Justice and Peace - Ministries — The Augustinians
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Justice and Peace

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As a commitment to social and spiritual service, the Augustinians of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova are actively engaged in several specialized ministries with particular focus on issues involving justice, peace and the poor in our society. To paraphrase Saint Augustine, true leaders walk alongside their people, sharing their journey and experiences as they accompany them.

Fr. John E. Deegan, O.S.A., Director of the Justice and Peace Office

Fr. John E. Deegan, O.S.A., former director of the Justice and Peace Office

“The Justice and Peace Office is committed to an ongoing program of education and encouragement of the people its Augustinians serve through various ministries,” said John E. Deegan, O.S.A., former director of the Justice and Peace Office for the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova and Founder of the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (A.D.R.O.P.).

The office oversees several ministries including A.D.R.O.P. and the Department of Public Information, Non-Governmental Organization (DPI – NGO), in addition to hosting Justice and Peace Conferences.

The purpose of A.D.R.O.P. is about building bridges - bridges between people, communities, social service organizations, health care providers, politicians and others, in order to build community.

+ About George

George Munyan is the administrative organizer for A.D.R.O.P.’s Adeodatus Ministry. Prior to beginning his work in prison ministry, George was a teacher and Principal in the Cherry Hill East School District in New Jersey. George is involved with the Adeodatus support groups; plans the Adeodatus retreat; organizes the annual (and much anticipated) Christmas party; arranges the Adeodatus school visits; and writes, prints and distributes the newsletter, Voices from Prison and the Edge.

The Province’s service extends beyond the local community. The Augustinian Order is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (N.G.O.) at the United Nations. The Augustinian presence at the U.N. is an instrument for implementing values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the international forum. The Order seeks to defend human rights, promote education and literacy, as well as economic and social development, and to foster a Culture of Peace, in accord with traditional Catholic social teaching.

Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor —A.D.R.O.P.

+ About Kelsey

Kelsey Rode served as an Augustinian Volunteer with A.D.R.O.P. from 2017-2018. During that time, she began St. Anthony of Padua RCS' student council, coordinated Adeodatus' school-to-prison pipeline presentations, and provided administrative support to the Unity Clinic. Kelsey then attended Villanova University and earned a Master of Public Administration with a Graduate Certificate in City Management in 2020. While pursuing her studies, she worked as a graduate assistant for Villanova's Office of Service Learning and spent one year as an office administrator at the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia. Kelsey now lives in Boston, where she works as a legislative aide for a state representative and staffs the legislature's Criminal Justice Reform Caucus.

+ About Jimmy

James “Jimmy” Cialella is a former Army paratrooper and father of two. He is the founder and manager of “The Open Door,” a drug rehab home in South Philadelphia for recovering addicts. Jimmy is a former addict himself and strongly credits his recovery to his faith. On his journey to recovery, he found the Adeodatus prayer group and immediately became involved and a fixture at the meetings. Today, Jimmy is a speaker in the Adeodatus “Drugs to Prison Pipeline,” presentation where he moves the students with the story of his own journey out of addiction.

Pope Francis said, “Love for the poor is at the center of the Gospel,” and this sentiment rings true through the devoted work of the Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (A.D.R.O.P.), the primary social ministry and charitable branch of the Augustinian Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Lacie Michaelson, Executive Director of A.D.R.O.P.

Lacie A. M. Fischley, M.A., Executive Director of A.D.R.O.P.

Founded in 2004 by Father Jack Deegan, O.S.A., A.D.R.O.P. brings together service providers, leaders and volunteers to assess the needs of the marginalized, underserved and most vulnerable members of society in South Philadelphia and to match these needs with known resources.

“A foundational pillar of the Augustinians and A.D.R.O.P is fighting poverty,” said Lacie A. M. Fischley, M.A., Executive Director of A.D.R.O.P. “Through our programming, we take a holistic approach to mending the symptoms and causes of poverty with the over-arching goal of eradicating poverty systematically.”

A.D.R.O.P. offers service through seven unique ministry programs: the Unity Clinic, Educational Enrichment, Restorative Justice, Sanctuary, Handicapped Encounter Christ (HEC), Caritas Populorum and Youth for Prison Reform. In collaboration with the Province’s other ministries, such as Villanova University, A.D.R.O.P is able to provide free primary care medicine, free ESL classes, retreats for people of differing abilities, and educational and transitional services to former inmates. It also cultivates a spirit of community through its strong network of volunteers.