OMIINFORMATION

#386January 2000

Table of contents Canadaon the path to restructuring the Provinces... (II) Afterthe September 96 Plenary Session “Visioningfor the future” Canada:Joint meeting of scholastics Canada:Oblates and native languages Newsfrom Rome At290 Via Aurelia in Rome Atthe International Scholasticate Newsubway station Thesession for new Provincials Inthe Regions Anglo-IrishProvince: Holy Cross in Liverpool: 150 years TheUnited States Province: Meeting of community superiors Newprenovitiate in Florida Chile:The summer mission in Remulcao SriLanka: Bombardment of the Shrine at Madhu Centenaryof "Bhakthi Probadhanaya" Lesotho:Archbishop Mohlalisipresident of Episcopal Conference CentralProvince of South Africa: Fr Claerhoutdoctor honoris causa Senegal:Towards an Oblate mission in Casamance Books:Europe Anniversaries Suffragesfor our deceased

Canadaon the path to restructuring the Provinces... (II)

TheNovember 1999 OMI Info made a rapid presentation of the evolutionof the Oblate Prov inces of Canada before 1985. It has been pointed outto us that two details were missing. First of allthe Vice-Province ofLabrador-James Bay was suppressed in 1977 and "its responsibilities"were then shared between three Provinces: Saint Joseph'sNotre-Dame-du-Rosaireand Saint Peter's. In 1983the Vice-Province of Whitehorse was attachedto Saint Paul's Province. Letus start then with a description of the situation today. The personnelstatistics are those of December 311998the last published. As of thatdatethe Oblate Region of Canada had 877 Oblates: 671 priests184 brothersand 22 Oblates in first formation. The Region is made up in the followingway: TheFrench-speaking Saint-Joseph Province has its Provincial house in Montrealand numbers 281 Oblates. The communities are mainly in the civil provincesof Quebec (MontrealRouynetc.) and of Ontario (OttawaMoosoneeetc.).The Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire Provincealso French-speakinghas its Provincialhouse at Sainte-Foyin the periphery of the city of Quebec. It coversmost of the civil province of Quebec and has 150 Oblates. TheEnglish-speaking St Peter's Province has its Provincial house in Ottawa.It has 94 Oblates with 60 in Canada and 34 in Peru. The Oblate communitiesare in Ontario and in the Maritime provinces. St Paul's ProvincealsoEnglish- speakinghas 88 Oblates with its Provincial house in Vancouver.The communities are in British ColumbiaAlberta and in the Yukon Territory. TheProvince of Manitobatraditionally French-speakinghas 86 Oblatesofwhom 13 are part of the Delegation of Hudson Bay. Its Provincial houseis in Saint-Bonifaceclose to Winnipeg. The communities are in the civilprovince of Manitobaand partly in the Northwest Territories and in Nunavut.The Grandin Provinceinitially French-speaking and now bilingualhasits Provincial house in Edmonton. It counts 102 Oblatesmainly in Albertaand in the Northwest Territories. SaintMary's Vice-Provincenow English-speakinghas 73 Oblates. Its Provincialhouse is located in Saskatoon. Its communities are mostly in the provinceof Saskatchewan with some also in Alberta. The Assumption Vice-Provincewhose Provincial house is in Torontonumbers 40 OblatesoverwhelminglyPolish in origin. It is mainly at the service of Canadians of Polish originin Ontarioand also in ManitobaSaskatchewanand Alberta.

Afterthe September '96 Plenary Session

Therecent work of restructuring has its starting point in a Plenary Sessionof the General Councilwhich met jointly with the "leadership"of the eight Canadian Provincesat Cap-de-la- Madeleine in September1996. This joint session had as its theme: "Daring to live the Oblatecharism in the Canadian context." Although not formally on the agendathe possibility of a restructuring surfaced in the free discussions....Following this sessionthe Superior GeneralFr ZAGOaddressed a letterto the Oblates of Canada: "At a time when so many appeals are beingheardyou see your manpower decreasing. It is thus thanks to even moreextensive regional collaborationand to a restructuring of your works– even of your Provinces – that you will be able to ensure theeffectiveness of the mission and the survival of your more important works.Our mission demands the participation of all; each one can contributeto it according to his gifts and his possibilities...." A firstmeeting took place at St-Norbert (Manitoba). The two French-speaking Provincesfrom the east took part as observers. The Assumption Vice-Province indicatedthat given the orientation of its ministryit also wished "to havethe status of observerwithout necessarily taking part in an eventualrestructuring." The five other ProvincesSt Peter'sSt Paul'sManitobaGrandin and St Mary'scommitted themselves to continuing theprocess. An initialdocument entitled: "Leave Nothing Undared – Coming Together?"was addressed to all Oblates of these Provincesinviting a written answer."As the persons in charge of the governmentwe want to launch adialogue on our vision. The reduced number of vocations seems to indicatethat we have to study the possibility of joining together in one bilingualProvince." The document presents the reasons which seem to urge areorganization: "an aging and shrinking personnel (in 25 yearsOblatepersonnel decreased by half); shrinking possibilities for ministry; fairnessand justice toward our young Oblates; to give hope and to support themission and the community; the regionalization and the internationalizationof the Congregation; need for redefining priorities for our ministries." Thisquestionnaire was addressed to the individual membersasking them toexpress their fears and their view of things. It also called for communityreflectionin particular on the ministrieson the urgency of restructuringand its possible stageson the consequences for finances and the patrimonyof the Provinces.... Theanswers were studied and presented at a joint meeting of Provincials andtheir Councils held in Edmonton in January 1998. We quote from the reportof this meeting: "It is understood that any restructuring will bemade in stages. It will respect the structures of our ministryour historyour languageour culture and our identity. The importance of strengtheningthe local communities will always have priority. The role of Oblate associateswill be important in the processand we will always keep in sight thefeelings which accompany any change." Thesame report indicates "six areas where collaboration between thevarious Provinces can take place as of now: formationretreat housesyouth ministrythe lay associatescommunicationnative ministry."The report concludes: "Each Province has committed itself to takingaction on the recommendations which concern it."

