AUGUSTINIAN BULLETIN BOARD - December 2003

The Word of God assumed flesh in order to be seen

We wonder how Christ could take flesh, be born of the virgin, and not depart from the Father; but look, here am I, now speaking to you; before I came to you here, I gave some thought beforehand to what I was going to say to you. When I was thinking about what I was going to say to you, there was already a word in my mind. I mean, I wouldn't be saying it to you unless I had thought of it first. I found you were Latin-speaking, so a Latin word had to be offered you; while if you had been Greek, I would have had to speak to you in Greek, and present you with a Greek word. That word in my mind is neither Latin nor Greek; what's in my mind altogether precedes these languages. I look for a sound for it, I look around, so to say, for a vehicle. I look for a means of its reaching you, when it doesn't depart from me. There you are, you've heard what's in my mind, now it's also in yours. It's in mine, and it's in yours; you, on the one hand, have begun to have it, while I, on the other, haven't lost it. Just as my word assumed sound, in order to be heard, so the Word of God assumed flesh, in order to be seen.

Sermon 225, 3

LECCETO COMMUNITY 2003

The Augustinians annually invite young people to come together and form a community based around the ideals and the Rule of Life established by St Augustine in the fourth / fifth century. These values are timeless in their application and are good for men and women who want to come together in mutual respect to spend time with others intent upon their God and seeking unity of heart and mind. The community caters for people in the workplace and for those who are taking time off from work for fulltime studies. Using common funds and setting time aside in busy lives for prayer, contemplation and service the community nurtures each other and challenges each one as to their ability to be there for others and for God. Please contact Fr Tony Banks osa who will guide the community in 2004. You will also be supported by the Augustinian sisters and brothers in the Brookvale area.

Fr Tony is available on:
Phone: (02) 9938 0207
Mobile: 0418 200 410
E-mail: tonybanks@augustinians.org.au

New Augustinian Bishop

It is a pleasure to communicate to you that today, November 8, 2003, the Holy Father has named Fr. Giovanni Scanavino, currently Prior Provincial of the Italian Province, to become the bishop of the Diocese of Orvieto - Todi.

Fr. Scanavino was born on December 6, 1939, in Santo Stefano Belbo (Cuneo, Italy). He made his first profession of vows in the Order in San Gimignano on October 7, 1956. After completing his studies in the Seminary of Milan and in the Lateran University, he was ordained to the priesthood on March 14, 1964.

He served for a number of years in the formation community in Pavia. Later, from 1983 through 1989, he was elected Assistant General of the Order. From 1984 until 1992, he was the President of the Federation of Italian Provinces. Again, from 1991 until 1995, he served as Assistant General of the Order. In the year 2000, Fr. Scanavino was elected Prior Provincial of the Italian Province.

In the name of the entire Order, I express congratulations to Fr. Giovanni, and at the same time, I invite the entire Order to ask the Lord to bless our brother in this new ministry to which he has now been called.

Fraternally,

Fr. Robert Prevost, OSA
Prior General

Rest in Peace

Fr Pearse Aloysius O'Mahony osa died in Galway, Ireland on 19 November 2003.

Fr O'Mahony served in Australia from 1973 to 1981: Mareeba (October 1973 to January 1975; supply - December 1978 to May 1979) and Innisfail (January 1975 to June 1981). He also supplied briefly at Manly Vale (May to July 1976).

May Fr O'Mahony rest in peace.

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

To mark the end of the school year St Anthony's School in Dimbulah is celebrating a special thanksgiving Mass in the church at 6.30pm on this Tuesday 2 December. After Mass a barbecue will be held in the covered area of the school. Parents, friends and parishioners are all welcome.

St Thomas's School in Mareeba is holding a Carols Evening on the school oval on Wednesday 3 December beginning with a barbecue at 6pm and carols at 7pm. Everyone is welcome. BYO chairs, blankets and singing voices...

On Friday 5 December at 10.00am St Thomas's School is celebrating an end of year Mass to give thanks for the year and to farewell the Year 7 students. Parents, friends and parishioners are all welcome.

This year we will be holding our Christmas Giving Sunday on 14 December. At all Masses, in both parishes, every adult and child is asked to bring some non-perishable food or gift which each one will bring forward at the presentation of the gifts and place in a basket before the altar. We would love to have everyone involved in bringing forward something at Mass, no matter how small. So please enter into the spirit of the day. Afterwards the food and gifts received will be made up into hampers and distributed within the parishes.

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