Dear Friends,
Augustinians love to gather but it’s rare that we can gather as a whole Province – from different parts of Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Rome. One such occasion is our 4-yearly Provincial Chapter which takes place this coming week at St Augustine’s College. Such is its importance that the Prior General, Most Rev Alejandro Moral Anton OSA will attend as President of the Chapter, along with Assistant General Fr Tony Banks OSA and Augustinians from Korea and Vietnam. Some will participate via ZOOM.
The Chapter’s focus will be review of the program adopted 4 years ago and assess how well we have lived Augustinian Community Life, how faithful we have been to the charism of the Order, how well we have achieved our goals, and how we will embrace the future. Each ministry will be examined and assessed and the Augustinians present will discern where we go from here.
Chapters are not just about electing leaders, making decisions and legislating norms. They also promote the spiritual and apostolic vitality of Augustinians. For this reason an effort has been made to consult parishioners on the state of our Parish, for example, and their hopes for the future. Parish Pastoral Council members were part of a cross-section of parishioners invited to provide input.
Community life is always on our agenda because it both expresses and nourishes who we are as followers of St Augustine and it determines how effective we will be in our respective ministries. Our lay group Friends of St Augustine gathered recently in the Parish Centre for a talk by Fr Paul on the Rule of St Augustine, our basic guide to community life but also a useful resource for family life and our school and pastoral ministries. The following quote from Chapter 1 may strike a chord:
‘Before all else, dear brothers and sisters, love God and then your neighbor, because these are the chief commandments given to us… The main purpose for your having come together is to live harmoniously in your house, intent upon God in oneness of mind and heart.’
Whenever Augustinians get together, one of the striking things is the variety of shapes and sizes! So far I haven’t met any with tattoos though there is the occasional distinctive hair style. In general, Augustinians are a group of men committed to service of the Gospel, passionate about the Church, celebrating the Sacraments, social justice, and making a difference in the world as disciples of Jesus. They come from different backgrounds too, including teaching, merchant banking, military service, butchering and nursing. In the US, I studied with former US Marines and in Rome some years ago I met an Augustinian who had worked for US Government intelligence as a spy!
Are we really surprised? Just look at the richness of Augustinian saints, our companions – St Rita of Cascia, wife, mother, widow and Augustinian nun; St Augustine, sinner, scholar, convert and Father of the Church; Servant of God Bill Atkinson, outstanding sportsman and teacher, first quadriplegic priest in the history of the Church – worthy models of holiness.
As an Augustinian, I find incredible strength in this great array of holiness in the Order and the wider Church – saintly and ordinary is the Augustinian Way. Jesus has made holy our humanness and the gift is here, in our lives, amidst the everyday grind. It is here that we find Christ, here where we come to understand, live and love this gift of Faith we all share.
Please keep the Augustinians in your prayers during the coming week.