1951 – 2021 (January 9)
Augustine Michael Esposito was born on September 10, 1951, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Augustine M. Esposito and Emma R. Magliocco. He had one brother and four sisters. He was baptized on October 14, 1951 at Saint Edmond Church, Philadelphia, and attended Saint Edmond School and Blessed Virgin Mary School, Darby, and Msgr. Bonner High School, Drexel Hill. He then worked for three years while pursuing college studies. He entered the province’s pre-novitiate program in September 1971 and was received into the Order as a novice on August 29, 1972. After a year at Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, New York, he professed simple vows on August 28, 1973. He then attended Villanova University, where he received his BS in Education in 1975. Gus moved to Augustinian College, Washington, DC, where he attended the Washington Theological Union and received his M. Div. degree. He also studied at Middlebury Language School, Vermont, and received an MA in Spanish Language. He professed solemn vows on January 8, 1977. In 1978, he was assigned to Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Bronx, New York. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1979, at Saint Denis Parish, Havertown, PA, by Bishop Edward Hughes, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia.
Father Gus continued in Hispanic Ministry at Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Bronx, until 1980, when he was assigned to Msgr. Bonner High School. He then returned to the Bronx until 1984 when he began PhD studies in Spanish at Temple University, Philadelphia, as a member of Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova. After completing his doctorate, he taught at Villanova University from 1988 to 1990, and from 1991 to 2001, was professor of Spanish, Spiritual Director and Chair of the Pastoral Theology Department at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. In 2002, he was assigned as president to Msgr. Bonner High School. When Msgr. Bonner and Prendergast High Schools became co-institutional in 2007, Father Gus was named President of the two schools.
Father Gus received the Papal Honor of the Cross in 2006 and was inducted into the Bonner Hall of Fame in 2008. He gave retreats in many places in the United States, and internationally. In 2009, he was assigned to St. Augustine Friary, Malvern, Pennsylvania, and the following year served at St. Augustine Preparatory School, Richland, New Jersey. From 2011 to 2012, he was a member of St. Augustine Friary, Villanova, and in August 2012 of Saxony Hall, Rosemont, while teaching at Villanova University. In 2013 he was engaged as an associate professor at St. Charles Seminary and later appointed temporary Vice-Rector in 2014, and Director of Pastoral and Apostolic Formation the following year. From November 1, 2014, he was a member of St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery, Villanova.
In the days before Christmas, 2020, Father Gus was admitted to Bryn Mawr Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. He passed over to the Lord there on January 9, 2021.
Father Gus was a widely known and admired religious and priest, spiritual director, mentor to seminarians, educator, and preacher. He died at the age of 69, in the 47th year of his religious profession.