"Visioningfor the future"

A seconddocument entitled "Visioning for the future"was then sentto all. The preamble indicates that "any structures created mustbe in view of better serving the Oblate mission. What is needed is a processwhereby we can reflect on our core valuesespecially in terms of missioncommunity lifeministry and personnel." Some guiding principleswere also added: "In moving forward we bear in mind that this isa project of six Oblate Provinces in Canadathat this project must becarried out in stagesit must guarantee that our choices concerning missionand ministry have precedence over structurethat it will underline theimportance of our Oblate historyour languageour culture and our identitythat it will enhance the strength of the local communitythat it willinclude the involvement of non-Oblate associatesfinally that it willbe sensitive to the feelings that accompany all change." Thequestions relate to the various fields indicated above. Here are someof them. On the mission: "What do you most value about the currentmission of the Oblates of your Province?" On community life: "Whatwould be your hopes for community in a new Canadian Oblate reality? Whatwould be your fears about this?" On ministry: "In your opinionare there ministries that could be created in your Province? Why?"On personnel: " What are your hopes for your brother Oblates as wemove toward coming together?" One identical question concludes eachtopic: "What arein your opinionthe positive and negative aspectsour historyour languageour cultureour identity as a Province thatwould affect our missionour community life.... in this process of restructuring?" A synthesisof the answers was presented to a meeting of the six Provincials and theirCouncils January 25 and 261999. Three Oblates were then named to a "RestructuringCommittee"Frs Glenn ZIMMER (of St Mary'spresident)Tim COONEN(St Paul's) and Leo MANNProvincial of St Mary's. The following stepsare foreseen. A new meeting of Provincials and their Councils in February2000 should lead to a statement to be presented for consultation to allOblates "to better understand what the members wantand to see ifthere is consensus." It is expected that this will lead to a "CharterProposal" in 2001allowing – if all goes according to plan– the inauguration of the new Province in 2003. As forthe French-speaking Provinces of eastern Canada (Saint-Joseph and Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire)here is what the September Informations oblates of Notre-Dame-du-Rosairewrote under the significant title: "What we can do togetherletus do!" "June 15 and 16the two Provincial Councils of Quebecand Montreal met in Cap-de-la-Madeleine. The climate of the talks couldnot have been more constructive. As one participant put it in the evaluation:'We are really making the unification of our Provinces from the groundupat the level of our ministries. We have gone beyond the stage of simpleformation. It is up to us to dare even more!' The exchanges of these twodays related mainly to the need to unify our efforts on the level of youthministry and to concentrate even more on the various stages of first formation." As amatter of factthe question of the number of Oblate Regions in Americawas raised at the General Chapter in September 1998. The Chapter decidedon a purely provisional basis to maintain the United States Regionalthoughit is made up of only one Province. The question of a new arrangementremains open: regrouping Canada-United States in one Region? With whatconsequences for the Region of Latin America?

Canada:Joint meeting of scholastics

Fromthe St Peter's Province newsletter dated October 4: "From FridayAugust 27 to Tuesday the 31stall Oblate candidates in first formationin Canada met with their formators at Villa Maria Retreat House in St-NorbertManitoba. The sessions were in French and English. The major focus wasto look at the Chapter documents and to reflect on how they affect ouryoung Oblates in Canada today. Three ProvincialsFrs Chris RUSHTON (StPeter's)William WALKER (St Paul's) and Jean-Paul ISABELLE (Manitoba)were in charge of guiding the reflection on the various parts of the documentswhich were then studied in groups to discuss their implications." Chrisunderlines several points. There are 23 scholastics for the Region; theirages range between 24 and 47. They represent a very international backgroundwithin the Canadian context: Vietnamthe PhilippinesPeruHaitiFirstNationsEnglish-speakingFrench-speaking. Chris then notes "thequality of the dialogue and the sensitivity to languages and the culturalnuances." He underlines finally "their hopetheir enthusiasmtheir passion for justicepeace and poverty issues."

