AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - for November 2009

In Christ’s body is to be found the unity of its members and the framework of love.

Your faith, dearly beloved, is not unaware – and I know that this is what you have learned from the teaching of the Master in heaven, in whom you have placed your hope – that our Lord Jesus Christ, who has already suffered and risen again for us, is the head of the Church; and that the Church is his body, and that in his body, as its very health, is to be found the unity of its members and the framework of love. Anyone who grows cold in love is sick in the body of Christ.

But God, who has already raised our head on high, has the power to heal the sick members too, provided, that is, that they haven’t amputated themselves by extreme wickedness, but stick in the body until they are healed. Whatever remains in the body need not despair of being restored to health, but any part that has been amputated can be neither treated nor healed.

Since then he is the head of the Church and the Church is his body, the whole Christ is both head and body. He has already risen again. So we have our head in heaven. Our head is interceding for us; our head, sinless and deathless, is already placating God for our sins, so that we too, when we rise again at the end and are changed into heavenly glory, may follow our head.

After all, where the head goes, there too go the other parts of the body. But while we are here, we are still parts of it; we must never despair, because we are going to follow our head.

St Augustine: Sermon 137, 1....

Augustinian Parish, St Clair

Holy Spirit Parish at St Clair in western Sydney, Australia, was established twenty-five years ago, and has been administered by the Order of Saint Augustine for the past eleven years.

To join Caritas Australia in assisting the victims of the recent earthquakes and typhoons in the Asia-Pacific region, Basic Gift, which is the young adult group of Holy Spirit Parish, planned a Pacific Aid Appeal Carpark Concert at the parish from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Saturday, 31st October 2009. It featured pop music bands and cultural performing groups from the local area, including some persons who are members of the parish.

The event was named One Mind, One Heart (see poster), inspired by these words of St Augustine about community.

As well as donating an entrance fee, those who attended were invited to contribute materials and non-perishable foodstuffs that Caritas Australia will ship to disaster victims in affected areas of Samoa, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia.

The very modern web site of Holy Spirit Parish is located on the Internet at http://www.holyspiritstclair.com.au

Augustinian Parish, South Yarra

In Melbourne, the capital city of the Australian State of Victoria, the Augustinians have care of the Parish of Saint Joseph, South Yarra. The parish also has a second church, dedicated to St Thomas Aquinas, at Bromby Street, South Yarra. The Order of St Augustine has ministered in the parish since 1976.

On Friday, 18th September 2009 during a visit to the parish, the State Member for Prahran, Mr Tony Lupton, announced a government grant of $80,000 towards the construction of two new Crisis Shelters to be provided in the Emergency Housing building at 54 Fitzgerald Street, South Yarra. The Emergency Housing Association has also contributed a similar amount.

A tender will soon be accepted, so that the construction of the two new Crisis Shelters can begin. In aid of the project, a concert (see photo at right ) of classical music was presented at the parish on Sunday, 25th October 2009, and by this means the sum of $810.60 was raised.

The concert featured a local soprano, Matsuko Mineghishi (photo: centre), and a string quartet playing music by Purcell, Vivaldi, Resphigi, Schubert and Shostakovich.

The provision of additional emergency housing is a significant moment in the parish’s continuing commitment to housing for families and individuals in need.

The Parish has operated one crisis shelter, housed in the former stables of the Priory (priests' house) for the past twenty years. The new crisis shelters will accommodate families in crisis free of charge for a period of up to five weeks. More than a hundred volunteers currently support the community outreach programs of the parish; a recent drive in neighbouring parishes has recruited even more volunteers to help service the new accommodation.

The new parish website is located at: http://www.parishofsouthyarra.org.au

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.

In this part of Australia, the Augustinians began their pastoral leadership in Manly Vale in 1952 and at Balgowlah in 2004.

In North Harbour, the journey to World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid has begun, in that ten young adults in the parish commenced the WYD Parish Internship Program in August 2009.

