On August 23rd, 2019, Ramon Riesgo and David Relstab, this year's novitiate class, received the white Augustinian habit to mark the beginning of their novitiate year.  It is custom in many parts of the Augustinian world for novices to wear white. 

 The investiture is an important moment in the novitiate year, and other Augustinians came from around the Philadelphia area to support the new novices.  The novitiate is a yearlong retreat experience in which the novices learn about Augustinian history, saints, the Constitutions, and most importantly Augustinian spirituality.  This focus on prayer forms the foundation for an Augustinian friar as he moves into more active ministry at the conclusion of the novitiate.