St. Augustine's Church Troy, NY
“Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.” – St. Augustine of Hippo
Abigayle Fountain, Briley Roarke, Dylan Sanvidge,
Anna Sofranko, Slyssa Vandenburgh, Michael Wilmoth
The young women and men of St. Augustine’s Parish recently received the gift of the Holy Spirit at the Sacrament of Confirmation. They each prepared for the sacrament through prayer, study, and learning to recognize the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are delighted to welcome them to full membership in the Church.
James T. Spenard was born on October 4, 1946, in Waterford, New York, one of two sons of John Spenard and Marie Alma Baillargeon. He was baptized on October 20, 1946 at Saint Mary’s Church, Waterford, and attended Waterford Public School from 1951 to 1953 and Saint Mary’s School, Waterford, from 1953 until 1960. He then attended LaSalle Institute in Troy, New York, from which he graduated in 1964. Jim entered Our Mother of Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, New York on September 9, 1964, and professed simple vows on September 10, 1965. Following religious profession, he attended Villanova University and graduated in 1969 with a B.A. in Philosophy. He made his profession of solemn vows on September 14, 1968 at Villanova. During the summers between 1969 and 1971, he took graduate classes in education and sociology at Villanova. He pursued theological studies at the Washington Theological Coalition from 1969 to 1972 where he received an M.A. in Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 17, 1972 at Saint Mary’s Church, Waterford, by Bishop Edward J. Maginn.
Father Jim was assigned to Saint Denis Church, Havertown, Pennsylvania, in June 1972 and to Saint James Church, Carthage, NY in January 1973. In June 1977 he was transferred to Immaculate Conception Church, Hoosick Falls, NY, and returned, as pastor, to Saint James in Carthage in August 1979. After eighteen years of ministry in this role he received a brief sabbatical in September 1997 after which, in March 1998, he was appointed pastor of Saint Augustine Parish, Troy, NY. He also served Saint Augustine’s at various times as prior, treasurer and local superior of the Augustinian community. In August 2015, he was assigned to Saint Rita of Cascia Friary, Philadelphia, PA, where he assisted in Shrine ministry with particular responsibility for couples preparing for marriage at the Shrine. In March 2019, with the merger of the religious communities of Saint Rita and Saint Nicholas of Tolentine, he was assigned to the newly formed Augustinian Community of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Philadelphia, and from there continued his ministry at Saint Rita Shrine.
On August 30, 2020 Father Jim suffered a stroke and was admitted to Jefferson Hospital. While there, as he was awaiting transfer to a rehab facility, he suffered two more strokes and was transferred to Kindred Hospital, Philadelphia, where he died in the early hours of Thursday, October 8, 2020.Father Jim Spenard’s entire priesthood of 48 years was devoted to pastoral work in direct service to the faithful. His quiet, gentle, and dedicated leadership and long service in both Carthage and Troy, New York, earned him the respect and devotion of these communities and an enduring remembrance in their history of these parishes.
+Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
It is with great sadness we learned that Fr. Fritz Cerullo died last evening. Fr. Fritz served at St. Augustine’s Church in 2014-2015. As additional information is available, we will share it with you. Please keep Fr. Fritz and his family in your prayers.
Eternal rest, grant unto Father Fritz Cerullo, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Our New quarterly Newsletter is here! Caritas Newsletter -Summer 2018
If you would like to receive this newsletter to your home, please update your information on the bottom of the page.
To keep our records current and to receive parish information, please use the form below. We will need your name and current information such as mailing address, home or mobile number and email address. Thank you for staying current with us.
Update My Parish Information
The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John Study Bible
Based on the Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition, 
this book leads readers through a penetrating study of the Gospel of Matthew, using the biblical text itself and the Church’s own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights and commentary by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what the Gospel Writers often assume. They also provide rich historical, cultural, geographical and theological information pertinent to the Gospel. The Ignatius 
Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies, and Charts. Each page also includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for each chapter of the Gospel that can deepen your personal study of God’s Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure, and themes. An Outline of Matthew’s Gospel and several maps are also included.
