2016 July OMIUSA--BC.Pmd

Newsletter of the U.S. Province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate OMI USA JULY 2016 Vol. 19, No. 4 U.S. Oblates gather in Belleville, IL he fifth convocation of U.S. Oblates brought together 170 Tpriests and brothers dedicated to the spirit and mission of Jesus Christ as characterized in the charism of St. Eugene de Mazenod. The meeting took place at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL from April 18-26. diversity existing in the province members: diversity Presentations and group discussions in generations, cultures, nationalities, talents, all sharing centered on the theme of being “Rooted in the one charism of St. Eugene. Christ Crucified: Growing in Witness to In his presentation, Fr. Frank Santucci noted His Kingdom.” that what holds us together as Oblates can be found As in the past, the convocation in the words of the Founder who desired first of all to afforded opportunities for celebration, form a group of priests who live together and who fraternity, and grass roots discussion Fr. Frank Santucci, OMI strive to imitate and concerning the become one with Christ and his future of the province. Council values in order to bring the Gospel members presented possible to the poor. views of that future, inviting Fr. Daniel Renaud invited comments and suggestions. attendees to recognize the virtue of The provincial, Fr. Bill hope for happiness already existing Antone, welcomed the Fr. Daniel Renaud, OMI in those to whom they minister in Fr. Bill Antone, OMI attendees, noting the great Continued on page 4 Ziegler ordained n May 20th, 2016, the eve of St. Eugene’s feast day, Bro. ODaniel F. Ziegler was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Roger L. Schwietz, OMI, at the Immaculate Conception Chapel at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX. Among the many Oblates were retired Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI and provincial, Fr. Bill Antone, OMI. The youth from the Oblate Mission Archbishop Schwietz with newly ordained Fr. Ziegler and his parents Continued on page 10 JULY 2016 -1 Oblate Retreat and attend preached retreats. One is King’s that it brings many rewards in health, Renewal Centers: “Be still House in Belleville, Illinois, another is growth in our spiritual life and and know that I am God” Immaculata in Willimantic, wholeness. (Ps. 46, 10). Connecticut, and the third is Christ the I recently attended the As a small child, I King in Buffalo, Minnesota. There is annual meeting of NACORRC, the remember a few occasions a fourth retreat house in San Antonio, North American Conference of rovincial when my parents would Texas, called Oblate Renewal Center, Oblate Retreat and Renewal attend preached retreats at and its ministry is overseen by the Oblate Centers. This Canada-U.S. working a local retreat house. I School of Theology. group has been meeting for 39 years didn’t understand what was Our retreat houses are oases in and is a beautiful example of Oblate happening, but once a year, the contemporary desert of a noisy, collaboration among the four oblate my mother would be absent frenetic, violent world that militates provinces of the North American from the home for a few against interiority. “You cannot Region. Personnel from Canadian and rom the P the rom days and we were left with understand anything about modern U.S. retreat and renewal centers meet F dad alone, who would civilization unless you first of all to discuss and pray about their visions, attempt to prepare our meals. We could accept that it is a universal conspiracy ministry and operations. be sure that he would always fry against any kind of interior life” Besides the fact that potatoes. Soon thereafter, dad would (Georges Bernanos). These centers offer NACORRC walks the talk of North attend the retreat and leave us alone with quiet space for the soul…to grow and American Oblate collaboration, I was mom…who was definitely a better to heal, to discern and to consecrate. very impressed with the fact that cook than dad. I think it was during Lent These open, uncluttered, sacred spaces representatives of the various roles that that this took place. bring about meaningful encounters make up the teams come together, We Oblates are blessed to have with ourselves, others, Creation and whether they are the directors of the several retreat houses in the United our God. We need silence, and yet we centers or are employed in States province. We sometimes refer are afraid of it. We need at times to stop housekeeping, food service, to them as “retreat and renewal running, but avoid stillness. It can be administration or hospitality. We are centers.” They have histories which go painful to disconnect from our many blessed with great lay persons, some back to the days when good numbers activities, sometimes even to pray in in the roles of