Third Order of Augustinians

 St. Augustine is a great doctor of the Church, great defender of truth, who founded an order of priests.  For many years Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish was served by Augustinian priests.  In keeping with our Augustinian heritage, our church is adorned by at least 4 Augustinian statues; St. Augustine, Our Lady of Consolation, St. Rita, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine.  By 1950, in the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish the Third Order of Augustinian Recollects had been organized for our lay parishioners.  The Third Order of St. Augustine is one of the branches of the Augustinian family, made up of lay men and women.  As members, we follow the spirit of the Rule of St. Augustine in our daily lives; which calls us to be" of one mind and heart on the way to God."

The  members strive for three goals. 

                1.  The first is to come to a love and knowledge of God through prayer, the study of Sacred Scripture.

                2.  The second goal is to be united in heart and mind with the other members of the Third Order.  By means of friendship, respect for the other person, we come to see God's presence in one another. 

                3. The third goal is to serve others and to witness to Christ in the members' ordinary day to day life.

 Through meditation and prayer St. Augustine teaches that we can listen to Jesus, our Teacher in order  to serve the people of God.  A Third Order member seeks to be aware of the love that God has for him, and deeply feel this love of God for his or her neighbor.

 We meet on the fourth Sunday of every month before and after mass.  We also participate in study and  celebrations of Augustinian themes, such as the Feast of our Holy Father, St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica as well as the Feast of St. Rita.  The third order exists to live closely in union with Christ and his Church in collaboration with our pastor, praying for vocations and striving to live out human and spiritual friendships.

If you are interested in joining the Augustinian family, come to the 8:00 mass on the fourth Sunday of the month and join us for refreshments  and fellowship in the church basement.