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Augus%nian Volunteers are Catholic men and women who wish to serve God’s people in partnership with the Augus%nians and others. The service of the volunteers is with established educa%onal, social and health programs and varies according to the needs of the sponsoring site and the individual volunteer.
The experience of the Augus%nian Volunteers is designed to facilitate a person’s desire to serve others. It is also focused on the volunteer’s personal and spiritual development in the Augus%nian tradi%on. By building and living in community with other volunteers and forming rela%onships with local Augus%nian communi%es, the volunteers' lives will be enriched as they enrich the lives of others.
Community.Service.
Spirituality.
Inside
2Alumni Weekend
Did You Hear?
True Hero
3Volunteer Blogs
4-5Chicago’s 10th Anniversary
6-7
In Gratitude
Save the Dates
8AV True or False
InsightsAugustinian Volunteers
214 Ashwood Road
Villanova, PA 19085
610.527.3330 ext. 291
www.osavol.org
Spring 2014
From the Director’s Desk...Dear Friends and Family of the AVs,As spring quickly draws to a close, it is hard to believe that we are preparing to bid farewell to our 14th class of domestic Augustinian Volunteers on June 29, 2014. This class holds a special signiFicance for me as it marks the First group that I have had the privilege of working with as Director of the Augustinian Volunteers. While it has been six years since I personally served as an Augustinian Volunteer, it has been a joy to experience the exciting changes in the program and also what has stood the test of time.
One thing that has not changed is the strength of the local communities that support our volunteers during their term of service. In each of our sites our volunteers are welcomed by neighbors, coworkers, friends of the AVs and Augustinians who invite them into their homes, show them around their new cities and often act as a second family. These communities help bind each class of volunteers to those who have come before them and those who will follow them.
In this issue of our spring newsletter, we are taking the opportunity to highlight and celebrate our
Chicago service site and those who have loved and supported them over the years. In some ways, our Chicago site looks much different than when it began a decade ago. In a given year, we have had anywhere from three to six volunteers serving there. Our volunteers have served in a variety of service placements from high schools to social services agencies to elementary school positions. Despite inevitable change, the community of the Southside of Chicago has been the constant. I invite you to read about some of the individuals who have helped to create this community. For those who are familiar with our Chicago site, we hope that you will recall fond memories of your time serving. For those who have not had the opportunity to be part of this site, we hope that you will learn something new about a unique chapter in our history as Augustinian Volunteers.
Thank you,
Joanna L. BowenDirector of the Augustinian Volunteers
Augustinian Volunteers, 2013-2014
Alumni Community Day 2014
AV alumni gathered in the Philadelphia area on May 10 for a service project at Starr Gardens in conjunction with Philly’s Love Your Park Week, and Mass with
Fr. Joe at Villanova University followed by a local happy hour.
Did you hear...?A few updates from the AV world...
1. New Provincial Elected, St. Thomas of Villanova ProvinceFr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. has been elected as the next Provincial of the St. Thomas of Villanova Province. He is the former Vicar General for the Order and was installed during the Chapter meeting held June 9-13 at Villanova University. Fr. Mickey Genovese, O.S.A. has served as the Provincial for the past four years. The Augustinian Volunteer program is very grateful for the support they’ve received under his leadership and from the Province as a whole.
2. Diocese of Chulucanas Celebrates 50 YearsThis May marked the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Chulucanas in Peru (1964-2014). Augustinian Volunteers began serving in Chulucanas in 2002 and have remained involved in the diocese through their service at Centro Pastoral Health Offices and the Seminary, as well as sharing meals at the Bishop’s house. The celebration took place May 22-25 and included Eucharist, blessings, renewal of religious vows, ordinations and much more.
3. New AV Service Placements The AVs are excited to announce several new service positions for the 2014-15 volunteer year. In San Diego, there will be two volunteers serving at St. Vincent de Paul Village, and one at Via International. In addition to ADROP and Philly VIP, there are two new service sites in Philadelphia at Achieving Independence Center and Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius School.
