MISSION STATEMENT

We Augustinians of Australia have endorsed statements on our charism, spirituality and mission.

They are as follows:

OUR BEST GIFT (charism)

Following St Augustine we are called to continue the mission of Jesus by

1. loving God in and through community
2. developing interiority and prayerfulness
3. enriching our community life through the recognition, development, and expression of individual talents
4. living in simplicity and in solidarity with the poor and accepting the sacrifice which discipleship with Jesus demands
5. embracing and integrating our common and apostolic life
6. manifesting the kindness, the gentleness, the humility and the friendship of Jesus in all our relationships
7. proclaiming for our times the Good News of God's kingdom and working to bring about the liberation of individuals and society
8. being open to new ideas and courageously adapting our style of living and our ministries to the needs of the times.

GOD IN OUR LIVES (spirituality)

We Augustinians seek to live together "in unity of mind and heart on the way to God".

In this endeavour we are aware of God's love for us, and are conscious of being called and challenged by God to respond by loving God and others.

We trust in the Father's providential care.

We, sharing in fraternity, seek to draw closer to God through reflection on the inspired Word, through prayer, and through the Eucharist.

We, living as friends in community, strive to serve God's people in a spirit of prayer and love.

We, recognising and accepting sinfulness in ourselves and others, affirm the good in all.

We, as friends, reach out to others in their everyday lives with gentleness, hospitality and compassion.

We Augustinians believe

1. that God loves us and calls us to respond to his love
2. that the Father holds us in his providential care
3. that the Good News challenges us to be liberating signs of God's kingdom
4. that Jesus, who is Lord and Christ, is our inspiration in serving God's people
5. that the Holy Spirit is active in the world today, renewing the lives of people
6. that the Church is the living sacrament of Christ's presence in the world
7. that to love our neighbour is to love God
8. in the dignity, uniqueness and importance of every human being
9. that we are called to seek God together in both the joys and difficulties of community life
10. that personal and communal prayer are essential to developing our relationship with God

We share in the mission of Jesus

1. by witnessing through community living to the primacy of love, both of God and neighbour
2. by living simple and prayerful lives
3. by manifesting the gentleness, humility and friendship of Jesus
4. by proclaiming the Good News through preaching, scholarship and education
5. by responding to the needs of contemporary society
6. by confronting injustice, both individual and institutional, so that people may be freed from oppression
7. by working in close contact with people and by reaching out especially to youth, the unchurched, the poor and the suffering
8. by promoting authentic Christian community
9. by forming and ministering to local church communities
10. by fostering understanding and dialogue between peoples of different cultures, religions and social backgrounds

Thus we commit ourselves

1. to Augustinian community life, to living simply and to common ownership
2. to seek God together through interiority and prayer
3. to uphold the dignity of every person and to promote love, justice and peace in all our ministries
4. to promote the gifts of Christian vocation and leadership among God's people and with them to build strong Christian communities
5. to respond to the needs of the Church, especially in its mission to the poor and powerless
6. to reach out especially to the broken, to youth, to the unchurched and to those no longer part of Christian community
7. to value and promote education and scholarship.