Posted March 22, 2017

The Mission of Italian Augustinians in the United States will be the topic of a presentation at 1:30 p.m., March 29 by Augustinian Father Michael Di Gregorio, prior provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, in the Speakers’ Corner of Villanova University’s Falvey Memorial Library.

Free and open to the public, the talk is part of the Alfred F. Mannella and Rose T. Lauria-Mannella Endowed Distinguished Speaker Series. The event is co-sponsored by the Consolato Generale d’Italia Filadelfia and CiaoPhiladelphia.com. Light refreshments will be served.

The Mannella lecture series has invited local scholars of the Italian-American community to the library every academic year since 2009. The presenters have covered such topics as the Italian experience in Philadelphia, Little Italy in the Second World War and the modern Italian immigrant experience.

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Father Di Gregorio’s parish ministry spans 29 years. Before being named prior provincial he served  the Augustinians as director of communication for the General Curia in Rome; director of the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia; and as the vicar general.

“As an Augustinian,” said Father Di Gregorio, “I am greatly interested in the history of our order, which includes here in the United States significant ministry among Italian-Americans. The Augustinian way of life is built upon the two pillars of action and contemplation. Trying to be faithful to both is the invitation of each day.”