They said of Jesus , "Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him? “(Mark 6:3)

The Augustinians of Australia met in Chapter (or conference) this past week to evaluate our mission and re-calibrate our strategies for the coming two years this past week in Brookvale. It was a time to look back at what has been achieved but also to look ahead to future challenges. Among our deliberations there was time to reflect on the legacy of the past 60 years of the Province in Australia which coincides with the 60^th anniversary of the Augustinians coming to this area of Sydney with the assignment of assuming responsibility for a parish in the area and establishing a school. The parish has now become the Catholic Community of North Harbour and the school, St. Augustine’s College.

Should those men first assigned to the work return to see what has been achieved no doubt that would be edified to find our schools thriving and an energetic parish community buzzing with activity. Would they be convinced we have been faithful to their vision and the blueprint they had laid out? How might they challenge us to undertake new ventures and explore new frontiers? These are difficult questions to answer. Education and worship are perhaps the two keystones of what we offer. The areas of outreach and social engagement with the wider community will always be daunting but are perhaps areas we need to look at in a fresh light.

We have been truly blessed in many ways and sense that we need to put something back into the community which has nurtured us and provided for our families over the years. Plans to refurbish our places of worship have occupied much of our attention and energy in recent years. The number of nursing homes and retirement facilities in our district is a reality our predecessors might not have envisioned in a post-war younger Australia. Our efforts to re-engage with the young through the appointment of a Youth Ministry Co-ordinator has been a recent innovation. Our care and attention to both those groups is important but perhaps it is time to also explore projects or measures that demonstrate our commitment to the broader needs of the community around us. This may be the next big challenge for the parish under the guidance of the current Parish Pastoral Council. In that work we need the collective wisdom and talents of all the community. The wisdom of Christ was evident as he stood among his own people in his home district. There is latent energy and zeal among our people too waiting to be harnessed so that we may be true to the vision of our pioneers and forebears.  Fr. Brian