ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Discalced Augustinians

Discalced Augustinians are a special group of people who follow a particular way of life based on the teachings of St. Augustine. They are called "discalced" because it means that they go without shoes, just like when you run around barefoot.

St. Augustine was a very important person in the Catholic Church a long time ago. He taught people about how to be good and how to follow God. The discalced Augustinians really like what St. Augustine taught, so they try to live their lives in a way that follows his teachings very closely.

These special people live in a community called a monastery, which is like a big house where they all live together. But it's not just any kind of house, it's a special place where they can focus on being close to God. They have their own rooms to sleep in, but they also have common areas where they can eat, pray, and work together.

The discalced Augustinians have some rules that they follow. They wake up early in the morning and spend a lot of time praying. They also have specific times for eating, studying, and doing different chores around the monastery. They believe that following these rules helps them to get closer to God.

One of the important things to know about the discalced Augustinians is that they take a vow of poverty. That means they don't have a lot of personal belongings and they share everything they have with each other. They believe that by not being attached to material things, they can focus more on their relationship with God and helping others.

The discalced Augustinians also try to live a simple life. They don't always wear fancy clothes or go on expensive vacations. Instead, they prefer to spend their time serving others and doing good works. They might help people who are poor or sick, or they might teach others about God and his teachings.

Even though the discalced Augustinians live a very dedicated and different life, they are just like normal people in many ways. They have families and friends outside of the monastery, and they can still have fun and enjoy life. They just choose to live their lives in a special way that they believe will bring them closer to God and help them find happiness.