Father Gallardo was born in Los Angeles (California) on February 12, 1959. He entered the Order and after a period of postulancy, he made his novitiate in Monteagudo (Navarra, Spain). He took his theological studies at the Theological Center of Marcilla (Navarra, Spain), and while residing in the Monastery of Thagaste in Suffern, he completed his studies at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange (New York).
He made his solemn profession on August 28, 1993 and was ordained priest on October 1, 1994 in Suffern (New York). He has worked in several parishes and has been the prior of the monasteries of Saint Augustine (Oxnard) and Thagaste (Suffern). Before his election as Prior Provincial, he was superior and parish priest of St. Benedict in Montebello (California).
Virgin Mary and Saint Augustine
The Province of Saint Augustine has seven communities in the United States and one in Mexico. During the last session of the chapter on June 24, Domingos Machado, Fidel Hernández, Michael Rafferty and Eliseo González were elected as members of the provincial council. The Eucharistic celebration of this day, the Solemnity of Saint John, was presided by Father Joseph Gallardo, the new Prior Provincial. Augustinian Recollects from the communities of Oxnard, Los Angeles and Santa Ana participated in the said mass. In his homily, Father Gallardo encouraged the religious of the Province to be faithful and invited them to walk together under the protection of the Virgin Mary and Saint Augustine. He entrusted the province to the Virgin, saying: “Mary takes us to Jesus and with her at our side, we have nothing to fear.”
On June 26, the priors of the houses, provincial secretary and master of novices were named. The Province of Saint Augustine has seven communities in the United States and one in Mexico. The religious of the province are dedicated to parochial ministry and they attend to the Cursillo Center in Bronx, New York.