St. Austin Parishioners Attend Fr. René's Installation
Fr. Eric Andrews installed Fr. René Constanza as his successor as President of the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle. The rich liturgy took place in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The ceremony on Tuesday afternoon, June 7, was witnessed in person by a large contingent of St. Austin parishioners. They gathered to celebrate Fr. René, once our Associate Pastor (2012 - 2016). He called us his "first love." Also called to serve the Paulists in leadership roles were Fr. Frank Desiderio as vice president, and Fr. Dave Dwyer as first consultor, or chief advisor to the president.
Enjoy the gallery of photos from the celebration of Mass and the reception below. Look for familiar faces of Paulists who've ministered to our parish in the past as well as other faces you'll recognize. To view the Gallery, click on the photo and then use the white arrows to scroll through.
The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle is a community of Catholic priests who share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through mission preaching, media, campus ministries, parishes, downtown centers, the arts and more.
Led by the Holy Spirit, the Paulists focus on evangelization (reaching out),
reconciliation (bringing peace), and ecumenical and interfaith relations (seeking unity).
Every day, across the Internet and airwaves, in bookstores and campus centers and in communities and churches, they navigate between the spiritual and the secular to meet every person at any point on the journey of faith.
Learn more about this community in the video linked at the button.
Almighty and ever faithful God, you spoke your Word to the world in your Son, Jesus Christ, and commissioned St. Paul to bring your word to all nations and to the ends of the earth. Your Spirit led Servant of God Isaac Hecker to proclaim your word in North America using tools of the modern age.
We ask you to call new missionaries in the line of St. Paul and Father Hecker.
May they burn with passion to give the Gospel a voice so that all may know the mystery of your love. May they follow the Lord Jesus with the zeal of St. Paul and Father Hecker as they carry on the mission of the Paulist Community.
In the power of your Holy Spirit, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Charisms for Our Time & Place
Reaching Out, Bringing Peace, & Seeking Unity
Our community's mission is to bring God's transforming love to our time and place. The charisms of the Paulists who've served as our pastors since 1908 not only inspire our actions but also inform our spirituality. We incorporate that Paulist focus into our worship and prayer, our efforts in education, and in our ministries of service. We're committed to these truths ~
Evangelizing extends to the whole human experience - we invite seekers to the love of Jesus Christ.
Promoting justice and healing makes compassion tangible - we extend a forgiving embrace to all.
Building bridges with other Christian churches, the Jewish people and members of other world religions brings peace - we work toward respect for all.
Servant of God Isaac Thomas Hecker (Dec. 18, 1819 – Dec. 22, 1888) was the New York City-born son of German immigrants who spent his early life working in his family’s bakery and flour business.
As a young man, he began a spiritual journey that eventually led to him to the Catholic Church. He became a priest and a faithful son of the Church who was not afraid of questioning, challenging and experimenting.
In 1858, together with his associates, Fr. Hecker founded the Paulist Fathers with the mission of helping the American people understand the Catholic Church and helping the Church understand the democratic spirit of America.
Fr. Hecker was a brilliant missionary preacher, author, publisher and pastor. It is our prayer that, one day, he also will be known as a saint. The cause for Fr. Hecker’s beatification and canonization was formally opened in 2008 at which time he received the title “Servant of God.”
To learn more about Hecker's fascinating faith journey, you can learn more here: