Letter to the Congregation
for our Oblate Anniversary – February 17th

Dear Oblates and friends,

On February 17th we will celebrate the anniversary of the approval of our Congregation and of our Rules in 1826. Since then, 179 years have passed and we still draw joy and strength from that gracious and extraordinary affirmation we received from Pope Leo XII. This year our celebration flows into another commemoration: the 10th anniversary of our Founder's canonization. For a second time, in 1995, our charism, as it unfolded in the life and ministry of St. Eugene, was strongly affirmed by the Church. We continue to be energized by the memory of that wonderful day.

We can link these events to the grace of the last General Chapter with its stirring call to our "Witnessing to Hope", in a Congregation that experiences a new springtime in several parts of the world. The new General Council has just finished its first full plenary session, savoring the richness of the new call and working on making it fruitful.

Affirmation is crucial for the growth of any person. As human beings we need to experience that we are loved for our own sake in order to grow and to meet the challenges of life. As Oblates – an apostolic community bearing the same charism and mission as St. Eugene – we, too, need to stop and savor the confirmation of love and appreciation. Hence the importance of celebrating our feasts and anniversaries.

Yes, we do need generous affirmation to give us strength when challenges and contradictions arise. Let us recall the recent tsunami disaster that affected the life of our Oblate brothers and their beloved people in Sri Lanka and India . The response of the Congregation is an affirmation of brotherhood. For decades Oblates stand and work in solidarity with our confreres in the Congo , as they persevere as witnesses of hope in the face of war, social unrest, and growing poverty. Now is also the time to affirm our Oblate mission in Canada as day in and day out Oblates share in the search for healing for all who are caught up in the history of native peoples

Our faith experience reveals that the great deep reservoir of affirmation is found in the unconditional love of God for each human being. As a troubled young adult Eugene de Mazenod came to know and experience that love, and from it flowed his vocation to the priesthood and his founding of our Congregation. St. Eugene wished all people to come to know the saving love of God in Jesus Christ. This meant seeing the world with new eyes, awakening the Church to its saving mission, creating an apostolic community daring to believe that they had a place in God's plan of salvation.

The Church has also declared this year a time of contemplation of the mystery of the Eucharist. Coupled with the Church's initiative, my wish for all of you is that we contemplate the mystery of God' saving love in Jesus Christ as it is revealed in our personal lives, and in the feast of that love which is the Eucharist. It is a year of opportunity to draw intensely from Eugene 's experience of Christ and to renew our own personal Christ-
experience, following his example. The saints enrich us in a variety of ways with each one opening a new door of access to Christ. They affirm us in our discipleship and challenge us to risk and dare in laying down our lives for others.

Let me conclude my message by drawing on our Oblate heritage – a text that speaks of Saint Eugene, and another that speaks of the Eucharist. Fr. Marius Suzanne observed how Eugene 's experience of Jesus Christ as his savior shone through in his preaching. He writes of Good Friday 1820 in Aix.

Here in a glimpse of St. Eugene preaching, is an image of the Oblate missionary who can make the Lord Jesus known and loved because he himself knows and loves him!

Knowing Jesus Christ leads us to the Eucharist and its place in Oblate life and mission. Constitution 33 starts off this way:

This text shows the connection between our being Oblates – “people who offer themselves” and Christ's own self-giving. Eucharistic “oblation” is at the heart of our response of love for God and his world.

As we walk towards the 10th anniversary of Eugene de Mazenod having been confirmed as a Saint, I pray that we all be confirmed in our Oblate call, which is surely the Spirit-filled prayer of St. Eugene himself and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.

Rome , February 11, 2005

Fr. Wilhelm Steckling, OMI
Superior General

General Statistics
To consult the OMI Statistics for 2004 click here


Asia-Oceania
Tsunami Relief Work

INDIA
Rebuilding the shattered hopes of thousands
“Tsunami, a frightening new word has entered many people's vocabulary this New Year,” writes Fr. Francis NALLAPPAN, the superior of the Oblate scholasticate in Poonamallee, just outside of Chennai , India . “Every Tamil face in South India is writ with questions without answers, doubts without facts, constant fear of recurrence without reality!”

While all the 70 Oblates in India are safe and sound, some of them have lost very close relatives, notably, Frs P. Pragasam , S.A. and Antony Thiyagaraj. They have already collected from more fortunate friends several lorries of clothes and other essentials needed by the tsunami refugees. The priests have also decided to stay with the homeless and displaced in the makeshift camps, doing what they can to ease their emotional uncertainty, depression, insecurity and constant fear of recurrence.

Fr S. Loorthusamy , the parish priest of Kancheepuram has organized the youth in his area to bring immediate relief to the coastal people in the Diocese of Chengelpet.

The Oblate students in first formation – about 100 of them, including 33 scholastics –were gathered in Bangalore for their annual meeting when they learned of the tragic calamity. The scholastics led a campaign to collect clothes and other basic necessities in their places where they go for weekend ministry. On the 30 th of December they left the safety of the hill country and brought these materials to the affected areas. They are currently involved with the local CRI (Conference of Religious of India) in taking a census of students who have lost their homes, study materials, uniforms etc. Fr. Nallappan says, “There is not much government help forthcoming, though there are a lot of voluntary persons and organizations bringing in aid!”

In concluding his message to OMIWORLD, Fr Francis emphasizes that as the days since the tragedy go on, “the affected people do not want to be beggars anymore! They do not want to be fed! They want to be inserted into the main streams of social life! They want their homes restored and help for their fishing profession. But such a mammoth task is beyond any single organization. We need a concerted effort centrally organized and executed in rebuilding the shattered hopes of the thousands! Immense hope and the challenges of the New year 2005!”


SRI LANKA - Colombo
Rehabilitation of Tsunami Victims
The tsunami waves have come and gone, but the permanent damage done by this natural catastrophe is unfathomable. The Colombo Province in Sri Lanka sends this update of relief activities and its plans to help in the reconstruction.

The Oblate Community at De Mazenod House, Colombo accommodated over 1000 victims. Most of them have gone back but there are a few families whose houses are completely destroyed, and who have no place to go. Even those who have gone back need to be supported until they can stand on their own feet.

The Oblate Community at St. Vincent's Home Maggona has over 1000 victims belonging to over 230 families. There are over 265 school age children in the Camp, more than 150 fishing families and about another 50 who are related to the fishing industry. The rest are from other different walks of life.

The animators of the Lakrivi Movement (Childen's Movement) with their moderator, Fr. Joseph Cooray OMI are rendering a very valuable service to the victim children both in camps and outside. They have helped change the gloomy environment in the camps by organizing the children into different activities. When the adults see that their children are still happy, can still sing, dance and keep enjoying their childhood, their worries get somewhat eased and they become optimistic.

Our men in Trincomalee have been very much involved in relief work. Fr. Gunanayagam OMI parish priest at Nilaweli helped remove the dead bodies of several victims and helped the refugees settle down in a camp. He continues to see to their needs with the help of the Government Officials and the other Religious leaders. Fr. Leslie OMI, parish priest at China-Bay, houses about 100 persons in the pre-school facilities of the parish. He is also helping out in the nearby refugee camps.

Members of the Oblate Community at Polwatte too are engaged in serving the victims in many different ways. They render their services to the victims by visiting them both in camps and homes to give them hope and courage to be optimistic about the future.

The Oblate parish priests from different parts of the country have organized their people to support the victims in the refugee camps. Their visits have always been accompanied by substantial material support. The moral support given by others who are involved in other ministries is commendable.

The support of Oblate associates both lay and religious in this service is admirable. The PAPD (People's Association for Peace and Development), which is part of the JPIC work of the Oblates, is involved in helping the victims in Baticaloa district in the East.

What's Next?

There are several areas in which the Oblates are planning to get involved in the rehabilitation work.