7 Secrets of Divine Mercy – Book
In this compelling and timely book, best-selling author Vinny Flynn draws from Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the Diary of St. Faustina to reveal the heart of Divine Mercy. He offers an invitation and a roadmap so that Divine Mercy, the overflow of love from the Holy Trinity, can transform your life.
Catholicism – My Sisters the Saints – Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
The Church, the Saints, and the Eucharist Explore the timeless truths of Catholicism with these titles. You can share the wisdom of Bishop Robert Barron, Colleen Carroll Campbell, and Dr. Brant Pitre! Immerse yourself in the wisdom of Christ’s Church, the story of Christ’s saints, and the beauty of Christ’s ultimate gift, the Eucharist.
Stations of the Cross: The Way of Divine Mercy
These classic reflections on Christ’s passion by St Alphonsus retain their timeless
relevance – especially for the Year of Mercy. They are enriched by a brief biography of Alphonsus, a selection of prayers penned by him, and a word on the history and value of the Way of the Cross as a “way of divine mercy.” This new edition contains new color illustrations to assist prayerful devotion.
Why Go to Confession? – Booklet
A simple, practical guide to the practice and the benefits of Confession. The purpose of 
this booklet is to help those who make use of the sacrament to appreciate it more and to encourage those who do not, to reconsider its many benefits. Describing the sacrament as “one of the greatest treasures of the Catholic Church,” this booklet considers both the human and spiritual perspectives of Confession. It includes notes on examination of conscience and a helpful Rite to Confession itself.
Ways of Forgiveness – Booklet
This inspiring and practical guide opens us up to the spiritual gift of forgiveness. The 
author considers what sin is and how it affects our lives, and then shows how the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) can heal us from the effects of sin. What is more, in seeking God’s Forgiveness, granted to all who ask for it, we can, in turn, obtain the grace to forgive others and heal our relationships with them. The author of the booklets, Fr John Edwards SJ, is an experienced spiritual director with many years of experience in this field.
Lent with the Saints – Booklet
Meditations and The forty days of Lent provide Christians, and those preparing for 
baptism, with an intense period of preparation for the ‘Feast of all Feasts’, Easter, the ‘Passover of the Lord’. This collection of sayings and meditations dwells on the central Lenten themes of prayer, conversion, repentance, fasting, almsgiving, and self-denial, as lived from apostolic times until the present day. This little companion to private reflection will offer ready sustenance to those setting out on the joyful road to Easter.
The Early Church – Booklet
Ancient Christianity is a proven draw at the box office and the bookstores. Our neighbors
are curious about the early Church, and more than willing to be obsessed by it. But how should we proceed to study ancient Christianity when the media accounts themselves have been shockingly misinformed? The key to understanding the early Church is a fresh familiarity with the ancient sources. In this booklet, you’ll encounter many of the most important figures of the first centuries of Christianity. You will read their words. You will hear their side of the story.
A New Hospital Prayer Book – Booklet
This popular prayer book, now revised and improved, offers well-loved prayers, 
meditations, and encouragement for those in hospital. Prayers for expectant mothers, excerpts from Scripture, and form the saints, the Rites for Receiving Communion when sick, and Anointing the Sick are included, as is night prayer and a helpful guide to confession.
Creation and Science – Booklet
Who created the Universe? Is a creator even necessary? Can science explain how the 
Universe came into being without reference to a creator God? This booklet explores these ideas and the arguments that have been brought into sharp focus by Stephen Hawking’s claim that his cosmological model ‘left nothing for a creator to do’. Dr. Carroll examines the Church’s teaching on creation from Augustine and Aquinas to the present and explains why, without a creator God, science itself would not exist.
How to Discover Your Vocation – Booklet
This booklet will help you to think and pray about your vocation and become clearer 
about where God is leading you. It answers many of the practical questions you may be asking: What are the different Christian vocations? How does God guide us and speak to us? How can I be more open to my vocation, and come to a decision? It explains the Christian vocations of marriage, priesthood, consecrated life, the permanent diaconate and the single life and how you can know whether God might be calling you to one of them.
7 Secrets of Divine Mercy
Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis have made it clear that Divine Mercy is at the very center of the Christian faith. In this talk, best-selling author Vinny Flynn shares his 7 Secrets of Divine Mercy, and Christ’s message of love for each of us, and for the whole world.
