(In order to undertake the extensive renovations necessary to restore the century-old church of St. Augustine, the bishop of Constantin-Hippo sent out a wide appeal to religious, political, cultural, and private organizations for help. As members of the broader Augustinian Family, the Assumptionists, also known as the Augustinians of the Assumption, made a substantial gift to this worthy cause. As a result, they were invited to participate in the festivities celebrating the completion of the renovations and the raising of the church to the status of a basilica. The superior general, Fr. Benoît Grière, unable to attend the ceremonies, asked one of his assistants, Fr. John Franck, to represent him at the beginning of May. He sends us the following report).

The church of St. Augustine in Hippo, newly and magnificently renovated and duly raised to the status of a basilica, stands perched prominently on an isolated hill commanding a view of the entire surrounding countryside: the Mediterranean coast, the modern city of Annaba, the imposing heights of the Edough plateau, and, at its feet, the vast complex of ruins of the ancient Roman and Byzantine city of Hippo.

The Assumption Family

welcomes

Fr. Benoit Grière, A.A.,

Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption,

for his month long visit to the United States!

What a mobilisation ef-fort!!! Nobody wanted to be caught sitting around: members of the Assumptionist provin-cial council, other Assumptionists, Oblate Sisters of the Assumption, Brothers of the Assumption, administrators and students from ISEAB (Institut Supérieur Emmanuel d'Alzon de Butembo), masons, volunteers from our Assumptionist-sponsored NGO, and who knows how many others showed up at the ISEAB work-site on the morning of Wednesday, March 26, 2014, to help with the construction project and especially with the cement preparation and pouring. More than 200 people donated their time working energetically from morning till night. Everyone got involved, even curious bystanders and grammar school children, who were pressed into service, at one point needed to provide ballast for a truck that got caught in the sand.

On Saturday, March 29, 2014, in the basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Santiago, Chile, four young men publicly pronounced their final vows as Augustinians of the Assumption/Assumptionists: