50 years of “Loving and Forgiving”

Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo, Philippines

34th General Chapter convoked
“Écrits Oblats” online
OMI E-mail directory - Reserved Area

AORC-JPIC Orientation Sessions
INDIA – “Coming of age”
VIETNAM – Breaking ground

NEWFOUNDLAND – Bishop of 2 dioceses
ST. ALBERT (Alberta) – St. Charles Scholaticate moves

50 years of “Loving and Forgiving”

Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo, Philippines

The Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines), Bishop Angelito LAMPON was driving back to his residence after a Mass at the Asturias church. The traffic was quite heavy. A man was weaving through the slow traffic. He turned when he saw the bishop in his white cassock, then deliberately slowed down in front of him and spat.

“This is not the first time that such an incident has happened to me,” says the bishop. “But I am sure he is only among the few who still feel this way toward a Catholic priest.” It was a very minor incident, negligible even, but painful nevertheless. “One has to expect such experiences when ministering in a majority Muslim area. The more important question is how do we interiorly react to such provocation?” Bishop Lampon believes that love and forgiveness is the only way to overcome terror and hatred.

50 years of loving
When the first seven Oblates arrived in the Philippines in 1939 they were given the responsibility for the entire provinces of Cotabato and Sulu. At the time, all of Sulu was part of the Apostolic Prefecture of Cotabato. Sulu became a Prefecture and thus an independent ecclesiastical jurisdiction in 1953. It was given the status of Vicariate in 1958 and Francis McSORLEY was appointed the first bishop of the Jolo Vicariate.

Being a small Christian minority in a majority Muslim area (97%), the missionaries embraced everone in their concern, irrespective of religion. To remedy the lack of educational facilities, they began a chain of Notre Dame Schools throughout Cotabato and down the length of the Sulu Archipelago and Tawi Tawi. They introduced a newspaper and radio stations, credit unions and cooperatives to develop a cottage industry, built houses for the poor.

When Bishop Francis McSorley, the first Vicar Apostolic of Jolo, died in 1970, a Muslim population grateful for the missionaries’ contribution to developing the area, insisted that his body be buried in Jolo. “When the bishop’s body was placed inside the plane that would take it to Cotabato, the plane was not able to move because hundreds of Muslims surrounded it and insisted that the body be buried in Jolo. Thousands guarded his body which was brought in procession around Jolo before being buried in Sulu soil – a fitting witness to his great love for the people.” (Cf. OMI Doc. 165/1989) His tomb is in front of the cathedral in Jolo.

50 years of suffering and forgiving
Much of this good work went up in smoke in 1974 when civil war broke out pitting government forces against Muslim secessionists. In a fierce battle Jolo was bombed and strafed by the government forces. More than a hundred died, thousands of refugees fled to Zamboanga, the city was mostly destroyed by fire. (Cf. OMI Info No. 92, 1974). The missionaries stayed and helped rebuild.

Even though an agreement for limited autonomy has been reached with at least one of the major Muslim groups, some extremists pursue the cause and the battle between the government and the secessionists continues today in southern Mindanao and Sulu. A group known as Abusayaf has carried out some shocking kidnapping and murders. There have been repeated death threats against Christian leaders. Twenty-seven years after a friendly crowd kept Bishop McSorley’s body from being taken away, one of his successors, Bishop Benjamin De Jesus was shot dead by an assassin on Feb. 4, 1997, just a few feet away from McSorley’s tomb. Three years later, Dec. 28, 2000, another Oblate, Fr. Benjamin Inocencio, was shot and killed while driving in a street beside the cathedral. On both occasions the Muslim community authorities expressed sympathy and solidarity with the Church.

Convinced that it is only a small minority that bear ill will towards the Church, Bishop Lampon and the more than fifty clergy, women and men religious of the Vicariate continue to serve the 23,000 Catholics and 900,000 Muslims spread throughout the archipelago. The Vicariate’s fifteen schools and four social centers are open to one and all. More than 1,250 students graduated from Vicariate schools this year.

Giving thanks for 50 years
The Vicariate will hold a three-day Pastoral Assembly in October leading up to the jubilee celebration on October 28th. The theme is “Celebrating 50 years of God’s graciousness”. It will be the occasion to give due recognition to those who participated in an outstanding manner to build up the Vicariate, and to set the pastoral plan for the next five years. A total of 129 lay and religious delegates will gather for the Assembly from the ten main islands of the Vicariate. Death threats, a man spitting in the street – terror and hatred – can only be overcome with love and forgiveness.

