579 Omi Information (English)
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July-August 2017 579/1 OMI Information No. 579 (English) July-August 2017 A Year of Oblate Vocations Letter from the Superior General, Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI 15 August 2017 this movement of the Spirit was the Vocational Year 2015-2016 celebrated by the Region of L.J.C. et M.I. Latin America. This was the fi rst Region, and the only one so far, in our Congregation to sponsor Dear Brother Oblates, and all our Brothers and a vocational year and to organize a congress for Sisters associated with the Oblate Charism, an entire Region. Congratulations! Happy feast of the Assumption of Our Lady! Another fruit was the fi rst Congregation-wide vocation congress held in Aix in July of last year During the course of the past few years, the with 32 Oblates from all over the world. The voices of many young Oblates of various Regions theme was beautiful and signifi cant: “‘Come of the Congregation, alive with passion for and See’ (John 1:39): Focusing on the Joy and our future, made it clear to the members of the Generosity of Our Oblate Life.” The members of Central Government that they wanted support this Congress called the Congregation to dedicate and direction in renewing the ministry of inviting a year to the theme of Oblate vocations. This new members to join us. They expressed their momentum of the Spirit was welcomed by the love for our charism and the desire to invite new 2016 General Chapter, and a recommendation was members, often in the face of discouragement and given to the newly-elected Central Government: criticism from fellow Oblates who simply accept “Declare a Year for Oblate Vocations during and even justify the lack of young men interested the current mandate, as recommended by the in missionary religious life. Congress on Oblate Vocations.” (Article 28.4, p. 31 ACTS, English edition). Some senior Oblates, likewise, were calling for a renewed commitment to vocation ministry. They In response to the call of the General Chapter, expressed their deep faith in God’s ability to I announce the “Year of Oblate Vocations” raise up vocations even in the most challenging from December 8, 2017 to January 25, 2019. situations. Remember the rock which Moses The theme is that from the Congress of vocations struck! They are convinced that the Spirit’s of 2016: “‘Come and See!’ (John 1:39): action still draws young people to commit Focusing on the Joy and Generosity of Our themselves to follow Jesus as Missionary Oblate Life.” Oblates of Mary Immaculate. This “Year of Oblate Vocations” will both give In light of these voices, on December 8, support to and be strengthened by Pope Francis’ 2013, I addressed a letter to the Congregation call for a year dedicated to “Youth, Faith and regarding the ministry of vocations. Oblates Vocational Discernment.” In fact, his personal felt supported to move ahead in promoting message to us at the audience with the members vocational awareness. One of the fi rst fruits of of the General Chapter on October 7, 2016, 579/2 July-August 2017 placed before us the urgency to commit ourselves working together with the Unit leadership, to vocation ministry in light of the needs of the would be a most appropriate way to begin to Church: “The work to be done in order to achieve plan this special “Year of Oblate Vocations.” all of this (a Church for everyone) is vast; and all of you also have your own specifi c contribution On this feast of Mary’s Assumption, we recall to off er… The current fi eld of mission seems to the special grace Saint Eugene received while expand every day… Therefore, there is need of blessing the statue of Mary Immaculate on you, of your missionary courage, your availability August 15, 1822. That grace lifted his worries to bring to everyone the Good News that frees about the future of his little missionary group and consoles” (Acts, Address of the Holy Father, and gave him the assurance that it was not just Pope Francis, p. 5, English Edition). These words, his own idea, but truly the work of the Spirit. He and his entire message, do not sound like Pope was given the conviction that “our dear Society” Francis believes we have done our job, that we would be the source of great holiness for us and can retire our Crosses and can now fade into the of great missionary benefi t for the Church. We past. The Church is counting on us to respond to entrust the “Year of Oblate Vocations” to Mary the needs of the poor today, and to “write new Immaculate, the model and guardian of our pages” in the history of evangelization! consecrated life. May her witness engender in us a deep belief that nothing is impossible with The “Year of