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Adventures in the Archives
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May 22, 2022
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As Our Patron's Feast ApproachesA Recollection From the Summer of 1989
The month of May has a special feast day for our community. On
May 27, we honor St. Augustine of
Canterbury, or St. Austin as he is known here, the patron saint of St. Austin Church.
When the Paulists accepted the invitation of Bishop N. A. Gallagher of Galveston in 1908 to establish a center of missionary activity for Catholics, non-Catholics, and especially university students, they chose St. Augustine of Canterbury as the parish patron. St. Augustine brought the knowledge of the Christian faith and the Rule of St. Benedict to England in 596. Susan Kerr wrote in “The Spirit,” Summer 1989, that part of the Paulist charism is to meet people where they are, so the name of our church is an expression of their gift for evangelizing.
St. Augustine was named Archbishop of England and Canterbury became his see. The icon of St. Augustine of Canterbury is displayed near the side entrance of St. Joseph’s altar in the church. Icons are a form of sacred art and this one was created especially for St. Austin church by Nicholas Markell, a liturgical artist who works with the art of iconography from his studio in Hugo, Minnesota. The entire process of creating an icon is one of study, prayer, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The icon shows St. Augustine with his Bishop’s mitre, staff, and pallium. The pallium is decorated with fitchée crosses which display a pointed base. These crosses were often used by missionaries to push into the ground for daily devotions. Augustine’s pallium appears on his shield, in the upper left-hand corner of this icon. The cross of Canterbury is in the upper right-hand corner of the icon. More recently, St. Austin's received the gift of a second icon of our patron.
Read more about St. Austin and our icons clicking the buttons below.About Our PatronAbout Our Icons
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May 1, 2022
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The Introduction of The Stewardship Program in 1986
All registered parishioners received a letter
recent
ly from our pastor, Father Chuck Kullmann, CSP, asking for a pledge commit-ment for parish expenses for the next fiscal year. The financial contributions parishioners make as part of the parish Stewardship Program was first introduced in the spring of 1986.
At that time, the Finance Committee shared a concern with then pastor, Fr. David O’Brien, CSP, that there might not be sufficient income to meet the expenses of the parish.
With this in mind, Fr. O’Brien and Finance Committee members recommended that a new stewardship program be initiated beginning in July 1986. This program strongly encouraged each parish family to advise the pastor of the specific amount of their weekly offering. This method of supporting the parish mission replaced the Parish Improvement Fund (PIF) which began in 1983 and had a goal of $2.4 million to be raised over a three-year period to support various parish building projects.
This year, the parish will celebrate Stewardship Weekend on April 30 and May 1.The adjacent photo is of Fr. O'Brien, St. Austin Pastor, 1984-1990.
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march 13, 2022
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Fr. William Lynahan
Father William A. Lynahan, CSP, was born in Corning, New York, on April 21, 1891. He was the son of a railroad superintendent and a Catholic school teacher. Torn between the secular and religious life, he toured with an acting company for several years and briefly worked for an accounting firm in Buffalo before applying for entry into the Paulist Fathers in the spring of 1915.
Fr. Lynahan's life as a Paulist priest was primarily spent in parish work and he set an informal Society record for the number of different assignments and jobs he held. In the 1920s he served as an assistant in Toronto, Minneapolis and Saint Paul the Apostle parish in New York, with a brief interlude as Superior at Saint Paul's College in Washington, D.C.
He began the 1930s as Superior in Austin, Texas, (1929-1932) followed by three years as Superior in Winchester, Tennessee. Beginning in 1935 he served as an assistant in San Francisco (1935-37), Chicago (1937-38), Good Shepherd parish in New York (1938-39) and then Saint Paul the Apostle in New York.
Read Full StoryStory from - Find A Grave
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Every Penny Counts!
The parish archives have so many interesting stories about how the St. Austin community came together in past years to raise funds to build new buildings and to support ministries and outreach programs. During Fr. Lynahan's tenure the “Penny Birthday Party” was begun.
This was a special collection that was taken up on Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent). Each man, woman, and child was asked to contribute a penny for each year he or she has lived. Over the years, the fund steadily increased and a substantial amount was added to the Altar Society treasury.
Could we do something like that this Lent to support our Social Justice programs that are struggling to respond to all the requests for financial help?
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Advent Haiku from St. Austin 8th Graders, Winter 1988
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From Joanne Jorissen
Three wise men traveling
Following a star up high
To find Christ the Lord.
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From Jennnifer Orr
We are forgiven
Because He loves us so much
Jesus Christ is born.
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From Cate Dolce
Jesus is reborn
Rejoice rejoice everyone
Singing and dancing.
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From Anna Nieto
Fragile small baby
Innocent and pure and sweet
A gift to the world
Time of happiness
Time to celebrate and love
Yea! Christmas is here.
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From Dillon Nugent
The season of joy
Friendships, families and love
Combined together
Sharing the good times
Suffering through the bad times
And all in between.
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December 5, 2021
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Ann Annual Advent Affair - The Holiday Fair
With Christmas wreaths, poinsettias, luminarias, home-baked goods, jewelry, candles, Christmas ornaments and a variety of gift items offered for sale, our annual parish Holiday Fair was held every December in the Parish Center. The Fair became an important pre-holiday event beginning in 1985 that continues to 30 years and counting. It gave parishioners an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping while supporting the outreach projects of St. Austin School and the various parish ministries.
St. Nicholas was present at some early Holiday Fairs. A regular feature was a musical performance by the St. Austin School Choir and the parish choir. Fair-goers could also have lunch with the Knights of Columbus fajitas and sausage wraps or get some egg rolls from the Boy Scouts.
