June 5, 2012. (Romereports.com) Just a few feet away from St. Peter's Basilica, is one of the most important research centers of the Catholic Church. It's called the Augustinian Patristic Institute which looks into the Founding Fathers of the Church.

The research delves into the lives and writings of the first Christians. Especially on ecclesiastical matters that are considered the foundation of Orthodox Christianity.


FR. ROBERT F. PREVOST
St. Augustine Order, Prior General
“The Agustinianum was founded in 1970 and it almost exclusively dedicated to the study of the Fathers of the Church. The Patristic period, that is those centuries after the apostolic times, when the Church was growing and developing its own theological, philosophical inside thought.”

Its library includes more than 90,000 books on the Church Fathers, like St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose of Milan and St. Gregory the Great, and, of course, St. Augustine of Hippo, whom the institute is named after.

FR. ROBERT F. PREVOST
St. Augustine Order, Prior General
“He was one of the greatest most prolific writers in the history of the Church. During his time in the late 4th and early 5th century, he headed many different issues in terms of the growth of the Church and many theological debates, that are important in the life of the Church. Even today, his theological writings are highly respected.”

The institute offers different courses and it also organizes yearly international conferences, like this one that brought together experts from 27 countries. It's titled “Law and Religion in the Late Age,” which was led by Cardinal Prosper Grech.

FR. ROBERT F. PREVOST
St. Augustine Order, Prior General
“The study of the ancient Church, the early Church is very important because it brings together professors, scholars from around the world who come together to look for ways in which the history of the early Church is important to the life of the Church today.”

Studying the life and role of the the first successors of the Church is key. Especially, because it reflects the first centuries of Christianity, before any religious divisions broke away. In fact, Benedict XVI has dedicated roughly 45 general audiences to talk about the Founding Fathers of the Catholic Church.


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