AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - for February 2010

Our God needy in the poor

Give, the Lord says, and it will be given you. What could be fairer, what could be more appropriate, than that those who refuse to give should thereby defraud themselves, and not receive?

If it’s shameless of a farmer to look for a crop where he knows he hasn’t sown any seed, how much more shameless must it be to look to God to be rich in giving, when you have declined to listen to a poor man asking?

It’s in the poor person, after all, that the one who is never hungry has wished to be fed.

Let us not, then, spurn our God when he is needy in the poor, so that we in our need may be satisfied by him in his riches. We have needy people, and we are needy ourselves; so let us give, in order to receive.

But now, what is it that we do give? And in exchange for this paltry, visible, temporal, and earthly whatever it is, what is it that we desire to receive? What eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it come up into the heart of man.

Unless he had made the promise, it would be sheer impudence to give these things and wish to receive those. And as for being unwilling to give even these things…..! – things that we wouldn’t even have at all, unless the one had given them, who urges us to give. So how can we have the nerve to hope he will give us both kinds of thing, if we ignore his commands in the least of them?

St Augustine: Sermon 206, 2...

Earthquake Disaster in Haiti

Reprinted below are sections of a letter written by our brother, Fr. José Aridio Taveras O.S.A., after the visit he made to Haiti together with other Augustinian friars of the Vicariate of the Antilles.

On the afternoon of 12th January 2010, the Haitian people were violently shaken by an earthquake whose epicenter was Port-au-Prince, the capital city. An Augustinian theologian, two novices, six seminarians and two aspirants have family there, causing great worry which kept their communities of formation on constant alert.

The number of deaths and destroyed buildings reported by the international media constantly increased and telephone communication with families was completely impossible. For this reason, Fr. Oscar L. Jiménez O.S.A., Vicar of the Antilles, and Fr. Francisco A. de León O.S.A., decided to send the seminarians to Haiti accompanied by Fr. José Aridio Taveras O.S.A..

It was agreed that once information could be obtained regarding their families, they would return as soon as possible to the Augustinian Seminary of San Alonso de Orozco at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. (The Dominican Republic and Haiti are the two nations that share the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.)

They left Santo Domingo on 15th January by bus. Once they arrived in the Haitian town of Tabarre, around 7:45pm, they stayed at the home of an Augustinian seminarian named Goyau. They could go no further due to a lack of transportation and electricity, national insecurity resulting from the escape of inmates from collapsed prisons and the general disaster produced by the earthquake.

Very early the next morning, each of the seminarians went on foot to visit their families’ homes in the earthquake zone. Many had lost uncles, aunts and cousins. One novice, Wilbert, had lost a brother.

The situation we witnessed in the city could be described in this way: decomposing bodies lying in the streets, collapsed buildings under which other bodies were buried. There was an intense odor of decay. Panic, despair and pain caused by deaths in every family and the many injured without any medical attention. There was no food or water.

The seminarians and Fr Aridio returned to Santo Domingo on 17th January. "We were guided by the Lord and for that reason nothing serious happened to us. It is time, now, to pray for and to help our Haitian brothers and sisters who need us so," Fr Arido said.

In Australia, to assist the people of Haiti consider using the Caritas Australia Haiti Emergency Response Appeal.  Call 1800 024 413, or donate online at www.caritas.org.au or send your donation to GPO Box 9830 in your Capital City. 

Augustinians in South Korea

The Order of Saint Augustine first went to South Korea in 1985, and two Australian Augustinians were in the group of four priests initially sent there. The Order in Korea accepted its first Korean-born candidates in 1990, and still regards the task of training its Korean-born Augustinians as a primary ministry.

The Augustinian Delegation of Korea now staffs three communities, located at Incheon, Kang-hwa Island and Yeon-Chon (north of Seoul).

On the 12th January 2010 the Korean Delegation of the Order of St Augustine joyously celebrated its fifth ordination to the priesthood.  On that day Luca Park received presbyteral ordination at the hands of the Bishop of Incheon, Boniface Choi. Because of the large number being ordained with Luca (20 priests and 10 deacons) the ceremony took place at an indoor stadium in the City of Puchon. 

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Luca (photo with parents, above) entered the Order of St Augustine in February 1999, and in 2009 completed his priesthood studies at Incheon Catholic seminary. During that time Luca also completed his military service in the Navy for two years, undertook his novitiate year and even managed to visit Australia during July and August of 2006, where he gained confidence in English conversation. 

He celebrated his First Mass in St Rita’s Hall in Incheon on Saturday, 16th January 2010 and on the next day offered Mass in his home parish. The members of the Australian Province congratulate Luca and wish him many fruitful years of service in the Church and in the Korean Delegation

The picture above shows novice and novice master just before Austin (left) made his first vows on 24th January 2010.

