AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD – June 2006

The miracle of the whole world believing

The Lord Christ humbled himself, so that we might know how to be humble. Though containing all things he was conceived; though giving birth to all things he was born; though giving life to all things he died; but after three days he rose again, and ascended into heaven, and placed the human flesh which he had taken to himself at the father's right hand. It's a miracle, it's wonderful that a man should have risen again in the flesh, and have ascended into heaven with his flesh; but it's a much greater miracle that the whole world should have believed something so unbelievable.

Which is the harder to believe, that God did such things, or that the world was able to believe them? Which indeed, particularly if we consider the way in which the world believed? That too can be observed to be truly divine, and found to be an astounding marvel. It was men quite untrained in the liberal arts, and as far as secular disciplines go totally uneducated, unskilled in grammar, unequipped with the techniques of dialectic, it was fishermen whom Christ sent into the sea of the world with the nets of faith, and very few of them at that. Why should I say very few? He sent twelve. And yet by their means he so filled the churches with every kind of fish, that a great many even of the worst ones of the world, to whom the cross of Christ seemed so disgraceful, are signing themselves with it on the forehead, and setting up in the seat of shame the very thing they thought we should be ashamed of, and about which they used to taunt us.

Fr. William Bernard Connolly O.S.A. - R.I.P.

The death occurred in Sydney on 1st June 2006 of Fr William Bernard Connolly O.S.A., at the age of eighty-one years.

He was born in North Queensland at Port Douglas, when the area was still part of the Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown staffed entirely by Augustinians and led by an Augustinian bishop. At the time there was no resident priest in Port Douglas, and the Connolly home served as a Mass centre for Augustinians who travelled from Mareeba. Soon after his birth, Fr. Bernie was baptised by an Augustinian in the family home after one of the Masses there.

At the age of seventeen years he applied to join the Augustinians, and between 1942 and 1950 was continuously in the United States for Augustinian novitiate, his priestly training and ordination, and his academic studies (Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science).

As a young priest, he returned to Australia to teach at Villanova College ( Brisbane), at its first location in the suburb of Whinstanes and then at its present location at Coorparoo. From 1959 to 1992 he ministered in Augustinian parishes - Mareeba, Innisfail, Kyabram and Rochester - and served in some of them for more than one period of time.

In recent years he was a member of the Augustinian community at Brookvale (Sydney), and was proud to have been involved with its Lecceto community, in which young adults of both genders formed a lay community under Augustinian direction.

Most recently Fr Bernie was in the Augustinian community of Manly Vale (Sydney). He assisted by offering Mass at a local aged care facility as often as his health permitted. He has suffered from indifferent health since as a pedestrian he was struck by a motor vehicle in October 2004, and was in hospital for the last week of his life. R.I.P.

Papal Visit

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted an invitation to visit the tomb of Saint Augustine in the Augustinian church at Pavia in northern Italy. He will visit there on Saturday, 12th November 2006.

Saturday and Sunday, 12th and 13th November 2006 are being celebrated by the Order of Saint Augustine as the conclusion of the jubilee year to mark the 750th anniversary of the Order.

Precise details of the Pope's itinerary have not yet been released. As more information of the ceremonies in Pavia is announced, it will be published on the Augnet website. Go to: www.augnet.org/default.asp?ipageid=1313.

St Augustine 's College

On Sunday 21st May , a group of over fifty students, parents and staff of Saint Augustine's College, Brookvale (Sydney) walked the distance that most African women and children walk daily to collect water, 7 kilometres. The group was taking part in the "Walk the World" campaign to raise awareness of child hunger an initiative the World Food Program (WFP). The Order of Saint Augustine internationally promoted this WFP initiative.

Walk the World

The group left the college at 8.30am en route to St Kieran's Church in the Augustinian parish of Manly Vale. After attending Mass there, they returned to the college for refreshments by 11.30am. During the walk the students asked people to sign a petition to lobby governments and businesses for their support. The petitions are at the college for signing by interested members of the community.

This participation in "Walk the World" was the initiative of Marie Gately, the Social Justice Coordinator of Saint Augustine's College. She heard about "Walk the World" from the Justicia + Pax ("Justice + Peace") bulletin published by the Order of Saint Augustine in Rome.