1. Education of the children
Our first priority is to help the A/L and O/L students who are to sit for their examination this year. The students need to be supported to get the necessary books, notes and their school fees, tuition fees and funds for traveling. Initially, we would like to help 250 A/L students and 500 O/L students. They would be selected from affected areas both in the South and the East. [A/L = Advanced Level, preparing to enter university; O/L = Ordinary Level, equivalent to Grade 10, preparing to enter High School).

2. Helping the Fishing community
Since the number of fishermen affected is in the thousands, we would like to support the different Fishermen's Associations to help get some fishing boats, so that they could begin work collectively. We have also identified those who are involved in pulling dragnets. A single dragnet would occupy over 60 persons. Those who go out to sell fish need to get a pushbike and a box to begin their carrier.

3. Helping the reconstruction of houses
Rebuilding houses is an enormous task. We could already be prepared for that by getting the necessary material ready, like the bricks and timber. St. Vincent's Home is ready to take up this task. We need to purchase brick machines and multipurpose sawing machines to make the frames, doors and windows for the houses. There are carpenters, masons and other skilled workers who could be involved in this work. This process can serve as training for the youth too.

4. Help to those who were involved in other work
There are several whose work is not related to the fishing industry. There are motor mechanics, three-wheel drivers whose vehicles needs repairs, small businessmen and others. Such persons can be given a help to begin their life again. We have identified 20 such persons from the camp at St. Vincent's Home.

TOTAL = Sri Lanka Rupees 10,742,500.00 (109,166 USD)*

* 1 LKR = 0.0101621 USD      1 USD = 98.4050 LKR

SRI LANKA – Anuradhapura
Resettling 225 families
Bishop Norbert M. Andradi, OMI of the diocese of Anuradhapura expresses his thanks for the aid received to date for the tsunami victims in his diocese and sends an update on the resettlement of the hard-hit fishing community at Kokkilai.

The bishop notes that arrangements are being made to get the community of 225 families resettled at least in some temporary sheds made of roofing sheets and cadjan (interwoven coco-palm leaves used for thatching). “A total of 95 houses have been washed away while 80 houses have been partially damaged. There were only six deaths in the community, but all the household belongings have been washed away.” Bishop Andradi visited the place personally in order to get a first-hand assessment of the damage caused.

The people, says the bishop, are all Catholics and are migrant fishermen from other parts of country. They have been living there now for quite a number of years. They do not want to leave the place and are keen on being able to start fishing again and begin anew their lives.

Unaffected areas of the local Church are also active in the relief work. Bishop Andradi adds, “The Bishop of Chilaw has helped me with nearly 5000 cadjan, and we are expected to receive 3800 roofing sheets with the help of Caritas Colombo.”


SRI LANKA – COLOMBO
Hope Beyond the Tsunami Disaster
St. Vincent's Home for boys in Maggona is normally home to 200 boys. Today, this home founded by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1884 is a safe haven to over 1500 tsunami victims. Fr. Rohan SILVA, director of the home told Omiworld, “We have the basic infrastructure, namely the space, to attend to this massive need. But the big numbers demand greater facilities…. We moved a group of our children from their dormitory to another in order to make room available for the refugees. But that was not enough. We had to put up temporary sheds to accommodate the influx of refugees. Putting up sheds alone was not going to help. We had to see to the sanitary facilities too. We put up extra temporary toilets. Although there is a regular supply of water from our existing water system, we get water from outside to meet the demands of the Camp. We need to improve on these facilities immediately to avoid health problems.”

Apart from looking after the food and lodging for the refugees the Oblate community is also concerned with inner healing. They have set up a counselling programme for the victims with counsellors visiting on a regular basis. Fr. Silva notes that some people cannot sleep well, others scream in the night. He notes that he effects of tsunami on the small children are not yet seen. “We have given special attention to the children and youth. With the help of the Children's Movement (La Kri Vi) we have organized programmes for the children. In fact these little ones were able to entertain their elders by organizing a variety show. The youth are still to be organized and we hope to do it soon.”