4. Charlie Day at Merrimack CollegeMerrimack College’s commencement speaker was It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Charlie Day. He graduated from Merrimack in 1998 with his bachelor’s degree in fine arts. The 20-minute speech went viral.
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Vote for the Augustinian Volunteers at truehero.org!
It is that time of year again...We need your vote so the Augustinian Volunteers can win the truehero.org award!
All you have to do is is go to truehero.org, look for “Augustinian Volunteers” and click on “VOTE,” then click on the link that is sent to your email.
It won’t take you more than a minute and could earn us $1,000, so vote now and spread the word! Thanks!
Voting deadline is June 30, 2014.
*Please note that you can only vote once. Please do not vote with multiple email accounts.
Tomalo con calmaTina TeoKilo, Chulucanas
Every day I go into work 97% unsure of what the day will bring. I love it. It keeps excitement and anticipation rolling even after the initial “new volunteer” excitement slowly fades away. The plethora of assignments and responsibilities is what I really
love about my service site. I serve in a nurse roll, as well as act as a pharmacist, social worker and teacher.
Some days are really hard, and that is another reason I love this job. Through the challenge, I know I am learning and growing with each and every day. Every single person I have worked with has given me a blessing of thanks and praise for taking the time to work with them.
Sometimes the unknown is scary, but this experience is making me truly appreciate it and remember it is a blessing nonetheless. Chulucanas has welcomed me into their city, their home. My working staff welcomes me to work with them every single day, even though they are the professionals. When I am having a hard time understanding, they simply say, "Tomalo con calma:” be cool; don't worry about it. They take time to explain everything to me and make me feel included and a part of the team. I am the lucky one, who is seeing my life and perspective change before my eyes. I can only hope I can give back to them half of the mark they have already left on me.
Trust: Let Go and Let God Bridget Lemke, Ventura
I began my year as an AV strongly believing that I was following God’s plan for me. The moment when I opened my acceptance e-‐mail I felt my heart scream out, YES! My life has had some bumps and turns, but I have faith that I am on the right path. Arriving at my work site, HELP of Ojai, a social services agency, I felt closer to God than I ever have before. HELP works to meet the basic needs of the community, so here I am following Christ’s teachings every day: clothing, feeding and loving the poor. I experience God every day at my work site through my clients and my co-‐workers.
Trust. I am learning to trust in God more deeply. I see so many people who I am unable to help as much as I want to due to our limited resources, or circumstances which are just out of my control. When I feel sad or frustrated by this, I remind myself that I am doing all that I can right now and that must be what God wants from me. Trusting in God over these past months has given me the strength to stay positive and not get too down about the sad circumstances I hear about each day. Yes, I still think about my clients when I leave the ofFice but I pray for them instead of worry
about them. In the last month I have really been able to let go and let God’s will be done. A weight has been lifted off of my shoulders as I come to fully realize that we are not in this alone. As I walk more lightly, I am able to move more freely and work more efFiciently to serve my clients.
28th StreetDan McKiernan, San Diego
I have community members to laugh and cry with, to pray and eat with, to share moments of joy and sorrows with, to be inspired and motivated by, but most importantly to care for and to love with. I am so fortunate for my community as they have challenged and allowed me to grow in many ways. My community has challenged me to learn how to become intentional in my thoughts, actions and prayers. When difFicult moments arise in my volunteer experience, whether at my service site, in my community or elsewhere, I have been able to overcome these obstacles through the support of my community. Living with this intention has allowed me to put my best foot forward in whatever task might be at hand-‐-‐allowing me to focus on the present while not worrying about what may be on my horizon. In both my service work and community life, I have learned to mature from my mistakes rather than rescinding from them. Instead of ignoring my mistakes, I have grown to intentionally evaluate them while learning to keep moving forward no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
My spirituality has also grown since living in community. Having a strong and steady prayer life with my community has helped me continue to develop my faith journey. Regularly leading prayer challenges me to experience new ways of praying while also maintaining a consistency that is crucial for my continual growth. My faith has also become my motivator, which enables me to appreciate my achievements while also valuing my struggles. I am learning that it is in those moments of struggle, that I have seen the most growth in myself.
