"THE AUGUSTINIAN" December 2003

Extract from Fr Pat Fahey's Homily at Funeral Mass of Phil Kehoe O.S.A., at Coorparoo, 2nd June 2003.

Fr Phil came from a family of ten children, five of whom entered the religious life. Four of his sisters became religious in the United States, while Phil threw in his life with the Order of St Augustine by whom he was educated at Good Counsel College, New Ross. He was ordained in 1945, and after a brief ministry in Limerick was appointed to Echuca, Australia, in 1948. To us Aussies, he ministered for fifty-five consecutive years, almost thirty of which he spent as Chaplain to the nearby Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Fr Phil had a great gift for dealing with those who were sick, dying or bereaved. They were his anawim - the "little ones" who had little personal security but what came from God through their faith or through the faith of others who ministered to them. We might keep in mind that the early years of his hospital ministry were ones in which he had little or no help from others, and that the practices he evolved then he persevered with until his gradual retirement in the early ‘90s.

He had a magnificent Irish tenor voice with which, until his early seventies, he gave evidence of his love for Ireland and, in so doing, gave glory to God. Once his active days were over, he devoted himself to his favourite pastimes of a weekly card game with his friends, the Saturday flutter on the TAB, and his daily prayer. Phil, after eighty six years of striving to follow Christ in the footsteps of Augustine, you have conquered the mountain. You did so, solely by the grace of God, and at God's invitation.

We thank God for his grace, for his call to you, and for your graced response to that call. At Christ's command, you preached the Good News thousands of miles away from your own country and family. My brother, we shall remember you before God's altar here on earth. Remember us before his heavenly throne.

International Students

During the first week of Term IV, Tim Cleary (Principal, St Augustine's College, Brookvale, Sydney), Paul Kiely (ESL Teacher) and Pam King (International Student Coordinator) visited Shenzhen in South East China. The primary objective of this visit was to strengthen public relations between Mr Mung (Principal, Shenzhen High School), the parents and families of our current Chinese International Students and the staff and
students at St Augustine's College, Brookvale. The hospitality extended to the Aussie visitors was warm and welcoming and indeed strengthened the importance of international education around the world.

St Augustine's College offers the opportunity for overseas students to study senior school in Australia with the hope of progressing onto an Australian University and returning to their homeland highly educated academically through the Augustinian spirit, socially and culturally. The memories and experiences from this excursion will help us to continue and strive for tolerance and peace through education.

We look forward to offering the boys at St Augustine's the opportunity to be involved in an Exchange Program so they too can broaden their education and learning through living.

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 at No. 8 Gulliver St Brookvale. Congratulations to the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation on their first Australian foundation!

Ed note: The Augustinians and friends wish to extend deepest sympathy to Sr Gavina and family on the recent death of her mother in the Philippines.

One Mass Sunday – 24th August 2003

There was an air of excitement! On a rainy Sunday morning in August, in the Shire Hall of the small town of Tongala, a special event - the one and only Eucharistic Celebration in both parishes this particular Sunday was about to begin.

What was the reason for this change from the usual routine?
Why here?
What was it all about?

It all began a few months before when the joint task force of the Parish Pastoral Councils of St. Augustine's, Kyabram and St. Mary's, Echuca, came up with the idea of celebrating some special events in this part of the world.

This task force was formed when these parishes came into partnership; when one Community of Augustinian Priests took over their care. It became apparent that being in dialogue with each other could be very beneficial to all. The events for celebration were threefold: 155 Years of Augustinian Service in Victoria Our Partnership as Augustinian Parishes The Feast of Saint Augustine

Why Tongala? Tongala was chosen as it was located more or less midway between Echuca and Kyabram, and had a suitable venue. First of all the planning group needed to appraise the Shire Hall and make decisions on setting up, locations for music, altar, lectern to the best advantage. A precedent had been set in the past when Fr Leo Wearden was ordained in this hall in August 1980 by Bishop Noel Daly, Bishop of Sandhurst. People to do various tasks on the day were also to be approached so that all ran smoothly when required.

We needed greeters, people to give out name tags, special ministers, lectors, altar servers and many more, all to be drawn from both parishes. Our plans included asking all the schools in our parishes to process with their school banners in the entrance procession and then to have these displayed around the hall. There was to be a display of memorabilia.
Buses were also arranged to be available on the day to bring parishioners from Echuca and Kyabram if they were needed. Everyone was asked to bring lunch to share.