“Resettling the refugees remains a big task,” says Fr. Rohan. “They have lost everything and they might lose now even their property as the Government is insisting that no houses should be built close to the sea. They should be 300 meters away from the sea. Of course, the Government is promising to build houses for them elsewhere, but the fishermen would always like to remain close to the sea. They also have lost all their fishing gear. So, everything must be started from zero. They are badly in need of support to begin their life again.”

The Oblate community has expressed its willingness to the government to accommodate as many orphans as possible into St. Vincent's Home. “Welcoming new orphans, providing them with food, lodging, education and protection, says Fr. Rohan, will be a massive task for the community with limited personnel. Depending on the number of orphans, recruitment of new staff is expected. The children will have to begin schooling in the New Year. Most of them will not have any books or study tools and these will have to be provided by us. Furthermore, we need to recruit specialized staff in case of traumatized children.”

In closing, Fr. Silva adds, “We invite you to join us in our constant prayer for the survivors of the disaster that they may not lose hope in life, that they may have the strength to believe that God is with them in this hour of pain, anguish and hopelessness. We also invite you to support us to make the lives of the victims a little more comfortable by improving that facilities we already have. Our priority will be the poor, and this is our mission. At St. Vincent's home our priority will be the big numbers of orphans. We hope and pray that we will be able to provide a suitable staff to make their future blossom.”


INDIA
Family dog comes to boy's rescue
Most of the stories about the tsunami are tragic and horrible. There are, nevertheless, a few heart-warming ones of miraculous survivals. Here is one from a little village in Tamil Nadu India called Chinnakalapet. It was sent to us by Fr. Varam Anthonyswamy, an Indian Oblate working in South Korea as missionary. He was on leave in India when th e tsunami struck.

Sangeeta's family had always lived along the coast, just north of Pondicherry, a former French colony. The morning of Dec.26 began like most others, with sunny skies and a cool breeze. Her husband Ramakrishnan had just returned from his early morning fishing with a boat full of fish. From their home, the view of the ocean was obstructed by a two-story community center. So when he heard a strange noise coming from the sea, he went to investigate. When he saw the colossal waves, he ran to the roof of the center and shouted down to his wife and the others to flee. "Run away!" he screamed.
 
The command was simple but it presented Sangeeta, his wife, with a dilemma: She had three sons, and only two arms. She grabbed the youngest two and ran thinking that the oldest, 7-year-old Dinakaran, had the best chance of outrunning the tsunami churning toward her home. But Dinakaran didn't follow. He headed for the safest place he knew, the small family hut just 40 meters ( 130 feet ) from the seashore. Sangeeta thought she would never see him again. The family dog saw to it that she did.

While water lapped at Sangeeta's heels as she rushed up the hill, the scruffy yellow dog named Selvakumar ducked into the hut after Dinakaran. Nipping and nudging, he did everything in his canine power to get the boy up the hill.

Sangeeta had no idea of the drama unfolding below. Once she had crossed the main road to safety she collapsed in tears, screaming over the loss of her eldest son. "I had heard from others that the wall of my house had collapsed, I felt sure that my child had died," said the 24-year-old mother.

Dinakaran credits the dog with saving his life. "That dog grabbed me by the collar of my shirt," the boy said from under some trees at Pondicherry University, where the family is waiting for relief. “He dragged me out." Sangeeta said she wept with joy when she saw her son walking up to her, with Selvakumar by his side.

Canada - United States

UNITED STATES
OMI dean dies
Fr. Joseph Mays Lyons, OMI, 102, died on Dec. 31, 2004 at Oblate Madonna Residence in San Antonio, Texas, two days after celebrating his 102nd birthday.

He was born on Dec. 29, 1902 to Curtis and Susie (Mays) Lyons in Monterey, California. His father died at an early age from complications following an appendectomy. His mother raised him and his siblings.

Having attended St. Mary's Parochial School in San Antonio, he entered St. Anthony's College in 1918, and did his novitiate in Mission, Texas, in 1923. Making his first religious profession as an Oblate in 1924, he completed his philosophy studies at Sacred Heart Scholasticate in Castroville, Texas, and his theological studies at the newly opened De Mazenod Scholasticate in San Antonio. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Arthur Drossaerts on June 7, 1929.

