Augustinians Announce New Online Vocations Efforts

The Augustinians of North America are pleased to announce a new initiative to engage men discerning a religious vocation.  They do so by hiring Patrick T. Murphy to renovate the Augustinians’ vocations website, social networks, and other digital media.

The Augustinians began revitalizing their vocations outreach efforts in 2012 when they named Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A., to be the full-time Director of Augustinian Vocations for the Augustinians in the Midwest, the Eastern U.S., and Canada.  Fr. McCarthy still serves as the Chaplain and Chairman of the Board of Directors for St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago, Illinois.  Recruiting Murphy as the new Director of Online Marketing for the Augustinian Vocations Office will allow them to digitally reach thousands more young men that are discerning religious life and priesthood.  The Augustinians will relaunch their vocations website, augustinianvocations.org, this spring.

“One of our novices told me, 'Fr. Tom, we know how to get the the information we want.' And where do they get it?  The Internet and social media," says Fr. Tom McCarthy, O.S.A., the current Director of Augustinian Vocations.  “I am so happy we now have such a professional in Patrick Murphy who understands and can enhance social media in all its venues.  We are fortunate to have Patrick helping and guiding us in this significant ministry of vocations promotion."

“My new responsibilities are incredibly exciting,” says Murphy.  “I understand that vocations are the primary concern for the Order, and have been ever since I first came to know the Augustinians.  Working for Augustinian Vocations--in conjunction with the philanthropic arm of Augustinian Advancement--will not only help me to further the Augustinian mission, but I’ll also be able to utilize my skills in online marketing in new ways.”

Patrick T. Murphy has previously worked for the Augustinians for over five years, currently as the Associate Director for Communications for the Midwest Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel.  In that position, he oversees communications such as the province’s website, social media networks, email marketing, and publications such as The Midwest Augustinian quarterly newsletter.  This new role in the Vocations Office will complement Murphy’s responsibilities for Augustinian Advancement.  He is simultaneously pursuing a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management.

The Augustinians of North America are a Catholic religious organization that serve primarily in schools, parishes, and foreign missions.  Their current places of service include Villanova University (Villanova, PA), Merrimack College (North Andover, MA), St. Rita of Cascia High School (Chicago, IL), Cascia Hall Preparatory School (Tulsa, OK), and St. Thomas of Villanova College (King City, ON), among several other schools, parishes, and overseas missions.  Their headquarters are located regionally in Villanova, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and King City, Ontario.

For more information, please email Patrick T. Murphy or call 773-595-4007.

Edited March 27, 2015.