Brother
Dominic Augustine was born on April 1, 1900 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
In 1926, he received his Bachelor of Arts degrees from St. Thomas
College and served on the faculty of the institution after it became
the University of Scranton. He also studied at the Catholic University
of America, receiving his Master’s Degree in 1928, and returning
there for his Doctorate in 1941.
In
that same year, he also joined the LaSalle faculty and become
chairman of the Department of Sociology in 1948. For many years
he was director of Student Organizations and moderator of Student
Council and the campus delegation to the National Federation
of Catholic College Students (N.F.C.C.S.). He was also the Secretary
General of the Christian Brothers Education Association from
1947-1951.
Brother
Augustine was published in several journals including the Catholic
Sociological Review, the Journal of Religious Instruction and
the Christian Brothers Education Association. He was also the
author of a book entitled, Youth in a Catholic Parish.
Brother
Augustine was also a passionate advocate for interracial justice,
the young and the poor. At his eulogy, Reverend Mark Heath, then
La Salle Chaplain remarked, “God will welcome [Brother
Augustine] into that perfect society of truth, justice, love
and liberty, in which there is no hunger, discrimination, sickness,
or delinquency; that
community for which he taught and labored so much in this life.”
Brother Augustine is well remembered for his kindly guidance by
many alumni who were active in student government and inter-campus
politics in their undergraduate days.
Quotes,
Phrases
“Brother
Augustine, the sociologist who discovered black was beautiful
before most blacks did, and was a fighter for interracial justice
back in the 40s…” Mr. Keenen, LaSalle Magazine, Spring
1981
“…Brother
Augustine was trying to impress the sons of immigrants with the
plight of the American Negro and the need for interracial justice.
Brother Gus was a leader in the fight for justice for black people.
He was a sweet, simple man of faith, and there were those among
us who quickly learned the value of putting JMJ or AMDG at the
top of our papers in sociology. His pious practices might have
belonged to an earlier day, but his social conscience was years
ahead of most Americans’ thinking at the time.” A
Matter of People, John Keenan, LaSalle Magazine, Spring 1988