34th General Chapter convoked

On June 1st, the Superior General, Fr. Wilhelm STECKLING, convoked the 34th General Chapter to open on August 30th 2004 at the General House of the Brothers of Christian Schools in Rome.

According to the revised Constitutions and Rules, the 29 Provincials and the 12 members of the Central Government are ex officio members of the Chapter. The latter make up 29% of the ex officio members. Each Region is in the process of electing delegates according to the number of Oblates belonging to the Region as of June 1st, the date of convocation. They elections follow the electoral procedures established by the Conference of Major Superiors of each Region. The election of delegates and substitutes is to be concluded by December 31st.

There will be 52 delegates elected by the Regions: Europe (15), Africa-Madagascar (11), Asia-Oceania (8), Canada (7), Latin America (6), United States (4). There is 1 elected delegate representing members of the General House community and other Oblates attached to it. With the 41 ex officio members and the 4 Oblates the Superior General may invite, there will be 97 capitulants at the 2004 Chapter. This is the lowest number in recent years. At the 1998 Chapter, there were 113 capitulants: 57 ex officio, 52 elected delegates and 4 Oblates invited by the Superior General.

The Pre-Capitular Commission met in July to prepare a synthesis of the responses to the questionnaires sent out earlier to the Congregation. This synthesis will be made available in a coming number of OMI Documentation.

“Écrits Oblats” online

The complete twenty-two volume series of the Founder’s writings known as the Collection Oblate Writings is now available in French on the Congregation’s web site: www.omiworld.org

An interesting feature of the presentation is the chronological index, which permits both a diachronic and a synchronic search. The diachronic order permits you to move through the writings of Saint Eugene in their classical chronological order, that is, day after day, year after year. The synchronic order makes it possible to find a certain day of the year and see what he wrote on that day in the different years.
This project is the fruit of hundreds of hours of work by Fr. Sante RONCHI, superior of the Italian scholasticate, and a whole team of helpers who scanned and proofread the material. Fr. Ronchi developed the software that runs the program. It is hoped that both the English and Spanish versions can eventually be made available.

OMI E-mail directory

Reserved Area

In answer to repeated requests by many Oblates, the OMI E-mail Directory on the Congregation’s web site, OMIWORLD.ORG, is now a password protected area of the site. The password will be given only to Oblates. Hopefully this will reduce the amount of unwanted mail that floods our e-mail everyday.

Some e-mail addresses are no longer in use. Remember to notify the webmaster for a change or deletion of address. The directory cannot be kept up to date without your help.

U.S.–MEXICO BORDER

A Pilgrimage for Hope and Life

During late October and early November of this year a pilgrimage will take place along the U.S.-Mexico border. On October 27, pilgrims will set out from Brownsville (Texas) and from San Diego California) to journey towards El Paso, the far northwest corner of Texas that borders Juarez, Mexico. Along the way they will participate in public events with local community groups, visit cemeteries where undocumented immigrants lie in unmarked graves, and in El Paso they will take part in a celebration with a local musical group, and learn more about the issues related to the tragic phenomena of border deaths, as well as some of the economic issues that cause people to journey to the north. The pilgrimage will end on November 1st, All Souls Day, as the groups join the El Paso and Juarez communities in what has become a tradition: a bi-national mass at the border fence celebrated by three local bishops from both sides of the border.

The pilgrims will make this journey to draw attention to the more than 2000 persons who have died along the U.S.-Mexico Border since 1998 while trying to reach jobs in the United States. Rebecca Phares, associate director of the U.S. Province JPIC Office in Washington, says that the purpose of the pilgrimage is “to raise awareness of the impact of current economic policies which take away the livelihoods of people and leave them with few options other than moving north so that they can earn a living for their families.”

This pilgrimage will call for the creation of more legal ways for people to enter the United States and thus avoid the dangerous trek through the desert or mountains. It will also call for a way for undocumented migrants who have contributed to our communities and economies to legalize their status.

