San Agustin Center of Studies

The San Agustin Major Seminary

“No human being is a stranger to an AUGUSTINIAN.
…live together in oneness honoring God in yourselves.”

Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.)

The venue for this year’s Sector Weekend for Couples for Christ North B is quite unique.

That venue is a nearly finished chapel inside the San Agustin Center of Studies (SACS) compound located at Fisheries St., near Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. What makes it quite eccentric is the fact that the chapel forms part of a modern day columbary owned by the Augustinians.

It didn’t look like there was a columbary when I arrived as the place was sprawling and quite well maintained if I may say so. The expansive beauty of the Center well mitigated any morbid feeling I later felt realizing we were in a resting place for the departed.

The Center opened its doors to CFC North B!

During the successful whole day activity, I got the chance to know more about the community of friars that lived there, the Augustinians.

The so-called Augustinians belong to the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) founded during the Middle Ages but traces its roots all the way to the 4th and 5th centuries, during the time of St. Augustine whom they consider their “Spiritual Founder”. After the initial gathering of different hermits who followed the Rule of St. Augustine by Pope Innocent IV in 1244 followed by a bigger union formed under Pope Alexander IV in 1256, the mendicant Order soon spread to many parts of the world. Missions were established in many areas of the New World including the Philippines. According to their brochure, there are presently around 2,700 Augustinians around the world in 40 countries serving in various ministries which include education, parochial and missionary apostolates.

In fact, the first Christian missionaries to the archipelago were Augustinian friars led by the navigator Fray Andres Urdaneta. As such, the history of the Augustinians is closely intertwined with the country’s momentous past. Many of the nation’s first converts to Christianity from the present day provinces of Cebu, Panay, Central and Northern Luzon including many parts of Metro Manila can be attributed to the missionary passion of the Augustinian friars. These friars are also well known as founders of many municipalities and historic churches many of which continue to stand as houses of worship and as historical landmarks.

The Province of Sto. Niňo de Cebu which works here in the Philippines has 13 houses under its jurisdiction including SACS. The Center, aside from the Columbary and the Chapel of Sto. Niňo de Cebu also houses the San Agustin Major Seminary, the San Agustin College Seminary and the St. Thomas of Villanova Institute.

The Columbary’s Chapel was the venue for this year’s CFC Sector Weekend

In the afternoon, I went to the Seminary and met one of the Center’s administrators, Fr. Joel L. Beronque, OSA. Fray Joel was the current Master of College Seminarians. It was through our brief conversation I was able to know a lot about this missionary Order.

The Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary later this year

As I went back to the chapel and to the remaining talks of the Sector Weekend, I noticed a tarpaulin showing the upcoming preparations for the Center’s 25th anniversary this November. The SACS’ theme at 25 is “We remember…We rejoice…We renew…” I thought it was a fitting theme for a religious learning institution that has been in existence for at least a quarter of a century. I congratulate and wish them well.

May the Augustinians continue to remain zealously faithful to their missionary vision of establishing “a community of brothers and friends, living harmoniously with one mind and one heart intent upon God and sharing goods in common for the service of the people of God.”