John Lydon

John Lydon, OSA, Born and raised in Canada, John Lydon studied at Villanova University, graduating in 1977. After finishing these studies, he entered the Augustinians and did theological studies in Washington, DC. Immediately uponfinishing theology, he volunteered to go to the Augustinian missions in Chulucanas, Peru, working in the parish of San José Obrero for five years. In 1987, the Augustinians decided to open their own formation house in Trujillo, Peru, and he was sent to Rome to finish his doctorate in Missiology at the Gregorian University in order to collaborate in that endeavour. Upon his return in 1990, he was sent to Trujillo to work in the Major Seminary, San Carlos and San Marcelo as a professor and to work as a member of the formation house community. Shortly afterwards, he was elected to his first of three terms as the major superior of the Augustinians in northern Peru. He was also chosen as the Secretary-General of the Organization of Augustinians of Latin America (OALA) for two terms. He served as pastor in Trujillo, then in a small village on the Pacific coast (Pacasmayo), and finally as president (rector) of the Catholic University of Trujillo for 6 years. He was for numerous years Vicar General in the Archdiocese of Trujillo. In 2023, he began a new ministry at Villanova University and in 2025 was named the first director of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration at Villanova.

His most recent publication was Catholic Social Doctrine, Its History and Teachings, first published by the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Editorial PUCP, with the English translation by AFT Press of Australia.