AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - August 2002

The Healing Physician

Be assured that all your diseases will be healed. Have no fear. You may say that your diseases are powerful; but this physician is more powerful. There is no disease that the Almighty Physician cannot cure.

Just allow yourself to be healed and do not reject His healing hands. He knows what He is doing.

St Augustine's Commentary on Psalm 72, 32

- Fr James Brendan Kavanagh osa died in Dublin, Ireland on 28 June 2002 after not being well in recent times. Jim as he was known in Australia was born in Ballyleen, County Waterford, Ireland in 1920. He made his first profession of religious vows on 25 September, 1940 together with, among others, Maurice OConnor who died in May. On 6 April 1946, Jim was ordained a priest. After a short period of time at Limerick, Jim came to Australia in 1948. In his forty one years in this country he served in the parishes of Tully, Ravinshoe, Atherton, Innisfail, Kyabram, Rochester, Manly Vale, South Yarra and Echuca.

When he left Australia in 1988 he worked for a time in the United States before returning to Ireland. There he took up an appointment at the Augustinian Friary at Grantstown where he energetically organised the funding and construction of residences for the elderly. During his time in Australia, Jims strong pastoral sense was evidenced in his great commitment to home visitation and in more recent years his involvement in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. May he rest in peace.

- The Augustinians will gather for their Provincial Chapter in Brisbane (Riverglenn Conference Centre Indooroopilly) from 28 July to 2 August. The Chapter is a major spiritual event in the life of the Augustinian Province in Australia when the overall programme for the next four years is discussed, discerned and decided upon.

For the first time in the history of the Province, lay representatives will attend some part of the Chapter to contribute to the Orders reflection. The Chapter will also be an occasion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Augustinians in Australia becoming a full Province of the Order.

- Opening of AugNet. AugNet, an exciting project whereby Augustinian schools throughout the world can be linked by an interactive website will be formally opened by Fr Robert Prevost osa, Prior General in Sydney on 6 August. The projects development has been initiated and encouraged by Fr Michael Endicott osa. Stay tuned for further news!

- A St Augustines College for the Archdiocese of Brisbane

In January 2003 a new archdiocesan primary and secondary school will begin in outer Brisbane within the parish of Goodna, which the Augustinians administer. Archbishop John Bathersby has named the college in honour of St Augustine, and has requested that the local Augustinians assist it to develop an Augustinian spirituality.

The Goodna priests are Frs Brian Fitzpatrick O.S.A., Peter McHugh O.S.A. and Michael Endicott O.S.A., with Michael leading the ministry in Springfield area of the Goodna Parish, where the school will be located.

Mr Leon Capra, the Principal appointed to the College by the Archbishop, has Augustinian associations, as his sons have graduated from the Orders Villanova College in Brisbane in the recent past. Through Fr Michael Morahan O.S.A. (Rector), Villanova has offered to keep the new college in mind when planning its staff formation in Augustinian spirituality and Augustinian educational ethos.

For the past two years, a local steering committee has meet monthly. It involves fifteen local parents, Frs Brian Fitzpatrick O.S.A. and Michael Endicott O.S.A., and advisors from Brisbane Catholic Education. The committee has assisted in developing an educational brief and a facilities brief for the new college, and as well have learned about Augustine.

When deciding on the colleges motto, this led them to derive their final choice, "Be together in heart and mind", from the central tenet of Augustine about a communitys having cor unum et anima una in Deo - one heart and one mind in God.

The College hopes to begin with an enrolment nearing 200 students, and has the capability to expand as necessary to cater for a maximum of 1,400 students on its 12-hectare site.

The Principal is working out of an office in the Springfield shopping centre. Construction of the Colleges first twelve buildings will begin in July, and be completed by Christmas. In a multi-million dollar contract, these buildings will contain five secondary classrooms, five specialist rooms for science, art, graphic art, technology and computer education, plus a library, administration centre, six primary classrooms, a preschool and a canteen. Stage Two of the building program will take place during the second half of the year 2004 in preparation for the beginning of the 2005 school year.

AUGUSTINIAN CENTRE FOR SPIRITUALITY PROGRAM 2002
2 Hewitt Avenue
Greystanes 2145
Enquiries 9896 6794

FIVE-WEEK COURSES (7.30-9.00; $75)

AFFIRMING WHO I AM: adult personal and spiritual development for men and women. Learning new appreciation of ones person and life journey. Insights from psychology and spirituality into the healing presence of God in ones own self.

Thursday evenings 22 Aug-26 Sept

UNDERSTANDING JESUS: getting to know Jesus as a person; seeing ones life touched by God through Jesus. Discovering a mature Catholic approach to the Gospels. Relating everyday pain and hope to Jesus and finding friendship with him.

Thursday evenings 13 Nov-11 Dec

PRAYER DAYS (9.45-3.00; $15) Bring own lunch; refreshments provided.

DAY OF REST IN PRAYER (Wed 1 May): all need peace and assurance in the face of lifes stresses, tensions and conflicts. Saint Augustines "Our hearts are restless until they rest in You" will be the focus of the day. Experience guidance in healing, inner stillness and closeness with God.

PRAYING OUT OF OUR FEELINGS (Wed 4 Sept): to talk about prayer without feelings is to limit our soul and reduce prayer to something arid. And yet perhaps we often do! Our feelings lead us to God, and to see the God around us whom we have yet to come to love. A day focused on prayer through feelings.

ST AUGUSTINES FIRST MOVEMENT OF PRAYER (Tues 15 Oct): moving OUT to greet Christ in Word (scripture), relationships and our experience of creation.

ST AUGUSTINES SECOND MOVEMENT OFPRAYER (Tues 29 Oct): going WITHIN oneself to discover Christ as teacher of the heart. Here to be drawn away from loneliness to solitude with none but Him.

ST AUGUSTINES THIRD MOVEMENT OF PRAYER: (Tues 19 Nov): moving UPWARDS into communion where words are inadequate and all illusion gives way. Here to sense the wonder of a deep and gifted relationship with Christ.

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