On 12th May Saint Augustine's College was one of the Catholic schools in Sydney in which was celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the address of Pope John Paul II in Alice Springs to Australia's Aborigines. The celebration involved the passing of a special message stick from school to school. It was brought to the college by an Aboriginal elder, who in traditional costume played the didgeridoo as part of the ceremony. The entire student body of the College witnessed the ceremony in the Brimson Centre on the college grounds.

On June 16th, 17th and 18th June 2006 former members of the band "Mental As Anything" will be showcasing and selling their art works at the College's upcoming 3 rd annual "art for art" Show.

The successful art exhibition in its third year, will be launched with an Opening Night Cocktail Party on the evening of June 16 th. Feature Artist and Guest Speaker will be former "Mental As Anything" band member, artist and St Augustine's Old Boy, Stephen Coburn. Stephen says "Last year I found the show was of a high professional standard and the art work extremely interesting. I had a lot of fun at the Opening Night and I look forward to this years show."

Members of the band "Mental As Anything", Reg Mombassa (Mambo), Martin Plaza and David Twohill will also have art pieces for sale at the Show. The Australian Rock Band has produced hits such as "Nips Are Getting Bigger" and "Live it Up".

Tickets to the Opening Night Cocktail Party on June 16th may be obtained through the College for $30per person. The ''art for art" Show is open all weekend on June 17th and 18th from 10:00am to 4:00pm each day. Entry is free.

The college web site is: www.saintaug.nsw.edu.au

Its entry on Wikipedia (a free access Internet encyclopedia, with no connection to the College) is located at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine's_College,_Brookvale

Midnight Meditation

For seven consecutive Sunday nights beginning on 4th June 2006, the fifteen-minute program on ABC Radio called Meditation will focus on the spirituality of Saint Augustine. The ABC commissioned these programs from Fr Paul Maloney O.S.A. of the Centre for Augustinian Spirituality at Greystanes (Sydney). The voice heard is that of Father Maloney. The program can be heard on the local ABC radio network throughout Australia, and begins at 11.45 pm Sundays.

Parish of North Harbour

Good Friday 2006

On 1st July 2006 the parishes of St Cecilia, Balgowlah and St Kieran, Manly Vale (Sydney) officially become one. The Bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay, David Walker has approved the geographical name of North Harbour for the new parish. Already there is one parish council, one pastoral plan, and many parish groups operating under the new arrangement.

The Augustinians at Manly Vale Priory have staffed Manly Vale Parish since 1952 and assisted at Balgowlah for the past 3 years.

Villanova, Coorparoo

Villanova is an Augustinian college in Coorparoo (Brisbane) for boys in secondary and upper primary classes. It conducted a Walk for Solidarity on 26th May. Its aim was to raise funds to continue the work of the student body in assisting a number of schools and orphanages in the Philippines that have association with the Order of Saint Augustine. Some of this involves the funding of scholarships so that a number of students can remain in school so as to prepare for higher education.

The activity was organised by AFAS (Australian-Filipino Augustinian Solidarity), a group formed at Villanova to promote and maintain the goals mentioned above.

Augustinian Solemn Profession

Before the next update of this bulletin, there will occur in Sydney the Augustinian solemn profession of Minh Tan Hoang O.S.A. (see photo). This will happen at a 12.30 pm Mass at St Kieran's Church, Manly Vale on Sunday, 25th June 2006.

Born in Vietnam, Tan came to Australia as a refugee during his childhood, completed his education and qualification as a nurse in Australia, and then joined the Order in Brookvale, Sydney in February 2002 . He will now move to Rome for two more years of theology before being ordained to the priesthood.

International Lay Congress

The second international Augustinian Congress on the Laity will take place in Rome on 12th -18th July 2006. The venue is the Augustinianum (Augustinian Patristics Institute), which the Order conducts literally across the street from Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

A group of about twenty people long associated with the Augustinians in Australia will attend. They will be accompanied by Fr Paul Maloney O.S.A. (see photo) of the Centre for Augustinian Spirituality, Greystanes, (Sydney).