For a summary elsewhere on this web site of Augustinian involvement in South Korea since the Order's arrival there in 1985, click here.

For news on this web site about the Augustinians in Korea and in other areas of the Asia-Pacific, click here.

Augustinian Formation, Sydney.

On Saturday, 16th January 2010 three candidates commenced their novitiate year with the Augustinians at Brookvale, Sydney (see photo below). This will be a year of spiritual discernment about their possible future life in Augustinian community and in the ministry of the Church.

As part of their formation, they will participate in a course named Kairos, which for two days per week for six months draws together novices from numerous religious congregations in and near metropolitan Sydney.

Youth Leaders

Youth leaders involved in Augustinian parishes and colleges in Brisbane and metropolitan Sydney met at Mulgoa, south of Sydney, on 30th-31st January 2010 for an Augustinian Conference for Youth Leaders. Thirty-five attended from three Augustinian parishes and two colleges (including some staff members); also involved were a number of Augustinians involved with youth in these ministries.

Entitled Empower, the conference centred on the Augustinian themes of friendship, community, restlessness and servant leadership.

The Australian Augustinian Province conducts a national six-day Augustinian youth festival every two or three years, and takes a group of participants to each triennial six-day Augustinian international youth encounter.

The previous encounter was held in Sydney after World Youth Day in July 2008. The next six-day Augustinian international youth encounter (see logo above) will occur in London in September 2010.

Villanova College, Coorparoo

Villanova is a college of the Order of Saint Augustine at Coorparoo in Brisbane, Australia. On Tuesday, 2nd February 2010 at the Opening Mass of the new academic year, Mr Dennis Harvey, the College's first-ever lay Principal, was formally installed in office by Very Rev Fr Anthony Banks O.S.A. (Provincial).

He is the eighth Principal (headmaster) of Villanova since its opening in 1948, all of his predecessors having been Augustinian priests. Mr Dennis Harvey, who is a past pupil, past teacher and a past parent of the College (his son graduated there in 1996), attended Villanova as a student in 1963-1971, and taught there in 1985-1994 before joining the Support Team of Brisbane Catholic Education.

He previously was the Senior Education Officer for Curriculum at Brisbane Catholic Education.

He gained academic degrees in science, religion and education, and a background in a variety of areas of Catholic Education.  He has administrative experience as Assistant Principal and Acting Rector at Villanova. Since 2007 he has been a member of the Villanova College Council.

Dennis is the fourth past pupil to lead Villanova, and will follow in this manner the footsteps of his three immediate predecessors as Principal of Villanova, Fr Laurie Mooney O.S.A., Fr Peter Wieneke O.S.A. and Fr Michael Morahan O.S.A.

The college web site is: http://www.vnc.qld.edu.au

Augustinian Centre for Spirituality

A small oasis of quiet and hospitality in western suburban Sydney, Australia, the Augustinian Centre for Spirituality at Greystanes (photo below) assists persons and groups of all faith backgrounds in their spiritual journey.

Its resident Augustinian community offers spiritual direction, reflection days, courses in prayer and meditation, and individual residential directed retreats.

The 2010 program of prayer days and courses is available on this web site: click here.

For more information on the Centre, please phone (02) 9896 6749, or e-mail osaspirit@bigpond.com.au

St Thomas of Villanova Parish, Mareeba

The Parish of St Thomas of Villanova in Mareeba has been staffed by the Order of Saint Augustine since it began almost a century ago. Mareeba is located on the tableland behind the tropical tourist city of Cairns, in northern Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Diocese of Cairns.

On Sunday 17th January 2010 at the 10.00am Mass parishioners of St Thomas of Villanova in Mareeba joined with the Filipino members of the community in celebrating the Feast of Santo Nino. This was the 25th Anniversary of the celebration being held in Mareeba and it was indeed a wonderful day. As a prelude to the festival a novena with the Rosary and other prayers was held in the church for the nine days prior to the Feast Day.

The focus of the feast is on the child Jesus who, together with Mary and Joseph, lived quietly and humbly in preparation for his redemptive mission in the world.

In spite of the tropical heat and humidity, the Church was packed for this special day, with many Filipino people coming from throughout the diocese. Visiting Augustinian priest Fr Jun Belocura O.S.A. (pictured), from Cebu in the Philippines, and presently based in Sydney, presided at Mass with Augustinian parish priest Fr Rob Greenup and Deacon Ralph Madigan assisting. The singing was led by Filipino parishioners who sang with such feeling, some hymns being sung in the Filipino language of Tagalog.