Fr. Lyons' priestly service was centered on parish ministry in Texas, in the Diocese of Brownsville and the Archdiocese of San Antonio. His longest assignment was in Uvalde, west of San Antonio. John Nance Garner, vice-president of the United States was his contemporary during those years. He retired from full-time ministry in 1973, residing at St. Benedict's Church in San Benito. He continued to help out regularly with Mass at different Valley parishes.

At his golden jubilee of priesthood in 1979, he declared, “I would never hang up my shoes, if I thought retirement meant I wouldn't be involved with the Church and people. The priesthood was only loaned to me. I am grateful that with God's grace I have returned it intact to the Master.” He moved to Oblate Madonna Residence in 1991.

General Administration

Aix-en-Provence
De Mazenod Experience 2005
This is real internationality!
The early days of January 2005 brings the English language De Mazenod Experience to Aix. This year there are thirteen members of the assembly. They represent a good slice of the Oblate English speaking world, even though there is no representative from the country that originated the language. Gerry Bolduc from the USA is dean of the group. In spite of some physical handicap he manages to get around and follow the younger members in the footsteps of St. Eugene. Bob Hickl also comes from the States but his missionary experience has been in Mexico. Leo Perez has his roots in Mexico but works in the USA. Nestor Silva, originally from the Philippines, has had years of experience in Hong Kong and then in Northern Canada. His fellow citizen, Romeo Marcelino, has been ministering to the Christian diaspora in the Moslem area of the southern Philippine islands. Joseph Morena Koetlisi represents the Botswana mission. He himself is from Lesotho. His fellow nationals, Gregory Zaba Mbanjwa and Martin Serabele Lekarapa come directly from their native kingdom. Tony Rodney Daniels ably represents the Republic of South Africa. Eric Alleaume is justly proud of the tiny island of Mauritius where he was born but he has spent most of his life in Australia and he belongs to that Oblate Province. The new Canadian Province of Lacombe is represented by John Brioux from Vancouver. The remaining two members represent the countries worst hit by the Tsunami: Francis Xavier Anthonysamy is from India and Yogarajh Jacob is from Jaffna on the northern coast of Sri Lanka. Add to that the two principal animators of the session: Filadelfo Estrella, former Provincial of the Philippines, and Richard MacAlear from the USA whose retreat preaching has led him to all the continents except Antartica.

Besides, there is the local Oblate community which, apart from France and Cameroon, has representatives from Poland, Laos, Vietnam and Ireland.

From day One, which was January 6, the program is pretty full. Getting acquainted with the Foundation house on Cours Mirabeau and the city of Aix occupied the first couple of days. Then Filadelfo took over with his group dynamics and now Alfred Hubenig is giving an in-depth look at the life of Saint Eugene, as only Al can. Frank Santucci will have some days to take a closer look at the Oblate Charism and will be succeeded by former General Councillor and theologian and columnist, Ronald Rolheiser, on Christology. That will take us up to the long Ignatian-Oblate retreat at the shrine of Our Lady of Lumieres. The concluding week will be in the capable hands of the Vicar General, Eugene King who will have plenty to say about the Oblate Mission, before the members disperse, renewed and spiritually refreshed, we hope, to their assignments.

Don't get it wrong! It is not all academics. There is time for praying, sharing and being in community. The places where the Founder preached, prayed and walked provide a good cross section of scenic and historical Provence: Marseilles, Arles, Fuveau, Grans, Saint Laurent de Verdon, not to mention the Camargue and Lyons. Local cultural events included the March of the Kings through the city streets to Aix cathedral and the Mass of the Nations in the local Oblate parish of St. Paul. It would take more than the three months of the “Experience” to cover all that is available but we do our best.