This Year is PricelessLizzy Heurich, Lawrence
My greatest joy this year has stemmed from the relationships that I have built with various members of the Merrimack community and the surrounding communities where we serve. Ministering to students and serving alongside students has created strong bonds. The students who come to and through our ofFice are passionate, dedicated, caring, funny, genuine and well-‐rounded young men and women. When some of our First-‐year students were interested in starting a meditation group through our ofFice, they made it happen. When some of our second-‐year students were interested in adding weekend service days, they made it happen. It has been a pleasure to be alongside these students for part of their journeys through the college experience. At times, they are the ones who are ministering to me.
As the organizer and a participant of our weekly service program, I have also been able to form relationships in unexpected places. If in the beginning of this year you had told me that some of the people I would become closest with this year included a brother-‐and-‐sister pair from the Boys and Girls Club or a middle-‐aged women with disabilities or a fourth-‐grader from Lawrence Catholic Academy, I probably would have laughed in your face. Yet something special has formed at each of these service sites where I spend most of my afternoons.
How are our current domestic and international AVs doing?
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Tina at Centro Pastoral
Lizzy with a student
Bridget with a client
Dan with a community member
Shannon KeoughAssistant Director, Augustinian Volunteers
The Southside of Chicago has been home to our volunteers for the past ten years. Nestled in the tight-‐knit neighborhood of Beverly, our volunteers have witnessed the hospitable nature of the surrounding community. Over the years, Augustinian Volunteers have served as high school campus ministers, student activities assistants, case managers, pre-‐k and kindergarten aides, computer and physical education teachers, among other roles and responsibilities they have held.
While much has changed since the pioneer group arrived in 2003, many aspects—namely, community—have remained strong and continue to grow with each passing year. When alumni are asked what makes Chicago a unique place to live and volunteer, they would undoubtedly say the people.
Jay (more commonly referred to as Jaybird) and Julie Standring are among the many members of the AV’s extended family in Chicago. They consider themselves to be the volunteers’ “Chicago Mom and Dad,” as they have known every AV group since the beginning and welcome the new community each year. Wearing multiple hats, Jay works as the PE teacher, freshman football and baseball coach at St. Rita High School, and more often than not serves as the “AV Social Director.” Julie works as
the administrative assistant to the athletic director at the high school as well. Both have been instrumental throughout the volunteers’ experiences.
Amanda Angell, a former Chicago volunteer in 2007-‐08, said, "When I think back on Chicago there are so many wonderful images, conversations and moments that come to my mind, but the sound that immediately rings in my head is Jaybird yelling ‘giddy up!’ That simple expression meant that he and his amazing wife Julie were ready to go and to include us in their adventures!”
One of the many Standring traditions occurs on Labor Day weekend, shortly after the new AVs arrive on site. “We take them on our boat for a view of Chicago’s downtown from Lake
Michigan followed by a BBQ at our home so that our adopted sons and daughters know where to Find us,” they said.
“I could never fully explain the contagious personalities of those two, other than saying they were family to me when mine was
halfway across the country and they are still what makes Chicago my
home even six years after volunteering," Amanda said.
Another tradition that has held steadfast is the volunteers’ involvement in monthly Novenas at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, attached to St. Rita High School and Monastery, on the First Thursday of every month. During the Novenas the AVs help staff the gift shop, assisting people purchasing gifts and learning more about those in attendance. In the Augustinian tradition, the volunteers share a meal with the friars at the monastery before or after Novenas.
As Augustinian Volunteers, Augustinian presence and spirituality are at the center of what we do. Each volunteer community is designated an Augustinian site supervisor for the year and their role is to welcome and orient the volunteers to the new city, host weekly or monthly dinners with local friars and be a resource for the volunteers, especially when ofFice staff members can’t physically be present.
Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A. has acted in this role since the beginning of our time in Chicago. He was also a strong proponent for bringing AVs to the Southside, along with Fr. Bernie Scianna, O.S.A. who is the current Prior Provincial of the Midwest Province. Fr. Tom has been at St. Rita High School for 20 years and is currently the Chairman of the Board and School Chaplain.
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Celebrating 10 Years of Community,
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Service and Spirituality in Chicago“To be infused each year with the
life, vitality and enthusiasm of young people who want to make a
difference by giving a year of service is awesome. It has also given a new perspective on what it means to be Augustinian on the Southside of
Chicago,” Fr. Tom said.
Building relationships with the Augustinian friars has been a valuable experience for volunteers over the years. “My thought is whenever anyone goes into any new situation there is always a sense of anxiety, apprehension and nervousness. Those feelings quickly went away after meeting Fr. Tom McCarthy and the friars,“ Nishant Jhaveri, Chicago alumnus 2004-‐05, explained. “The best compliment I can give is to say 'Thank You,' from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for each one us in our year of service. You all have made an invaluable impression on our hearts!”
In addition to St. Rita High School, we have been grateful to work consistently with Catholic Charities’ Jadonal E. Ford Center since the beginning of our time in Chicago. We have also been blessed to be a part of the St. John Fisher School and St. Margaret of Scotland School communities for many years, and currently the St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School’s community.
Janine Moretti served with the Augustinian Volunteers in Chicago in 2010-‐11, then continued her service with us in South Africa in 2012. Throughout her time in Chicago she worked as an Outreach Family Case Manager for pregnant women and babies at the Jadonal E. Ford Center. As an intake case manager, she made the initial contact with pregnant or parenting women and met with them in her ofFice or at their homes.
The ten months she spent in Chicago inFluenced her decision to volunteer for a second year in South Africa where she would go on to help mothers and their children in a different capacity. Ultimately, these experiences led her to pursue a Master’s of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, MO where she will begin in fall 2014.
“I carry my experience in Chicago and Catholic Charities with me as a
formative and life-changing experience. My experience not only helped me grow personally but it
also inKluenced and strengthened my professional goals and career path,”
Janine said.
Among the many lessons she learned in her Catholic Charities position, her co-‐worker taught her that, “we are to love each client we work with no matter what choices they have made to get to this point in their lives. Their past experiences have inFluenced them and brought them to this point but it is our job to accept, love and help them to see their own positive potential and, therefore, make positive life choices in the future.”
Not only have our volunteers been of service to the Southside community, but they have truly been served at their service placements and by the larger community while growing in their personal faith lives. Fr. Tom said, “I have seen volunteers embrace the opportunity to truly make our Augustinian charism their own...Truly embracing our core values of truth, unity and love, they have changed how they will live their lives forever.”
The Standring’s shared a few of their favorite memories with the AVs, including trips to college football games, the annual Southside Irish parade, Easter Sunrise Mass on North Avenue Beach celebrated by Fr. Tom, Thanksgiving dinners with the traditional “weigh in,” and participating in the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk to support their Chicago Mom as a breast cancer survivor. They said, “The AVs have affected our lives by the joy, energy and love they bring and the fact that they have returned to Chicago to visit us, by keeping in touch at the holidays, inviting us to meet their families, and sharing what’s new in their lives following their time in Chicago.”
Chicago has proven to be a wonderful service site and we hope to call this community home for many years to come. Diana Giunta, a former Chicago volunteer 2012-‐13, shared that Chicago is a unique place to volunteer “because the people in areas where volunteers live and serve are so welcoming and open-‐hearted. They truly make Chicago a second home!”
Photo captions: 1: Sean’s Rhino Bar is a popular place among volunteers and fellow Southsiders to socialize.; 2: Jaybird and Julie taking 2012-‐13 volunteers on their boat to explore the city.; 3: Photo of the St. Rita Shrine where the volunteers gather on the First Thursday of each month for Novena.; 4: An annual photo is taken of the volunteer community with the Augustinian friars from St. Rita Monastery at the end of the year. This is Nishant’s community with the friars, including Fr. Tom. Each year’s photo still hangs in the volunteer house.; 5: Janine Moretti’s community baking cookies for a St. Rita football game—another tradition with Jaybird.; 6: View of the Chicago skyline.; 7: Current volunteers standing outside of their house, where AVs have lived since the start in 2003.