Canada:Oblates and native languages

TheBulletin of Western Canadian Publishers (June/July 1999) published a shortstudy by Mr. Claude Robertoof the University of Alberta: "The MissionaryOblates and the preservation of native languages." "The roleof the Oblates in preserving the various Amerindian languagesand therebythe preservation of Amerindian culturestill remains little known. YetFrs Albert LACOMBE (1827-1916)Emile LEGAL (1849-1920)Valentin VÉGRÉVILLE(1829-1903)Emile PETITOT (1838-1917)Laurent LE GOFF (1840-1932)JosephDOUCET (1847-1942)Jean-Louis LE VERN (1871-1960)Léo BALTER(1873-1948) and Jean LESSARD (1911- 1966) are among those Oblates whomade possible the preservation of native languages...." "Wecannot fail to note the important place of Oblates in the publishing industryin Western Canada." Several periodicals using Assiniboine or Creeare mentioned. "The Oblate books in native languages were a significantelement in the preservation of native languages and cultures in the Indianmissions and residential schools... Teaching the Christian religion inAmerindian languages to the children of the residential schools was apriority for the Oblates...." "TheOblate missionaries learned the native languages thanks to continual practicewith the Amerindians. Moreover they assimilated the native languages evenbefore the Amerindians started to learn the European languages...." "Todayin some instances more than one hundred years after their publicationthe Oblate works in native languages are still a paramount element inthis area. Since the traditions of the native people are oralthe variousprograms of Amerindian studies available on the reservations or in theCanadian universities still use these old Oblate publications. The Messagerdu Sacré-Coeur(according to Fr CARRIÈRE: PetiteRevue du Sacré-Coeur)published in Cree from 1906 on the initiativeof Fr Léo BALTERa Belgian Oblatedescribes in this languageapproximately 70 years of Amerindian historythat has not yet been translatedinto French or English. It will prove to be a major tool during the nextmillennium to recall Amerindian history in the context of the native claims...."

Newsfrom Rome

At290 Via Aurelia in Rome

Thebeginning of a new year is an occasion to give an update on some changeswhich have occurred in the various communities and services at 290 ViaAurelia. July15Fr Thomas COUGHLINof the United States Provincetook over as SecretaryGeneral of the Congregation. In the General Secretariat and the TreasurerGeneral's officethe Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siennafromthe Philippinesreplaced the Apostoliques de Marie Immaculée whohad worked there for 42 years. They returned to France last spring. TheGeneral House community lost two of its members. Fr Paul PIRLOTlibrarianpassed away on February 6. Brother Leopold STOLZ died in Hünfeldon June 2. He had left Rome a few months earlierafter 65 years of servicebut continued to belong to our community. On theother handthe General House community received three new members. BroDonald CLAERHOUT arrived from St Mary's (Canada) in June to help withthe many daily tasks of maintenancetransportetc. Fr Vicente LOUWAGIEwho for a few months had been pro- Secretary Generalis now part of ourcommunity. The General Council entrusted him with the "temporarypost" of "Director of Reorganization". Fr Henry LEMONCELLIfrom the United States Provincehas been working since the beginningof November as an addetto di Segreteria (attaché of thesecretariat) at the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Lifeand the Societies of Apostolic life. The General Council also gave himthe responsibility of "Moderator of the student Fathers." Letus also note that since OctoberFr Marek ROSTKOWSKI is the assistantlibrarian of the Pontifical Missionary Library and the Library of thePontifical Urbaniana University. It is well known that Fr Willi HENKELhas been librarian there since 1972after having been assistant to FrROMMERSKIRCHEN for six years. Fourstudent Fathers set out again for their Provinces at the end of theirstudies in Rome: Frs Gasner JOINT of HaitiBejoy D'CRUZE of BangladeshNicodemus MAKHALEMELE of Lesotho and Joseph LABELLE of the United States.They were replaced by Frs Sylvester DAVID (Natal / biblical theology)Macaire MANIMBA (Congo / History of the Church) and Raymond JAHAE (Germany/ philosophy). All three study at the Gregorian University. On the wholeRome is home to thirteen student fathers this year.

Atthe International Scholasticate

A certainnumber of scholastics of the International Scholasticate returned to theircountry: Martin SEDLON (Czech Rep.)James ERVING (USA)JesúsDE LA CRUZ (Mexico)Heleno DA SILVA (RecifeBrazil)Jeyanthan PACHCHEK(JaffnaSri Lanka)Kapena SHIMBOMEH (Namibia)Evans CHINYEMBA (Zambia)and Patrick CHISO (Zambia). They were replaced by Daniel SZWARC (Poland)Mariusz WILK (Poland)Tomas VYHNALEK (Czech Rep.)Jean-Ocelin CIVIL(Haiti)Néstor ETCHEPARE (Uruguay)Arun William ROZAIRO (Bangladesh)Stephen Koenane MOLEFI (Lesotho) and Abidon MTCHOTSA (Zambia). November30Fr Paolo ARCHIATIcurrently superior of the Italian Province scholasticateat Vermicino/Frascatiwas named superior of the International Scholasticatein Rome. Next June 1st he will succeed Fr Francis SANTUCCIwho has filledthis post for the past six years. Thusa total of 29 nationalities are represented at 290 via Aurelia: 11 fromEurope6 from America5 from Asia and 7 from Africa.

Newsubway station

Another bit of newswhich is not without interest both for the residents of 290 Via Aureliaas for their visitorsis the opening of a subway station a few minuteswalk from the General Houseannounced for the end of 1999. The subway line– Linea A – will go then from Anagnina (in the east of Rome) toBattistini (western districts). It passes through Termini (Rome's main railwaystation)Piazza di SpagnaOttaviano (close to the Vatican)Valle AureliaBaldo degli Ubaldi. The Baldo degli Ubaldi stationbelow the General Houseis closest to 290. From therea short climb up the Via Albornoz leads tothe Madonna del Riposo chapel and the Via Aureliaand then a left turntowards 290.

