My service experience this year has taken many unexpected turns because of the pandemic. I had originally planned to focus on after-school care at my service site, a K-8 Catholic school in West Philadelphia, but my primary role is now as the long-term substitute teacher for the first grade class. While I happily accepted this...
It’s in the midst of a global pandemic and stay at home orders that I find myself working as a Campus Minister at St. Augustine High School, an all-boys school in San Diego. Despite the world being more connected than ever through revolutionary technology, people find themselves longing for deeper relationships and plagued by a...
“Do you tend to dwell in the past, live in the present, or dream of the future?” This was a question I was asked during one of our Orientation activities back in August, and it is still something I think about to this day. I would describe myself as someone who is constantly thinking about...
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I began my discernment process in joining the Augustinian Volunteers a year ago. At the time, I had been out of college for the last three years and had been searching for a life-giving career. Something that would leave me feeling grateful and appreciative...
One of the most notable memories I have experienced this volunteer year is the priestly ordination of a young Augustinian friar. The ordination was performed by a local auxiliary bishop named Bishop Robert Barron. Bishop Barron, famous for his work with Word on Fire Ministries on YouTube, shared a profound insight in his homily that...
A tenet of Augustinian spirituality is sharing meals in fellowship. As soon as we arrived, my community adopted this rhythm and it’s now one of my favorites. Every night, we begin dinner by sharing our daily “highs and lows” (or “sunshine and rain clouds”, “flowers and weeds” etc.). This almost always takes us awhile to...
A cool breeze, laughter ringing and live music in the air. When I thought about where I’ve seen God present in my week. I realized I’ve seen Him in many small ways. I also realized that those small ways came to a head this Saturday when my community mates and I went to Harvest Weekend....
At the beginning of my time as an AV, my understanding of service within the context of this year was largely tied to the physical space that is my service site. Every morning I’d commute to the school on the other side of the city where I’d perform my unpredictable array of tasks and establish...
To say this year has been unique is a definite understatement. It is nothing I have ever experienced before. From August to March, I was living with three other people, sharing time and resources, in a new city. Together, Jacob, Claire, Keara and I grew as we experienced this new life. My favorite moments, outside...
In my year of experience as an AV, there have been countless people and ideas I have run into to challenge and mold my understanding of what it means to practice service. The most inspirational of which has constantly been my supervisor at my placement at HIAS Pennsylvania, Shaloo. When I first got to know...