This unprecedented event is sponsored by the U.S. Province JPIC Office together with the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Medical Mission Sisters, Columban Fathers’ Justice and Peace Office, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Maryknoll Border Team, Church World Service, and many others.

There is an open invitation to all who live at the various places along the border to take part in some way in the event. The pilgrims will need places to stay, meals and logistical support along the several hundred mile journey. For more information contact Rebecca Phares by telephone at 202-281-1608 or at Rebecca@omiusa.org. (From material by R. Phares, in the US-JPIC July Report.)

JENKINS, KENTUCKY

Friend and advisor to Mother Teresa

As Mother Teresa worked in Calcutta among the world’s poorest of the poor, Fr. Edward Randall traveled for nearly 20 years thoughout the southern United States working in poor missions. In 1980, he was appointed to a rural Appalachian parish in Jenkins, Kentucky.

Two years later, Mother Teresa expressed a desire to establish her first rural ministry in America. She decided on Jenkins and sent four nuns to work with Fr. Randall. They opened a shelter for abused women. Thus began a fifteen year friendship between Mother Teresa and Fr. Randall. He became a close friend and advisor. Whenever she visited the United States she contacted the quiet parish priest in Jenkins and invited him to accompany her on numerous trips in the United States.

Invited by the famous missionary to lead a three week retreat for Mother and her Sisters in Calcutta, India, Fr. Randall remarks: “I was really nervous at first. I felt like she should have been the one in front talking and I should have been sitting there being inspired by her.”

Today, at age 80, Fr. Randall still maintains an active schedule in Jenkins. The priest, who was at times seen with Mother Teresa in the media by millions of people around the world, has always been content working in the solitude of the Kentucky mountains. He continues to minister with the Missionaries of Charity providing the poor with clothing, food and shelter, and celebrates a Mass for the Sisters every evening.

Fr. Randall has been invited to take part in the beatification ceremony of Mother Teresa in October. He has not decided yet if he will attend the event. “The needs of the people of Jenkins must come first,” he explains. (From Oblates).

SPAIN

“Oblate martyrs” cause moves ahead

The 385 page Positio super martyrio of the 22 Spanish Oblates killed in 1936 during the civil war in Spain was finished in March this year. Fr. Eutimio GONZALEZ prepared the material for the Positio, under the direction of Fr. Francis SANTUCCI, Postulator General. It has been presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, thus moving ahead one more step the cause of their possible beatification as martyrs.

The official title of the document is: “Positio for the Beatification or Declaration of Martyrdom of the Servants of God Francisco Esteban Lacal and 21 Companions… and Candido Castán San José, Layman.” Fr. Esteban was the Oblate Provincial in Spain at the time. Mr. Castán was imprisoned with the Oblates at the scholasticate in Pozuelo which the Marxist revolutionary militia had turned into a prison. He was killed by firing squad in a field nearby with the first group of seven Oblates to be shot.

Between July and November 1936 a total of 22 Oblates faced firing squads. The loss of one third of its personnel was a hard blow to the young Province. They were among the 6,832 clergy and religious murdered during the three year civil war which was marked by rampant anti-clericalism and religious persecution. Apart from the deaths and casualties caused directly by the war itself, there are 85,940 documented cases of individual assassinations.

ANGLO-IRISH

Irish Welfare Center changes hands

After fifty years of serving Irish immigrants in Birmingham (England) the Anglo-Irish Province handed over the Irish Welfare & Information Centre to lay administration. The Archbishop of Birmingham presided a Mass of Thanksgiving on May 22nd. The Provincial, Fr. Thomas MURPHY, noted the significant symbolic gifts presented at the offertory. “A boat and suitcase reminded us of the thousands who left Ireland and who made a magnificent contribution to the city of Birmingham. A cup and saucer represented the welcome and hospitality extended by the center to those coming from Ireland. A £5 and €5 bank note represented the financial support and contributions to the work of the Irish Welfare Center from several organizations in Britain and Ireland.”

Commenting on the celebration Fr. Murphy said that it was a memorable celebration, not a sad one. “We are missionaries. Our presence is a missionary presence. When our work is done we move on. Our work in Irish Welfare Birmingham is done, and extremely well done. And so me move on and make way for competent lay people. They will continue to care for the vulnerable in the community, to be bearers of hope to so many elderly Irish who need a welcome and a helping hand.” The Provincial Council has made it known that the door is still open for chaplaincy and pastoral work within emigrant ministry. (From Provincial Council bulletin).

