The Augustinian Friars serving in our Mission in Japan minister to the small but faithful Catholic population of the country.  Shinto and Buddhism are the two major religions of Japan, with Christianity practiced by a small minority of the population.  According to Catholic-hierarchy.org, less than 0.4% of Japan's total population practice Catholicism (statistics from 2005).  Compared with Peru, where nearly 88% of the population is Catholic, this is a stark contrast! Still, Japa... [More]

Last week, the International Augustinian Volunteers returned to the United States after one year of service in our Missions of Peru and South Africa.  Volunteers have been serving side-by-side with friars in the Missions since 2002.  Since then, 37 young men and women have sacrificed a year of their life in service to the Missions.  Countless lives have been impacted by their efforts.  For this, the Mission Office would like to extend its gratitude and appreciation. Upon the... [More]

The Augustinian Missions of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova are proud to announce the launch of a new blog. This blog is a new way for us to provide information and updates on the international efforts of our friars. The Missions of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova are located around the world in the countries of Japan, Peru and South Africa. This blog will feature stories and reflections posted by Augustinian Friars and Volunteers who are living and serving in the Missions. W... [More]