Thesession for new Provincials

Theorientation session for new major Superiors took place at the GeneralHouse from the 10 to 27 of November. Frs Eugene KINGVicar GeneralTomSINGER and Ronald ROLHEISERGeneral Councillorswere the organizers.Fr Gilles COMEAU came from Canada to help with the simultaneous translation. Twenty-fournew major Superiors took part. From EuropeFrs Pawel LATUSEK of PolandMark KEMSEKE of Belgium-NorthLuis Ignacio ROIS of SpainFrank JOBSTof Scandinaviaand Jacek PYL of the Ukraine. From CanadaFrs Jean-ClaudeGILBERT of Notre-Dame-du- RosaireWilliam WALKERof St Paul'sand ChristopherPULCHNY of Assumption. From the United StatesFr David KALERT. From LatinAmericaFrs Armando LOPEZ of MexicoMaurice GAUTHIER of HaitiMarcosRIVAROLA of Pilcomayo/ParaguayPaulo Joanil DA SILVABrazil (SãoPaulo)Martin BYRNE of the Delegation of Central Brazil. From Asia- OceaniaFrs Jeevendra PAUL of JaffnaFederico LABAGLAY of the PhilippinesWenceslaoLAGUIDAO of JapanJohn McLAUGHLIN of Indonesiaand Angelo MARTYN ofBangladesh. From Africa-MadagascarFrs Allan MOSS of NatalMichael MORRISSEYCentral Province of South AfricaAugustinus BANE of LesothoPaul MANESSANDONGO of the Congoand Ronald CARIGNAN of Zambia.

Inthe Regions

Anglo-IrishProvince: Holy Cross in Liverpool: 150 years

On March25 last yearfeast of the Annunciationcelebrations marked the 150thanniversary of Holy Cross parish in Liverpool. The Mass of thanksgivingconcelebrated by about thirty priestswas presided over by the archbishopthe Most Rev. Patrick Kelly. The Lord Mayor represented the city and awoman member of Parliamentthe Labour Party. The Anglican community wasalso represented. Fifteen minutes before the beginning of the celebrationeven the 400 seats which had been added were all occupied. Fr. AnthonyQUINLANProvincialwelcomed the assembly.... January1849150 years agowas the time of the great famine in Ireland. Eachday900 Irishmen fled their country and landed at the port of Liverpool.The district where Holy Cross iswas servedrather badlyby a priestbased at St. Anthony's. Towards the end of the yearFr Casimir AUBERTsent to England by Bishop de Mazenod as canonical visitorbegan talkswith Bishop George Brownthen Apostolic Vicar of Lancashire. In September1850when the Catholic hierarchy was restored in England by Pius IXBishop Brown would became the first Catholic Bishop of Liverpool. He entrustedthe "Mission of Holy Cross" to the Oblates in January 1850.Fr John NOBLE was named superior. He was then 26 years oldhad been bornin Dublin and owed his Oblate vocation to Fr. William DALYthe firstIrish Oblate. Fr Charles JOLIVETfuture Vicar Apostolic of Natal (SouthAfrica)was part of the community of five Oblates. Fr Jolivethimself tells of these beginnings. "Upon his arrival at Holy CrossFr Noble found a shabby chapel and some even shabbier schoolsthe wholebuilt above a cowshed. He also found a population almost entirely Catholicbut very poor and degraded by misery and drunkenness. The ministers oferror tried to benefit from these circumstances to make followers. Theyhad established in Hodson Streetan exclusively Catholic localityaschool of Protestant proselytismthe kind known in England under thenot very flattering name of ragged school. They attracted the Catholicchildren with the lure of food and clothing that they gave them in exchangefor their faith and religion. In vain did our Fathers denounce this institutionfrom the pulpit and threaten with divine anger the parents who would lettheir children go there; these parentsthe majority of whom were givenover to drinkingdid not attend church. We resolved to take by stormthis citadel of Satan...." Fr. James EGANan Irishmanpriest for34 years who had just made his profession as an Oblateorganized in thestreet opposite the school a temperance meeting and convinced the parentsto withdraw their children from it... We then worked to set up a Catholicschoolable to accommodate 1200 pupilsthat with the construction ofa large and beautiful churchwill be the principal work of Fr Noble andthe Oblates. Letus quote also a report of 1893: At Holy Cross"the Oblates are intheir element. The population belongs to the working classpoorbutgenerous. Nowhere is the Church more largely supported by the offeringsof the faithful. Thanks to this generositythe considerable debts ofthe beginning have just about disappeared and we have been able to completethe church and add to its adornment. At the beginning of the Missionthe Catholic population was 12000 souls. Later for sanitation reasonsa great number of dwellings were removedthus decreasing by half ourpopulation...." "Howthings have changed in the inner city of Liverpool since those heroicdays!"exclaimed the Provincial. "Much good has been achieved:new housingschoolsparisheschurchescommercial and recreationalcentres. Animosity between the Christian Churches has disappeared. Butthe heart was taken out of Holy Cross when the community was decimatednot by the warbut by the city planners. The parish has been virtually"gutted" in recent years by the demolition of the old tenementsand the dispersal of parishioners to the suburbs. The community has beenreduced to 200 households and roughly 400 parishioners of whom 120 areelderly people living alone or in sheltered accommodation." The currentpriest is Fr Christopher DUNNE. "It is thanks to his generosity thatwe are able to continue to serve the population of Holy Cross" addedthe Provincialto the thunderous applause of the assembly.