Lourdes and the Oblates (4)

The first diocesan pilgrimages

Soon after the recognition of the apparitions, the pilgrimages began to come to Lourdes. At first they were from the neighboring parishes, then groups from more distant places began to come. But it was ten years before the dioceses as such start coming to Lourdes as a corporate body.

The first diocese is Marseilles
The first diocese in France to come on pilgrimage to Lourdes was Marseilles. This was in October 1872. The Oblates serving at Notre Dame de la Garde shrine in Marseilles took the initiative to launch this novelty: “a diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes.” They themselves led it.

The group numbered 341 pilgrims of whom half were men. “They arrived with the blue banner of Notre Dame de la Garde, these sons of the ancient Phocaean city which became the city of Saint Lazarus, then of the Sacred Heart, and now of the Immaculate under the guidance of the late Bishop de Mazenod.” The editor of the Shrine Annals adds: “They sing their special pilgrimage hymn enthusiastically. The ceremonies and sermons go on without interruption.”

In 1873, there was a second pilgrimage from the Diocese of Marseille, this time led by the Bishop but preached by the Oblates. It is on this occasion that the Marseillais presented the Upper Basilica with a magnificent pulpit decorated with three statues: St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Lazarus. This pulpit was destroyed during the renovation of the Basilica in 1975. The statue of St. Lazarus, discovered by Fr. Bernard DULLIER in an attic of the shrine, is today in the community room of the Oblates in Lourdes.

Until the expulsion of Religious in 1903, the Oblates led the pilgrimage from the Diocese of Marseilles each year. In 1880, it was Fr. Ferdinand BENEDIC, who made a Way of the Cross for the first time on the hillside above the shrine. From 1883 to 1903, Fr. (?) ROUX, rector of Notre Dame de la Garde, was the well-known preacher of this pilgrimage.

The second is Aix-en-Provence
June 9 and 10 of 1873 Aix-en-Provence was the second diocese to organize a pilgrimage to Lourdes. “It was led in the name of the archbishop by Fr. GARNIER, Superior of the community of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Aix.” The Shrine Annals give a beautiful description of this pilgrimage, especially of the torchlight procession during which, “Fr. Garnier gave a remarkable homily in the Provencal language.” (From OMI-Documents).

ANGOLA

Rebuilding a country

The civil war, which killed at least half a million Angolans and displaced more than a third of this country's 13 million people, has been over for more than a year. Since then, more than a million people have returned to a country physically, politically and economically in ruins.

Their return is perhaps the clearest sign yet that the worst of Angola's troubles are over. But relief officials warn that some of Angola's biggest challenges may still lie ahead. “People will discover their homes have been destroyed, roads are gone, schools are gone, very little is here,” said a United Nations official overseeing the repatriation effort in M'banza Congo, about 200 miles northeast of Luanda, the capital.

The refugees return to a country where 80 percent of people have no access to basic medical care, writes Lydia Polgreen in the New York Times. More than two-thirds have no running water. A whole generation of children has never opened a schoolbook. Convincing the returning refugees that this is their home and they must rebuild it is the first task of relief workers.

The farmer starts to plow again
In Namacunde, in southern Angola near the Namibian border, Bro. Mwenapu A. BULA-BULA helped the people begin an farming cooperative which provides them with work and a means of livelihood. The first and most difficult step, says Bro. Bula-Bula, was to convince people that it is possible to rebuild their lives, and to encourage them to take up their plows again and to return to the fields that have lain fallow because of the war.

The help of village leaders was enrolled to win over some families to join in this cooperative, involving community work and eventual sharing in costs and profits. This year 570 hectares of land in five villages within the parish have been planted. There are 17 community fields, which it is calculated can serve 250 families or 1,750 persons. Seeds and farming equipment have been bought with help from relief agencies and foreign benefactors. One important purpose of the project is to free people from dependence on relief services and to help them become self-sufficient.

Learning one’s rights and duties
Another important dimension of reconstruction is instructing people in their rights and duties. Fr. Clement MULEWU MUNUMA, who is chaplain of the PROMAICA (Promotion of the Angolan Woman in the Catholic Church) at Saint Andrew’s parish in Luanda, organized two training sessions on human rights in May and June this year.

