CIAL- Declarations against war and military represssion
RECIFE- Mission for street people

SAINT MARY’S - “Together we heal”
SAINT JOSEPH - An exercise in patience at -30°C

“It's a mess here. Babieschildrenold people! There are thousands of them! There's no dignity here inside the National Food Authority warehouse. My heart begins to cry again.” This was the message that Fr. Roberto ‘Bert’ LAYSONsent to friends and heads of NGOs on SundayFebruary 9as AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and MILF forces (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) began massing troops in the Pikit-Pagalungan area of Mindanao. Fr. Bert is the parish priest in Pikit.

The area around Pikit has been the scene of several major battles in recent years between the AFP and MILF. Each timeFr. Bert has mustered parish volunteersboth Muslims and Christiansto come to the aid of the tens of thousands of evacuees who seek refuge in the town.

He and his co-workers have teamed up with local government officialsthe military and MILF leadershipand NGOs to agree on the concept of “Space for Peace”. Similar to the United Nations’ safe zones in the Bosnian wartwo of Pikit’s outlying villages (barangays) which were frequent sites of AFP and MILF skirmisheswould be declared “safe” zones. The concept includes the prohibition of armed elements from either the military or the MILF to enter the “spaces”. It also includes the intensification of livelihood programs and peace-building activities so that both Muslims and Christians may live together in peace and harmony. All this and other development programs undertaken by the government and various NGO's may come to naught with the AFP-MILF war that started on February 11.

That same dayPresident Arroyo ordered a temporary ceasefire in deference to the Muslim feast Eid'l Adhathe “Day of Sacrifice.” She also ordered the government panel to meet and discuss with its MILF counterpart in the ongoing conflict. There was a glimmer of hope that the war would endbut the MILF demanded that the AFP withdraw to its positions before the fight began. This was not negotiable as the AFP's ultimate objective is to occupy the Liguasan Marsh area to deny havens for criminalseven though this is in violation of the ceasefire agreement with the MILF.

By the end of the weekafter five days of bombing and intense ground assaults the AFP had taken the MILF’s command center at Buliokbut the MILF field commanders had already dispersed and now continue attacking military units. This has resulted in small-scale clashes in different parts of the provinces of Maguindanao and Cotabatoincluding the outskirts of Pikit. Thus the non-combatants continue their painful trek to evacuation centers. Many civilians refuse to return to their villages even if the AFP has declared them “cleared” and therefore safe. How can these villages be safe when MILF bands are just in the vicinityready to pounce on newly established military detachments?

This is the fourth major armed confrontation between government troops and MILF forces in six years. In 199739000 civilians were displaced; in 2000 they numbered 41000; in the year 2001they were 24000and as of the last count 39000 people have taken shelter in evacuation centers in Pikit. As of February 26the government’s Department of Social Welfare and Development reported 212448 persons affected by the armed conflicts in Mindanao. More than 191000 of them are from provinces of North CotabatoSultan KudaratMaguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

Archbishop Orlando QUEVEDOpresident of the Philippine Bishops’ Conferencein an interview with Radio Veritas on February 27 urged the government to continue negotiations with the MILF. “We must be aware that a military solution is not the solution. It must be a comprehensive solution and we pray that [this will] be implemented by the Philippine government.”

MeanwhileFr. Layson and his volunteersgovernment agenciesNGOsand people of good will continue to care for the helpless evacuees. The need for “Spaces of Peace” becomes more urgent. (From The Mindanao CrossFeb. 15 and 22 editorials by Fr. Al Cariño. Statistics from MISNA.)

CIAL

Declarations against war and military represssion

More than 50 Oblates from all over Latin Americareleased two signed declarations to the press on February 22one against a war in Iraq and the other against military repression in Bolivia. They were gathered for the annual CIAL (Inter-provincial Conference of Latin America) meetingheld this year in CochabambaBolivia.

Concerning a possible attack on the people of Iraq the CIAL declared: “To guaranty the security and universal peaceful coexistence of nationsall preventive action must have the prior approval of a resolution of the Security Councilwithin the parameters of the U.N. Charter.” They point out that the United Nations Charter permits the use of military force only as a last means and in legitimate defence to an armed attack. The declaration ends with a quotation from John Paul II stating that war is never simply inevitable. “It is always a defeat for humanity. International lawreal dialoguesolidarity among states and the exercise of diplomacy are the true means to resolve conflicts.”

