By Bob Carrejo
This is the fourth in a series of profiles of Christian Brothers for National Vocations Awareness Week, Nov. 2-8, 2025. This interview has been edited for length.
Brother Augustine Nicoletti, FSC, currently serves as vice president of mission at Manhattan University in Riverdale, New York. A native New Yorker, Brother Gus’ tour of duty has taken him to numerous schools throughout the District of Eastern North America. He also was the Brother President of the Ethiopian Catholic University – LaSalle in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2017-2020. Recently, Brother Gus took time to reflect on the experiences and insights he has gained during his vocational journey as a De La Salle Brother.
What is your definition of vocation?
A vocation is a “yes” to the invitation from God to serve. It mirrors Jesus’ own life of service based on Gospel values and, for those of us who are De La Salle Christian Brothers, a call within a call to live our life listening to the prophetic voice of John Baptist de La Salle. This “listening” is based on De La Salle’s charism, spirituality and writings. The Lasallian vocation is a threefold response to God’s call: fidelity to our consecration, to living in community and to responding to the educational needs of the Institute.
The Founder described his vocation journey in terms of God leading him “in an imperceptible way and over a long period of time so that one commitment led to another in a way that I did not foresee in the beginning.” How does that resonate with your story of how you’ve arrived where you are today?
Those who know me will understand my using the metaphor of a road to explain my vocation journey. My “road journey” led to many unanticipated adventures – curves, detours, exits and new construction. It certainly resonates with De La Salle’s vocational journey, especially in the gradual unfolding that led me to where I am today. It’s composed of many layers, beginning with a strong foundation of faith and service instilled in me by my parents, as well as a solid Catholic school education and parish priests who were examples of dedication and the importance of community life. Then, my attraction to teaching came from my mom, who as a special education teacher inspired me to work with the marginalized.
What do you see as the importance of community both to the Lasallian mission and to you personally? And what, for you, have been its biggest gifts and challenges?
Community is at the heart of the Lasallian mission – “together and by association.” As Lasallians, community transforms the educational environment into a ministry. It is through community that the mission to provide a “human and Christian education” comes alive. Community is part of who I am and who I am striving to become. As Saint Paul said, each of us have a part to play given our gifts and talents. Community teaches us that we are called not to live just for ourselves, but for and with others.
How would you describe what it means to have a prayer life?
Our Rule states, “The Brothers’ community is a community of prayer. The Brothers pray together. … Together they seek and find God.” My prayer life is fundamental to who I am as a Brother. Prayer sustains my vocation, which then directly influences my apostolic work. It’s how I respond to the “yes” of my vocation. My community’s daily schedule includes morning prayer, Mass and evening prayer, all of which provides me with necessary vocational support. Before community prayer I have my daily prayer walk where I practice mental (interior) prayer. All of these forms of prayer both nourish and feed my desire for a closer relationship with God.
What are your goals as an educator and what are your ways of accompanying your students in their faith formation?
The Lasallian phrase “to teach minds, touch hearts, and transform lives” lies at the core of my educational philosophy and goals. It represents a threefold approach. Teaching minds is the academic piece, touching hearts is the personal development, and the combination of these two leads to faith-formation, hopefully a process that transforms lives. For example, I begin each class with recalling God’s presence followed by a reflection. This is followed by a handout that is usually a reflective piece related to that day’s lesson. At times, I ask students to “pair share” their thoughts with someone – to have them self-reflect as well as hear others self-reflect. My hope is that through this process they will move closer to faith in themselves, in others, and most importantly in God.
Some social observers question whether or not the vowed religious life is still relevant to contemporary culture and point to the decline in vocations to the religious life as evidence that it may not be. What does your experience as a De La Salle Brother tell you?
Given the climate of these times, I would say that the relevancy of religious life is greater than ever. As a religious Institute, we definitively present ourselves as a moral compass. We continue to minister to the underserved. And I can’t stress enough the importance of community life as an example of a faith-filled way of living the mission.
In the Rule of 1718, the Founder wrote, “The necessity of this Institute is very great.” In these times, what do you see as the Institute’s unique and essential gift to our society?
Simply stated, presence! It’s about the role it plays as a living witness to the community at large. Signum Fidei. (“Sign of Faith.”) It’s based on living Gospel values and our Lasallian charism, and the courage and hope that we find in our prophetic imagination. This is our unique and essential gift to society.
What gives you your greatest joy as a Brother?
Living out my consecration through community life and my apostolic service over these many years. The pride I feel in being part of the Institute. The absolute joy of walking into a classroom and being present to the young people I teach. My relationships with the colleagues I’ve been associated with in my various ministries. The wealth of ministerial experiences, the people I’ve met on the journey, and the international settings. In the end, it has all shaped and formed me as a De La Salle Christian Brother. There is great joy in being transformed each day. I am forever grateful and feel privileged for this call.