This initiative of Broken Bay Diocese Youth Ministry is a parish-based program with a focus on developing ministry leaders. Each volunteer will serve four hundred hours over the next two years (i.e., four hours per week) in a parish ministry of their choice. Since the launch of the program in June 2009, over one hundred young adults from across the Broken Bay Diocese have joined this program.

The interns from the Catholic Community of North Harbour range from twoYear Eleven students of St Augustine’s College at Brookvale to persons closer to thirty years of age who are employed in the fields of nursing, occupational therapy and accountancy.

These local interns have started helping in a range of North Harbour ministries including catechesis by the parish in local public schools, Celebrate Sunday hospitality in St Kieran’s Church, T3 group leadership, LIGHT (a youth group for Years 7-10), social justice activities and music ministry. Five of these interns are also presently undertaking the Lay Ministry Program of the Broken Bay Diocese.

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

Villanova College, Coorparoo

Villanova is a college (an upper primary and secondary school which enrolled approximately 1,160 male day pupils for the 2009 academic year) of the Order of Saint Augustine at Coorparoo in Brisbane, Australia.

A number of plans are at hand to acknowledge the fifteen years as Rector (Principal) of Villanova that Fr Michael Morahan O.S.A. will complete when his term of office ends in December.

One particular ceremony of acknowledgment and thanks will take place at the Cor Unum Centre (see photos) at Villanova Park, Tingalpa, commencing at 4.00 pm on Saturday, 21st November 2009. It will include a Mass, a tour of the wetlands rehabilitation area, and dinner. The event is being co-sponsored by the Villanova Parents and Friends Association, Sports Club, Music Support Group and Old Boys Association. The presence of past parents and friends of the College will be welcomed.

Booking is necessary; contact Villanova College by phone (07) 3394 5690, or by e-mail villa@admin.vnc.qld.edu.au by 12th November.

The College's web site is: http://www.vnc.qld.edu.au


Augustinians in South Korea

Augustinians first went to South Korea in 1985, when 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 training of its Korean-born Augustinians as a primary ministry.

The Korean Augustinian student (seminary) community had a recent outing to Imjingak (see photo below). Imjingak is a symbolic tourist resort representing the painful history of national division and the fratricidal Korean War in the early 1950s. It is only a few kilometers from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the Imjin River which flows south from North Korea.

The resort has many monuments dedicated to the war, including the Bridge of Freedom, which was named after the 12,773 exchange prisoners of war in North Korea who crossed to freedom in the South in 1953. In addition, there is the Bell of Peace, a 21-ton bell made to commemorate a longing for peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

There is even a large pond in the shape of a united Korea. In the rear of the photo can be seen the prayers of visitors written on paper and tied to the fence. In 2010 the Catholic Church will conduct a Youth Rally at the site and offer prayers for unification.

On a less sombre note nearby is Art Valley that was created as an idealistic town for artists, Book City where all the Korean publication firms are gathered, a Soybean Village and a make-believe English Village where as many as 700 students reside to learn the English language.

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 Centre for Spirituality

A small oasis of quiet and hospitality in western suburban Sydney, Australia, the Augustinian Centre for Spirituality at Greystanes 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 2009 programme of prayer days and courses is available on this web site: click here.

In September 2009 Frs Paul Maloney and Peter Jones from Greystanes accompanied nine friends of the Augustinians on a three-week pilgrimage to places of significance in the life of Saint Augustine and the origins of the Augustinian Order (see photo above). The pilgrimage visited places in Italy and North Africa.

Places visited included Milan (the place of Augustine’s baptism), Cassago (Cassiciacum where Augustine spent the months between conversion and baptism), Pavia (where  Augustine’s earthly remains are preserved), San Gimignano (near the Tuscan hermitages where the Augustinian Order originated), Montefalco (Saint Clare of Monatefalco), Tolentino (Saint Nicholas of Tolentine), Cascia (Saint Rita of Cascia), Rome, Gennazzano (fresco of the Mother of Good Counsel, Saint Stephen Bellesini), Ostia Antica (where Saint Monica died and from where Augustine left Europe to return to Africa), Carthage (in present day Tunisia; where Augustine studied and from where he left Africa to travel to Rome), Souk Ahras in Algeria (formerly Tagaste, where Augustine was born), and Annaba (formerly Hippo, where he was bishop for thirty-five years and where he died).