Using the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Humans Rights (1948) and the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1967), he explained the origin of human rights and the rights and duties of citizens in society and the family. The objective of the sessions was to make the women aware of their rights in order to assert them and especially to take part in rebuilding the country in peace and with respect for the rights of all.

Many of the women in the group could neither read nor write, and hardly understood Portuguese. This is one of the consequences of a war which deprived an entire generation of people from access to an education. Explanations were given in some of the local languages like Kimbundu, Umbubdu, Cuaniama, Ngangela, Ciocue and Songo.

PROMAICA (Promotion of the Angolan Woman in the Catholic Church) was begun in 1990 by Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga, Bishop of the Diocese of Bengela in Angola. This movement is concerned with the development of the Angolan woman and also offers material aid to the most needy. It is present in all the parishes of the dioceses of Angola.

Looking to the future, Fr. Clement plans training programs for the women of Saint Andrew’s in the manufacture of soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, jams, and the like. This will afford them a source of income to stabilize the economic basis of their families.

KEIMOES-UPINGTON

Missionaries in demand

Bishop Edward RISI of Keimoes-Upington, has appealed to the Oblate Inter-Provincial Conference (IPC) of the sub-region, for assistance to reinforce the personnel in his diocese. In the three years since his appointment Bishop Risi has assessed the needs of what is the largest ecclesiastical circumscription in South Africa. It extends from the South Atlantic Ocean to the west along the entire border of Namibia and part of Botswana to the north, an area of 272,265 sq km. That is about the combined size of Great Britain and Lesotho.

There are currently 8 diocesan priests and 14 religious clergy to serve the more than 53,000 Catholics spread over this vast area. Before appealing to other congregations and institutes, Bishop Risi turned first to his own religious family. He is asking the Oblates to take over the large area on the eastern corner of the diocese known as Prieska. Knowledge of Afrikaans, Tswana and even some Sotho languages would be required to minister there. An international team of Oblates from various countries could also be envisaged.

Frs. Augustinus BANE and Michael MORRISSEY, representing the IPC, went to Keimoes-Upington in May to assess the situation. They will report to the IPC at its next meeting in September. (From the Maoblata).

PALA, CHAD

Catholic Radio expands

The Diocese of Pala set up “Radio Terre Nouvelle” (Radio New World) in July 2000. With studios and transmitting facilities at Bongor the signal of the 500 watt station reaches about 300,000 people within a radius of about 75 kilometers. In March this year, Bishop Jean-Claude BOUCHARD had the pleasure of opening a relay antenna post in Pala. The Governor of West Mayo-Kebbi prefecture and other civil authorities were present for the occasion. Radio Terre Nouvelle can now reach approximately one million people.

Precious tool for education and unity
In his address at the dedication, Bishop Bouchard noted that this station is the only means of communication available to the people of the prefecture and the even for the people in neighboring north Cameroon who share the same languages. “This means of communication should permit people to communicate, to speak, to listen, to transmit news. But it can and should be more than that. It must be a precious tool for the education and formation of people and society. Everyone knows that ignorance is the major obstacle to people assuming responsibility for their personal, social and political life. A radio that would broadcast only music, brief news and words that mean little, would not be fulfilling its duty as an instrument of education and formation. That means that everyone must be involved. May this radio be at the service of all, without distinction of ethnic group, language or religion; may it be a tool for the unity of the country.”

Broadcasting in 8 languages
Since the broadcasts reach a much broader population, Radio Terre Nouvelle trained three new journalists in the use of Moundang, Zeem and Ngambaye, thus bring to eight the number of languages used by the station. The other languages already in use are Massa, Moussei, Tupuri, Arabic and French.

So that each linguistic group can have an equal share in the distribution of broadcasting time, the transmission time in the afternoon has been increased to five hours (15,30 to 20,30) and two hours added in the morning, 6 to 8 a.m. The new listeners are so enthusiastic that many can be seen walking in town with their radio in hand.

