Tympanum of the south portal of St. Augustine's Church at Washington Street in Cork, depicting the Lady of Good Counsel. This was sculpted by Christopher Fitzgerald. (See Antóin O'Callaghan, The Churches of Cork City, p. 123-125.) Photo: Wikimedia Commons Sunday, July 12 will mark the last Mass at St Augustine’s Church in Cork and the withdrawal of the Augustian Order from the city.
The decision to withdraw comes as the order sees declining vocations, with a lack of ordinations to fill the ministry needs of the order amid the aging profile of the current friars.
According to Cork newspaper The Echo, the Augustinian order in Ireland has only 10 friars under the age of 70 in 2026, with more than half of the friars over the age of 80.
Speaking shortly after the announcement of the closure in March, vicar provincial of the Augustinian Order Fr Paddy O’Reilly said the decision to withdraw from Cork was made with “great pain and sadness”, but acknowledged that the city is “well served by Franciscans, Capuchins, Dominicans, and by an abundance of diocesan churches.”
Speaking about the decision, Bishop Fintan Gavin expressed hope that the faith “nurtured for generations within the walls of St Augustine’s” will continue in Cork City.