TheUnited States Province: Meeting of community superiors

TheOctober Communiqué of the General Council already notedthis gathering of community superiorsattended by Fr Tom SINGERGeneralCouncillor for the United Statesas facilitatorFr Ronald ROLHEISERGeneral Councillor for Canadaas a speaker with Bro Loughlan Sofieldof the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinityan institute foundedin America. The United States Province newsletterOMI USAdevotesa double page to this session. Somesixty Oblates met at Christ the King Retreat House in BuffaloMinnesotafrom August 29 to September 2. The purpose was to focus on the meaningand means of building apostolic community. The best way to summarize theprincipal theme is to once again look at numbers 6 and 7 of the 1992 Chapterdocument Witnessing in Apostolic Community: "We choose communityas a way whereby we are unceasingly evangelized and can be witnesses ofthe Good News in today's world.... We recognize the limits of individualismand the fruitfulness of community...." Openingthe sessionFr David KALERTProvincial of the United Statesemphasizedthe sharing among the participants: to become acquaintedto share informationto be a resource to one another. It was indeed the first meeting of superiorsinside the new Province which was established last February. He stressedthat "the focus of the meeting was our life rather than our ministryour community rather than our missionour being rather than our doing." Variousquestions concerning the Province were also tackled: consultation forthe appointment of superiorssessions for new superiorsthe visitationof each community"difficult" questionsannual retreatslayassociatesmissionsformation.... A Province assembly is envisaged forNovember 13-172000 in AlbuquerqueNew Mexico. Theconcluding prayer mentioned the young Oblatesthat their generosity andtheir creativity be welcomed; the elderly Oblatesthat there be placefor their ministry of simple presence; the middle-aged Oblatesthat theydo not fall into sterile activism; those passing through a time of crisisthat they find support as their fidelity is tempered by trial.

Newprenovitiate in Florida

A new prenovitiatewas opened by the Province of the United States in the former convent ofSt. Stephen's parish in Miramar in Floridaabout thirty kilometers northof Miami. Four prenovices were welcomed by the directorFr Jim ALLEN. Theparishserved by Frs Steve CONSERVA and John CURRANmodified its setupto receive them. They will follow courses in bilingual institutions (Englishand Spanish) of the Diocese of Miami. Let us recall that the Province ofthe United States has two other prenovitiatesone in Buffalo (New York)under the responsibility of Fr George KIRWINthe other in TijuanaMexico(Baja California)where Fr Tom RUSH has just been named director.

Chile:The summer mission in Remulcao

Remulcao is in theDiocese of Linaresapproximately 300 km south of Santiago. Oblates havebeen working there since March 1992. For the first time the Vice-Provincehas made a foundation in a rural zone and the founders were Chileans. Theyare three todayFrs Raúl CASTROHernan CORREA and Rene GONZALEZwho has been just ordained a priest. Lastyear in ApostolatHernan spoke about Remulcao. He said he waspained to see Chilean landowners exploit other Chileans. "Extremepoverty. There is no real road or means of transportation for these peoplewho are isolated from everything. The living conditions of women are notvery pleasant. I work for the promotion of women; that little by littlethey may regain the path of human dignity...." Reavivarel Carismapublished by the Vice-Provincedevoted its February issueto the 1999 summer mission of Remulcao – obviously summer in thesouthern hemisphere. The article is by Fr Raúl. Each yeartheOblates organize a mission in a sector of their immense parish. Sevenchapels had been singled out for this year: Las HortensiasVilla RosaCarrosRemulcaoPantanillosBajos de Huenutil and Lomas de San Alberto.For the missionthey call upon volunteers who agree to offer to the Lordfifteen days or more of their life. The ideal is to be able to send four"missionaries" to each place. 28 young volunteers offered themselvesamong whom were a postulant and two prenovices. Thefirst eight days are devoted to the Mission Schooldays of intensiveformation: life as a teamsharing of choresliturgical and prayer lifewith an insistence this year on the Eucharist and Penance in the contextof the Jubilee. Thencomes the dispersal to the various chapelsunder the responsibilityof an elder. The missionaries work with the childrenthe young peoplethe adults. The report stresses that the use of puppets was a great successwith both the children and the adults. The topics selected were the Yearof the FatherGod the creatorthe merciful Godthe God of loveGodwho is close to usand false images of God.... Eachyearthe impression is the same: "the missionaries are missionedby the people who receive their message." They return home full ofrecognition for what they have receivedand those who received the missionthank the young people. Each year howeverit is difficult to count onthe same missionaries. This yearwe tried to accept some youngerones so that they can be available for several years.