The Declaration against Military Repression in Bolivia refers to the recent brutal use of the military to quell vicious riots that spread across the Andean country in mid-February. The violence was triggered when the 22000-strong police force and other government employees mutinied against a salary tax. This lead to two days of riots and troops were called in to restore order. Close to fifty people were killed and more than two hundred injured in the clashes.

Despite criticism of its handling of eventsthe government refused to take responsibilitydenouncing the riots as an attempted coupthe product of a “conspiracy” against democracy. On February 18the eighteen members of Bolivia’s cabinet resigned in protest of the government’s handling of the violence. The Oblate declaration calls upon the government to apprehend those guilty of ordering this criminal action and to bring them to trial before a civil tribunal.

Bolivia is the latest casualty of the meltdown that has swept across Latin America bringing economic collapse and civil disorder.

RECIFE

Mission for street people

The Diocesan Missionary Council under the coordination of Fr. Josenildo TAVARESled a mission for “street people” on the nights of 1617 and 18 of December. The first two nightsgroups of missionaries visited the people out on the street in those places where they always congregate at night. On the last night all were invited for a meeting in Liberation Square. More than five hundred street peoplehomeless personstransvestitesprostitutesglue sniffers and waste paper collectors gathered around the missionaries. Dom Fernando OSBAuxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese took part in the last night. (Notícias OMI n°39 Recife)

Interreligious Dialogue Symposium

Sam PhranThailandJan. 19-21

“Searching for Deeper Relationships among Believers” was the theme of the recent Oblate symposium on interreligious dialogue held at the diocesan pastoral center in Sam Phransome 30 kilometers west of Bangkok.

This third symposium organized by the Administration on themes related to mission was attended by about 70 participantsmostly Oblates from across the Asia-Oceania Regionincluding all the Major Superiors and directors of formation in the Region. Superior GeneralWilhelm STECKLING and most of the members of the General Councilwho had just finished a joint session with the Major Superiors of the Regionwere also present.

Experts in the field of interreligious dialogue provided input to guide the reflection. Jesuit Father Michael Amaladossan Indian theologian who works with the Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions in Chennaithe capital of Tamil Nadu Statefocused on Hindu-Christian dialogue.

Professor Anuradha Seneviratna of the Department of Sinhala at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka spoke on the challenge and promise of Buddhist-Christian encounter.

Fr. Thomas Michel explored avenues for Muslim-Christian dialogue. The Rome-based Jesuit is secretary of the ecumenical desk of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairsone of seven offices belonging to the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Another JesuitFr. Jacques Dupuisa Belgian theologian who worked in India for 25 yearsgave a talk on “Interreligious Dialogue Today: The State of the Question and Emerging Issues.” (From The Christian VoiceKarachi)

“Necrology of Roman Oblates”

One of the Congregation’s leading historiansFr. Yvon BEAUDOINhas just completed a small 130 page work entitledNécrologe d’Oblats romains inhumés à Rome ou ailleurs (Necrology of Roman Oblates Buried in Rome or Elsewhere). In the introduction to this work he explains that he takes “Roman” in a broad sense. He does not mean born in Rome but Oblates who had been members of the Oblate communities in the Eternal City and who died there or later in their home country.

During his research work in the General Archives he discovered that there were no necrological notices for most of these men. “A little respite between other workshe says” permitted him to fill this lacuna. There is a one or two page notice for each manproviding a brief and pithy biographical sketchwith a photo when available. Only ten copies of the manuscript have been preparedfor use in the Archives and General House library.

Between 1868 and 2003sixty-three Oblates died and were buried in Rome’s vast Campo Verano cemetery. There are 2 bishops35 priests9 scholastics16 brothersand it seems even one juniorist. Fr. Yvon notes that in the early yearsmany died of tuberculosis – a reflection on the hard living conditions of the times.

The diversity of national origin of the men who repose in Campo Veranoshows that the Rome communitiesthough marked by a strong French presence in the early yearshave always been international. Of the sixty-three there are 29 French9 Italians6 Canadians5 Germans4 Belgians2 Irish2 Czechoslovakians1 Spaniard1 Pole1 Luxemburg1 Swiss1 Scot and 1 South African. The work also lists 13 other “old Romans” who died elsewhere.

