Francis enjoyed telling the story of his vocation which was, initially, his mother’s vocation for she had early consecrated him to God thinking, perhaps more in the Jesuits than in the Augustinian Recollects. Whatever the case, he decided to go to Artieda, the minor seminary of the Recollects because his boyhood friends from the village were going there.
There were to be significant dates during his formation as an Augustinian Recollect such as his solemn profession of vows, 1931, and his ordination to the priesthood, 1934. In his case the program of formation was altered by the fact that he was sent to Gregorian University in Rome to complete his studies of theology. He graduated with honors and, the year following his ordination, he was on his way to the United States where he would begin his ministry of more than 73 years in a country far distant physically from his native Navarra and even more distant in culture, language and religion. The young graduate of Roman schools gave himself wholeheartedly to the task of adaptation to this new climate, making friends with the local clergy, studying English and developing a great interest in American sports.
Dedication to the academic formation l
During the first 25 years of his dedication to the academic formation of the candidates for religious vows and ordination both in Kansas City (1935-1959) and Suffern, New York, (1959-1983), he undertook an additional role which was that of fund-raising for the maintenance of the houses of formation. In Kansas City, upon the beginning of the summer vacation, he would leave the monastery daily and would visit house by house soliciting financial support for the community and volunteers for the grand bazaar celebrated annually in the monastery grounds. It was a great example for all of us to see this professor gifted with such depth and intelligence engaged in such humble and simple tasks for the benefit of the community.
Fund-raising
After he was assigned to Tagaste, in the New York area, he dedicated himself anew to fund-raising for the new foundation. This time, however, he took to visiting the offices of Wall Street, the financial center of the nation, in order to promote the cause of the community. These interests, however, were peripheral to what he always did with great skill. He taught philosophy, theology, Latin, chant and whatever his superiors might ask of him. In addition to his teaching, he worked steadily on his great work of investigation, Enchiridion Theologicum Sancti Augustini. Francis prepared his Latin text as his contribution to the international contest established to honor the centennial celebration of the birth of St. Augustine in 1954. The work consists of a detailed collection of texts from the works of St. Augustine organized around the traditional scholastic themes providing easy access to Augustine’s thoughts on such topics. It is interesting to note that, during the years of final preparation of the text, he worked with a team of secretaries none of whom had any knowledge of Latin. This happens to be but another example of how Fr. Moriones gained the support and assistance from various persons who admired in him both a certain child-like simplicity and contagious enthusiasm. His attitude toward benefactors was always respectful and grateful and never self-seeking.
Signing one of his books in Union City (New Jersey). Return to Kansas City
When he returned to Kansas City and to the monastery of St. Augustine, he was well received by former friends, especially the Mexican-American communities and the various convents and schools where he had previously served. The number of seminarians had dwindled and fewer classes were needed at the monastery, thus, he began a new chapter in his career and dedicated himself to the education of lay students in pre-university preparation at Donnelly College, an institution of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, and administered by the Benedictine Sisters. This is a very special school designed to help students from the less affluent population of the city, especially, from the minority population. The goal of the college was to enable these young adults to acquire the needed academic background to qualify for university or the professions. The majority of these special students were not Catholic. But, that didn’t matter to Fr. Francis. He engaged himself fully to the task of opening the horizons of philosophy and ethics to these students leaving the monastery daily to meet the challenge of his special charges. For more than 20 years Francis helped generations of these less favored students reach new heights of knowledge and preparedness. Shortly before another transfer, Fr. Moriones was the recipient of special recognition when he was honored by the Mayor of the city who proclaimed June 13, 1983, FATHER FRANCIS MORIONES DAY.
Sisters Servants of Mary
One other occupation which Fr. Francis attended to with great care was the spiritual and religious formation of the Sisters Servants of Mary whose house of formation was also located in Kansas City. Those were the years of post-Vatican II and Fr. Francis organized weekly sessions for the study of the documents of the Council. They were not the only ones to benefit from Father’s study of Vatican II theology. The Archbishop of the Kansas City also engaged him as a consultant for these matters.
Secular Augustinian Fraternities
Never one to be idle, Fr. Francis found new opportunities for the apostolate when he returned to the East, first, to the provincial house and, later, to Tagaste. He was appointed spiritual director of the Secular Augustinian Fraternities in West Orange and, later, in Tagaste. It was a challenge which he took to heart. He had not been too interested in the old Third Order but began to see in the formation of the laity along Augustinian lines as a great benefit for the Order. His interest in SAR spirituality became so important for him that he prepared the three volumes of “Espiritualidad Agustino Recoleta”, each volume dedicated to one aspect of the three-fold charism. In addition to his involvement with the Seculars, he became the principal instructor for the Augustinian Recollect Sisters who had made a cloister foundation in the United States in the vicinity of the provincial residence. Again, he had a complete curriculum for the Sisters, including, English.
In the renewal course of 2005. The passion of his life
One could write volumes about the person and the works of Francis Moriones. His companions in religious life admired the generosity of his commitment to his vocation and to his community. His mental clarity and depth of perception never deserted him. As a teacher, he knew how to get into the minds of his students. During the long hours spent in his monastic cell, he would return to the passion of his life, St. Augustine of Hippo. His renowned Enchiridion Theologicum Sancti Augustini had reached the hands of the council fathers of Vatican II but the later generations of seminarians and teachers were less adept at Latin. Thus, at 90 years of age and at the suggestion of a Spanish seminary professor, Francis decided to prepare an edition of the Enchiridion in Spanish and did so using computer technology and with the assistance of the new generations of computer literate seminarians. His beautifully edited Teología de San Agustín appeared in 2004. Over the years, Fr. Moriones contributed many articles to Augustinus and, more recently, various chapters for the three volume, El Pensamiento de San Agustín para el hombre de hoy. His work for the Secular Augustinian Recollects, Espiritualidad Agustino Recoleta is still employed by many fraternities.
Body and soul
Fr. Francis threw himself body and soul into the American way of life from the beginning of his life in the U.S. He struggled to learn English even though for the whole of his life there would be a strong accent of Navarra. He followed American sports, American football, tennis and, above all, golf. He followed closely the political life of his adopted land preparing himself diligently for each election. His outreach to the public and to benefactors was one of delicacy and appreciation, a lesson to be learned by the students in the houses of formation. We greatly miss Fr. Francis Moriones. He was a shining example of a religious in love with his vocation and his religious community. Somehow, he was a living expression of the authenticity of our Augustinian Recollect charism.