SriLanka: Bombardment of the Shrine at Madhu

Severalnewspapers spoke about the artillery attack on the shrine of Madhu onNovember 20. We quote the Fides Agency: "According to officialsources44 people including 13 children were killed during the attackand more than 60 others were wounded. The victims were all part of thegroup of 3500 people who were sleeping in the main hall of the churchand the adjoining Sacred Heart chapelbecause of the fighting ragingin the area between the government troops and the Tamil "rebels".The shrine of Madhudedicated to Our Lady of the Rosaryis a place ofpilgrimage for the Catholics as well as for HindusBuddhistsMoslems. TheSri Lankan Army blamed the Tamil rebels for the massacre; but anofficial statement from Londonwhere the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) has a bureaucategorically denies any responsibility and returns the charges: "Itis the army of Sri Lanka which launched a surprise attack in the surroundingsof the shrinethus causing terror among the innocent fleeing civilians."Moreoveraccording to the LTTEin the evening of November 20a groupof government soldiers entered the shrine precincts and took hundredsof civilians as hostages. "Wedo not know where the shells came from" declared the Most Rev. JosephRayappuBishop of Mannarbut it was simply terrible." In a messageissued on the 21stthe Episcopal conference of Sri Lanka launched a newcall for a truce between the government and the rebels. The bishops askthat the area of the shrine be demilitarized and that "Madhu notbe used to obtain strategic or political gains." The Church of Mannarand of Sri Lanka is deeply painedbecause for the first time in 450 yearsa sacred place so dear to Catholics and to all the citizens of the countrywas profaned." Duringmore than a centurythe Oblates were in charge of the Madhu shrine. Diocesanpriests had succeeded them. Recently the Bishop of Mannar appointed FrStanislaus PHILIPS administrator of the shrine. Two other Oblates of theJaffna Vice-Province work with himFr Wenceslaus GNANAMUTHU and Bro JeyanthanPACHCHEKwhose priestly ordination was scheduled for January 12 in Mannar. Duringhis midday Angelus prayer on Sunday November 28 in Saint Peter's Squarethe Pope referred to this tragedy: "I am spiritually close to thebishopsthe priests and faithful who mourn the deadassist the woundedand suffer to see a shrine profaned and transformed into a place of death.I entrust to the Most Holy Virgin all the people of dear Sri Lanka andI pray that God grant the warring parties the courage to take once andfor all the path for peacewhich certainly cannot be found with weaponsin hand." Tensof thousands of people have had to flee the war zones....

Centenaryof "Bhakthi Probadhanaya"

Thesinhala magazine Bhakhti Probadhanaya (which can be translated"Growth in the faith") celebrated its hundred years last year.A Mass of thanksgivingpresided over by the Most Rev. Nicholas MarcusFernandoArchbishop of Colombowas celebrated on January 30 in Maradana.The following daya cultural meeting was hosted by Bishop Gomispresidentof the Episcopal conferencewith the presence of Oblate ProvincialFrBernard QUINTUSand many Oblates and friends. In Septemberthe PostalDepartment marked this centenary by issuing a 35 rupee postage stamp. Thismonthly review intended for Catholic families was founded in January 1899by a group of lay people concerned with Christian education. In 1930Fr Edmund PEIRISfuture Bishop of Chilawtook over the responsibilityin the name of the Oblates. There has been an immense number of both non-Oblateand Oblate collaborators during these hundred years. TodayFr Angelo WIJEWICKREMA has responsibility for the magazine. It printsapproximately 7500 copieswhich means between 15 and 20000 readers.It has become a popular and family magazineread not only by Catholicsbut also by Sri Lankans of other denominations. It is now on sale justabout everywhere in the country. "Convinced of its service to peopleof goodwillit wants to help build a just and peaceful society basedon deep human and religious values and to help establish a society whereequality between men and women will be respected. The magazine also strivesto be an instrument by which the Oblates work to promote Kingdom valuesin individualsfamilies and in Sri Lankan society."

Lesotho:Archbishop Mohlalisipresident of the Episcopal conference

Last month when mentioningthe Oblate bishops who are presidents of Episcopal conferences OMI Infoinadvertently omitted Bernard MOHLALISIArchbishop of Maseruwho is presidentof the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Lesotho. We apologize for theomission. There are thus four Oblate bishops who are currently presidentsof conferences.

CentralProvince of South Africa: Fr Claerhoutdoctor honoris causa

Fr Frans CLAERHOUTwell-known Oblate artistwas made a doctor honoris causa last yearby the University of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein"for hisachievements as a creative artist and for his dedicated life of communityservice." Here are some extracts of the short speech by the Chancellorof the University on this occasion: "Since 1961Fr Claerhout has presentedmany exhibitions in South Africaas well as in Belgiumhis native landin Germany and in the United States. His work is represented in many notedart collections... His paintingsdrawingsstatuesand poetry reflecta most sympathetic sense towards humanitydirectly derived from his positionas preacher of the Gospel.... As priest he served his community in difficultcircumstances.... His legacy lives forth through his immense contributionin adapting a sophisticated European art style to portray simple peoplein a sundrenched South African landscape."

