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Augustine Hall Program Unites Faith and Daily Life
4/30/2007
 A freshman residential program at St. Augustine Hall that focuses on the dialogue between faith and reason and the unity of faith and daily life will begin this fall with renewed vigor under the direction of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist with a team of Resident Assistants and peer mentors. Students selected for the St. Augustine Living/Learning Community will stay in the apartment-style housing next door to Clare Hall (currently the Colquitt Apartments), that will become the residence of five Franciscan Sisters. The students will be able to access a meeting room, the director’s office and the Franciscan chapel from the Augustine Hall courtyard.
Instead of the specially designed two-credit courses in philosophy taken by residents in past years, participants will take a paired course in the fall, taught by two of the Basilian Fathers, as well as the freshman Odyssey course required of all freshmen. Both the “Philosophy of the Human Person,” taught by Fr. Anthony Giampietro, and “Teachings of the Church,” taught by Fr. Joseph Pilsner, are three-credit courses that fulfill core requirements.
In the spring, participating students will take another three-credit course in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural learning – “Mapping the Catholic Cultural Landscape.” These courses are offered under the auspices of Catholic Studies.
“The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist look forward to being engaged with more of our UST students and with the Basilian Fathers, as we build on the foundations previously laid for the St. Augustine Hall program,” Sr. Paula Jean said. “The integration of faith and reason, of faith and life, was a priority for Pope John Paul II and remains one for Pope Benedict, and so is a focal project for all of us here at UST. Most of the details still need to be worked out for the program,” she said, “but it is an exciting plan, and we are happy to be so intimately involved.”
The one-year program is open to all academic majors and members of all faiths. A weekly Mass and discussion of issues touching collegiates’ daily lives will serve to integrate academic learning, excursions into the art centers of Greater Houston, leadership training and community service.
A variety of service projects will help students develop diverse skills, enlarge their experiences, and provide for leadership training. Service projects within the Houston metropolitan area will be coordinated through Catholic Charities. Students will also have opportunities to lead and serve at UST through Campus Ministry.
The program has evolved over the six years since its inception in 2001. Augustine Hall was originally created as a true model of a living-learning community with a live-in faculty presence. The program stalled due to a staffing shortage, despite the efforts of Dr. Terry Hall, associate professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program, who for the past two years took on the teaching component as an overload. Hall can no longer continue the specialized teaching due to his many other duties.
The work of the Franciscan Sisters will again enable UST to realize this mission. They will develop assessment standards and select candidates in collaboration with Academic Affairs and Student Affairs/Enrollment Management. “The Franciscan Sisters are a bright spot at our University,” said Dr. John Hittinger, vice president for Academic Affairs. “This is a good example of how to achieve the Catholic mission by making it possible for students to live a life of unity and light.”
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