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Augustinian
Values Institute: The Fifth Gathering As seven Cascia teachers landed in San Diego on the afternoon of January 17, we were full of anticipation and excitement facing three days of sharing with Augustinian educators from around the world in the annual Institute for Augustinian Values in Education. In those three sunny days we were not to be disappointed. Each morning, we drove from our hotel on Harbor Island to St. Augustine High School, our host school, where we ate breakfast and then began the day with prayer and an overview of the daily topics of discussion. Representing Cascia this year were Mr. Roger Carter, Mrs. Cheryl Graves, Mrs. Cathy Luccock, Mrs. Kristin Liles, Mr. Tom Ososkie, Mrs. Janna Roberson, and Mrs. Ann Zenthoefer. At meals we often shared conversations with the representatives from the other Augustinian schools. Most lively were the Irish, British, Australians, and Canadians! To begin the day, special presenters would give an opening talk, raising questions for a mixed group discussion to follow (educators from all the Augustinian schools grouped by teaching subject). We would return to the library, our central meeting place, for reports from each group, take a break, and then hear another presenter followed by the mixed group discussion again. Saturday night we celebrated Mass, and our own Fr. Bernie Scianna gave the homily, focusing on the value of Caritas, followed by a Spanish fiesta complete with mariachi band and sombreros for everyone! On Sunday, we finally returned to our own school groups for discussion, time for silent individual reflection, and then large group reflections. We ended the day with a closing prayer time, a gift exchange among schools, and dinner on Harbor Island, where the Irish tenors serenaded us! Each day was packed with new ideas and inspiration. Our first speaker, Mr. Jim Horne, Principal, St. Augustine High School, challenged us to look at best practices for how to "walk the talk" of Truth, Unity, and Charity. His beautiful border collie, Marley, was by his side during much of the conference, and we enjoyed her quiet canine presence on the campus. Fr. Gus Esposito, President, Monsignor Bonner High School, enjoined us to grasp our vocation with our entire being and move forward listening to the voice of God leading us as he did St. Augustine. Fr. Jim Flynn, Head of School, Malvern Prep., lectured on Augustine's early life and his attraction to Vergil, Cicero, and Plato. Seeing his own conflict in Plato's Phaedrus. Augustine was reminded of St. Paul's struggle. Augustine finally came to the belief that we are meant for the Truth, and if we cannot find it, it will come to us, as God came to us in Jesus Christ. But we must create spiritual spaces to listen for God, also to dream, and to reflect. One of his questions for discussion was "how do we move from an emphasis on grades to an emphasis on the pursuit of Truth?" Father Paul Galetto, President, St. Augustine Prep., spoke to us on the hidden curriculum or the way we present a model of Christian living to our students. He cited the week his students live and serve the poorest of the poor in Camden, New Jersey, as thoroughly transforming. Finally, Fr. Tom McCarthy, President, St. Rita's, posed the question, "Do we tell our publics who we are?" He said we should be oozing Augustinianism in all that we do and reminded us of the words of St. Francis of Asssisi, "Preach the Gospel: use words if necessary." Do we teach our seal, do we integrate prayer into our day, do we share tolle lege moments when we were first touched and transformed by others? Do we invite our missionaries to speak to our students? He ended the words of Cardinal Newman, "To change is to grow, and to grow is to change often." He asked us to consider what we are doing now to show our communities we are a Augustinian and what we hope to do in the future. The Cascia contingent was tried on our return but newly infused with the joy of sharing our core values. We are eager to plan the program for October, when Cascia will be hosting the Institute on our beautiful campus! Any and all suggestions are welcome. We'll probably develop a Western, Native American, Oklahoma theme. As an aside, you might want to ask Mr. Carter how he found time to run in San Diego and has continued daily running ever since. Question Mrs. Roberson and Mrs. Luccock about their wonderful visit Carrie McFall and Ryan and Becky Heatherman in the Prado close to the zoo. And what was Mrs. Liles' secret weapon in "taming the beast," as we called the white van she chauffeured us in so ably? Also, you might want to ask Mrs. Zenthoefer about the words to the song "Oklahoma"! It was a wonderful weekend of inspiration, relaxation, and renewed vision for the future of our students and Cascia as an Augustinian School. We all thank Fr. Bernie for making this transformative experience possible, and we'll need everyone's help to make the October Institute a special time for our visitors. Put on your thinking caps now! St.
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