Invitations were sent out to other parishes, Rochester and South Yarra who are, or had been associated with the Augustinians in the past in Victoria. And so it went. Singers and musicians were busy preparing the hymns and parts of the mass in their own places, ready to come together on the day. Name tags with Augustinian themes were made. In the two days before, many helpers came to arrange the seating, the tables for a shared lunch and cups of tea, the sound system, to hang parish banners, and to make sure all essential items that are on hand in our churches, were there, ready and waiting.

Sunday August 24th. All other Masses had been cancelled for that day. Opportunities had been available the previous evening for those who wished to attend Mass in Echuca and Kyabram. It was raining and cold! Would the people come? It was a tense and anxious time of waiting. The singers and musicians arrived early to have their one practice together under the leadership of Jan Davey from St. Mary's, Echuca.

People began to arrive. A sigh of relief for the organisers. They continued to come, including a group from South Yarra. More seats were needed. Those who were taking special roles were briefed, altar servers robed, and our concelebrating priests, Fr Dave
Austin and Fr Joe Walsh were ready and waiting for the crowds to come inside and be seated. Finally we began.

What a marvelous spectacle it was! School leaders carrying their banners from St Joseph's and St Mary's, Echuca, St Augustine's, Kyabram, and St Patrick's, Tongala. Ministers of the Word and Eucharist along with the altar servers, from all parts of both parishes,
there, together as one. With them our very special Augustinians, truly a reason to celebrate.

Over the years, we have been very fortunate to have had a succession of these men, forward thinkers and leaders in their time, to guide us in our parishes. We have been blessed. Mass continued. The special 'Stokes Chalice,' was used in our celebration. It was brought to Australia by Fr John Stokes OSA, the second Parish Priest of Kyabram. Dating back to penal times in Ireland, the chalice bears the date 1635AD - a unique link with our Augustinian past!

All proceeded smoothly. Frs Dave and Joe made it a very special day, and those of us who were present have so many memories to keep always. We thank all who made it so.
Everyone mingled well at lunch afterwards, and although the weather had not improved, inside that hall was nothing but warmth, friendship and a great sense of sharing.

We thank God for St Augustine and the Augustinians!

Farewell from South Yarra and Welcome to Manly Vale
Fr D K O'Shea osa

In June, South Yarra parish farewelled Fr D K O'Shea, who had been a member of the South Yarra Augustinian community since 1993. In that time, South Yarra was a base for his supply work in Victoria from 1993 to 2000 and since 2000 he ministered in the parishes of South Yarra and Prahran. In July, he left South Yarra to take up residence in the Augustinian community at Manly Vale parish (Sydney), where he had previously been Parish Priest from 1961 to 1974.

News from Mareeba Parish

After overwhelming support from parents, St Thomas's School has decided to break tradition and move from two sports houses to four sport houses from 2004. This was brought about mainly by the increase in the size of the school. The names of the four houses have been decided on and are: Power, Mills, O'Connor and Phelan. The four new houses have been named after some of St Thomas's School stalwarts, and from the many Augustinian priests who have had a great influence in Far North Queensland.

Sister Gertrude Power was the first Sister of Mercy in Mareeba. She was born in Co
Waterford, Ireland in 1878 and arrived at St Thomas's School in 1909. She died on March 7, 1945. Unfortunately very little else is recorded about her life. Sister Mary Mills was last Sister of Mercy to be Principal of St Thomas's School, a position she held for 16 years. Sister Mary Stephen, or "Stevo" as most of us knew her, touched the lives of thousands of students, parents and staff. Following her resignation as Principal, Sister Mary was elected Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Mercy in the Cairns Diocese. She died on June 18, 2003.

Father Joseph Phelan O.S.A. was born in County Tipperary, Ireland in 1880. Ordained
in Ireland in 1905, he arrived in Australia in the same year. After spending time in Echuca, he was sent to Mareeba in 1917, staying until 1927. He was a giant in every way; his massive frame and great strength pushed him through drought and flood in Queensland. For many years, he brushed off distance and poverty and climate. He saw the vision of the church and tried to make it come true for the people of the North. He died on August 19, 1973.

Father Maurice O'Connor was born in County Kerry, Ireland on February 22 1921. He was ordained in Ireland in 1947, arrived in Australia in 1951, and was sent to Mareeba in 1953, where he stayed until 1971. He also travelled to many outback places in that time. He saw St Thomas's School grow from 98 pupils in 1953 to 450 in 1971. His time in this area is well remembered especially by the Italian community with whom he built an excellent rapport. He died in 2002.

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