"THE AUGUSTINIAN" December 2000

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A Bit of interesting History...
from In Contact -taken from "Out Where the Dead Men Lie" by Stan Arneil)

Mareeba has been a great Catholic centre from its earliest days. In 1886 the first Mass was celebrated, by an Augustinian from Cairns, in the store premises owned by Peter Byrnes. The members of the small community were so grateful for the Mass that they decided to erect their own church and pledged 100 pounds on the spot. From that time, Mass was celebrated, at least monthly by an Augustinian priest travelling by coach (after 1893 by train) from Cairns. The building fund for the new church grew raidly as the population of the district increased. By 1894, five months after the arrival of the first train, the Catholics at Mareeba completed their first place of worship.

The church was built by the contractor, Mr Bulcock of Cairns. It was a wooden structure of cedar, brought from Tolga and was on blocks which required 6 steps at the front entrance. It had a corrugated iron roof and the sanctuary stretched the whole width of the building. An Augustinian priest would arrive on Saturday evening and immediately ring the church bell, so that all Catholics in the town would be aware that he had arrived. He would hear confessions and follow with the rosary. He would eat his evening meal at the cottage of Mrs Fitzgerald, sleep in the sanctuary and, after celebrating Mass on Sunday morning, would move on to the next Mass station or remain there for that night returning to Cairns on the Monday morning.

Augustinian Friends

" Augustinian Friends" is a lay movement arising from the Provincial Chapter of 1994 following an expression of interest by many people associated with the Order who sought an opportunity to keep in touch and become more fully integrated with the Augustinian family. Some of these people had regular contact with the Augustinians through schools and parishes and as this contact decreased with sons leaving school, people relocating to other parishes, or Augustinians themselves moving away, it created the opportunity for an association to be formed to maintain friendships and provide a vehicle for members to develop their spirituality.

Recognising the distinctiveness of the Augustinian way, a co-ordinating group of six, convened by Father Dave Austin, met regularly for the first twelve months to discuss the format and aims of this new association. St. Augustine's emphasis on friendship and community was used as a
cornerstone . He depended on friends and was supported and guided by them throughout his ministry, and so the name "Augustinian Friends" came into being as well as the title "Amici" which is our channel for communication. Amici is published quarterly and contains items of interest and printed prayer support to enable members to nourish their spiritual life.

The prayer support is prepared by our chaplain Father Paul Maloney at The Centre for Spirituality, Greystanes, and also members of Augustinian Friends. Anyone wishing to contribute with their own experience of prayer is free to do so. Amici contains Gospel reflections related to the Sunday readings of the time which encourages is to pray regularly and live a gospel centred life. In this way we try to fulfil St Augustine's teachings of "being one in mind and heart on the way to God." The association is open to all people interested in developing a personal spirituality within the Augustinian tradition, not just those in parishes run by the order. Members can be widespread and benefit from the publication alone without attendance at "Friends gatherings." Others who live in areas where they can come together for events are encouraged to do so at least twice per year. Optional Enrichment Opportunities such as shared meals, mass, adult education, liturgy, retreats, discussions and social gatherings provide consolidation of friendship and community building. For more information please contact:

Anne Halloway
Telephone: 02 9949 1758
Email: halloway@intercoast.com.au

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