directorships, as well as of parishioners like my parents would silence for 5 minutes. But we discover religious women and many Oblates doing this ministry together. Our retreat and renewal centers are places of preaching, spiritual direction and real hospitality, an important Oblate value. Folks in 12-step programs are welcomed; others get inspired to be hospitable to the disadvantaged, the immigrant and homeless upon returning to their communities. Thanks to my brother Oblates and all who do this very important Oblate ministry and are guardians of these sacred spaces! Oblate Associates: “I am an Oblate NACORRC 2016: Seated (l-r): Richard Dahm; Frs.Mark Dean, Salvador (Chava) Gonzalez, too.” (Raquel, Holy Family parish, Abp. Sylvain Lavoie, Sarah Biermann. Middle Row : Karyn Forsberg, Michelle Reis- Mexicali, Mexico) Amores, Linda MacIsaac; Fr. Ron Meyer, Jean Trudel, Karan Insalaco, Anne Hales. More and more people are Back Row : Fr. Bill Antone, Brendan Bitz, Fr. Piotr Nowak, KT Cockerell, Lucie Leduc, Bro. Pat McGee, Brenda Rose Szegedy, OSF, Jeanette Filthaut, SP; Frs. Bill Stang, discovering the “charism” of Eugene Richard Kelly, Jim Deegan. Photo credit: Richard Dahm. Continued on page 3 OMI-USA - 2 From the Provincial Continued from page 2 de Mazenod. We jokingly say—but are serious when we say it—that Pope Francis has discovered the same charism: a love of the Church of the poor and for the poor; the centrality of Christ, and Christ crucified; preaching prophetically the Good News of a just and merciful God; solidarity with and closeness to the people; hospitality and audacity; and, what is perhaps a development easily found in the wide heart and open mind of St. Eugene, the integrity of A group of Oblate Associates visited the novitiate during the meeting. Creation. Certainly Pope Francis is doing both here in the United States and June for their national meeting at King’s nothing more than the popes before throughout the world. House in Belleville. him, and nothing more than St. Eugene, Besides the Associates, others The Associates are made up when it comes to “translating” the in the Mazenodian family are invited to mostly of lay women and men and for Gospel of Jesus Christ for times. There drink from the same source of this meeting they came from California, is no re-invention of the Gospel nor of inspiration: Honorary Oblates, Partners, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, the Church. Co-workers and Employees, Louisiana, Washington State, Many of those discovering the Benefactors, Parishioners in Oblate Minnesota, Nevada and New York. charism of Eugene, who has been parishes and Family and Friends. The In a way that is considerate of proclaimed a saint for the whole Church Oblate Associates, under the leadership their own commitments in marriage, and world, are our Oblate Associates, of Geri Furmanek, gathered in early family, profession and vocation, they can proudly say “we are Oblates too.” fter concelebrating the Memorial Day Mass at San Fernando Mis- The more than 70 Associates sion Cemetery with Bishop Emeritus Gerald Wilkerson, retired Aux- who attended the meeting represent iliary Bishop of the San Fernando Region of LA Archdiocese, Frs. approximately 450 Associates A throughout the United States. Gerald Brunet, Pat Thompson and Bro. Craig Bonham went over to the Oblate section to pray and sing the “Salve Regina.” We were happy to welcome 5 Associates from the Anglo-Irish province to this meeting. Thanks to Geri Furmanek for her leadership, and for those on the National Committee of Associates: Hermie Alignay, Joseph Cipolla, Janie Sanchez, Frs. Sal De George, Porfirio García, Tom Ovalle and Jim Taggart. I am especially grateful to the Oblate Associates who incarnate and extend the charism of St. Eugene in their lives, and passionately consider themselves part of the Oblate family. -Fr. Bill Antone, OMI JULY 2016 -3 2016 Convocation and closing Continued from page 1 remarks, presented an order to animate the virtues of faith address which and charity. Mr. Benner Richard Benner had gave on the accepted an invitation to be a keynote same topic speaker for the convocation. He several years Fr. Mark Dean, OMI intended to speak about a Christian ago to a response to the worldwide phenomenon Church of the Nazarene convention. of fundamentalism in a way that reflects For those Oblates unable to at- the spirit of Christ as He dealt with the tend the 2016 Oblate Province Con- “sacred” and “secular” and the vocation during the week of April 18- fundamentalism of his time However, 22, 2016 in Belleville, you are now able Belleville’s Bishop Edward Braxton, an unexpected diagnosis of stage four to log on and view those sessions that Anchorage’s Archbishop, Roger terminal cancer forced him to cancel. will be streamed as live video.

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