Fr Maloney is a member of the international Augustinian Commission of the Laity, which comprises Augustinians and laity from different nations. The Commission conducted its first international congress in Rome in July 1999, which seven Australians attended.

Since that time two national Augustinian lay congresses have been organised in Australia. They took place at Echuca, Victoria in April 2001 and at Brookvale (Sydney) in October 2004. The third national Augustinian lay congress will take place in Melbourne in April 2007 (see next notice).

Those attending the congress in Rome in July will then spend five days in Tuscany at the Augustinian Monastery at San Gimignano. For images of this monastery, go to www.augnet.org/default.asp?ipageid=6 and choose the photo gallery named Italy: San Gimignano.

Augustinian Friends

Over the past few months local groups of Augustinian Friends have been meeting from Mareeba to Melbourne. Representatives from each local group will be present in the Augustinianum in Rome(see photo at left) during July 2006 for the Second International Congress for Augustinian Laity. A Power Point presentation depicting the Australian experience of Augustinian Friends is ready for this Congress. It is to be presented in three versions: English, Italian and Spanish.

Planning for the Third National Congress for the Laity is well under way.

This Congress, to be held in South Yarra, Melbourne, runs from Friday 20th April 2007 to Sunday 22nd April 2007. The keynote speaker will be Fr Art Purcaro O.S.A.. He is from the United States, and is presently stationed in Rome as an Assistant General of the Order.

The title is: Augustine, Ancient & New Vision for the Future. So how about coming to Melbourne in 2007 to experience Augustine in Autumn?!

For further information about the Augustinian lay congress in Melbourne in April 2007, contact Augustinian Friends via the parish office of the Augustinian parish of South Yarra (ph. 03 9827 9117), or contact Fr Paul Maloney O.S.A. at the Centre for Augustinian Spirituality, 2 Hewitt Avenue, Greystanes, NSW 2145 (phone 02 9361 0340) or by e-mail at paulmal@bigpond.com.au

South Yarra Parish

Saint Joseph 's Parish in South Yarra (Melbourne) is presently undertaking a major renovation program on the parish property. Thanks to the proceeds from the sale of land that was no longer needed after the parish school closed in 2001, the main building of the former school is being renovated for other uses, landscaping of the parish grounds is taking place (see photos below), and the main entrance of the parish church is being re-located.

The main school building (constructed about sixty years ago) is being totally gutted. The top floor, which previously contained four large classrooms, will become parish offices. This will include offices for parish staff who now operate in cramped spaces in the Augustinian Priory.

The top floor will also house the parish library, and a computer centre. An elevator will also be installed.

The ground floor of the building will become a community centre, and also be the new location of the parish's emergency food store and the free day-old bread distribution outlet. When practicable, the ground floor will be also made available to other service organisations within the general community of Prahran.

The parish hall, adjoined to the former school building, will be altered so as to be able to be divided on occasion into smaller spaces, and a modern kitchen will be added.

Further details will be provided here after the project is completed in October 2006.

Augustinian Formation Association (A.F.A.)

OSA Student and AFA President

The AFA prays for and raises funds for the formation of future Augustinians. Based in Sydney, its office bearers for 2006 are Trudi McFadden (president), Eddie Robinson (treasurer), Lesley Sing (assistant treasurer) and Yvonne Clark (secretary). Immediately on the agenda is the assistance of the AFA in the celebration of the solemn profession on 25th June of Minh Tan Hoang O.S.A. (see photo). Tan has been involved in AFA activities during his years of Augustinian formation in Brookvale.

The August event of the AFA is their annual Mass and BBQ at Manly Vale on Sunday afternoon, 20th August. For more details contact Fr Peter Jones O.S.A. (AFA chaplain) or the staff of the Provincial Office on (w) 02 9905 3049.

