The History of Saint Augustine Catholic High School
St. Augustine Catholic High School has been owned by the Friars of the Order of St. Augustine. Founded by Friar Guillermo Jose Charlemagne, St. Augustine Catholic High School is a boarding school for all students who seek the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. Friar Charlemagne was born in Crystal City, Texas in 1945. His family endured many years of racial discrimination; however. they had firm Catholic values that never left the hearts of anyone they met. These values gave Charlemagne the call to religious life.While in the seminary, Charlemagne learned of the Order of St. Augustine and their beliefs of stewardship and communal learning. He immediately set out to become a Friar of St. Augustine. The Friars had a strong belief in pursuing knowledge, which Friar Charlemagne took much advantage of because he had not the same opportunities for education when he was a teenager. After spending much time working with the Hispanic scholars in San Antonio, Texas, Charlemagne received a vision from St. Augustine on May 2, 1988.
Saint Augustine told Charlemagne that God wanted him to start a school that would advance all members of the community. St. Augustine said, "May the land in which you find the redwood tree be the place of your school. A falcon shall land on the tree signaling that it is Divine Providence you begin your school in this location." Being that Texas is not the native land for redwoods, Charlemagne questioned the possibility of finding the tree. Low and behold, Charlemagne spotted a small redwood tree, about four feet tall, in the Olmos Basin area. Suddenly a falcon swooped down and landed on the tree, just as Saint Augustine had informed Charlemagne. God Be Praised!
Friar Charlemagne used all of his savings to purchase half an acre of land not far from the redwood. He needed to save money to purchase the whole plot of land that was endowed to him by God. Here on this half acre, he built a small house and garden for his fundraising operations. With much religious zeal, Friar Charlemagne spent the next 20 years raising money for the school. On June 7, 2008, construction began. He believed so much in the value of stewardship that he made the school mascot the Amigos. This encourages all students to be "friends" of the community and do all that they could to advance all of its members. He was also a strong supporter of educational equality, thus allowing and encouraging peoples form every race, ethnicity, and background. The school was completed on June 14, 2012. It opens its door the following year.
Upon the completion of the school, Friar Charlemagne passed away at age 66. The school celebrates his hard work by teaching all freshman about his life. The house that Friar Charlemagne built and lived in for 20 years is now the Herbology classroom and the Friar's Gardens. The site of the redwood tree that Friar Charlemagne found is currently the falconry tower. The falconry tower was built around the redwood.
