12-13. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ "The Society of St. Augustine". The Society of St. Augustine. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ "Soeurs – Augustine de la miséricorde de Jésus". www.augustines.org. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ^ The Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions of the Order of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, New York: Schwartz, Kirwin, and Fauss, 1893, pp. 33–35.
- ^ "Augustinian Lay Groups – Lay Community". augustinians.org.au. 19 August 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Basilica di Santa Rita da Cascia: The Brotherhood". santaritadacascia.org. 18 July 2007. Archived from the original on 18 July 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Augustinian Lay Groups – Augustinian Friends". augustinians.org.au. 19 August 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2006.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio 45469-1390Udayton.edu
- ^ Marylake
Bibliography
- Bibliography for the Augustinian official website
- Augustine of Hippo, The Rule of St Augustine Constitutiones Ordinis Fratrum S. Augustini (Rome 1968)
- The Augustinians (1244–1994): Our History in Pictures. Pubblicazioni Agostiniane, Roma, Italy.
- Canning; R. (1984). The Rule of St Augustine. Darton, Longman and Todd.
- Ebsworth, Rev. Walter (1973). Pioneer Catholic Victoria. Polding Press. ISBN 0-85884-096-0.
- Eckermann, Karl W. (1999), "Augustinians", in Fahlbusch, Erwin (ed.), Encyclopedia of Christianity, vol. 1, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, pp. 164–165, ISBN 0-8028-2413-7
- Ilko, Krisztina (2023). "Forging the Augustinian Past: The Rule-Giving of St Augustine in a Duecento Gradual". Gesta. 62 (1): 95–126. doi:10.1086/723217.
- Ilko, Krisztina (2021). "Recovering the Augustinian Convent of San Salvatore in Venetian Candia". Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 72 (2): 259–279. .
- Hackett; Michael Benedict (2002). A Presence in the Age of Turmoil: English, Irish and Scottish Augustinians in the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Augustinian Historical Institute, Villanova University, Pennsylvania. ISBN 1-889542-27-X.
- Hickey, P. J. (1981). A History of the Catholic Church in Northern Nigeria. Augustinian publications in Nigeria, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
- edited by Martin; F. X. & Clare O'Reilly. The Irish Augustinians in Rome, 1656–1994 and Irish Augustinian Missions throughout the World. St. Patrick's College, Roma, Italy.
{{cite book}}
:|author1=
has generic name (help) - Orbis Augustinianus sive conventuum O. Erem. S. A. chorographica et topographica descriptio Augustino Lubin, Paris, 1659, 1671, 1672.
- Rano, Balbino (1994). Augustinian Origins, Charism, and Spirituality. Villanova, PA: Augustinian Press.
- Règle de S. Augustin pour les réligieuses de son ordre; et Constitutions de la Congregation des Religieuses du Verbe-Incarne et du Saint-Sacrament (Lyon: Chez Pierre Guillimin, 1662), pp. 28–29. Cf. later edition published at Lyon (Chez Briday, Libraire, 1962), pp. 22–24. English edition, The Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions of the Order of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament (New York: Schwartz, Kirwin, and Fauss, 1893), pp. 33–35.
- Zumkeller, Adolar (1986). Augustine's Ideal of the Religious Life. Fordham University Press, New York.
- Zumkeller, Adolar (1987). Augustine's Rule. Augustinian Press, Villanova, Pennsylvania.