Delaware County Augustinian priest Father Augustine “Gus”  Esposito, OSA, PH.D died Saturday afternoon after battling COVID-19 for the past few weeks, reports the CBS staff at phildelphia.cbslocal.com.

He passed away at Bryn Mawr Hospital after becoming ill shortly before Chirstmas.

As his family spread the word of his illness, thousands prayed for his recovery.

Family members expressed gratitude for the care and support he received at Bryn Mawr.

In 2005, Esposito was named president of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High school in Drexel Hill.

The South Philadelphia native was raised in Collingdale, according to malvernretreat.com.

He graduated from Bonner in 1969 and after two years in college joined the Augustinians novitiate. He was ordained in 1979.

Father Esposito taught at Bonner for a year, then was assigned to a church in the Bronx from 1981 to 1984.

He attained his Ph.D. in Spanish literature, publishing his dissertation in 1988.

Esposito was a professor at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and taught at Villanova University for four years before becoming president at Monsignor Bonner Prendergast High School.

From there he served as an administrator at Malvern Preparatory School.

Find out more Fr. Esposito at phildelphia.cbslocal.com.