Mareeba and Dimbulah

Augustinian priest Fr Patrick Larkin was born in Ireland in 1857 and ordained in Rome in 1888. Sent to north Queensland, he first served in Cairns in 1892 until his appointment to Herberton for the year 1894, followed by two years in Port Douglas before returning to Cairns. His final two years of his life were served in Herberton. This entailed saying Mass in isolated communities and homesteads and covering vast areas. Fr Larkin found the climate, loneliness, lack of good conversation and long periods in the saddle all too much for him. In 1902, in poor health, he was returning from Normanton to Cairns on a coastal steamer for some rest and recuperation but died in his cabin on 9th February 1902 and was buried at sea in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

On 9th February 2006, the day being 104 years since Fr Larkin's death, a memorial headstone was placed in the Reconciliation Lawn situated between the St Thomas of Villanova Church, Mareeba, and the Priory under the beautiful jacaranda tree. Parish Priest, Fr Rob Greenup OSA, blessed the head stone.

Recently a number of the Mareeba group of Augustinian Friends (pictured below) gathered beside the headstone in honour of Fr Patrick Larkin OSA.

With a sizeable Italian presence in the district, the Feast of St Anthony is to be celebrated in Dimbulah on Sunday, 11th June 2007. Celebrations will begin with Mass at 3.00pm in St Anthony’s church, Dimbulah. After a Mass celebrated by Fr Rob Greenup O.S.A., there will be a procession, barbecue and pesca held in the school grounds.

On the weekend of 17th-18th June, Confirmation will be celebrated at St Thomas’s Church in Mareeba. Children from local state primary schools will join with St Thomas’s school students to share in this special celebration. Bishop James Foley (Diocese of Cairns) will concelebrate Mass with Fr Rob Greenup O.S.A..

Korea

Augustinians first arrived in Korea in 1985, and in April 1994 opened what is now their central house in Incheon in April 1994.

The principal Augustinian ministry in Incheon since 1994 has been the holding of one-day and two-day retreats at the centre in Incheon. As a result, some people have sought private retreats, and many visit the Augustinian Priory for Reconciliation and spiritual advice.

About 35 attend daily Mass, and 100 attend the special 10.00am Saturday Mass in honour of the Augustinian saints, Augustine, Monica, Rita of Cascia and Nicholas of Tolentine.

Situated beside the Incheon central house is the Augustinian social apostolate house for disadvantaged male youth (opened in April 2000).

The growth of all of these activities has demanded additional building space. Construction is now under way, and is due for completion in September. The site is adjacent to the present Priory, and the excavation was blessed (see photo) on 1 st May 2006.

For more on the Augustinians in Korea go to
www.augnet.org/default.asp?ipageid=694

Provincial Chapter

The next issue of Current News on this Province website will be not compiled and published until after the Provincial Chapter of 25th- 30th June 2006. Now is the time therefore to thank Fr Pat Fahey for being our leader as Prior Provincial for the past eight years. In the achievements and challenges that the Province encountered during the past few years, the heart of Fr Pat's leadership has been his concern for the well-being of the members and ministries of the Province. Thank you, Pat.

Augnet

Augnet, a comprehensive web site on Saint Augustine and the Order of Saint Augustine, has just been re-designed and renovated. It contains over 1,000 pages of text, which also contain over 1,300 illustrations. The Augnet web site was officially "launched" at a ceremony in Sydney in August 2002, with the Prior General as the guest of honour.

New technical features in the renovated Augnet include a search engine, which searches every page of Augnet for any word or phrase that is nominated by a user, and a site map, which quickly allows a visitor to see and understand the local arrangement of Augnet's sections and sub-sections.

About 1,000 large images in extensive photo galleries illustrate of Augustinian events and places internationally. Between August 2002 and April 2006 Augnet has served 63,000 different hosts/URLs, and presumably many of these hosts have visited Augnet more than once.

These hosts have downloaded 734,000 pages of Augnet. This is an average of 17,000 pages per month, 580 pages per day and 24 pages per hour throughout that period of forty-four months

Visit this web site at www.augnet.org

Congratulations

Fr Ralph Cameron O.S.A. of Manly Vale celebrates his 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination on 9 th June 2006 Prayers and best wishes to him.

FOR SOME CURRENT NEWS ABOUT THE ORDER OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA Click here

AUGUSTINIAN CENTRE FOR SPIRITUALITY PROGRAM 2006
2 Hewitt Avenue
Greystanes 2145
Enquiries 9896 6794
www.augustinians.org.au/communities/greystanes.html