For decades, Frank Petrillo ’69 has quietly lived the values at the heart of the Augustinian tradition: faith, humility, compassion, perseverance, and service to others.
Whether coaching young athletes, supporting individuals facing hardship, volunteering through parish ministries, or simply helping those in need without expecting anything in return, Frank has spent much of his life putting his faith into action.
“You don’t realize it at the time,” Frank reflected of his years at Bonner. “But those values are being built into you.”
Now, more than five decades after graduating from Monsignor Bonner Catholic High School, Frank is being honored as the 2026 recipient of the St. Augustine Medal, recognizing alumni who embody the school’s Augustinian values of truth, unity, and charity.
“It’s something I never thought of,” Frank said. “It’s a great honor.”
Lessons That Lasted
After moving from Philadelphia to Delaware County, Frank enrolled at Bonner and quickly found friendship and community through football. He played all four years and says the bonds formed with teammates remain strong long after graduation.
But beyond athletics, Frank says Bonner’s Augustinian friars, teachers, and coaches helped shape the person he would become.
“The values they taught us — love, unity, humility through faith — stayed with us,” he said.
One of the people who left the greatest impression on Frank was legendary Bonner football coach Fred Cappello, whose humility and dedication to helping others became an example Frank carried into adulthood.
“He showed you that you can make a difference,” Frank said.
Those lessons remained central throughout Frank’s life, guiding not only his faith, but also the way he approached service, family, and community.
Living His Faith Through Service
A longtime member of Sacred Heart Parish Manoa, Frank spent 14 years coaching varsity football for seventh and eighth grade students. For him, coaching was always about more than sports.
“I was trying to teach them not just football, but also the practice of their faith,” he said.
Before games, the team attended Mass together, and Frank emphasized sportsmanship, discipline, respect, and perseverance both on and off the field.
“When you fall down, on the field or in life, it’s how you get up and get back in there,” he said. “You need your faith to make it in this world.”
One memory that has remained with him involved a student who admitted he had not attended Mass since his First Communion. After encouraging him to return to church, the student committed to attending regularly.
“You remember things like that more than winning and losing,” Frank said.
That same spirit of ministry and outreach extended well beyond the football field.
Over the years, Frank and his wife, Peggy, became deeply involved in numerous faith-based outreach efforts focused on helping children, families, and individuals facing difficult circumstances. For approximately 15 years, they traveled monthly to abortion clinics in Philadelphia to pray with and support individuals facing challenging situations.
Today, one of the ministries closest to Frank’s heart is Our House Ministries, led by Father Doug McKay, which supports individuals struggling with addiction and hardship. Every few weeks, Frank and his wife prepare homemade meals and collect clothing and necessities for individuals in the program.
“You can’t worry about what you’re getting back in return,” Frank said. “If someone needs help, you just do it.”
Faith, Brotherhood, and Perseverance
Faith has also sustained Frank through life’s most difficult moments, including the heartbreaking loss of his youngest son ten years ago.
“Our faith led us through,” Frank shared, “and keeps us strong together.”
He also credits the lifelong friendships formed during his years at Bonner for helping support him throughout life.
“The fellows I played football with at Bonner, we always stayed strong together,” he said.
As this year’s St. Augustine Medal recipient, Frank hopes today’s Bonner & Prendie students remain grounded in their faith and continue looking for opportunities to serve others.
“Never lose your faith,” he encouraged. “Because you’re always going to go back to it for help.”
And when setbacks inevitably come, Frank hopes students remember one lesson that has guided him throughout his life:
“When you fall down, get back up and get back in there,” he said. “That’s when you need your faith most.”