Fr. Beaudoinage 77has just completed the last volume in the series of Oblate Writings. It is rumoured that he is going to begin a biography of another of the “early Oblates” contemporary of the Founderpossibly Cardinal Guibert.)

Freedom returns to Ukraine (4)

(by Pavlo VYSHKOVSKYY for Oblate Missionary Record)

The Good News
Jesus Christ truly is good news for people living in the shadow of Chernobyl. So too is truththe simple fact of people keeping their worddoing what they say they will do. Hope struggles with despair in the zoneand the desperate situation in which people find them-selves is leading many to suicide. It is not unusual for mothers to strap their young children to their own bodies and jump from high-rise apartments. Illness and pov-erty are leading to absolute desperation.

Hopeful signs
Oblate-sponsored pharma-cies in Hnivanthe longest established of our parisheshave provided medication to 23000 people in the past two years. The doctor in charge of the local hospitalnot himself a believerwas amazed to learn that the Oblates received no payment for this. So he came along and said“if you do thatthen I want to work with you.” He now works with usfree of chargein addition to his work of running the hospital. Surely this is a sign of hope!

The Catholic community
In this country where the average wage is only $30 a monththe whole community contributed a small weekly amount towards building the new church. It's very important for these young Catholic communities to build their own church.

The Catholic community is becoming stronger in its faith because of what the Church expects of those who come forward to receive the sacraments. Every new Catholic has to be prepared to give his/her life for Christ.

For examplethose wishing to receive the sacrament of marriage must first com-plete 25 sessions of catechesis. All make a commitment to study their religionto par-ticipate fully in the life of the community and to collaborate in a spirit of co-responsibility in their community's life and work.

The children come first
The first to return to the Church are young people and children; they bring their parents and the parents bring the grandparents. It's quite usual to find parents vehemently opposed to their children becoming involved in the Church. They would much rather see them going to the pub. The following year these same parents are themselves participating in the life of the Church.

Hnivanthe community in which the Oblates began their work in the Ukraine 10 years agohas grown from 30 to 500. Another parish community has grownin just three yearsfrom 35 to 120. (Oblate Missionary RecordSummer/Autumn 2002).

UKRAINE - OMI among the top 5

The Oblates rank among the top five Congregations of men in the Ukraineboth in the number of personnel and the places in which they minister. According to recent statistics there are 359 male religious in 23 institutes in the country. Despite the fact that the Oblates have been in the Ukraine for only fourteen yearsthey rank second together with the Pallotines for the number of houses and works. The Oblates have eight houses and minister in twenty-five parishes. The Franciscans who have been in the country since the 13th century hold the first place.

There are 27 Oblates in the Ukraine Delegation: 17 priests2 brothers8 scholastics1 novice and 3 prenovices. That makes them the fourth most numerous Congregation of men. The increase in vocations is certainly due to the Lord’s blessingbut one may wonder if the choice to minister in some of the more difficult areas of the country is not also a contributing factor. The Oblates minister in areas like Chernobyl and in central and eastern Ukraineboth areas that were devastated during the years of religious persecution.

SRI LANKA - Celebrating the ceasefire

The 23rd of February 2003 marked one year since the ceasefire in Sri Lanka’s civil war. The Inter-Religious Peace Foundation and Center for Society and Religion (CSR) organized a “Meditation” in war-torn Jaffna in the north. Taking part were 100 Buddhist Monks and 50 leaders of other religions. About 5000 lay persons are said to have joined in this “Pilgrimage of Healing” to the North. The purpose of this pilgrimage was to consolidate the peace process and to counter all forms of organized opposition to it in the South of Sri Lanka.

Fr. Oswald FIRTHnew Provincial of the Colombo Provincestill keeps an active presence in the activities of the CSR. He wrote recently that the Center would join the PAFFREL (Peoples Association for Free and Fair Elections)and other anti-war movements to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE. A special event was scheduled for February 22. The Prime Minister and a representative from the LTTE were to make a public statement on that day committing themselves to the peace processto democracyhuman rights and finally to a negotiated political settlement. This would be the first time for the Prime Minister and an LTTE representative to be together on the same platform.

SRI LANKA - “Savana" - An institute of theology for lay people

It offers a one year course in theology for lay people in Sinhala. While it is directed mainly to lay people who are socially involvedsome religious also attend the course.

