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Silhouetted or sun-glistened, the twin spires of St. Thomas of Villanova remind on lookers that "A beautiful church is a sermon in stone, and its spire a finger pointing to heaven." Indeed, few residents can recall a time when those majestic spires were not a prominent part of the Main Line landscape. The Rudolph Family Prior to the establishment of the Augustinian parish, St. Denis' at Cobbs Creek in 1828, the Rudolphs had to travel to Philadelphia for Sunday Mass. Often however, missionaries from St.Augustine's, as well as other secular priests, would travel west to the Rudolph estate to celebrate mass for the household. The clergymen always welcomed guests, found the Rudolph parlor in the southwest corner of the mansion fitted with an altar and an organ, on which Mr. Rudolph would accompany the service. For nearly thirty years, until the death of John Rudolph on March 30, 1838, the Belle Air estate was a "parish" to the Rudolph family, their servants and their neighbors. Almost three years after Rudolph's death, on October 14, 1841, Belle Air was scheduled for public sale. Augustinian historian, Father Thomas Middleton in his 1893 account cites the notice of the sale with quotes from the trustee of the Rudolph estate, Mr. John Vogdes: "that valuable farm beautifully situated on the Lancaster Turnpike and Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad in Radnor Township…about 10 miles from the city, containing about 200 acres of first rate land, about 40 acres of which are wood of superior quality of oak and hickory." The clergymen, understandably anxious to purchase the property, offered to buy it the day before it went on public sale. At the date of purchase the land had improvements including " a two story stone Mansion 456 feet by 36 feet 6 inches deep…a two story stone kitchen (back) 38 feet by 21 feet 6 inches with piazzas,--five rooms on the first floor, with spacious hall, 7 rooms on the second floor, and 3 large garrets; a large stone barn…a stone Coach House…a small Farm House, and a Barn…a stone spring house and spring of excellent water…a large stone smoke house and poultry house…"In addition, "its comparative easiness of approach from all quarters were advantages more than sufficient to recommend it either as a private residence or a public institution." The acquisition was a major advance for the future of the Augustinian Order in the United States. The Purchase of the Belle Air Estate On October 13, 1841, Reverend Thomas Kyle, O.S.A. of St. Augustine's and Father Patrick Moriarity O.S.A. purchased the estate they would rename Villanova, for $18,000. The purchase represented the first civil corporation of the Order in this country when, "On January 5, 1842, titled to Belle Air was granted to the Brothers of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine." Equally significant was the ecclesiastical recognition of His Holiness, Pope Gregory XVI, on December 22, 1843 which granted permission for the transfer to Villanova of the new Augustinian Motherhouse, separate from St. Augustine's in Philadelphia. And thus, the history of the parish of St. Thomas of Villanova. Father O'Dwyer celebrated the first mass in the parlor of the former mansion on August 28, 1843, the feast of St. Augustine. It was then also that the monastery was placed under the patronage of the sixteenth-century Spanish Augustinian, St.Thomas of Villanova. St. Thomas was a saintly man, distinguished for his ability to manage affairs skillfully, for his generosity towards the poor, and for his tireless efforts in the establishment of hospices, schools and a college at Valencia. With their patron as an example, the Augustinians, assisted by the estate staff, began the work of converting the estate from a farm to a religious community.
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