Asia-Oceania

PHILIPPINES
The GINAPALAD TA KA experience
It literally means “I bless you.” GINAPALAD TA KA is an acronym based on the first two letters of the 7 barangays of Pikit, which declared themselves Space for Peace communities last November 29, 2004. The seven villages are Ginatilan, Nalapaan, Panicupan, Ladtingan, Dalengaoen, Takepan and Kalakakan, all conflict-affected communities inhabited by Muslims, Christians and Lumads.

It was the culmination of a long process that included two separate negotiations with the Philippine military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central committee conducted by the barangay captains and the supporting NGOs.

The day began with children of GINAPALAD TA KA with small flags who marched to the Takepan National High School where the program was held. The highway was decorated with streamers and banners. The sound of agong filled the air.

The highlight of the event was the reading of the declaration by the secretary of GINAPALAD TA KA and the symbolic signing by all the parties concerned. The declaration, which was a product of group discussions in all 40 sitios (communities), carried an appeal to all the armed parties of the conflict in Mindanao to respect and support the local initiative of the people to rebuild their war-ravaged communities.

“We recognize and respect the declaration”, Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles of the Philippine government's Office on the Peace Process said in her statement of support to the crowd of 3,000 people gathered to celebrate this event. Noteworthy among the many civil, religious, and military authorities present were representatives from the International Monitoring Team, the United States Institute of Peace, and various local and international NGOs that have been active in promoting the peace movement in Mindanao.

Father Roberto LAYSON, who has been the driving force behind the “Space for Peace” movement, says, “There are two wars in Mindanao. One is between the government and the MILF, which is often fought in the battlefields. The other is the unseen war going on in the hearts of the people of Mindanao, be they Muslims, Christians or Lumads. The GINAPALAD TA KA initiative is meant to address this unseen war by repairing the relationship of people and instilling respect for one another despite religious and cultural differences.”

The GINAPALAD TA KA, says Layson, is a grassroots peace initiative on the horizontal level that aims to support the peace talks between the government and the MILF at the vertical level. Initiatives like the GINAPALAD TA KA are not the final answer to the Mindanao conflict. That lies in the hands of the government and the MILF who are searching for a political solution at the negotiating table.

The young Oblate priest received the Pax Christi International Peace Award in 2002 for his dedication to promoting peace and justice in war-torn Mindanao. (See OMI Info #421, April 2003 and OMI Interviews at www.omiworld.org)

Books

BERTRAIS Yves (Thailand): Leej Ntshiab . A brief biography of St. Eugene de Mazenod based on Cardinal Etchegaray's Petite Vie de Eugène de Mazenod. Assumption Printing Press, Bangkok, 2004, 98 pp.

CANFORA Giovanni (Italy): Ricordando Padre Giovanni Canfora omi. (Remembering Fr. Giovanni Canforma OMI). Extracts from his homilies, and contributions by friends, former students and colleagues. Tipografia Cardoni, Rome, 2004, 62 pp.

BORZAGA Mario (1932-1960): Il Rosario meditato . Meditations on the mysteries of the rosary. Amici di Padre Mario, Trento, 2004, 43 pp.

Citarella Rosaria and Storella Ada: Il Carisma Missionario delle COMI nel pensiero del Fondatore P. Gaetano Liuzza OMI . (The Missionary Charism of the COMI in the Thinking of the Founder, Fr. Gaetano Liuzzo OMI). Città Nuova, Rome, 2004, 139 pp.

Diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay: Sunday Lectionary Year A . Inuit translation of the New English Lectionary for Sundays published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1992. This is a revised edition of the 1998 lectionary published by the diocese. Includes translations by Théophile DIDIER, Eugene FAFARD and Robert LECHAT. Diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay, 2004, 376 pp.

Diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay: Sunday Lectionary Year B . Inuit translation of the New English Lectionary for Sundays published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1992. This is a revised edition of the 1998 lectionary published by the diocese. Includes translations by Théophile DIDIER, Eugene FAFARD and Robert LECHAT. Diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay, 2004, 370 pp.

FERRARA Nicola (General Administration): Maria Madre di Gesù negli Scritti di Padre Mario Borzaga (Mary the Mother of Jesus in the Writings of Fr. Mario Borzaga). Amici di Padre Mario, Trento, 23 pp.