Since the management of the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka in Kandy passed from the Oblates to the Sri Lankan Bishops' Conference in 1972many Oblates had thought of an alternate theological formation. Lal Wijesinghea former Oblate scholastic– well-armed with four degrees from RomeLouvain and Jerusalem – and Fr. Hilarion DISSANAYAKE began Savana in 1997. Oswald FIRTHRohan SILVAShelton PERERA are among the Oblates who continue to lecture there regularly.

The course has three main objectives. The first is to provide an alternate course in theology and missiology with a particular Asian flavour. Secondly it aims to understand and interpret missiology in the context of the Asian realityinter-religious dialogue and contemporary theology. Its third objective is to train groups of lay leaders to challenge prevailing valuesand to call people to renewal and the values of the Kingdom.

The course begins with lectures on themes like “SocietyPolitics and Culture in Asia” “Sustainable Development in Sri Lanka” and “Studies on BuddhismHinduism and Islam.”

Participation crosses denominational lines and includes AnglicansMethodists and Baptists. Graduates meet regularly for days of prayer and recollection and to reflect on possible small practical steps towards social change.

SAINT MARY’S - “Together we heal”

That is the title of a 12 Step program for the healing of victims of sexual abuse. It is an application of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The author of this 18 page bookletFr. Sylvain LAVOIEhas lectured and given workshops in the field of addictions awareness for over twenty-five years. He is part of the Cree Nation Oblate Community that ministers to First Nations communities in northwest Saskatchewan.

For the past ten yearsas counselor and spiritual directorSylvain has journeyed with victims of sexual abuse and found the 12 Steps of A.A. an effective model to help those who have experienced abuse to move towards healing and recovery. For further information contact: e-mail slavoie@sasktel.net or fax (306-236-1907).

SAINT JOSEPH - An exercise in patience at -30°C

In ten years I have celebrated many funerals. Here is the latest one. I went out to Lac Barrière (250 km from Amos) for the funeral of an old Algonquin. The body had already been exposed in the house for three days. I arrived for the celebration of the Eucharist. We then went to the cemetery (put on your woolen capsit is –30° Celsius). About sixty persons attend. Not bad at all. The grave is dug. Then we lower the coffin into the plywood boxas is the custom among the Amerindians. But waitwe forgot the tar paper to seal it. After five minutessomebody decides and jumps on their ski-doo heading towards the village. The minutes waiting are long. After 15 minutesthe paper arrives. Someone jumps into the grave to cut the paper under the attentive eyes of an old woman. We think it is finishedwhen she makes a sign to continue with the paper on the sides. Still another 15 minutes. FinallyI take out my bottle of holy water. My blood pressure had kept it warm! Then I dash towards the small van that I had taken care to park in front of the exit. Four cars blocked the waybut at least I was warm! Then 250 km to get home. (By Lionel Lajeunessewww.oblats.qc.ca).

TARSENAULT Paul (Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire) : En marchant vers Dieu. (Walking towards God). This book seeks to provoke a real encounter: that of God's Word with the word of manthat of the Presence in search of our so frequent absences. In these pagesthe author invites the world to refocus itself in order to find peace and a meaning to its journeyso that it can distance itself from possessionspowerand prestige. These pages are a proclamation of the Gospel with love and mercya word in search of the truth and an invitation to true freedom. Éditions Anne SigierSillery (Québec)2002269 pp.

CHARLAND Paul-Émile (St. Joseph) : Les femmes. Un espoir pour le monde. (Womena Hope for the World). A collection of articles published in the newsletter of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations from 1993 to 2002 while the author was Ecclesiastical Assistant of the organization. Distributed by the UMOFCParis2002134 pp.

CIARDI Fabio (Italy) : Koinonia. Ukrainian translation of the original Italian. (Cf. OMI Info Dec. 1992). Published by “Missionari”Lviv2002362 pp.

FUMOLEAU René (Grandin): Cinquante ans chez les Dènès. (Fifty years among the Dene). A collection of stories by a French Oblate who has shared the life of the Amerindians for the past fifty years. His book recounts several moments of his life among the Dene Indians. Immersed in a culture different from his ownthe author gradually becomes attentive to their differencegives up imposing his views and lets himself be filled with their wisdom. These stories are a living testimony to the mentality and the spirituality of these people. Through these storiesthe author highlights the clash of cultures. He underlines their paradoxes and describes in a moving way the brotherhood which unites the Dene. Gestes ÉditionsLa Crèche2001235 pp.

