Opening of the 2025–2026 Academic Year at the Augustinian Theological Institute

On Friday, October 10, coinciding with the feast of Saint Thomas of Villanova, patron of studies in the Order of Saint Augustine, the Prior General of the OSA, Fr. Joseph Farrell, presided over the opening of the academic year at the Augustinian Theological Institute in Valladolid, where attendees heard an inaugural message from Pope Leo XIV.

The day included several significant moments. In the morning, at 11:00 a.m., the Prior General met with the professed students of the Valladolid House of Professed, their formators, and other religious members of the conventual community. For an hour, Fr. Farrell got to know the group of young students, asking them about their origins, studies, and vocations.

 At midday, they shared lunch together with some professors from the Augustinian Theological Institute and Augustinians from other cities who had come to Valladolid. Among them were the Provincial Prior, Fr. Domingo Amigo, and Fr. Alejandro Moral, former Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine.

Eucharist

 At 6:00 p.m., the Church of Saint Augustine hosted the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Valladolid, Msgr. Jesús Fernández Lubiano, and accompanied by the choir of professed students, who performed songs from various countries.

 In his homily, Msgr. Fernández highlighted the figure of Saint Thomas of Villanova: “A wise man, bishop, and father of the poor,” he said, “who dedicated himself to cultivating the science of truth and practicing charity toward the poor.”

 He also referred to Pope Francis’s latest encyclical, Dilexit nos, on the Heart of Jesus, and to Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, Dilexi te, on love for the poor. Speaking about love as the source of knowledge, he said: “The most intimate, and perhaps the truest part of reality, is love.”

 He explained that, traditionally, reason, will, and freedom have been emphasized, but that it is necessary to speak again of the heart as the unifying center that gives coherence to our lives and brings understanding.

Academic Ceremony

The formal academic opening ceremony followed, beginning with an address by the Director of the Augustinian Theological Institute, Fr. David Álvarez Cineira. In his remarks, Fr. David first referred to Saint Thomas of Villanova: “A prominent 16th-century figure, theologian, and professor of Arts at the University of Alcalá. His solid formation was reflected both in his preaching and in his writings, deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and in the Fathers of the Church, especially Saint Augustine. His legacy endures not only in the promotion of Augustinian studies and missions but also in his charity toward those most in need.”

 He also emphasized the fruitful union between theological reflection and mission that has characterized the Order of Saint Augustine throughout its history. Fr. Gilbert de Vera, Secretary of the Theological Institute, then read the report of the 2024–2025 academic year, summarizing the main activities of the center and expressing his joy at the election of Pope Leo XIV.

Last year, the center had 38 regular students in the Institutional Cycle of Theology; 7 in the Licentiate in Fundamental Theology; 22 extraordinary students; 38 auditing students—most of whom attended the special seminar “The Stones Will Cry Out: The Spiritual Meaning of Romanesque Art”, organized by the ZamorArte Foundation and the Oriental Biblical Institute; 7 students in online formation courses for the Permanent Diaconate and for laypeople, in collaboration with the Diocese of Zamora; 12 students in the DECA course for Secondary Education (online); and 16 students in biblical language courses.

 In addition to philosophy and theology courses leading to a degree, the center also offers Oriental Language courses in collaboration with the Biblical and Oriental Institute (Greek, Hebrew, Egyptian, Akkadian, Sumerian).

Inaugural Lecture

 The Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, Fr. Joseph Farrell, delivered the inaugural lecture entitled “A Reflection on the Christus Totus in Saint Augustine.” Speaking in Spanish, Fr. Farrell discussed the theology of the Christus totus—“a combination of theology, ecclesiology, spirituality, and Christology interwoven to understand what it means not only to belong to Christ but also to be Christ,” with which Augustine encouraged his community to live in communion.

 “Unless the warmth of charity burns, there can be no fusion of many into one,” emphasized the Prior General. “That warmth of charity is most visible when we look at the Cross of Christ. It was Christ’s total and unconditional self-giving for the world that fused us into one body. It is how Christ becomes real in all his members.” The Provincial Prior, Fr. Domingo Amigo, also spoke, thanking the Prior General for his presence and inviting students and professors to follow Saint Thomas of Villanova’s example—so that science and charity may lead to the knowledge of God. He wished the entire academic community an intense year of study dedicated to discovering and transmitting the truth. 

Before concluding the event, the director, Fr. David Álvarez, introduced a video message from Pope Leo XIV, who wished everyone a year “fruitful in knowledge and in the experience of truth,” and declared the 2025–2026 academic year of the Augustinian Theological Institute of Valladolid officially open.