AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - October 2003

We should persevere in praying

There are two things we should ask for with calm assurance: in this world a good life, in the world to come eternal life. About everything else, we don't know whether it will be good for us. A man asks God to help him find a wife; how does he know if getting married will be for his good? A man prays to God to help him get rich; how does he know whether, sleeping soundly as a poor man, once he's rich he won't dream of robbers? So he doesn't know which out of all the things to be found in this world will be good for him. But he can beg without the slightest hesitation for a good life, and for eternal life; a good life here, to deserve well of God, eternal life there as the reward from God.

And what is a good life? To love God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind, and to love your brother and sister as yourself. So let us love our God, let us love each other in his unity; let us have peace in him, charity among ourselves; so that when Christ our Lord comes himself, we can say, "Lord, with your help we have done what you ordered; by your gracious favor, may we receive what you promised."

Sermon 154A,6

Augustinian Workshop on The Confessions of Saint Augustine

In early September, 24 Augustinians gathered together at the MacKillop Centre, North Sydney. They did so to prayerfully reflect on the best known of St Augustine's works the Confessions. They were guided by Fr Brian Lowery osa, presently Director of the Augustinian Priory at San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy. Fr Brian's own love for and expertise of the Confessions drew in his listeners to think of how themes in the life of Augustine speak to our own. Fr Brian's methodology was to tell the story through looking at what he called the planned spontaneous prayers of Augustine. A renewing and refreshing time together for the Augustinians.

Fr Paul Maloney OSA and Fr Brian Lowery OSA

Public lecture of Fr Brian Lowery osa
(Director at Augustinian Priory, San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy)

St Kieran's Parish Centre, Manly Vale, 12 September 2003 organised by Augustinian Friends. The evening was a great success with 150 attending. The lecture was repeated in Brisbane on 15 September. Entitled "You were always there - Providence in the Confessions of Saint Augustine". The lecture can be viewed by following this link.

Opening of Consolation Convent

The Convent was formally opened by Fr Pat Fahey osa, (Provincial) in the presence of Sr Ma Luz Mijures osa (Superior General, Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation) on Sunday 14 September. The convent is the home of Sr Gavina Barrera osa and Sr Josie Mabini osa who arrived in Australia last October.

The Convent stands on the site of the original Augustinian Priory in Brookvale. Before the opening, the sisters renewed their vows within the parish Mass at Brookvale. Congratulations to the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation on their first Australian foundation!

Aboriginal Spirituality

After eighteen years' involvement with Aboriginal ministry in far north Queensland, Father Rod Cameron O.S.A. retired from formal duties in 2002. Now an alert seventy-nine years old and living in the Augustinian Priory at Villanova College, Coorparoo, Brisbane, he has continued his passion for promoting Aboriginal spirituality in a number of ways.

At the invitation of Bishop Michael Putney (Townsville), Father Rod spend the month of July 2003 with the Aboriginal communities at Garbutt in Townsville, and on nearby Palm Island.

At St Therese's Church, Garbutt, which is conducted by the local Aboriginal Catholic Community, Father Rod gave a four-hour program on Aboriginal spirituality. By popular demand it was then repeated later in the month.
In Brisbane he spoke on Aboriginal spirituality to the senior students at Somerville House, a private girls secondary school. At Redcliffe near Brisbane, he was a guest speaker at a meeting of the local branch of Pax Christi, an international Catholic social justice group.

He also wrote the foreword of a new book of Aboriginal stories and myths, entitled "Gathering of the Voices - spirituality, faith and culture." This substantial book was published by the Indigeneous Ministries Unit of the Christian Brothers (Queensland) and launched in Sydney in conjunction with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) in early September.

Father Rod's two most recent books containing prose and poetry on Aboriginal spirituality are entitled "Karingal"(Happy Camp) and "Opala" (Fresh Water: ISBN 1 875570 91 8). Both were produced by St Paul's Publications (Society of St Paul), Strathfield, N.S.W., Australia.

Father Rod can be contacted at Villanova Priory, PO Box 1166, Coorparoo DC 4151, Queensland, Australia.

Fr Rod Cameron OSA and Vicki Walker (president of NATSICC)

Father David Brimson

A member of the "eighty-something" generation, Father David is presently being very active in his retirement in southern Brisbane, Queensland. He recently completed his memoirs, entitled A Brim-full of Memories, which the Australian Augustinian Province is publishing privately.

The autobiography of Fr. David Brimson OSA, founding rector of St. Augustine's College, Brookvale, NSW., published in May 2003.

"Brim-Full Memories" tells the story of David Brimson's childhood in Brisbane, his youth during the Second World War, entry and training in the Augustinian Order and his eventful life as a priest.

Now in retirement at Nazareth House, Brisbane, David Brimson has looked back over his long experience of ministry and given us this interesting story in 56 pages, supported by numerous photographs.

Cost is $14 incl. postage in Australia.
Order from Augustinian Press, P.O. Box 679, Brookvale NSW 2100 (osaadmin@bigpond.com)

MAREEBA AND DIMBULAH NEWS

On Sunday 5 October St Christopher's Kuranda is hosting a Parish Picnic on the land adjacent to the church. Activities will begin with an open-air Mass which will start at 1.00pm and will be followed by a BYO picnic or barbecue lunch. Bring your children and your friends. Everyone is welcome.

On Sunday 12 October at the 10.00am Mass in St Thomas's Church we will celebrate this year's Aboriginal Culture Mass. The Pamagirri dancers from Kuranda and the AICC singers from Cairns will take an active part in the celebration. Joan Hendricks from Brisbane will be this year's special guest and she will speak during the Mass. Joan is a descendant of the Nugi people from Stradbroke Island, Queensland. After graduating from Griffith University she lectured at TAFE in Brisbane and became active in the area of Reconciliation. Joan is currently the chairperson of the Aboriginal and Islander Catholic Council Queensland and is the Queensland representative to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council. Please join us at this special celebration, followed by morning tea under the shady jacaranda tree.

AUGUSTINIAN COMMUNITY, MAREEBA

The Augustinians have a long and rich association with the Diocese of Cairns. It began with the arrival of Fr John Hutchinson O.S.A. and his two companions at Cooktown in 1884.

Subsequently, the Augustinian presence extended to all the existing mainland parishes of the Diocese. Today, however, the Parishes of Mareeba and Dimbulah are the only parishes in the Diocese, which are still served by the Augustinians.

With this background, St Thomas's Priory, Mareeba is now offering an opportunity for single men to experience a period of simple community life in the Augustinian tradition with time for prayer, parish work, recreation and personal pursuits.

For further information contact:

Robert Greenup O.S.A.
PO Box 308,
Mareeba,
Queensland 4880

Phone: 07 4092 1077
Fax: 07 4092 3170
Email: stthomas@ledanet.com.au

AUGUSTINIAN CENTRE FOR SPIRITUALITY PROGRAM 2003
2 Hewitt Avenue
Greystanes 2145
Enquiries 9896 6794
www.augustinians.org.au/communities/greystanes.html