GENERAL SERVICE OF OBLATE STUDIES
Voice of Fr. Ramon Bernabe, OMI
I would like to present to you this latest issue of the Oblatio, which is our Oblate publication about the various aspects of Oblate life and mission.
This first issue for this year 2020 is in a way special, because for the first time, it deals with Oblates in dialogue with Islam. The General Chapter of 2016 invited the Congregation to review and support Oblate presence and ministry in Islamic contexts. This is part of our response to that call from the Chapter.
We have in this issue articles from different places of Oblate encounter with Islam–Western Sahara, Senegal, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Poland. The articles are written by Oblates who are scholars and practitioners of dialogue with Islam at various levels. Particularly interesting is an article by Chicho Rois where he goes back to the experience and insights of our Founder Eugene de Mazenod regarding Islam.
In the documentation section of this issue, we have a talk about inter-religious dialogue given by former Superior General Marcello Zago, and notes from an intervention in a conference about Mary in the Quran and in the Gospels, from a Muslim woman, who is a theologian and professor at the Gregorian University in Rome.
These stories and insights will certainly be of interest to other Oblates and lay people who are searching for understanding and guidance in our encounter with the great religion of Islam.
Happy Reading!
