2024 Gala Honorees: Greg & Wendy Jania

The 2024 Augustinian Gala will honor Greg and Wendy Jania, longtime members of the Augustinian community and friends of the Augustinian Order.

The Jania’s family history with the Order began decades ago, when Greg’s father, Jim, attended St. Rita of Cascia High School from 1960-64. Years later, Jim would return to the school as a teacher, and his sons – including Greg – as students.

“I felt that some of what made my father a great man must have been from his experience at St. Rita and with the Augustinians, so St. Rita became an easy decision for me,” Greg remembers of his choice to attend St. Rita for school. “He probably didn’t realize it at the time, but he knew from working with the Augustinians that to truly love something, you need to choose it for yourself.”

During high school, Greg formed a close relationship with fellow 2024 Augustinian Gala Honoree Fr. Walter “Wally” McNicholas throughout his involvement as Class Valedictorian, newspaper Editor, and President of the National Honor Society. After graduating in 1989 and while attending Wabash College, Fr. McNicholas gave Greg an Augustinian prayer book that helped fuel his faith and family life in the next decades.

Fr. McNicholas would go on to marry Greg and Wendy, and remained close to their family as they raised two children, Alec and Olivia, who both attended Villanova University and continued on the Jania family legacy of Augustinian education.

Over the past 30+ The Janias have been involved with the Augustinian community in a variety of ways, as members of the St. Rita High School Board of Directors (they were honored as the Couple of the Year in 2016 and Greg individually was honored as Man of the Year in 2019), on the Midwest Augustinian Advancement Council, and at events.

We, the Midwest Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel are pleased to celebrate the Janias’ legacy of support and service to the Augustinian community as 2024 Augustinian Gala Honorees.

Thank you, Greg and Wendy.