Oblate Vocations” is being God. Her presence in prayer among us will make coordinated by Fr. Cornelius Ngoka, OMI, this “Year of Oblate Vocations” a Spirit-fi lled under his portfolio as Assistant General for happening, giving us surprising perspectives and Formation. The organizing committee is fi lling us with immense hope. headed by Father Antoni Bochm, General Councilor for Europe, with the assistance Already I would like to express my gratitude for of Father Guillaume Muthunda, General your generous and full-hearted participation in Councilor for Africa/Madagascar. More this “Year of Oblate Vocations.” information will be forthcoming. I ask that each Unit already begin to think creatively Sincerely in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate, and work to make this year a dynamic renewal of our commitment to vocation ministry. The Father Louis Lougen, OMI formation of a special committee in each Unit, Superior General Holy See VATICAN Oblate formation in Hünfeld, Germany, where he Resignation of Bishop Phillip Pöllitzer, OMI was ordained a priest in 1965. His fi rst obedience was to Namibia where he exercised pastoral On July 21, 2017, the Holy Father Pope ministry in the eastern part of the Archdiocese Francis accepted the resignation from pastoral of Windhoek. governance of the Dioc3ese of Keetmanshoop (Namibia), presented by His Excellency, Bishop Phillip PÖLLITZER. The bishop had reached the required age for submitting his resignation in 2015. Prior his nomination as bishop on May 31, 2007, he had served as the provincial of the Province of Namibia. Born in Mörtelsdorf in the Archdiocese of Salzburg, Austria, in 1940, he completed his July-August 2017 579/3 Africa-Madagascar SENEGAL Borzaga in our chapel. The evening obviously Dedication of the OMI prenovitiate in continued in a festive atmosphere with a meal Dakar to Blessed Mario Borzaga for all. (Claudio CARLEO) Mario BORZAGA was a young Italian Oblate SAHARA who died a missionary in Laos in 1960. We Flowers in the desert – Vocation ministry knew him well ... he was beatifi ed on December 11, 2016, together with other 16 martyrs After twelve years of service as General Councilor among whom 5 French Oblates. On June 17, for Europe, Father Chicho ROIS joined the little 2017, the Oblate prenovitiate in Dakar, for the Oblate community in the Sahara desert. These OMI delegation of Senegal - Guinea Bissau, are his thoughts on vocation ministry in a place was dedicated to Mario. Why ? Here is some where there is only a handful of Christians. background history. When you travel for the fi rst time deep into the In 1988 the Foyer was born -- a house to welcome desert, you are moved by the lifeless immensity the young aspirants who were in the last years you are seeing. At fi rst glance, you think that of high school. A few months later, Pope St. there is no vegetation, no animals ... nothing. John Paul II beatifi ed Fr. Joseph GERARD, an Little by little, looking more closely, you begin Oblate and the apostle of Lesotho: the Foyer to discover the beauty of the desert: a chain of was placed under his patronage. Later, to the dunes that is continually shaped by the permanent Foyer was added the prenovitiate, during which beating of the wind, the insects, some small rats, one follows courses in philosophy at the Saint lizards that play hide and seek and maybe, with Augustine Center of Dakar. The Foyer and the luck, you can see the mythical bird of the desert. prenovitiate shared the same address and to keep things brief, we spoke simply about the Foyer A herd of camels is guided by their sense of smell Joseph Gérard. In 2015, Providence off ered us to discover water where everyone else sees only a new home for the Foyer, which then moved to sand or they walk for days towards where they Les Parcelles Assainies. The prenovitiate found know that the fi rst drops of rain will fall. The itself alone ... and without a name! Here, the shepherds who follow them are therefore called beatifi cation of the martyrs of Laos inspired us the sons of the cloud. And with those fi rst drops for several reasons. Indeed, a deep link united of rain, the miracle happens: the desert blooms our delegation to Laos: it was Italian Oblates .... Of course there was life; only we did not expelled from Laos in 1975 who founded the know how to look deeply enough. There were Oblate delegation of Senegal in 1976. those seeds waiting days, months, maybe years, to bloom. And there are men who are able to live On Saturday, June 17, friends of the community the beauty of knowing how to trust, to wait and and representatives of the Oblate family of to love in extreme situations, so as to sing when Dakar were invited for this special occasion.