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Thank you to all those who donated to the Augustinian Volunteers in 2013-14... (Please note that the list of donors below are only those whose donations we received between June 2013 - May 2014)
William and Marian AlbertusKirsten AllanKenneth and Aimee AlleyPatricia AltepeterAmerica’s CharitiesNancy Angell
Daniel and Joan BarclayDavid and Nancy BarryDrew BaumanGary and Lori BeckerStephen and Marnie BellJoseph and Christine BernardoArthur and Marcy BienemanBirdz TrustJudith BishopEarl and Janice BlivenDennis and Lynn BlumRonald BoireDenise BordonaroJames and Lynn BowenJoanna BowenMarion BowmanJoseph and Jeanne BoylePatricia BrennenPeter and Sally BrunderlePatricia BrunoRobert and Maureen BurkeCynthia BurnsMichael and Dolores Burns
Hugh and Cheryl CampbellCasa Maria Marianist CommunityBarbara CavallaroChambers Group CMI Full Service PrintersFrancis CliffordDaniel and Susan CluneCommunity Education Centers, Inc.Paul and Nancy ConnollyVictoria ConnollySandra ConnollyBrian CooneyEdward and Judith CraneMichael Cunningham
Craig and Lora Cunningham
James and Elaine D’AlessandroJames and Betty DavisThomas DeLineW.J. and Adelle DeLineAnthony and Patricia DellomoJames and Patricia DellomoJames and Ellen DeMarcoMaura DenicolaPaul DevineDavid DiDomenicoPatrick and Amy DiDomenicoCharles and Elizabeth DiDomenicoDaniel and Elizabeth DiDomenico Brian DiMarcoRobert and Mary Ann DiMarcoRobert DiMarcoBarbara Diorio, D.M.D.Carol DombroskiJoseph and Audrey DombroskiKevin and Diane DonovanJoanne DorseyJames and Barbara DuniganCarol DurrTimothy and Sandy Dwyer
Margaret EastburnSean and Debbie EganTom and Diane EichlerTodd and Lori EllingsonJohn and Cara EnnyJames and Patty EspositoEvolve IP, LLC
James and Patricia FeeneyJames and Julie FetznerThomas and Kathleen FlanaganBrian and Laura Fraher
Dennis and Marianne FraherJohn and Anne FraherJohn and Megan FraherKevin FraherPaul and Mary FreemanMatthew and Beatrice FreyCurtis and Lisa FryeStephen and Diane FugaleMary Fuller
Andrew GabrielNorman and Cynthia GallantKaren GarberHelena GaydosGerry GiardulloSteven GillinWilliam and Marie Pat GithensLillian GiulianiWalter and Michelle GlosBryan and Mary GosselinCaitlyn GrantMary Agnes GrantPatrick GrantPatrick and Mary GrantAnn GriffinJohn and E. June GruberMarilyn Gruber
Claire HawesWilliam HectGreg HeurichRonald and Kristine HeurichNicholas and Anna HjorthHenry HodesBetty HoganGerald and Lori HoganGary HollowayAlice Hood
Jeffrey and Kathryn JaenickeMary JeffreyElizabeth JetteKristin JohnsonAlfred and Gloria Johnston
Stanley and Sharon KalinoskiJames and Cathy KaneJoseph and M. Patricia KeeferThomas KempShannon KeoughMarie KingsburyMary KleinE. Alfred and Linda KleinerJames and Mary KozlowskiHannah KunbergerGeorge KunbergerDaniel KunetzMary Kutsenda
John LambChristine LashmetEileen LaveryFrancis and Catherine LeBlancJohn and Karen LenehanJaimie LeonardChristine LiberatoreRoger and Patricia LinnemannEko and Prima LisuwandiThomas and Christine LittlehaleEdward and Mary Jo LivaRobert and Helen LonekBailey Lynch
Filomena MagaveroThomas and Sheila ManningThomas ManningRalph MaroisRichard and Kathleen MarshallKevin and Christy MartinJohn and Cynthia McCabeThomas and Maryann McGivneyJohn McKeeverRobert and Carol McKiernanWilliam McKiernanJames and Anne McMaster
