AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - August 2000

The beauty of the unchangeable creator
is to be inferred from the beauty
of the changeable creation

How do we know God? From the things God made. Question the beauty of the earth, question the beauty of the sea, question the beauty of the air, amply spread around everywhere, question the beauty of the sky, question the serried ranks of the stars, question the sun making the day glorious with its bright beams, question the moon tempering the darkness of the following night with its shining rays, question the animals that move in the waters, that amble about on dry land, that fly in the air; their souls hidden, their bodies evident; the visible bodies needing to be controlled, the invisible souls controlling them; question all these things. They all answer you, "Here we are; look, we're beautiful."

Their beauty is their confession. Who made these beautiful changeable things, if not one who is beautiful and unchangeable? Finally in man and women themselves, in order to be able to understand and know God, the creator of the universe; in man and women themselves, I repeat, they questioned these two elements, body and soul. They questioned the very thing they themselves carried around with them; they could see their bodies, they couldn't see their souls. But they could only see the body from the soul. I mean, they saw with their eyes, but inside there was someone looking out through these windows.

Sermon 241, 2

1. The Augustinians recently held an Intermediate Provincial Chapter (mid-Chapter) at Riverglenn Conference Centre, Brisbane 2-7 July. Province Chapters are major meetings of members of the Order so this was attended by almost all members of the Order working in Australia. Brian Buckley osa, presently working in Korea was also a member of the Chapter. Richard Pido osa (Provincial of the Cebu Province, Philippines) was a guest. The mid-Chapter was ably facilitated by Mr Paul Bullen (professional consultant).
   
   The following is a public statement released by the Provincial after the mid-Chapter.
   
   "Despite the various pressures on them and the entire range of ministries exercised by them, the Augustinians in Australia will continue in all present corporate ministries until the beginning of 2003.
   
   In the forthcoming months, the Provincial and Council will be consulting with local bishops and governance bodies associated with our ministries for the purpose of clarifying what will be our future involvement with those ministries".
   
   
2. National Vocations Awareness Week - 6-13 August
   
   
3. Feast of Saint Augustine - 28 August
   
   
4. International Augustinian Youth Festival, Rome, mid-August culminating in World Youth Day gathering with John Paul II. Several young adults accompanied by Fr Tony Banks osa will attend the International Youth Festival in Rome which concludes with World Youth Day.
   
   
5. A reflection weekend for young adults on the theme of the many ways we can live out our Christian vocation - 3-5 November, Augustinian House, Terrigal. For more information contact Fr Peter Jones - 02 9905 3049.
   
   
6. Applications for Lecceto Lay Community, Brookvale - 2001. Contact Fr Peter Jones osa - 02 9905 3049.

Date claimers for 2001

1. National Augustinian Lay Congress, Echuca, Victoria 27-29 April
   
   
2. The Australian Augustinian Youth Festival, Harrietville Victoria 7-8 July. (For more details contact Mrs Kay Stenner at the Provincial Office - 02 9905 3049).

Upcoming events from Mareeba

1. 9-12 August RCIA Conference, Cairns
   
   
2. 18-20 August Antioch Weekend

News from St Clair

Holy Spirit Parish St Clair/Erskine Park and San Jose Parish, Iloilo, the Philippines are to "twin".. They hope to enter into a special relationship which will cross the global borders. Both parishes are under the care of Augustinian communities. Their ethnic, cultural, social and economic circumstances are different. Yet, their parish leadership recognizes that their Augustinian/Catholic heritage gives them much in common and that each has gifts to share with the other.

In early August Fr Peter Wieneke osa, moderator of Holy Spirit Parish, will spend a week in San Jose Parish. There he will meet the local leadership and experience parish life. There he will learn what aspirations the parish leadership have for the link to be established through twinning.

The City of Iloilo is known to some thirty Australian youth who travelled there for the Asia Pacific Youth Festival in 1996. Some parishioners of Holy Spirit and some students from Villanova College have also been to Iloilo City on immersion trips over the last few years.

"Travelling Forward Together" is the title of three workshops being conducted in the first three weeks of August at Holy Spirit Parish, St Clair. The sessions in adult faith development will be lead by Augustinians from the Augustinian Spirituality Centre at Greystanes.

The Parish Assembly held at Holy Spirit Parish, St Clair on the last Sunday in July was a two hour gathering after the last Mass that morning (with a cuppa break beforehand, of course)... Hosted by the Parish Pastoral Council this year's Assembly dealt with issues of pastoral planning. However, this year the planning was more concrete as it dealt with the draft master plan being developed for the parish facilities. The plan looks to cater for the needs of the parish community into the next two decades. A special committee has been working with an architect over the last several months and is now seeking another consultation with the parish community. The Assembly was a listening time for the architect and the planning group.

Father Peter Jones will be present at all Sunday Masses in Holy Spirit Parish St Clair on Vocations Awareness Sunday, 5^th and 6^th August.

 

News from South Yarra

It is always enjoyable to offer hospitality, and South Yarra had the pleasure of welcoming Kevin Sheedy recently. For those outside Aussie Rules country, Kevin is the coach of this year's all-conquering Essendon team. He is also a past pupil of St Joseph's school South Yarra, and during his visit conducted a football clinic for children from the surrounding area oat the school. He recalled moments from his days at school and left happy memories behind him after his visit.

More recently the present Governor of Victoria, Sir James Gobbo and Lady Gobbo came to Sunday lunch at the Priory at South Yarra. Whenever they are free from official duties, the Governor and his wife attend Mass in the parish, and they have been very gracious in their assistance, as in the Governor consenting to be the Patron of the Emergency Housing Association in the Parish. Sir James after winning a Rhodes Scholarship from Victoria had a distinguished legal career before becoming Governor of the State.

"Life with Augustine"...a course in his spirit and guidance for daily living. This excellent programme compiled by Edmond Maher is a self study adult education programme which provides a means by which participants can come to know more about Augustine, the times in which he lived, the Scriptures that taught him, the life inspired by him and its relevance to us today.

Enquiries to: "Life with Augustine"
PO Box 679
Brookvale NSW 2100

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