A Special Day for Austin Prep

My wife, Cindy Hickey and I were affiliated to the Order of St. Augustine, Augustinian Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova. Affiliation is the highest honor that the Order can bestow on a layperson. The affiliation, which was approved by the Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine in Rome, recognized Austin Prep for its commitment to the Augustinian way of life.

Although Cindy and I were formally affiliated to the Augustinians, the honor and recognition is not ours. It belongs to the Austin Prep Family and the moment marked an exceptional milestone in the School’s heritage.

According to the Constitutions of the Order of St. Augustine, “The Order has the faculty of affiliating to itself the faithful who merit special recognition because of their distinguished cooperation for the good of the Order. By reason of this affiliation, they belong to the Augustinian Family and share in all of the spiritual benefits of the Order.”

We are incredibly grateful to the Friars at St. Augustine Church in Andover -- Fr. Arthur Johnson, O.S.A., Fr. Peter Gori, O.S.A., Austin Prep Class of 1970, and Fr. John Dello Russo, O.S.A. -- who nominated us for our commitment to Augustinian education. Fr. Arthur Johnson, O.S.A., who was the main celebrant of the mass of affiliation, literally opened the doors of Austin Prep when our first students arrived on campus in 1963. He has been a consequential part of Austin Prep’s “restless” journey for more than 60 years. No other person in the School’s history can match Father Art’s abiding presence. And to hear him say, on behalf of his Augustinian brothers, how proud and grateful the Friars are of Austin Prep’s unceasing work to advance veritas, unitas, and caritas was unparalleled.

There are many people, past and present, across generations who care deeply about Austin Prep – students, parents, alumni, trustees, and friars. Many of them returned to campus on December 9 to celebrate the special moment and mark the occasion.

Of special note, Tony Pimentel P ’99, ’01, GP ’27,’29 attended. Tony was Chair of the Board of Trustees when I was a candidate for Head of School about 13 years ago when both the Hickey Family and the Austin Prep Family were learning more about each other. Through Tony’s leadership and advocacy, the Board of Trustees, at the time, took a chance on this guy from New York who had a funny accent and supported New York sports teams. Despite all that, the Austin Prep Family welcomed the Hickey Family and, because of a deep and shared commitment to the mission of Austin Prep, the rest was history.

We give thanks for the gift of Austin Prep’s Catholic mission, for our Augustinian community which gives it meaning, and our spiritual journey in the footsteps of St. Augustine which helps bring it to fulfillment. Cindy and I are incredibly grateful to be a part of the Austin Prep Family. And more than ever, we’re all in.