Opening of the Carnivale Christi Festival

Address given by Archbishop Denis Hart
at the Art Gallery, Australian Catholic University,
on Thursday, 23rd September, 2004, at 6.30pm

“Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient and so new,
Late have I loved you, you were within and I was in
the world outside myself,
I searched for you outside myself and disfigured as I was
I fell upon the lovely things of your creation.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
The beautiful things of this world kept me far from you and
yet if they had not been in you they would have no being at all.
You called me; you cried aloud to me; you broke my barrier of deafness.
You shone upon me; your radiance enveloped me; you put my blindness to flight.
You shed your fragrance about me; I drew breath and now I gasp for your sweet odour.
I tasted you and now I hunger and thirst for you.
You touched me and I am inflamed with love of your peace.”

( Saint Augustine, Confessions, Book 10, 27 )

Dear Friends,

Saint Augustine’s experience of beauty in the world led him to a realisation that God is the source and author of all beauty.

Carnivale Christi as a festival is intended to unlock to an intensely searching generation the beauty of our Catholic tradition in art, music, poetry and drama. It gives us an appreciation of some small parts of the two thousand year history of the design that we would all be brought to know the beauty of God, the light of his truth, the grandeur and majesty of the ideas and gifts he has placed in created things and people.

I am delighted to be here with you to thank the patrons and sponsors of Carnivale Christi, together with Francine Houlihan, who has done such a magnificent job.

To me Carnivale Christi is a moment when we are touched by beauty, as but a small reflection of the wonder of God, and we are led to know him more nearly, to love him more dearly and to follow him day by day.

Congratulations to all who are here and it is my great privilege to declare open this wonderful Catholic festival, inspired by the genius and beauty of art, music and poetry, the love of God, the foundation of truth and the enthusiasm of young people wishing to continue the search.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.