February 13, 2015 – Quezon City, Philippines, Rev. Fr. Gary McCloskey, OSA of the Villanova Province visited the San Agustin Center of Studies and delivered a compelling talk on “St. Augustine’s Pedagogy and Reflection Circle” at the St. Thomas of Villanova Multi-Purpose Hall. The event was attended by students and professors of the St. Thomas of Villanova Institute (STVI), as well as friars of the Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Hall.
Fr. McCloskey emphasized that the study of St. Augustine continues to attract a wide range of scholars and writers today—a testament to the enduring relevance and richness of Augustine’s thought.
In his presentation, Fr. McCloskey outlined four key stages of Augustine’s introspective process, each illustrated by one of Augustine’s major works:
- Dialogues/Sermons – Representing Augustine’s lived experiences, expressed through active engagement and discourse.
- Soliloquies – Depicting Augustine’s meditative reflection on his experiences, a deeper internal dialogue.
- Retractationes (which Fr. McCloskey translated as Reconsiderations) – Going beyond meditation, this stage signals critical reflection and intellectual reassessment.
- Confessions – Marking a return to lived experience, where insights gained from reflection are integrated into shared vision and purpose. Augustine connects the different phases of his life to guide readers and help them avoid the same pitfalls.
Fr. McCloskey emphasized that this reflective cycle shows Augustine as a developmental thinker—someone whose ideas evolved and matured over time, as seen across his various writings.
Fr. Gary McCloskey, OSA currently serves as Prior of the Saint Thomas of Villanova Monastery in Pennsylvania, USA. He is also the Executive Director of the Augustinian Way of Life Center and Director of the Augustinian Friends, organizations dedicated to exploring Augustinian spirituality and values.