In October a prayer day on Praying the Psalms was conducted at Greystanes by Fr John McCall OSA. It attracted a full house of people from parishes of the local Parramatta Diocese, indicating a thirst for such opportunities for people to support one another in prayer.

In early November, the Centre will host a colloquium for members of the Augustinian Order. Its theme will be Spirituality and the Practice of Self-care, with the presenters being Fr John McCall OSA and Dr Alex Nelson.

The next Prayer Day will be held on Tuesday, 1st December from 9.45am to 2.30 pm, entitled Preparing a Room for Christ to be born (Prayer for the Advent Season). It will be facilitated by Fr Paul Maloney OSA. An offering of $15 suggested; morning tea will be provided, but please bring your own lunch. For bookings or for more information please contact the Centre (details below).

All friends of the Centre are invited to an Advent Mass of Thanksgiving to mark the conclusion of the year’s activities, on Monday, 7th December at 7.45 pm. Supper will be provided; RSVP if you are coming.

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

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.

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When the Prior General (world leader) of the Order of St Augustine and eleven other Augustinians came to Sydney in late September 2009, their meeting was held at the Order's St Augustine's College.

On the third day of the meeting the visitors were publicly introduced to Mr Tim Cleary (Principal), the staff and student body at the College's weekly assembly, and the Prior General participated in a College presentation ceremony (see photo above).

The Prior General, Very Rev. Fr Robert Prevost O.S.A., has previously visited the College on a number of occasions, highlighting that. St Augustine's is part of an Augustinian international educational community that conducts secondary schools in numerous countries in Europe, the U.S.A., the Philippines, Latin America, Japan and India, as well as a number of universities.

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

The festival of Our Lady of the Chain is a festival introduced to Mareeba from southern Italy forty-nine years ago.

This year it was celebrated in St Thomas's Church (photo above) on Sunday, 13th September 2009.

Mass commenced at 2.30 pm. It was followed by a procession of the statue of Our Lady of the Chain through the town streets, and then a barbeque and fireworks display took place on the school oval.

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.


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 office bearers for 2009 are Trudi McFadden (president), Eddie Robinson (treasurer), Lesley Sing (assistant treasurer) and Yvonne Clark (secretary).

A goal for AFA in 2009 is to seek ways of expanding its membership, especially seeing that the number of Augustinian students in formation is increasing, meaning that additional support would be very timely.

Forthcoming AFA events include the annual end-of-year celebration at the Warringah Golf Club on Saturday evening, 28th November 2009. To obtain more details, use the contact telephone number (below).

To obtain more details about the Augustinian Formation Association, contact Fr L. Mooney O.S.A. (AFA chaplain) or 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.

Leaders of the various Friends' branches met at the Augustinian Centre for Spirituality at Greystanes (Sydney) on the weekend of 7th-9th November 2008 (see photo below), and are meeting there again in November 2009.

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

Augustinian Volunteers Australia has commenced its Justice and Peace activity. This is happening in an outer-western suburb of Sydney, Australia. Five young adults are participating. With others, during February 2008 they undertook a formation period in social justice, Catholic social teaching, critical analysis and Augustinian spirituality.

On 25th February 2008 they then began assisting three already-established social justice ministries of the Catholic Church in the suburb of Mount Druitt, Sydney.

(Above): Three of the Volunteers of 2008.

These Augustinian Volunteers serve one full day per week in activities that include an education support program, migrant family assistance and men’s shelter assistance. The Volunteers live at their respective home addresses elsewhere in Sydney.

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 2009

• 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 2009
2 Hewitt Avenue
Greystanes 2145
Enquiries (02) 9896 6794
www.augustinians.org.au/communities/greystanes.html