Following Mass the statue of Senor Santo Niño de Cebu was carried in procession around the church and school grounds with the rosary being recited. The framed photo of Santo Niño used on the first celebration of Santo Niño in Mareeba was carried at the front of the procession.

Under the shade of the school basketball courts the celebration continued. The Ogag’s Band from Cairns entertained with Filipino music and singing, Fr Jun sang a couple of numbers and Filipino dancers from Cairns and Mareeba provided a colourful presentation.

A large crowd shared in the delicious foods provided and as a mark of remembrance of the 25th Anniversary, twenty five silver balloons were released and a special cake was cut and enjoyed.

Augustinian Parish of North Harbour, Sydney

The Catholic Community of North Harbour in the Diocese of Broken Bay is the union, which happened on 1st July 2006, of the two previous adjacent Augustinian-administered parishes of Manly Vale and Balgowlah, which are located in the northern beaches area of Sydney.

The Augustinians began their pastoral leadership in Manly Vale in 1952 and at Balgowlah in 2004.

Over Christmas the parish received acknowledgement and 'thank you' from the Augustinian Sisters in the Philippines for the contribution that North Harbour made to victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in the Philippines.  The contribution of $3,077 translated into 127,333 pesos.

There are two Catholic primary schools conducted by the parish. The students of St Cecilia's School at Balgowlah have returned to renovated facilities (photo at right). And the students at St Kieran's School at Manly Vale will see their facilities renovated over the coming five months. As a result of the Federal Government's stimulus package a total of close to four and a half million dollars is being invested in the amenities of these two schools.

The parish web site is http://northharbour.catholicau.com/index.html

St Augustine’s College, Sydney

St Augustine's College is an Augustinian day school for over 1,000 male day pupils in the upper primary and secondary years of education. Founded in 1956, it is located at Brookvale (Sydney), Australia.

Located near the front of the College property, the new Mary MacKillop Centre is now in full use. It contains classrooms on the upper floor; underneath there is a well-appointed assembly hall. The project was assisted financially by the Federal BER stimulus program.

The building was blessed and opened on 9th December 2009 by Most Rev David Walker D.D., Bishop of Broken Bay, in the presence of Fr Tony Banks O.S.A. (Provincial) and invited dignitaries from the local community (see photo at left).

The College's web site is www.saintaug.nsw.edu.au

Augustinian Parish, Coorparoo

The Parish of St James, Coorparoo (Brisbane) has been in the care of the Augustinians since 1952. Villanova College, also conducted by the Order, is located within the parish.

Journey To Easter is a program for persons interested to learn more about what we as Catholics believe and practice. The journey continues each Sunday evening starting with attendance at the first part of the Evening Mass at 6.00 pm.

Contact the parish office at (07) 3397 1671 for further details.

Photo: Front exterior of St James's Church, Coorparoo.

See the parish web site for further details: http://www.stjames-coorparoo.org.au/

Augustinian Formation Association (A.F.A.)

The Augustinian Formation Association prays for and raises funds for the formation of current Augustinian candidates and for future Augustinians.

It has now fulfilled this role for a number of decades.

Based in Sydney, Australia, its current office bearers are Trudi McFadden (president), Eddie Robinson (treasurer), Lesley Sing (assistant treasurer) and Yvonne Clark (secretary).

The AFA is hoping to expand its membership, especially seeing that the number of Augustinian students in formation is increasing, meaning that additional support would be very timely.

The AFA calendar of event for 2010 is presently being prepared. To obtain more details, use the contact telephone number (below).

To obtain more details about the Augustinian Formation Association, contact the staff of the Provincial Office on (w) (02) 9905 3049.

Augustinian Friends

Augustinian Friends is a lay group conducted in Australia for those wishing to learn more about the spirituality of Saint Augustine of Hippo, and to have contact with others who share this goal. Branches of the Friends operate at a number of Augustinian venues in Brisbane, Mareeba, Melbourne, Northern Victoria, and Sydney.

The Friends' newsletter, Amici, has now reached its tenth anniversary, and much has happened within Augustinian Friends during this decade. For example, there have been three Lay Congresses: in Echuca in 2001, Sydney (Brookvale) in 2004, and in Melbourne (South Yarra) in 2007.

The 4th National Congress for Augustinian Laity will take place from Thursday, 1st July to Sunday, 4th July 2010, at Villanova College in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo. For information, contact any of the Augustinian parishes listed hereunder, or the Provincial Office at (02) 9905 3049 during business hours.

