Spirit of St. Augustine’s Lives on at Loughlin

By Marie Elena Giossi from The Tablet

Lancer men from around the country came to Brooklyn in late October to celebrate a new chapter in the legacy of their alma mater, St. Augustine Diocesan High School, even though it closed more than 35 years ago. 

St. Augustine D.H.S. Chapel and Lancer Hall were dedicated on Friday, October 29 in a first floor wing of Bishop Loughlin Memorial.  The recently refurbished chapel, a former classroom, features six stained glass windows from the former Brothers’ residence at St. Augustine’s High School, a statue of the patron saint, and cushioned wooden pews which seat 60 people. 

Last September, the January and June classes of 1953 held their 50^th reunion.   At the time, they learned that stained glass windows at the old Brothers’ chapel were to be destroyed by the building’s new owner, the Board of Education.  They also discovered that Brother Dennis wished to save the windows and bring them to Loughlin. 

A plan fell into place and the Classes of 1953 donated over $22,000 to relocate the stained glass windows to Bishop Loughlin and refurbish the school chapel.  The plan came to fruition this fall.  All six windows were cleaned and fitted over the plain glass windows on the far side of the chapel. 

After Mass, alumni gathered outside the chapel for their first look at Lancer Hall, which was not part of the original relocation project.  When Dr. Frank Macchiarola, ’58, president of St. Francis College, learned what the 1953 graduates were doing, he asked alumni from other classes to make contributions.  Over $8,000 was raised and used to create Lancer Hall.  Graduates pored over a display case of memorabilia, including a 1940 late pass from Brother Patrick, graduation rings, yearbooks, pictures, a sports uniform and mugs.  Men smiled at purple “Lancers” banners and a drawing of the school.