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The Ordinary Provincial Chapter\u00a0of Augustinians\u00a0in Ireland took place between June 7 and 12, 2026. \u00a0It was presided over by Fr. Joseph Farrell, Prior General of the Order. \u00a0About forty friars participated. \u00a0Also in attendance were (photo below, left to right): Fr. Robert Marsh, OSA, previous Provincial\u00a0in the UK; Fr. Joseph Farrell, OSA; Fr. Gladson Dabre, OSA, Superior Provincial of the Anglo-Scottish Province; Fr. Anthony Kanu, OSA, Provincial of the Nigerian Province; Fr. Ian Wilson, OSA, former Assistant General; and Fr. Paddy O’Reilly. <\/p>\n
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The Chapter opened with a \u2018Gathering Ritual\u2019 at which Fr. Paddy O\u2019Reilly, OSA was officially installed as Provincial by the Prior General who entrusted to him the Seal of Office. \u00a0Fr. Farrell also addressed the Chapter members and encouraged them to \u2018embrace the gifts they already possessed rather than dwell on those they might wish or hope for\u2019.<\/p>\n
On the following day, the Provincial Council was elected. \u00a0The friars proposed by the Provincial and elected\u00a0by\u00a0the Chapter participants were: Joe Davou, OSA (of the Nigerian Province), Seamus Ahearne, OSA, Flor O\u2019Callaghan, OSA and Pat Gayer, OSA. \u00a0Pat was also elected Provincial Secretary and Stephen Shields, OSA, was re-elected as Provincial Bursar.<\/p>\n
Among the main items on the agenda this. second day was the Villanova Project\u00a0in Galway. \u00a0This is\u00a0quite a creative and ambitious endeavour. \u00a0The Chapter members were addressed by two prominent staff members at Villanova University: namely,\u00a0\u00a0Dr. Joseph Lennon, Associate\u00a0Dean for International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives, and\u00a0Fr.\u00a0David Cregan, OSA, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. \u00a0According to the proposed project, Villanova University would take over the current Augustinian Priory\u00a0in Galway\u00a0as an educational, cultural, social and pastoral center for\u00a0the\u00a0students who are studying at Galway University for different periods of time.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Meanwhile, the international community of about three\u00a0Augustinian\u00a0friars would find alternative accommodation as close as possible to the church to continue their pastoral ministry there. \u00a0The project gave rise to a lot of questions from the floor and generated a lot of interest. \u00a0It would also help forge strong links among Galway University.\u00a0the Villanova Province,\u00a0and the Province of Ireland, from where two\u00a0friars, John Rossiter, OSA, and Matthew Carr,\u00a0OSA,\u00a0set out for Philadelphia in 1794 to establish the Order in the U.S.A.<\/p>\n
Other topics\u00a0which\u00a0were presented and discussed at the\u00a0Chapter included Finance, Healthcare, Safeguarding and Legal Matters, and the future of John\u2019s Lane Church\u00a0(Dublin) under the\u00a0supervision\u00a0of a new Trust. \u00a0At various times each day there was also consideration given to\u00a0Proposals which could possibly be voted upon later in the week. \u00a0These\u00a0Proposals were quite numerous, making the work of\u00a0the Provincial and his Council quite onerous over the next four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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On a lighter social note,\u00a0during the Chapter, \u00a0John\u00a0O\u2019Connor, OSA, was honoured on the occasion of his 100th birthday! \u00a0Fr. John attended on that one day and\u00a0was lauded by all present, including by the Prior General who sat with him during the celebratory meal. \u00a0On the final night,\u00a0four friars celebrated their Golden Jubilees of ordination: Paddy O\u2019Reilly, OSA; Flor O\u2019Callaghan, OSA; Tony Finn, OSA, and Kieran O\u2019Mahony, OSA (who unfortunately was absent due to illness).<\/p>\n
The Chapter concluded with a talk by the Prior General who gave an overview of initiatives in the Order at present. \u00a0These included, among other things,\u00a0the difficult situation for the friars\u00a0and society currently in Cuba;\u00a0the possibility of re-establishing the Order in France; the rapid growth of vocations in West Papua, Indonesia; and the preparations already underway for the commemoration\u00a0in 2030\u00a0of the 1600th anniversary of the death of St. Augustine.<\/p>\n
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