Gobin Marjorie and Robinet Christian: De Suxy en Haïti. (From Suxy to Haiti). A brief biography of Jean-Louis COLLIGNON the first Bishop of Les Cayes, Haiti. Editions Michel frères, Virton, 77 pp.

Gütl Clemens: “Adieu ihr lieben Schwarzen” ( ….) A biography of Franz MAYR (1865-1914) one of the early Oblate missionaries to Southern Africa. Böhlau Verlag, Wien, 2004, 405 pp.

HENRIQUES Alan (Natal): The Training of Local Clergy in Southern Africa… Thesis for the licentiate in Church History submitted to the Pontifical Gregorian University. Contains interviews of three of the first indigenous Oblates in Southern Africa. Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana, Rome, 2004, 194 pp.

ISCHLER Paul (U.S.A.): Memoir of Fr. Chester Kozal, O.M.I. Translation from the Polish original of the experience of Fr. Czeslaw W. (Chester) KOZAL in concentration camps during World War II. “This sounds strange, I know, but those years at Dachau were my best years as a priest, because I found God there. And I learned that it takes an awful lot to kill a human being.” Private printing, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, 2004, 175 pp.

Lubowicki Kazimierz (Poland): Zakochatys bogovi (Falling in Love in God). It presents the ideals of life of the Community of Catholic families founded by Fr. Lubowicki. Ukrainian translation by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Obukhiv, 2004, 144 pp.

MACKEY Lorne (Larry) (St. Paul's): Bountyfull Healing. A guide for the Broken-Hearted. The author describes the history and principles of the Bountyfull Counseling Society by which many people have come to find inner healing and peace. Novalis, Ottawa, 2004, 213 pp.

McCarthy Martha: The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. St. Mary's Province. A history of the Province by an author who has written other books on the history of the Oblate missions in Canada. Marian Press, Battleford SK, 2004, 354 pp.

O'DONOVAN Richard (Anglo-Irish): Fr. G.M. Trebaol, O.M.I. and other Breton Oblates in Wales (1900-1914) . A history of the early Oblate missionaries from Brittany and their apostolate in Wales. Private printing. 249 pp.

PACHCHEK Paul Jeyanthan (Jaffna) Faith as Fundamental Option for Man's Quest. Thesis for the degree of licentiate in Fundamental Theology. Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana, Rome, 2004, 98 pp.

SANTOPIETRO Gianni (Italy): Il Senso della Vita. Costruire Insieme con Gioia. (The Meaning of Life. Building Together with Joy). This is the author's fifth volume on the meaning of life. Editrice Missionari OMI, Rome, 223 pp.

SOLIZ Javier O. (Bolivia): Dioses, movilizaciones y esperanzas. (Gods, Mobilizations and Hopes). A study of the influence of religion on social movements. Latinas Editores, Oruro, Bolivia, 2004, 88 pp.

VYSHKOVSKYY Pavlo (Ukraine): Piznaj svoje poklykannia (Recognizing One's Vocation). A book to help young people discern their vocation in life: priesthood, religious life or married life. Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Obukhiv, 2004, 134 pp.

Anniversaries – April 2005

65^TH Anniversary of Ordination

60^TH Anniversary of Ordination

50^TH Anniversary of Ordination

50^TH Anniversary of Ordination

Suffrages for our Deceased
(No. 2-10)

“We will keep alive the memory of our deceased and not fail to pray for them,
faithfully offering the suffrages prescribed on their behalf!" (Const. 43)



OMI INFORMATION is an unofficial publication
of the General Administration of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
C.P. 9061, 00100 ROMA-AURELIO, Italy
Fax: (39) 06 39 37 53 22 E-mail : information@omigen.org
http://www.omiworld.org

Editing Team: Ronald LaFramboise (director),
Raúl Castro, Antonino Bucca
Printing: Rajapakse Francis Rabindra
Circulation: Théophile Le Page

Print this document