The annual meeting of the National Committee of Augustinian Friends took place at the Augustinian Centre for Spirituality at Greystanes (Sydney) on the weekend of 6th-8th November 2009 (see photo below).

The meeting also approved a parish programme for the Easter period developed by the Augustinian Spirituality Team. Local Augustinian groups will offer to run the programme in Augustinian parishes. It is particularly suitable for those who have just completed the RCIA programme

The position of Co-Leaders of the National Committee is presently shared by Ruth McGowan and Maureen Atkins of northern Victoria, and Fr. Paul Maloney O.S.A. is the chaplain of the group.

The English and U.S. Augustinians are involved with generally similar Augustinian Friends movements in their respective nations.

In England, “Friends of Augustine” has now begun its own website:
http://www.friendsofaugustine.org In the United States, the web site is http://www.augustinianfriends.org

For an Amici newsletter subscription or for any additional information on the Friends, contact Fr Paul Maloney at Greystanes (Sydney) at paulmal@bigpond.com.au or phone him on (02) 9631 0340.

For additional information about Augustinian Friends on this web site, click here.

Augustinian Volunteers Australia 2010

The Augustinian Justice and Peace Course, which is used as part of the formation program for Augustinian Volunteers Australia, is being conducted at Augustinian Priory, Brookvale (Sydney) during the three weeks from 1st – 20th February 2010.

There are six candidates for Augustinian Volunteers Australia 2010. Two hail from Brisbane, and the four from the Sydney region are from the Augustinian Parishes of St Clair (Parramatta Diocese) and North Harbour (Broken Bay Diocese). 

Since 2009, the Volunteer Formation Course has undergone major developments at the academic level. The Course comprises the two units: (1) An Augustinian Spirituality for Justice, and (2) Social Ethics for the Augustinian Volunteer. Formerly the accreditation of these units was held with Sydney College of Divinity through the Broken Bay Institute (BBI) of the Diocese of Broken Bay. The latter has recently attained credit for its courses with the University of Newcastle, the primary regional University in Australia.

A further academic development for the Volunteer Course is that the Spirituality unit developed by Augustinians in Sydney is to be given stand-alone status by the Broken Bay Institute. This means that students around Australia can link into BBI in distance mode (or even on-line eventually) to take this course on Augustinian Spirituality. The understanding with BBI at present is that there is already sufficient material for two courses, maybe a more general one on Augustinian Spirituality for Contemporary Christians and the more focused one on Augustinian Spirituality for Justice.

The Augustinian Justice and Peace Office, Brookvale, can be contacted by telephoning (02) 9905 3022 or mobile phone: 0438 646 294, or by e-mail: paul.wilson@augustinians.org.au

Augustinian Volunteers Australia is directed and supervised by Paul Wilson (see photo), a layman who is employed full-time as the Justice and Peace Officer of the Australian Augustinian Province.

It is anticipated that the Augustinian Volunteers program in coming years will also have provision for full-time members who will live in an Augustinian Volunteers lay community for twelve months, as already occurs within Augustinian Volunteers (U.S.A.). (To read thought-provoking and heart-warming reports from some of the current Augustinian Volunteers U.S.A., click here.)

More details about Augustinian Volunteers Australia are available on the social justice section of this web site.

Contact:

Mr Paul Wilson, Justice and Peace Project Officer, c/- St Augustine’s Priory,
P.O. Box 679 Brookvale NSW 2100, Australia. Mobile phone: 0438 646 294 Email: paul.wilson@augustinians.org.au Website: www.augustinians.org.au

Augustinian Ministry Websites 2010

• St Augustine’s College – Brookvale NSW Australia
  Website: www.saintaug.nsw.edu.au

• St James’ Parish – Coorparoo Qld Australia
  Website: http://www.stjames-coorparoo.org.au/

• Villanova College – Coorparoo Qld Australia
  Website: www.vnc.qld.edu.au

• Parish of North Harbour – Manly Vale & Balgowlah, NSW Australia
  Website: http://www.northharbour.catholicau.com

• St Joseph’s Parish – South Yarra Vic Australia
  Website: http://www.parishofsouthyarra.org.au

• Holy Spirit Parish – St Clair NSW Australia
  Website: www.holyspiritstclair.com.au

• Augustinians in Korea
• Website: http://www.osakorea.or.kr

FOR SOME CURRENT NEWS ABOUT THE ORDER OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA Click here

The Augustinian international web site is:
http://www.osanet.org/home.asp

AUGUSTINIAN CENTRE FOR SPIRITUALITY PROGRAM 2010
2 Hewitt Avenue
Greystanes 2145
Enquiries (02) 9896 6794
www.augustinians.org.au/communities/greystanes.html