Good news and bad news
While there is great rejoicing at the expanded capabilities of the radio station, Fr. Joseph THÉVENET, director of the station, notes his concern. New facilities and new personnel mean an increase in expenses, or rather, he says, “an increase of the deficit!” Budget for the year is about 50 million CFA francs (€80,000). The amount contributed by each of the 31 parishes in the diocese covers but a fraction of that amount. Fr. Thévenet is very grateful to the continued support of benefactors in Rome and Germany and international NGOs, and welcomes readily all contributions..

AORC-JPIC Orientation Sessions

The Asia-Oceania Regional Conference’s JPIC Committee, in partnership with the General Service of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation sponsored an orientation session from August 12th to 20th at De Mazenod House in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The program included a visit to the war-ravaged peninsula of Jaffna and the surrounding villages. There were thirty three participants coming from all types of social ministries in the Region: 20 Oblates, four Holy Family of Bordeaux Sisters, three Apostolic Carmel Sisters, one Good Shepherd Sister, one SFO Brother and two lay co-workers.

The first part of the session was a lively and interactive discussion on the new context of Asia with Prof. Liyanage, Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission Chair, Dr. Coomaraswamy, the International Monetary Fund representative, Dr. Carter and Jun Mercado, Director of the General Administration’s JPIC Service leading the discussions. The four-day session was a good opportunity not only for frank and open exchanges between “experts” and “practitioners” but also for forging common understanding on how the fast changing political and economic realities in Asia impact crucial JPIC issues like migration, poverty reduction, sustainable development and conflict resolution and peace process.

The most interesting part was the exposure program organized by Frs. Jeevendra PAUL and Rohan SILVA. It was a time of real enrichment and deepening of the commitment to JPIC as well as a time of “camaraderie” among JPIC ministers who often live lonely and dangerous lives. The long bus trip from Colombo to the Jaffna Peninsula was enlivened by prayers, popular songs, and the like, that showed the diverse talents and gifts of the JPIC ministers.

The first stop was at the National Marian Shrine of Madhu. It was the day after the Feast of the Assumption. The sight of an estimated 400,000 pilgrims from all walks of life, from both the North and South of the country, passing through two check points – that of the Sri Lankan Security Force and then that of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) – points to a divided country and also to Mary as a powerful symbol of unity and peace, at least for the Christians of the land. The Madhu Shrine is declared and recognized as a Peace Zone. The Bishop of Mannar, his Vicar General and the Director of Caritas were there to welcome the participants and to share their experiences and insights about the war as well as their ministries for peace and reconciliation.

The next day was a journey through the LTTE controlled territory – from Vavunya to the Elephant Pass, the gateway to Jaffna Peninsula. There the group was welcomed and feted by Mr. S.P. Tamilselvan, the Head of the LTTE’s Political Wing at Kilinochchi, the seeming “Capital” of the Tigers’ controlled territory. The straightforward sharing and discussion on the LTTE’s history and struggle was very enlightening, to say the least. It is here that Fr. Edmund REGINALD and a few lay volunteers began a ministry of counselling the victims of war. Through the painstaking effort of listening and trauma processing the victims are once again empowered to move forward with their lives and scars.

The third day was a sad journey through the ravages of civil war. It was a journey akin to Jesus’ “Via Dolorosa”. No words can describe fully the extent and depths of the destruction – both to physical lives and properties. The sight of bombed buildings, houses, the displaced persons, the cemeteries of the victims and combatants, the forces of occupation and the long and seeming endless stretches of mine fields are constant reminders of sins and the need for redemption.

The fourth day was a journey back to Colombo. Everyone was awed and transformed by the experience. Each went home enriched by the experiences and the camaraderie of persons with a kindred spirit. And thus a new JPIC network in the Asia-Oceania Region was born. The credit belongs to the two Oblate Provincials in Sri Lanka (Oswald FIRTH of Colombo and Jeevendra PAUL of Jaffna) and to the General Administration through its JPIC Service that generously contributed to making this pioneering experience of a JPIC Orientation Session in situ a reality. (Submitted by Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Director of the GS-JPIC).

INDIA

“Coming of age”

One might say that the Oblate Delegation of India came of age on May 21st as the first class of nine novices to be trained by an Indian novice master made their first vows. They are of course not the first Indian novices to make vows. The first novitiate in India was opened in 1973 at Bangalore, only five years after the first two Sri Lankan Oblates arrived. It was later transferred to Poonamallee. However in recent years the Indian novices have made their novitiate in Sri Lanka with the novices of the Colombo Province which is responsible for the Delegation.