MARTINEZ de PISON Ramón (St. Joseph) : Creación y Libertad : compromiso humano y conciencia ecológica. (Creation and Freedom : Human Commitment and Ecological Awareness). Spanish translation of Création et liberté : essai d’une anthropolgie chrétienneoriginally published in 1997. (Cf. OMI Info#374 Dec. ’98). Editorial TrillasMexico2003195 pp.

METZLER Josef (Germany): La Santa Sede e le missioni (The Holy See and the Missions.) Former Prefect of the Vatican’s Secret Archives and one of the twentieth century’s best historians of the missionsthe author presents a balanced and documented synthesis of the missionary policy of the Holy See in the 19th and 20th centuries. This book highlights the guiding lines of the Holy See’s missionary policyin particular that of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (Propaganda Fide)and it explains the change in missionary thinking and practice. Translated from the German by Luigi Frattini. Edizioni San PaoloMilano2002148 pp.

SANTOPIETRO Gianni (Italy) : Il Senso della Vita : attingere alla Sorgente della felicità (The Meaning of Life: Drawing from the Source of Happiness.) This is Fr. Gianni Santopietro’s fourth volume on the meaning of life. It is offered to all those who wish to undertake such a rediscovery. This volume is based on notes of some talks to young volunteers during a Caritas congress. The notes were later expanded and shared with other volunteersthe young people and the adults of different communities engaged in evangelization and human promotiontwo closely linked activities which contribute to the complete growth of man. Editrice Missionari OMIRome2002206 pp. .

Bro. Andrzej Kaczmarek (Polish V.P.) in Oignies

RomeFebruary 172003

Dear Fellow Oblates

In the Jubilee Year 2000the General Council launched the project of a “Mission Pool”. The aim of this project was to identify Oblates who are available to commit themselves temporarily in another Oblate unit - either for a specific period of timeor to a specific project. As a result of our appeal we received 15 applicationsand we are glad that at present several Oblates from this Mission Pool are successfully ministering “without frontiers”e.g. Alfred Groleau in PakistanBenoit Kabongo and Joseph Goutier in CorsicaEugene Whyte in Zimbabwe.

For some of you this may be the first time you hear about this project. This project emerged because time and again emergency appeals had been coming to the General Administration from different units. Often we could not respond effectively due to the cumbersome process of identifying the correct personnel in time. We felt that an effective solution would be to have available an updated list of personnel who are willing and capable for a “mission without frontiers”.

Some examples would clarify this project: there were many occasions when appeals came from formation houses or educational instituteswhere the need was for someone to teach a specific subject for a couple of yearsfor a semester or even for a few weeks. There were needs for preaching Oblate retreatsanimating a session for local bursarsfacilitating animation sessions… most recently to teach English in China.

In principlean Oblate identified for the “Mission Pool” will continue to belong to his Province of origin. When another Province requests his servicesthe two respective Oblate Units will work out the detailed arrangements for his ministry. The Central Government will facilitate contacts and assist the process.

Our first appeal for the Mission Pool was made through the Provincials. Now the General Council desires to launch a second appealbut this time addressed directly to individual Oblates.

Thereforeon behalf of the General CouncilI appeal to all Oblates who are available for a temporary ministry in another Oblate Unit. Those of youwho are open to be part of the “Mission Pool”are requested to complete the attached “Information Grid” and send it to meby September 302003. You may also either fax or e-mail your information.

Ryszard Szmydki OMI
Assistant General
Fax: + 06 39 37 53 22
szmydki@omigen.org

MISSION POOL

INFORMATION GRID

1. Name……………………...................................…………………................................

2. Province/Delegation……………………...................................…………………...........

3. Proficiency in Languages:
Language .....................Proficiency [tick what is applicable]
a...................................Writing / Speaking / Understanding
b...................................Writing / Speaking / Understanding
c...................................Writing / Speaking / Understanding
d...................................Writing / Speaking / Understanding

4. Your present health?

5. Academic qualifications:

6. Specializations:

7. Previous ministries:

8. Present ministry:

9. What two ministries are you mainly interested in?

10. When and for what period of time can you commit yourself?

11. Any other information?