ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

We are a part of the Catholic religious order which traces its origins to St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430). St. Augustine was a fifth-century bishop, philosopher, and theologian who passionately believed the search for understanding and truth to be a common quest, leading seekers ultimately to God. As an Augustinian high school, it is our mission to educate young people and affirm, with St. Augustine, that faith and reason together are reliable guides in the human search for understanding.

St. Augustine's thoughts and writings were part of a life spent in the service of the people of his North African diocese amidst the political and social ferment of the late Roman Empire. His care and concern for others provide the members of our community with a model for using our knowledge and expertise to effect change in our society. At Villanova, we seek an education that leads “through knowledge to wisdom,” and to a commitment to justice, peace, and service to society with the values disclosed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the vast writings of St. Augustine (some five million of his words are indexed in computers at Germany's Wurzburg University), we find no systematic and clear presentation of a scheme for Christian education. But what we do find and what grounds Augustinian education, are our core values of Unity, Truth, and Love that come from a reflection of St. Augustine's life and teachings. Our core values are the overarching and integrative values of Augustinian education at Villanova Preparatory School.

In summary, Augustinian Education regards education as an essentially pastoral activity with regard to the whole and integral development of a young person’s mind, spirit, and body. Villanova Preparatory School, in the spirit of St. Augustine, attempts to teach the truth with love, and strives to enable our students to acquire, along with a human and scientific culture, a knowledge of the world, life, and humanity that is illumined by faith.

For more about St. Augustine, the Order of St. Augustine, and Augustinian education, please visit to www.augnet.org, www.osanet.org, and www.osa-west.org.