With the increase in the number of Indian Oblates it was decided to reopen a novitiate in India with a “son of the soil” as novice master. On May 20, 2002, the Delegation Superior Fr. Pathinathan MISSIAN blessed the new house and installed Fr. Francis Xavier ANTHONYSAMY as the novice master and Fr. Tomy Thomas KALLOOR as the socius. The nine novices arrived in the evening to begin their novitiate. A year later on St. Eugene’s day they pronounced their first vows in the presence of many priests from the diocese, family and friends.

As they moved on to the scholasticate, another group of eleven new novices took their place and began their year of initiation to religious life at St. Joseph’s Novitiate at Arpanalayam. This brings the number of professed Oblates in India to 61 (33 priests, 5 Brothers and 23 scholastics). With 33 students in the juniorate and another 30 in the philosophy house of studies, the future of the Delegation appears very bright. (From the Bharath Oblate Regional News).

VIETNAM

Breaking ground

August 14 was a memorable day for the Vietnam Mission as six postulants began their novitiate in Bangkok (Thailand) with Fr. Vincent L. as associate novice master. They were prepared for novitiate by a team of expatriate Oblates living in France and Canada who took turns making extended stays with them in Vietnam.

It is foreseen that these young men will pursue philosophical and theological studies in their home country in institutes recognized by the civil authorities. For this purpose land has been bought in Saigon and plans are moving ahead for the construction of an appropriate lodging to welcome them in September of 2004. Another group of postulants is preparing to follow in their footsteps next year.

A little known fact is that there are currently twelve Vietnamese Oblates. The first is Fr. Joseph LINH who entered the Congregation in 1948 and was a missionary in Laos until the expulsion in 1976. He then joined the former France-Est Province. He is now 80 years old. The others, while born in Vietnam or Laos, came to know the Oblates in France, Australia and Canada. They minister in those countries. Some have been involved in preparing this first novice group.

NEWFOUNDLAND

Bishop of 2 dioceses

His Holiness Pope John Paul II named Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., as Bishop of St. George's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Bishop Crosby will remain Bishop of Labrador City-Schefferville, a position he has held for more than five years.

Bishop Crosby is an active member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and is currently the Chairman of its English Sector Episcopal Commission for Liturgy. Since 2002, he has also been Vice Chairman of the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL).

The Diocese of St. George's has been vacant since last April when Bishop Raymond J. Lahey was named Bishop of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. St. George's has 28 diocesan priests, one priest who is a member of a religious order, one permanent deacon, 25 women religious, and three lay pastoral ministers serving a Catholic population of 38,000 in 56 parishes and missions. (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops - Ottawa).

ST. ALBERT (Alberta)

St. Charles Scholaticate moves

At its annual meeting in January the Formation Board of St. Charles Scholasticate decided to move the scholasticate from St. Albert (Alberta) to Ottawa (Ontario) for the beginning of the 2003 academic year. Originally the scholasticate for St. Mary’s Province, St. Charles has served for many years as an inter-provincial scholasticate for the English-speaking Provinces: St. Mary’s, St. Paul’s, St. Peter’s, Grandin, Manitoba and Assumption. The Provincials of these Provinces and their respective directors of formation make up the Formation Board.

The following are some of the more significant reasons for the move: the ability to live and study in a bilingual (French/English) environment; the strong academic and pastoral reputation of Saint Paul University, an Oblate institute that offers programs in both French and English; the frequent presence of Oblates from around the world in the Ottawa area; participation in the Centre for Ministry Formation at Saint Paul University where there are excellent opportunities for supervised pastoral ministry; and the opportunity to take courses in missiology.

The new Superior, Fr. Tadeusz (Ted) NOWAK with Bro. Thomas CAVANAUGH as assistant, make up the formation team. The scholasticate is located in the Deschâtelets Residence at 175 Main Street, Ottawa. (St. Peter’s Province newsletter).

DE MAZENOD Eugene (France): Diary 1837. English translation of the Founder’s diary for the year 1837. Collection Oblate Writings Vol. 18. Translated by Michael HUGHES and Ronald ZIMMER. Oblate General Archives, Rome, 2002, 329 pp.

