Saint Augustine [354 - 430]
St. Augustine was born in 354 in North Africa. As a young man in Carthage he led an unsettled life both in the philosophy he professed and in his moral life. Later in Milan, Augustine heard St. Ambrose speak and as time passed the Bishop's words filtered his heart and mind until, after a long struggle within himself, he was baptised.

After his conversion Augustine became convinced that his vocation was to be dedicated to prayer and scholorship in the service of Christ, in a monastic setting. In 388 he established a community of lay-monks at Tagaste, his birth place. The fame of his piety and learning spread until in 391 he was elected priest, and later Bishop, by the christian community at Hippo, where he set up anothe community. As a great Doctor of the Church Augustine still influences the philosophy, theology and spirituality of the church.

The origins of the Augustinian Order.
In 1243 Pope Innocent IV decreed that several groups of hermits in the Tuscany region of Northern Italy should unite into a single Order following the Rule of St. Augustine. Thus the Order came into being in March 1244. In 1256 there was a further unification with more groups of hermits. This union established the Order in a modern-day sense because it entailed a radical change of life-style in that it ocassioned the movement of the friars in to city areas where they supported themselves by begging. Until the 16th. century the Order enjoyed steady growth until there were 16,000 Brothers in forty provinces. After the Reformation it went into decline and at the beginning of last century there were scaresly 1,000 Brothers. Today in the twentyfirst century the Order now has about 3,700 members throughout the world.

The Augustinians in England and Scotland.
Before the union of 1256, when many of the Hermits were united into one large fraternity of Austin Friars, one progressive group , the Friars Hermits of St. Augustine in Tuscany, had spread to France from where they were invited to England by Richard de Clare, Earl of Clare, Gloucester and Hertford.

The traditional date of the foundation of Clare Priory, in Suffolk, is 1248. It is more probable, however, that the Friars actually arrived in 1249. Richard de Clare visited France in 1248 and doubtless, after meeting the Friars, he guaranteed them a foundation in the shadow of his castle at Clare on the banks of the River Stour. He returned to England in June 1249 and obtained on behalf of the Friars a writ of protection from the King. This was issued on 3rd. September 1249 and it is assumed that the Friars first came to Clare Priory shortly afterwards.

After the dispersion of the Order in the 16th. century by Henry VIII the Order was re-established in England by the Irish Province during the twentieth century. The Augustinians were able in 1953 to return to their old house, Clare Priory, the first home they had founded in England seven hundred years before. This was made possible by acts of great generosity from Lady May's heirs, through which the Order acquired the property for only a fraction of its true value. The prime mover in this had been Lady May's daughter, Stella de Fonblanque, who now lies at rest in the monastic graveyard, the first Catholic to be buried there since the Reformation! We now only have parishes in the following places: Dundee, Edinburgh, Woodvale (Southport), Birmingham (Harborne and Quinton), Clare, In the history there are references to parishes in Great Yarmouth, Hythe and Carlise. We still do have a school in Carlise though, it is an independent Day School.

In 1977 a new province of England and Scotland was formed with over 50 Brothers in 12 houses throughout the country. The Order has parishes in London [Hammersmith and Hoxton], Birmingham, Clare Priory [Suffolk], Woodvale, Southport and Dundee; and a school in Carlise which is an independent Day School. True to its origins the apostolate in city areas is becoming the main activity of the Order. The Order has two schools - a Grammar School in Carlisle and a Preparatory School in Freshfield.

The Spirituality of the Order.
The Rule of St. Augustine explains the spirituality of the Order. The common life in which the Brothers live in unity of heart and mind intent upon God is the basis of any Augustinian's life. This unity is shown by the common ownership of goods and the spirit of Brotherhood in the friary. Prayer preserves and enriches the community, and so it is that Augustinians have always placed great emphasis upon the recitation of the Divine Office and attendance at Community Mass.

The Augustinian has two-fold vocation: a contemplative search for God and an apostolic life which leads others to God. St. Augustine said: "No one should be so contemplative as to be unmindful of service to his neighbour, nor should he be so active as not to seek the contemplation of God. "Love in Unity" was the main theme of Augustine's writings on community life. He urges a complete self-giving as he says: "Your life does not belong to you personally but to all the brethren.....their life together with yours does not form a multiple life but only one life; Christ's unique life."

[For more information about Clare Priory, please click this sentence.]