With One Heart: The Augustinian Family Journeys Toward AYE27 in South Korea

by: Shiela Mae Gumapon

Fr. Frederick C. Comendador, OSA, Assistant General of the Order of Saint Augustine (center), together with the members of the AYE27 organizing committee. (Photo by Fr. Wilson A. Capellan, OSA)

Every August, the Augustinian Family is invited to pause and remember the life, witness, and spirituality of its spiritual father, Saint Augustine of Hippo. But the Augustinian month is not simply a time to look back. It is also an invitation to ask where the charism of St. Augustine is leading the Church—and, particularly, its young people—today.

That question takes on a special meaning as the Augustinian Family looks ahead to the Augustinian Youth Encounter 2027 (AYE27), which will bring together young people from across the world in South Korea from August 8 to 13, 2027.

With the theme "Take heart, it is I; have no fear," AYE27 invites young people to encounter Christ, deepen their faith, and discover anew the richness of the Augustinian charism through prayer, fellowship, formation, and cultural exchange.

(Photo from AYE27 official website)

The encounter traces its roots to 1987, when the first gathering was held at the Augustinian Monastery of Lecceto in Tuscany, Italy. Since then, young Augustinians have crossed borders and cultures, discovering that the family they belong to is far larger than their own communities.

Now, the journey leads to South Korea.

A Theme For Young People Today

The words of Jesus in Mark 6:50—"Take heart, it is I; have no fear"—speak to a generation navigating uncertainty, rapid change, and questions about faith and the future.

For Fr. Wilson Capellan, OSA, Chairman of the Commission on Youth of the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu-Philippines and a member of the AYE27 organizing committee, the theme offers young Augustinians a timely reminder to place their fears within the larger horizon of God’s presence.

“This message is especially significant for young Augustinians today, as it offers courage and hope in a world marked by fear, uncertainty, and constant change,” he says.

That courage, however, is not rooted in having all the answers. It comes from trusting that God remains present along the way. “Amid the pressures and complexities of today’s world, God speaks through this spiritual journey to trust in His presence, knowing that He continues to walk with us through every challenge,” Fr. Capellan adds.

A Historic Moment

AYE27 will also unfold during a historic moment for the Augustinian Family. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, is the first Augustinian to become Pope.

For young Augustinians, his journey offers more than a historic milestone. It offers a glimpse of how vocation can unfold through a lifetime of ordinary faithfulness.

“For the young people, Pope Leo’s election reminds us that holiness and leadership can grow from ordinary faithfulness,” Fr. Capellan explains.

He points to the Pope’s own journey as an Augustinian friar, missionary, and superior of the Order as a testimony to the unexpected ways God calls people to serve.

“God has His own way of calling us to serve in His vineyard,” he says. “Pope Leo’s journey reminds us that God can raise a humble and faithful servant to great responsibility. The youth must be inspired by that.”

For young people still discerning their own paths, the message is simple: the next chapter of their lives may be far different from what they imagine, but God is already present in the journey.

Some members of the AYE27 working committee during their ocular visit to the various AYE27 sites in South Korea. (Photos by Fr. Wilson A. Capellan, OSA)

One Heart

At the heart of AYE27 is an invitation to live the Augustinian values of unitas, caritas, and veritas—unity, charity, and truth.

For Fr. Capellan, these are not simply ideals but a way of encountering one another.

“Unitas” means sharing each other’s burdens; “Caritas” means showing love and compassion; and “Veritas” means “anchoring themselves in God in everything they do,” he says.

These values give shape to what AYE27 hopes to become: young people from different nations and cultures discovering that, despite their differences, they belong to one family and are searching for the same Truth.

As the Augustinian Family celebrates its spiritual father this August, its gaze is therefore both backward and forward—to Augustine’s restless heart and to the courageous hearts of young people today.

In 2027, they will gather in South Korea from different places, cultures, and communities.

But they will come with one heart.

And together, they will hear anew the words of Christ:

Take heart. It is I. Have no fear.