Malvern Prep Wecomes (Back) Fr. Donald Reilly and Fr. Bill Gabriel

In a message to the Malvern Community on July 18, Head of School, Mr. Patrick Sillup, together with Rev. Rob Hagan, O.S.A., Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, announced two Augustinian additions to Malvern Prep’s staff and faculty.

Rev. Donald Reilly, O.S.A., D.Min. 

Fr. Reilly will remain part of the Malvern Community. In his new role as Senior Advisor, Mission & Philanthropy, Fr. Reilly will assist the Office of Development with major giving. He will also assist the Mission and Ministry Team with weekly Mass.

Fr. Reilly, working with the Development Team, has been instrumental in securing two of the largest gifts in school history. In April, Fr. Reilly worked closely with benefactor Mr. Vic Maggitti  P'02 GP'13'15'17 TE to finalize a $6 million gift that will be used to construct the Vic Maggitti Pavilion; a center for college counseling, learning support, and administration on Malvern Prep’s campus. Just two months later, the school announced a $20 million gift from The Howley Foundation. This extraordinary gift will be used to provide annual scholarships to 40 students and enhance the physical plant - including the construction of two new turf fields and a student experience center.

Regarding his assignment to Malvern Prep, Fr. Reilly shared, “The Augustinians have made a commitment to Malvern to share, teach, live, and hopefully model what it means to be part of an Augustinian Community. The Province leadership wants Friars physically present on campus to continue what was begun over 180 years ago. I am honored to be part of that tradition that values Truth, Unity, and Love as a way of life.”

Fr. Reilly will begin his new role upon the start of the 2022-23 academic year. 

Fr. Bill Gabriel, O.S.A.

Please welcome back to campus, Fr. Bill Gabriel. Prior to his ordination, Fr. Bill spent his pastoral year of Augustinian formation (2018-19) as an assistant campus minister, theology teacher, and assistant ninth-grade basketball coach at Malvern. He was ordained in 2021 and will return to Malvern this year as an Upper School Theology teacher and member of the Mission and Ministry team.

For those in our community unfamiliar with Fr. Bill, he hails from Dover, NH. He attended Villanova University, graduating in 2013. He then taught for two years at Archmere Academy, DE, while discerning his vocation. He entered the formation program in 2015 and professed vows and was ordained to the diaconate. For his diaconate, he was assigned to St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, Villanova, where he will continue to minister as parochial vicar until his move to Malvern Prep.

Of his past experience with Malvern, Fr. Bill shared “I love being part of the Malvern community, and helping students get to know Saint Augustine and see how his teachings are such a part of a Malvern education.” He continued, “my experience of the Augustinian spirit at Malvern has been exceptional - a spirit of loving hospitality, vibrant community, and a deep, communal desire and search for truth,” he said. “It has been a gift to learn from and walk with the Malvern Prep community; serving as a great affirmation of my call to the Augustinian way of life.”

Retaining Fr. Reilly and the addition of Fr. Bill allows Malvern Prep to have a strong Augustinian presence on campus. Their presence is essential to creating young men with strong character and faith who lead with humility and heart. I want to thank Fr. Rob Hagan for committing Fr. Reilly and Fr. Bill to Malvern Prep, as they will no doubt have a lasting impact on our young friars.