The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell
Fr. Mike Schmitz is one of the leading Catholic speakers in the Church today. Fr. Mike tackles four very difficult topics in this exceptional presentation: Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell. Listen to this talk and finally get the answers to the question: “What Happens When I Die?”
Following the main presentation is a bonus from the talk Purgatory: Holy Fire by Dr. Scott Hahn. This bonus is part of the 6-CD set by Dr. Hahn titled Answering Common Objections.
Freedom Through Forgiveness
With over 15 years of experience, Ken Yasinski has quickly become one of Canada’s most sought-after Catholic speakers. Through clever examples and insightful stories, Ken reveals how each of us can obtain freedom from the burden of our sins through the forgiveness that is readily available in the Sacrament of Confession.
My Beloved Son: Meditations for Lent
Bishop Robert Barron offers five sermons on the spiritual discipline we must cultivate in the Lenten season, a discipline-centered in Christ. These meditations cover topics such as finding our identity in God, prayer as the key to the mission, our thirst for God, how to end our alienation from God, and how to joyfully embrace the way of happiness.
Seven Last Sayings of Christ
Spoken as He suffered the agony of the cross, the seven last sayings of Christ recorded in the gospels have been the subject of prayer and inquiry by Christians for two thousand years. In this revealing presentation, Dr. Scott Hahn unlocks for us the deeper significance of Our Lord’s last words, carefully chosen so that we might better understand the immense love of God for every person and His plan of salvation. Learn how Jesus’ words are as profound and gripping today as when He uttered them on that first Good Friday.
The True Meaning of Easter
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was one of the best-known and best-loved Catholic orators of the twentieth century, reaching millions of Christians of all denominations. Presented here are his timeless reflections on the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord, combined with Scripture and Gregorian Chant to create a powerful presentation that is sure to become a family favorite.
Prayer: Gateway to the Spiritual Life
Archbishop Paul Coakley attended the University of Kansas where he completed his undergraduate studies in English and Classical Antiquities. After being ordained a priest in 1983, he served as a priest of the Wichita Diocese for 21 years. He was installed as bishop of Salina, Kansas by Saint John Paul II in 2004 and was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the fourth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, where he has served since 2011. His episcopal motto is Duc in Altum, which translated from Latin, means “Put out into the Deep.”
The Resurrection of Jesus: Fact or Fiction?
Come to grips with “what really happened to Jesus” as Dr. Steven Smith explores Resurrection narratives from the vantage point of each of the four Gospels as well as many of the vital medical details of Roman crucifixion.
Dr. Steven Smith is a professor of Sacred Scripture at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Dr. Smith earned his Ph.D. from Loyola University in Chicago, where he specialized in the study of the Gospels and their relationship to the Old Testament.
What’s So Great About Being Catholic?
There’s ultimately only one reason to be Catholic: because it’s true. In this outstanding presentation, Jason Evert shows us the beauty and the treasures of the Faith, as revealed through the Saints and Sacraments.
Jason has spoken about the Catholic Faith to more than one million people around the world and is the author of more than a dozen books, including Saint John Paul the Great, Pure Faith and If You Really Loved Me.
The Healing Power of Confession
Dr. Scott Hahn presents the historical and biblical origins of the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation). He provides an important guide for new Catholics, a source of renewal for “old hands”, and a challenge to all of us to deepen our relationship with Christ through regular use of the Sacrament of Penance.
Three Days That Changed the World
Fr. Perez brings us alongside Jesus in the final hours of His public ministry as He brings to fulfillment the very purpose His Incarnation, the salvation of all mankind. Fr. Perez’s detailed insights of those last three days offer a moving look into the loving heart of the Messiah and detailed descriptions of his intense emotional and physical sufferings as they really were. With this knowledge, our hearts can only love him more.
Contagious Catholicism: The 7 Habits of Modern-Day Apostles
Internationally acclaimed speaker and author Chris Stefanick speaks about the importance of living a life of authenticity with a courageous commitment to love. He walks us through seven habits that we can use as modern-day apostles to effectively spread the good news to Jesus Christ. Following these lessons will help us to fulfill our calling to be fearlessly and joyfully Catholic, with a faith that is attractive, life-giving, and truly contagious.
