Former Saint Vincent College president who handled school’s coed transition dies
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Much like the early church fathers, the Rev. Augustine Flood, OSB, traversed the world. During a life in the priesthood that spanned half a century, he served as a parish priest, missionary, theology professor and president of Saint Vincent College.
The priest, affectionately known as “Father Gus,” studied in Italy, Germany and the U.S. He was named the 12th president of Saint Vincent College in 1982 and steered the previously all-male school in Unity through a successful transition to coeducation during his tenure as college president from 1982-85.
The priest who went on to serve as a missionary at the Wimmer Priory in Taiwan and later as pastor at St. Bartholomew Parish in Crabtree died Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. He was 83.
A son of James J. and Lucile Fleischer Flood, he was born May 29, 1938, in Hollywood, Calif. He was the last surviving sibling of the couple’s four children.
Saint Vincent President the Rev. Paul Taylor, OSB, recalled Flood from his early days at the college. He called him a great mentor and said he will be deeply missed.
“His wisdom and guidance proved especially valuable as I began my appointment as president,” he said. “In all he did, he was committed to bettering Saint Vincent and carrying forth our tradition of academic excellence. After his tenure as president, Father Augustine served as a missionary to China and then a pastor in Pennsylvania, fulfilling many of the needs of our community and our world. ”
Bishop Larry Kulick of the Greensburg Diocese remembered Flood as a thoughtful scholar and theologian.
“After studying about the Second Vatican Council in Rome, Father came back here for further study and for theological renewal,” Kulick said. “Several priests from across our diocese benefited from what he learned and shared from Rome and from his tremendous theological influences. We are also grateful that Father Augustine shared his knowledge and gifts with so many parishioners in our diocese as a parochial vicar and as pastor.”
The Rev. Justin Matro, OSB, is pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in Crabtree, where Flood served as pastor from 1994-2002. He knew Flood from his days as a student at Saint Vincent, his work in the Crabtree parish and as a fellow member of the Benedictine community at Saint Vincent.
“I entered Saint Vincent in 1983, and he was one of the first people I met. He was a rather big figure in the community,” he said.
They both loved dogs.
“He had three big dogs — two Rottweilers and an Irish wolfhound in the house. They were very sweet. The Irish wolfhound was the size of a Shetland pony,” he said.
Flood earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Saint John’s College in Camarillo, Calif., and received a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1964.
He pursued further studies at the University of Munich, Germany, and the University of Pittsburgh, and completed his doctorate of philosophy degree in 1975 at Claremont Graduate School. While in Germany, he served as pastor of the American Military Chapel in Dachau from 1965-67. He was director of St. Andrew’s Retreat House in Valyermo, Calif., 1967-70, and associate pastor in residence at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Claremont, Calif., 1969-73, and Catholic chaplain at Wayside Honor Rancho in Saugus, Calif.
He came to Saint Vincent in 1974 as college chaplain and would go on to serve the college as a professor and administrator for decades.
Flood was preceded in death by his sisters, Jacqueline Flood Truesdale and Marguerite V. Young, and a brother, James J. Flood Jr. Surviving are a number of nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday in the parlor of the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center at Saint Vincent Seminary. A wake service will begin at 7:15 p.m. Monday in the Basilica. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Basilica by Archabbot Martin de Porres Bartel, OSB, followed by the rite of committal in Saint Vincent Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund at Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650.