Catholic Theological College (CTC) in Melbourne hosted a symposium recently exploring the late Rev Professor Austin Cooper OMI’s significant contributions to Christian scholarship and formation, and as a spiritual friend to many, reports Melbourne Catholic.
The ministry of the late Fr Austin had a significant and often transformative impact on the lives of many, not to mention on the landscape of theological education in Australia and beyond.
Rev Dr Max Vodola and Prof Gabrielle McMullan answer questions at the symposium. PHOTO: Melbourne Catholic.
On Friday, May 10, more than 90 people gathered, either in person or online—including many of Fr Austin’s colleagues, fellow Oblates, family members, former students and friends—to hear speakers address topics ranging from Fr Austin’s early years and role in the establishment of CTC to his deep love for the history and spiritual masters of the Church, and his far-reaching influence as a teacher, mentor and friend.
After a time of prayer that drew on texts from many of the great spiritual writers Fr Austin loved—including St Benedict, St Teresa of Avila and St John Henry Newman—Prof Gabrielle McMullen (Deputy Chancellor of the University of Divinity) spoke about the important role Fr Austin played in the foundation of CTC.
Quoting from interviews conducted for a project exploring the founding and first decade of CTC for its 50th anniversary in 2022, Prof McMulllen described Fr Austin’s central role in bringing to life Archbishop Knox’s post–Vatican II vision for theological education in Melbourne—a vision in which theological studies would be “offered collaboratively across the provincial dioceses and religious orders”, and the laity and religious would “have access also to quality theological education alongside seminarians”.
Fr Austin was still a young Church historian, just embarking on his academic career, when Archbishop Knox recruited him to help launch a new theological college.
Serving as the first Master of the college from 1972 to 1976, and then again in 1992–1994 and 1998–2002, Fr Austin passionately pursued his plan to reshape Catholic theological education to more closely resemble the structure of a typical university degree.
“I just felt that our study for priests should be about 60 per cent compulsory material, and about 40 per cent should be subjects people are interested in doing,” he said. His goal was to create a very well-read clergy who “could match the interests of so many of their flock”.
These early, formative years of CTC were also explored at the symposium in a paper prepared by scripture scholar Rev Prof Frank Moloney SDB AM and presented, in Fr Moloney’s absence, by Rev Dr Max Vodola (Associate Dean of Research and head of the Church History Department at CTC).
Joining CTC’s faculty in 1976, when Fr Austin was still Master, Fr Moloney remembered the college in those years as “an exciting and busy place”, saying that right from their first encounter, Fr Austin, “made it clear that his dream was to create an academic situation where all were welcome and where critical and quality teaching and research took place”.
He said that under Fr Austin’s leadership, the development of “an institution that was not only a seminary but also a university” and “an unprecedented awareness of the mutuality and richness of the community shared across the diversity of the diocesan clergy, religious women and men, Catholic and non-Catholic lay people”.
“Austin Cooper’s hands-on commitment to the realisation of his own dream,’ he said, “has most likely done more for theological education in this city and beyond than any other single Catholic leader.”
This legacy has implications not just for theological education today but well into the future, he said. “We will betray Austin’s contribution if we are not to ask the question that was always with him: where to from here?”
Very Rev Dr Kevin Lenehan, Master of CTC, said he was pleased the college could host a symposium recognising Fr Austin’s “unique and distinctive contribution to the Catholic community over several decades”.
In all his roles, he said, “Fr Austin displayed wisdom, intelligence and faithful service. He was greatly appreciated for his humour, good sense and solid friendship”.
“Fr Austin lived out the virtues of the scholar priest, with an enquiring mind and a pastor’s heart. He knew the human heart responds to beauty and goodness, and never tired offering people the riches of the Christian tradition.”
This is an abridged form of an article published in Melbourne Catholic. Read the full article here.