The Servants of God of St. Augustine are a Catholic Augustinian monastic community of men in DeLand, Florida, dedicated to seeking God through prayer, fraternity, contemplation, and service. Guided by the Rule and spiritual heritage of Saint Augustine, we strive to live as brothers “of one mind and one heart intent upon God.”
Our vocation is first and foremost a search for God. We seek Him together in a common life shaped by the Holy Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, Sacred Scripture, Lectio Divina, personal prayer, work, and fraternity. Prayer gives rhythm and purpose to our day and leads us to intercede for the Church, our benefactors, those who entrust their intentions to us, and the needs of the world.
For Saint Augustine, the Christian journey was never meant to be lived in isolation. Inspired by the first Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles, he envisioned a life in which believers shared their spiritual and material gifts, supported one another in charity, and sought God together. That vision remains at the heart of our monastic life today.
Our way of life draws from the ancient spiritual tradition of Saint Augustine of Hippo. After his conversion, Augustine gathered friends and companions around him to live a common life centered on prayer, Scripture, friendship, contemplation, and the search for truth. Even after becoming Bishop of Hippo, he continued to foster this communal and monastic ideal.
The Rule of Saint Augustine has guided religious communities for centuries. Its call to unity, humility, charity, common prayer, and the sharing of life continues to shape our community. We seek to preserve this spirit with simplicity and fidelity, allowing the wisdom of Saint Augustine to speak to the needs of the Church and the world today.
The history of our community has been marked by prayer, perseverance, and trust in Divine Providence. Father Seamus of Jesus Conniff Kuebler played a formative role in establishing the community and nurturing its Augustinian monastic character.
Father Seamus entered the Augustinian novitiate in 1988, made his first profession of vows in 1989, and later professed solemn vows in 1996. His vision helped establish the Mother of the Good Shepherd Monastery and a community devoted to prayer, common life, hospitality, and the spiritual heritage of Saint Augustine.
The community first established its monastic life in Maine and later relocated to DeLand, Florida, in 2004. Since then, the monastery has continued to develop as a home for the brothers and as a place where guests, pilgrims, friends, and those seeking God may encounter an atmosphere of prayer and peace.
Father Seamus' life and ministry were marked by deep faith, perseverance, hospitality, music, storytelling, humor, and a genuine concern for others. Despite losing his sight at a young age, he pursued his vocation with determination and dedicated his life to God and the people entrusted to his care. His example remains an important part of the spiritual heritage of our community.
Today, the Servants of God of St. Augustine continue this journey in DeLand. We seek to build a community in which prayer leads to fraternity, fraternity leads to charity, and charity leads to service.
Our common life calls us to support one another as brothers, to welcome those God places along our path, to pray for the needs of others, and to place our gifts at the service of the Church and the wider community.
At the heart of everything we do remains the invitation of Saint Augustine:
“One mind and one heart intent upon God.”
It is both the foundation of our common life and the direction of our journey—a life shared in the search for God.
