ABOUT US

We are AUCatholic

We are the Catholic Campus Ministry
at American University

We are a community of faith that calls, forms, and sends students to be salt and light in the Church and the Nation’s Capital.

By offering opportunities for spiritual formation, small group community, and social gatherings, we strive to welcome newcomers, strengthen disciples, and equip students for their mission in life.

our team

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Fr. Iván Pertiné

Chaplain

Fr. Iván Pertiné is General Director of the Saint John Society (SJS - www.socsj.org), a Society of Apostolic Life of priests and missionaries that work in the USA, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, Scotland and Chile.

He led the Catholic Newman Centers at Oregon State University and Portland State University for three years before coming to Washington, DC, as the Catholic Chaplain at American University. He holds a license degree in philosophy from the Universidad del Norte Santo Tomas de Aquino in Buenos Aires, an S.T.B. in theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and an S.T.L from the Angelicum in Rome.

Fr. Iván has been a Catholic priest for 25 years (16 in Argentina). During these years, he served as a pastor in a rural parish, worked with college and high school students, led different evangelization programs, worked in a state prison, and led evangelization missions in poor areas of various cities in Argentina.

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Fr. Marcelo Olmedo

Co-Chaplain

Fr. Marcelo Olmedo is a priest of the Saint John Society (SJS - www.socsj.org), a Society of Apostolic Life of priests and missionaries that work in the USA, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, Scotland and Chile.

He lived for 3 years in DC, where he did his theological studies. Then he went back to Argentina, where he was ordained a priest in 2025 and served in different parishes and pastoral centers run by the SJS. He is now a Co-Chaplain at American University since July 2026.

He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the Universidad del Norte Santo Tomas de Aquino in Buenos Aires and an S.T.B. in theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

Fr. Marcelo has been part of the SJS since 2015. During these years, he served as a missionary in rural parishes, worked with young adults, college and high school students, led different evangelization programs, worked in a state prison, and led evangelization missions in poor areas of various cities in Argentina. Fr. Marcelo is an athlete and loves playing soccer.

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Allie Vega

Campus Minister

Allie Vega has served as the campus minister of AUCatholic since July 2024. Originally from Colorado, she loves the mountains, hiking, and playing tennis, but considers herself an East-Coaster now that she's lived in the DC area for more than 6 years.

Allie earned her bachelor's degree in international affairs and communication studies from the University of Northern Colorado and her master's degree in Latin American studies from The George Washington University here in DC. While studying for her master's, she encountered the St. John Society and their volunteer missionaries, which is how she got connected to AU. After graduating, she served at AU as a volunteer missionary for one year, which is how she discovered her passion for college campus ministry.

She worked in the Office of Campus Ministry at the Catholic University of America after finishing her VM year, then rejoined the team at AU as the campus minister in 2024. She got married in 2025 and loves to spend time going on adventures with her husband.