Vendors rented booths and sold unique arts and crafts. The rental fee helped finance parish social ministries. The St. Vincent de Paul Society “Giving Tree” was a major draw for many parishioners who chose the names of adults or children from the tree to sponsor with gifts.
The 2019 Holiday Fair included more than 40 vendors along with St. Austin school and ministry groups. Santa was there to talk and be photographed with the children. St. Austin’s fifth graders helped the younger children write letters to Santa. A local author was also present and offered a story time for children.
The Holiday Fair and the Parish Center are cherished memories for many of us. We hope and pray for the success of this year’s eBazaar and the many new opportunities the future will bring.Shop the World @ Our eBazaar
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Remembering Holiday Fair 2007
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Sunday, October 31, 2021
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A Time to Remember
In the church calendar, November is a time to remember those people, known and unknown, who have had an effect on our lives and on our history. Beginning with the feasts of All Saints and All Souls (November 1st and 2nd) the church encourages us to join in prayer with those who have gone before us.
Holding a prayer service at home with family and friends is one way to bring this rich tradition of remembrance into our family lives. Some other ways to celebrate those who have gone before us include:
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Sign in – place the names of those who have died in a book and bringing photos to be placed on the Altar of Remembrance
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Saint stories – tell stories of your name saint, patron saint or a saint you turn to in prayer
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Stone rubbings – visit a cemetery. Take along some large pieces of paper and some crayons. Make rubbings on the gravestones, especially the very old ones.
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Victory book – make a decorated list of those who have died whom you want to remember in prayer throughout the month. Keep it in a place where the family gathers often and use it to pray with.
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Keep the candle burning – light your remembrance candle each time you gather together as a family to pray
~From an article by Karen Ranus, Sunday School Coordinator, November 2002, in the St. Austin Catholic Parish Newsletter
A reminder! Bring a photo or remembrance of your cherished departed family and friends to the Altar of Remembrance at the Sacred Heart Altar this weekend.
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Sunday, October 17, 2021
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Adventures in the Archives - Halloween HOOT!
The St. Austin school kids thought this new Halloween themed event was really fun. They wore their costumes, played games outside on the school playground, bobbed for apples in a big tub, and took a chance on the cake walk to win a delicious pastry. The Halloween Hoot events began in the 1970s and quickly became a popular fall event for school families.
The Dominican sisters who taught at St. Austin School never missed participating in the Halloween Hoot. Sister Carletta, Sister Pat, and Sister Annette were enthusiastic bingo players, costume judges and greeters to all who gathered on the school’s playground.
In the mid 1980s, all the children of the parish were invited to the Halloween Hoot. The new Parish Center hosted the events sponsored by the St. Austin’s School Parents Club. There were game booths for all ages, a spaghetti dinner, prizes for best costume and best jack o’lantern, the ever popular cake walk and a Haunted House.
Another feature was added a couple of years later when the Student Council hosted a dance in the school cafeteria for junior high students. Younger children partied in the Parish Center andenjoyed pizza and soft drinks.
SACS welcomes you to this year's Halloween Hoot!
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Sunday, October 17, 2021
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Texas - Where Cultures Converge
In the fall of 1987, Pope John Paul II visited Texas and presided at an outdoor Mass in San Antonio. His homily that day resonates with us now as we see a recent increase in immigrants from Afghanistan and Haiti. Here are some excerpts.
Your history registers a meeting of cultures, indigenous and immigrant, sometimes marked by tensions and conflicts, yet constantly moving toward reconciliation and harmony. People of different races and languages, colors and customs, have come to this land to make it their home – there are the descendants of those who came from almost every country in Europe, from Spain and France, from Germany and Belgium, from Italy, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, Ireland, England, and Scotland.
There are descendants of those who came in chains from Africa; those from Lebanon, the Philippines, and Vietnam and from every Latin American country.”
St. John Paul II recognized the unique role of Texas as a border state where cultures converge out of necessity and by chance.
Photo by Marc Christensen, The Borderlands
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Sunday, October 10, 2021
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A Taste of 6th Street
“A Taste of 6th Street” began in 1980 and was one of St. Austin’s major fundraisers that became an annual
event for 10 years. This lively fall event involved a food and beverage tasting at serving restaurants in the historic Old Pecan Street area of downtown Austin.
It was described as “a unique evening where many (about 24) restaurants on East 6th Street prepared a food specialty for every ticket holder.” Proceeds from the event benefitted St. Austin School and the Parish Center/Gymnasium. Tickets were $25 each and also included a Silent Auction two weeks prior to the evening and a Live Auction on the night of the event.
The 1984 event featured a “Roaring Twenties” party at the Pecan Street Cafe. Some of the participating restaurants in 1985 included “Alley Oops,” “ Boardwalk Beach Club,” “Enzo’s,” “Headliners East,” “ Jorge’s Downtown,” “ Old Pecan Street Café,” and “ Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar,” just to name a few. There were 35 items listed on the Live Auction including many trips and weekend get-aways as well as “Golf with Father Bob Scott” (a foursome of golf at the Austin Country Club).
In 1987, all ticket holders to the event were entered into a drawing for a Texas Wildflower Quilt. The quilt and a poster were designed by Rose Baxter for the National Wildflower Research Center. There were some new restaurants participating in 1989 including “Jazz,” “Maggie Mae’s,” “Wylie’s,” and “Richardo’s Ristorante Italiano.” This was the fundraiser’s last year.
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More Adventures in the Archives
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Perfect for Us!
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Fr. Chuck
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Fr. Rich
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Fr. Paolo
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