Senegal:Towards an Oblate mission in Casamance

As aresult of the European colonization of West AfricaSenegal has a ratherparticular configuration. Gambiaa former British colony and thus English-speakingdivides Senegal into two parts about fifty kilometers one from the other.The north of Senegal is by far the bigger part. Casamancethe southernpart of Senegalis located between Gambia andin the southGuinea Bissaua country using the Portuguese language. Casamance forms the diocese ofZiguinchor for which the Annuario Pontificio indicates a surfaceof 28350 sq kma little more than Sicilyand a population of almosttwo million inhabitants including 313700 Catholicsthat is to say 157%which is the highest proportion of all Senegal. TheOblate Delegation of Senegalwhich depends on the Province of Italywas founded in 1976. Oblates have missions in the dioceses of DakarKaolackand Tambacounda. The Delegation has had plans for a foundation in Casamance.This project was favorably welcomed by the Provincial Council of Italy. Fr SanteRONCHIProcurator of missions for the Italian Provincepresents thisproject in the September Missioni OMI. "Frs Bruno FAVERO andFlavio FACCHIN will be in Temento as of October to get first hand knowledgeof the people and the language. We await the year 2000 for the officialopening of the mission. The bishopMost Rev. Maixent Colyasked us togo to Tementoone hundred kilometers from Ziguinchoras a first stepand later to move us to Saminea more significant and central localitywith a mixed population of Moslemspeople of traditional religions andChristians. Themissionary in Temento is Fr Joseph Nicola 78 year old Blessed SacramentFatherwho has spent 50 years in Senegal. He lives alonebut is helpedby catechists. The house has no electricitythe water comes from a well.The mission is located at the edge of the riveralso named Casamancein a sector shaded by large trees. There is a small chapel which is thediocesan shrine of Our Lady of Temento. TheDiolas are the most numerous ethnic group. Their spoken language has beeninfluenced by Portuguese. The villages are not as grouped together asthose of the Wolofs and in general are in the middle of the rice plantationslocated along the riverwhereas on the other side are cultivated fieldsand zones reserved for the oil palms which replaced the forest forty yearsago. Whereasthe other Oblate missions are in rather dry zonesthis area would bea real granary for the whole country if in recent years it had not sufferedfrom the activities of guerrillas demanding independence....

Books:Europe

Eugenvon Mazenod: Briefe an Oblaten in Frankreich 1856-1861. GermanTranslation by Fr. Josef METZLER of volume 12 of Oblate Writings: Lettersto Oblates in France. OMIMainz1999273 pp. GennaroCICCHESE (Italy): I percorsi dell'altro (The ways of others). Withsubtitle: "Anthropology and history". Let us quote from thepresentation of the book: "A key word of our timeothernessfully expresses the richness and contradictions of contemporary thoughtconstantly caught between the need for openness and fear of the other.With the eclipse of the idea of neighborwhich seems to characterizeour timethe risk threatening us is the excess of subjectivity. On thebasis of a neat and well documented historico-conceptual investigationand using the "hermeneutic key" of otherness understood as therelation or relationship with the other personFr Cicchese proposesto rediscover the idea of person in its double aspect of substance andrelation." Città NuovaRome1999302 pp. MadeleineDelbrêl: È stato il mondo a farci così timidi?(Is it the world which has made us so timid?) An unpublished text of M.Delbrêlwith a presentation by Fr Jean GUÉGUEN (France).Ed. BertiPiacenza199970 pp. MarcelDUMAIS (N-D.-du-Rosaire): Il Discorso della montagna. Italian translationof a study on The Sermon on the Mountpresented in OMI Information(May '96). This work was prepared for the Dictionnaire de la BibleSupplément. Elledici1999408 pp. Card.Roger Etchegaray: Eugenio de Mazenod. Translation in Spanish ofthe Petite vie d'Eugène de Mazenod by Frs Felix ERVITI andPablo FERNANDEZ (Spain). Editorial Ciudad NuovaMadridBuenos AiresMontevideoSantafé de BogotáSantiago1999190 pp. WilliHENKEL & Marek ROSTKOWSKI: Bibliographia MissionariaVol.LXII: 1998. This 62nd volume of the Missionary Bibliographypresents a list of 3093 titles: booksarticles from reviews... concerningthe missions. There are reviews of 41 works and 50 pages of index (namesof peoplesubjects covered). An imposing work. Pontifical Urbaniana UniversityRome1999390 pp. RaymondJAHAE (Germany): Sich begnügen mit dem Ungenügen (Tobe satisfied with the unsatisfactory. On the mystical experience of Hadewijch).Hadewijch is a Flemish mystic whose biography is almost unknown but wholeft a certain number of writings that date from the years 1220-1240.Fr Jahae dedicated his doctoral thesis in theology at the Johannes GutenbergUniversity of Mainz to her. After a first chapter devoted to what is knownof her life and especially of her writingsRaymond dwells on the useand meaning of the word "ghenoech" (enough/sufficiently) andits derivatives in these writings. The third chapter is an attempt atinterpretation in systematic theology. "The spirituality of Hadewijchis a look at life which wants the best and presents an unsurpassed respectfor the human being... The essential lesson that Hadewijch shares withthe Christians of today might be that we have to rediscover the extentof the inexpressible love of God for us." 1998372 pp. FernandJETTÉ: O.M.I. Ein apostolischer Mann. German translationby Fr Josef METZLER of O.M.I. The Apostolic ManA commentary on theOblate Constitutions and Rules. OMIMainz1998343 pp. AndrzejMADEJ (Turkmenistan): Dziennik miejskiego wikarego (Diary of acity priest). The current superior of the Mission of Turkmenistan collectedsome thoughtsshort reflectionsetc. on his pastoral workespeciallyamong the youthwhen he was in the Ukraine. W DrodzePoznan1995128pp. AndrzejMADEJ: Dziennik pisany nad Dnieprem (Diary written on the Dniepr).An account of the Ukraineas it comes out of the darkness of Communismwith difficulty. "People bear on their face the mark of a long andprogrammed atheisation. I was in the midst of these people so painfullywounded and lost..." PallottinumPoznan1997165 pp. GianniSANTOPIETRO(Italy): Il senso della vitacomunicare (The meaningof lifecommunicating). After a first work entitled: The meaning oflifeloving Gianni insists here on communication. "To loveis to communicate. Sharing life of each day. With the language of theheart. In a silence which is both living and welcoming." MissionariOMINaples1997190 pp. AndréSEUMOIS (General House): Féreligiões e culturas (Faithreligions and cultures). Portuguese translation of Teologia missionariapresented in OMI Info (Oct. 1993). Editorial MissõesCucujães(Portugal)1997332 pp. PawelWYSZKOWSKI (Ukraine): Moc wiary (Power of the faith). Pawelwhowas ordained last Juneis the first Ukrainian Oblate priest. He is partof the pastoral team of the Hniwan parish. Taking St Ann of Barhis parishof originas an example he presents the tormented history of the CatholicChurch in the Ukraine: persecutions and reconstruction. This book is atouching testimony to the vibrant faith of thousands of Catholicstoa faith that becomes a proclamation that "nothing can tear us awayfrom the love of Christ". This book is sold to help rebuild the Catholicchurches in the Ukraine. Ed. Misyjne DrogiOMIPoznan1998190 pp.plus photographs. PodrecznikMisjonarza Oblata Maryi Niepokalanej (Handbook of the Missionary OMI).This handbook was prepared by a group of missionaries of parish missionsunder the direction of Fr Krzystof CZEPIRSKIhimself a missionary andteacher of missiology at the Obra scholasticate. It is a rich collectionof textsprayers and monitionsoutlines for preaching and homilies forparish missions according to the Oblate tradition. OMI Poznan1999375pp.

