St. Augustine College of South Africa welcomes its new Head of Department of Theology, Fr. Martin Badenhorst, OP, while it also thanks and celebrates Dr. Sr. Judith Coyle, IHS, who has shepherded the department for the last 17 years. ‘Sr. Judy,’ as she is fondly called, is set to retire after being a pillar of St. Augustine’s leadership and one of its most cherished teachers and colleague. Meanwhile, Fr. Martin is welcomed as the Theology Faculty’s new leader, furthering its excellence as well as its mission to educate and build communities through its teaching, research, and civic engagements.

Both Sr. Judy and Fr. Martin began their academic careers in South Africa at the St. Joseph’s Institute for Theology, Cedara, and have been mainstays here at St. Augustine’s. Fr. Martin has lectured courses across St. Augustine’s theology programmes for 16 years, and is also a leader on its Senate and on its Strategic Planning Committees. In recent years, Fr. Martin has helped St. Augustine transition into its blended learning strategy while also continuing his lecturing in the Honours and MPhil programmes. Needless to say, it will be very sad to see Sr. Judy leave after so many years, but it is also a blessing to have Fr. Martin join as Head of Department given his academic prowess, engaging teaching style, and steady yet innovative leadership skills.