About Tolle Lege Day
The Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova embarks on its fifth-annual Augustinian giving day. It is no coincidence that we’ve chosen to host our giving day on April 24th, the feast of the Conversion of St. Augustine. We’ve named our giving day Tolle Lege (Take up and Read) Day, calling to mind the words that moved Augustine to pick up the Scriptures and find his way to faith. On this day, Augustinian religious and lay communities will come together with one mind and one heart to celebrate the Augustinian Way of Life and all those who share in it. This day is a 24-hour fundraising event will provide an opportunity to generate awareness of the Augustinian Charism to a broad community, create excitement about our wide Augustinian connections and provide financial support to sustain the friars’ lives and their ministries.
Our Goal
On this fifth Tolle Lege Day, our goal is all about participation, and gifts of any amount are welcome and encouraged. We seek to engage the collaboration of alumni of our current/former schools, parishioners of our current/former parishes; friends and relatives of the Augustinians; and others connected to the friars. Your gift to the Augustinian Fund helps us to ensure a strong presence of Augustinians in our schools, parishes, and ministries now and into the future.
About the Fr. Richard D. Appicci, O.S.A. Endowment for Augustinian Missions
In 1967 the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova accepted the invitation of Bishop John McNabb, O.S.A. to send missionaries to serve in the Prelature of Chulucanas, Peru. One of the very first volunteers to go was Fr. Dick Appicci, O.S.A. Fr. Appicci chose to work among the very poor in the outlying areas of the town of Chulucanas. Soon this area was developed into the Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker. Under Fr. Appicci’s able guidance, the parish house and the church were built. Fr. Appicci was often seen building the parish with a hammer or saw in his hands. In spite of his many responsibilities, Fr. Appicci always had time to spend with visitors to the parish. After serving 20 years in Peru, Fr. Appicci came back to the United States to raise funds for the Province’s missions in Peru, Japan and at that time South Africa. Father Appicci’s tireless efforts ensured that the hand of Christ continue to touch the impoverished in our Augustinian Missions. The Richard D. Appicci, O.S.A. Endowment for the Augustinian Missions was established in 2006 as a legacy to Fr. Appicci’s life’s work in Peru. One year later, Fr. Appicci died and in his last days he asked to be remembered “as servant to the poor” and “as chaplain to the prisoners” where he served at Graterford Prison. You are invited to make a gift to the Richard D. Appicci, O.S.A. Endowment for the Augustinian Missions in memory of Father Appicci. Let us continue to celebrate Father Appicci’s life and legacy by supporting what he loved doing best—helping others in need. Through the Augustinian Foreign Missions - supported by the Augustinian Fund - friars nurture the soul, feed the body and strengthen people’s abilities to care for themselves.
Your Impact
As a Mendicant Order, much of what we Augustinians are about as religious, committed to service of the Church and of God’s people, is made possible through the generosity of individuals who wish to collaborate with us. You impact the care of our elderly and infirm friars living in St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery, and the education and training of our newest Province members. Your kindness also supports the various Augustinian ministries that serve the marginalized and those in need.