Anniversaries
65Years of Religious Profession
17.02	6906	Bro.Joseph Duval	France
60Years of Religious Profession
17.02	7581	Bro.Jean-Charles Dutil	St-Joseph
50Years of Priesthood
02.02	7603	Fr. Joseph-GillesBrossard	St-Joseph
02.02	7851	Fr. OlivierRenaud	U.S.A.
02.02	7987	Fr. LucienVanpetegem	Belgium-North
12.02	7827	Fr. AngeloBonadio	Italy
12.02	7829	Fr. DomenicoVitantonio	Italy
12.02	7981	Fr. LucianoCupia	Italy
12.02	8095	Fr. FiorePaglione	Italy
12.02	8224	Fr. PietroBignami	Manitoba
19.02	7825	Fr. JosephBoisseau	Cameroon
19.02	7870	Fr. RogerDesplenter	Belgium-North
19.02	7903	Fr. LoïqMégret	France
19.02	7905	Fr. RenéCharrier	France
19.02	7906	Fr. YvesCaroff	Philippines
19.02	7910	Fr. DaniëlVanderghote	Belgium-North
19.02	7915	Fr. LucienCasterman	Grandin
19.02	7917	Fr. JeanVerhaeghe	N-D.-du-Rosaire
19.02	7932	Fr. AlfonsLeys	Belgium-North
19.02	8075	BishopJean Pasquier	Cameroon
19.02	8118	Fr. MichelLynde	Thailand
26.02	7894	Fr. DanielCavagne	France
26.02	7895	Fr. MarcelDalverny	Cameroon
26.02	7988	Fr. NoëlLeca	France
50Years of Religious Profession
17.02	9417	Bro.Arthur Van Hecke	Grandin
17.02	9418	Bro.Augustin Cote	U.S.A.
17.02	9448	Fr. ErnestDumont	France
19.02	7873	BishopDaniel Verstraete	CentralProv. So. Africa

OFFICIAL Suffragesfor our Deceased
Janaury2000 --- (108 -115/1)
Name	Province	Birth	Vows	Priest
Fr. BrunoLetarte + 22 November 1999 in Richelieu	St-Joseph	1912	1935	1939
Bro.Camille Thériault + 4 December 1999 in Ste-Foy (Quebec)	N.D.-du-Rosaire	1912	1934	a
Fr. GérardSion + 7 December 1999 in Notre-Dame de Lumières	France	1912	1932	1935
Fr. Jean-BaptisteGuthans + 8 December 1999 in Strasbourg	France	1911	1929	1936
Fr. GaétanLoiselle + 11 December 1999 in Richelieu	N.D.-du-Rosaire	1909	1931	1936
Fr. LionelSaint-Amour + 13 December 1999 in Ottawa	St-Joseph	1921	1948	1953
Fr. FranzRöttgermann + 26 December 1999 in Bingen	Germany	1912	1933	1938
Fr. JohnClarkson + 31 December 1999 in San Antonio	U.S.A.	1928	1949	1955
Fr. ItaloMiceli + 3 January 2000 in Tivoli	Italy	1932	1952	1958

OMI INFORMATION is an unofficial publication of the General Administration of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate C.P. 906100100 ROMA-AURELIOItaly -- Fax: (39) 06 39 37 53 22 -- E-mail<omigen@pcn.net> E-mail address of the Information Service <infomiroma@pcn.net> Editing Team: Michel Courvoisier (director)Ronald LaFramboise Giovanni CanforaFermín del BlancoWieslaw LykoWerner Rörig Printing: Zygfryd Lakwa Circulation: Théophile Le Page

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