Counting Your Blessings
Dr. Scott Hahn explains the essential teachings from God’s Word regarding the theology and practice of Catholic family life based on the image of the Blessed Trinity, demonstrating that God’s Word is all that is needed to create a loving family life.
No Turning Back
How is a diehard agnostic transformed into a fervent apostle of Christ? Fr. Donald Calloway, a former drug dealer, will have you on the edge of your seat as he candidly shares the amazing story of how he was unexpectedly led into the Catholic Faith and to the priesthood by God’s grace and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. His conversion can be compared to that of St. Augustine. Formerly titled: Former Drug Dealer to Catholic Priesthood
Life-Changing Stories of the Eucharist
In this talk, Jesse Romero shares numerous encounters of the stunning power of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist in his own life and in the lives of others, and a convincing presentation of history and theology as witnesses to this most incredible mystery and gift! Jesse is a renowned professional Catholic apologist with a Masters in Theology, a retired L.A. Deputy Sheriff, and a former Police Olympic boxing champion and USA kickboxing champion. He speaks on the radio and at conferences around the country with a refreshing, straightforward, pulls no punches, high-energy style, and with a passion for the Catholic Faith and our Eucharistic Lord.
St. Augustine’s Church is excited to announce the anticipated release of our own parish app! Expected later this month, this new app will be available for parishioners to download on both Apple iPhones and Android phones.
We expect the features and capabilities of our new app to foster a stronger sense of community and faith in the daily lives of all parishioners. St. Augustine’s Church will be able to communicate quick and easy with all parishioners via messages and notifications to keep you in the loop with what is going on in our church. You will then be able to quickly reply to messages or RSVP for upcoming events.
Other features will include:
– the daily readings read at Mass,
– the latest Catholic news from around the world,
– an easy-to-reference list of Catholic prayers with prayer requests,
– a helpful examination of conscience and next confession reminder,
– a reminder feature called “Mass Mode,” for Mass and confession. This includes phone silencing notification to help encourage us all to be more present while at St. Augustine’s Church.
– and much more.
As you can see, this app offers a lot of capabilities for improving parish communication and serving as a faith-building resource. It is well thought out and should become a real asset to complement our daily faith lives.
Please pass this info along to anyone that may be interested or that it may benefit from the St. Augustine’s Church App. The more people that use and participate, the stronger our Catholic community will become.
“WE SPEAK, BUT IT IS GOD WHO TEACHES.”
― Augustine of Hippo
This is a call for catechists to volunteer their time for our youth. Many times we feel like we need to be doing more and what better way to have an impact on the future than to teach our youth the value of the Catholic faith. Currently we are in need of catechists for the Religious Ed. Classes Grades 6-9.
Catechists are always welcomed and needed so please consider volunteering your time and talent for any of the Religious Education Programs. Don’t wait classes begin September 21st!
A new devotion is coming to our parish and it will be a called Our Lady of 
Fatima First Saturday Devotions. In 1925, Our Lady of Fatima made known Her request for First Saturday devotions. She asked, “on the first Saturday of consecutive months, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite 5 decades of the rosary and keep me company for fifteen minutes meditating on the mysteries of the rosary all with the intention of making reparation for the offenses against My Immaculate Heart.” For those that Honor this request Our Lady promises “…to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation.” What a reward–eternal salvation–for such a small sacrifice! Devotions will be here at St. Augustine’s Parish first Saturday of each month, after 9am Mass and beginning this Sat. March 4 in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel
The journey begins in the choir loft through a small door to the in workings of our pipe organ. Up a small ladder through a small hatch…
The hatch opens to a larger open room and another tall staircase to climb.
Our bell tower has been the topic of conversation for a little over a year mainly because of the decision to contract the church’s tower to a cell phone company for an extended period of use. With this contract came the attachment of well camouflaged cell tower transmitters, but also the discovery that our tower was in need of some repair. After some time searching for a reliable masonry company we are pleased to say that the tower is repaired and all is in working order. Andy Nelson had made the climb up the bell tower in earlier nicer weather and has documented the journey.
The journey upward is a high journey…More photos of the Bell tower