Timothy and Nancy MehaffeyLisa MehalickLori MenznerMerion Mercy AcademyJames and Lucille MescallKevin and Michelle MescallPeter and Laraine MichaelsonAnn MiddletonMargaret MonacoJustin MoodieCheryl MrazikElizabeth Murphy
Louise O’BrienRose O’DriscollAmobi OkugoIrene O’NeilKathleen O’NeilMargaret O’NeilNicholas OrlandoFrank and Mary Beth Osusky
Vincente Pangelinan
Leo and Maryanne ParsonsOwen and Mary PattersonJulia and Francis PellegrinoLouis PenzaMorgan PerryMadeline PetriSara PheasantGregory and Sandra PiontekRobert and Marianne PlucienikNoelle Polce
Diane RadtkeBrian ReillyJohn ReyesShannon RileyAnita RiskKevin and Arleen RocheShawn and Claire RowanKevin and Gail RugeeDavid and Cheryl RyanJeremiah RyanRobert and Barbara Ryan
Sharon SalernoJoseph SantosChristopher SchettiniJames SchorrRobert and Celestine ScibloMaura ShaughnessyAlice ShaughnessyGayle ShearerJay and Ann SkinnerKaren SpillaneMargaret and Fred SpringerWarren and Barbara SteeleCharles and Patricia StickneyLisa StoneDavid and Margaret Snyder
Robert TassiTerrence P. Delaney FundByron ThompsonPaul and Mary ThompsonStephen TomaselloTopper Family
True Hero, Inc.Francis and Jeanette Tydingco
Daniel and Barbara VaughanChristina Viglietta
Roger and Cheryl WahlLawrence and Madeline WeinsteinGeorge and Mary WeissHelen WeissMichael and Mary WeissPatrick and Judith WeldeRichard WendigSoren and Marion WestColin WinrowDaniel and Maureen WisemanWilliam Wood
Anthony and Patricia Zook
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Mark your Calendars!
Please contact the AV office at [email protected] or 610-527-3330 ext. 291 if you are interested
in attending any of these events or learning more about them.
Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 10am Domestic End of the Year Mass & Brunch Villanova University, Corr Chapel
Sunday, August 24, 2014 Commissioning Mass and Dinner
Saturday, November 1, 2014Boston Alumni Event, more details to follow
Saturday, December 13, 2014International Re-Entry Mass and Dinner
...We greatly appreciate your generosity and support!
Augustinian Friars
Province ofSaint Thomas of Villanova
P.O. Box 340214 Ashwood Rd.Villanova, PA19085-0340
NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. Postage
PAIDWayne, PA 19087
Permit No. 16AV True or False
1. The majority of our current volunteers heard about the AVs via word of mouth.
2. Everyone who has worked for the Augustinian Volunteers has been an alumni of the program.
3. This year marks the 10th anniversary of AVs in Chicago.
4.Five out of nine volunteers in the first AV group were Merrimack College graduates.
5. In AV history, there has only been one seven-person volunteer community.
Answer key:1-‐-‐T: Keep spreading the word-‐-‐you’re our best recruitment tool!; 2-‐-‐F: Fr. Joe is not an alumni of the program, although all following staff members have been AV alumni.; 3-‐-‐F: Technically, this is the 11th volunteer community in Chicago. The real truth is that AV staff members can’t add.; 4-‐-‐T: If it weren’t for Merrimack College, the AVs probably wouldn’t be where they are today!; 5-‐-‐F: Many can attest that seven would be one person too many.