FORBES Dalston (Colombo): Selected Writings. A collection of articles written by the author during the past thirty years. Published by the Centre for Society & Religion as part of the QUEST Series (No. 151). October 2002, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 124 pp.

GAUTHIER Roger (St. Joseph): Prier les Psaumes avec le Christ. (Praying the Psalms with Christ) An attempt to re-write the psalms in a vocabulary close to daily life. The author makes an effort to distance himself from the mentality proper to the Old Testament and to favor a Gospel vision of existence in order to promote a filial encounter with the God-Father announced by Jesus. Fides-Médiaspaul, Quebec, 2003, 253 pp.

HRYNIEWICZ Waclaw (Poland): Chrzes´cijan´stwo nadziei. Przyszos´c´ wiary i duchowos´ci duchowos´ci (Christianity of Hope. Future of Christian Faith and Spirituality). The author develops his intuition that Christianity is at its beginnings and bases his meditations on the conviction that the future of Christianity will depend a lot on whether it will become more paschal, more serene and closer to ordinary life, more forbearing for human weaknesses and more friendly towards humans. “Znak”, Krakow, 2002, 428 pp.

HRYNIEWICZ Waclaw (Poland): Nadzieja uczy inaczej. Medytacje eschatologiczne. (Hope teaches otherwise. Eschatological meditations). In twenty-five meditations, the author develops a reflection about the hope in universal salvation, challenging with biblical and theological arguments the doctrine of eternal condemnation. “Verbinum”, Warszawa, 2003, 285 pp.

JAHAE Raymond (Netherlands and Flanders): Finality in Nature According to Kant and Blondel. Doctoral thesis submitted to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Rome, 2003, 263 pp.

MESSERI Antonio (Italy): La Concezione della Missione in Mons. Marcello Zago, OMI. (The Concept of Mission in … ). Dissertation for the licentiate in Missiology submitted to the Faculty of Missiology of the Pontifical Gregorian University. The author studies the concept of mission in Zago’s writings during the period he was Superior General (1986-1998). Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Rome, 2003, 109 pp.

PIELORZ Joseph (France-Benelux): Articles. Collection of articles by the author published in Missions O.M.I. between the years 1955 and 1971. Private printing. Liège, 2003, 330 pp.

PIELORZ Joseph (France-Benelux): Articles. Collection of articles by the author published in Études Oblates between the years 1954 and 1971. Private printing. Liège, 2003, 482 pp.

PIES Norbert J. (Germany): Vom Flaumbach in die weite Welt. (From the Banks of the Flaumbach into the Whole, Wide World). A history of the 100 years of Oblate presence at Maria Engelport. The editor has included some twenty pages on the early history of this monastery prior to the Oblates’ arrival, 1220 to 1903. Private printing. 2003, 309 pp.

OFFICIAL

Suffrages for our Deceased

Bro. Lionel Cusson (St. Joseph) in Richelieu

Formation Desk Bulletin

No. 8 – September 2003

The General Formation Committee Meeting

São Paulo, Brazil – February 22 to March 1, 2003

The topic for this meeting was: “a common vision for Oblate formation at the regional level.” By this the committee means the incarnation of the Oblate charism based on our common Oblate values but lived in the local culture according to the vision and needs of a given Region. It also recognizes that these values will take on various shapes according to the units. The most important thing is to speak the same language.

The committee found that it was necessary, in a missionary Congregation like our own, that each Region first develop a regional vision of Mission while recognizing and respecting the priorities and the values of each unit. This missionary vision will lead to greater collaboration in formation at the regional level.

Thus the committee praised the various projects launched by the General Council: the regency program, consolidation of formation houses and the peer visits to the houses of formation. The committee underlined the need to promote the missionary dimension in formation through these projects. Among the few strategies which the committee proposed to the Superior General and his Council, as well as to the Major Superiors for the realization of these projects it is necessary to mention an active animation and sensitizing of Oblates, with the possibility of bringing this topic to the next General Chapter. The committee encourages the Major Superiors to establish inter-provincial formation houses in order to capitalize our human and financial resources.

It became clear in the committee’s discussions that there is a need to find a place in the formation programs in our houses for training in Justice and Peace, financial management and responsibility, and the study of foreign languages.

Fr. Baudouin Mubesala, OMI
Assistant General