Kusenberger Chair of Oblates Studies Oblate Martyrs of Laos Beatified Insid e pgs 4-5 8-9 Forming Our Future Leaders at Beatificación de los Mártires Yale University Oblatos en Laos 10-11 Nuestros Futuros Líderes se Forman págs 6-7 en la Universidad de Yale 12-13 Inauguration of the Kusenberger Chair Front Cover: of Oblate Studies Bob and Ruth Kusenberger are honored for establishing 14 Inauguración de la Cátedra Kusenberger the Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies. de Estudios Oblatos Back Cover: 15 Fifteen Minutes to Die Oblate seminarians take time for prayer at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. 16 Quince Minutos Antes de Morir 18-19 Struggle and Hope in Tijuana Portada: Bob y Ruth Kusenberger reciben 20-21 Dificultad y Esperanza en Tijuana reconocimiento por establecer la Cátedra Kusenberger de 22-23 Oblate Profile: Fr. Pat Casey, O.M.I. Estudios Oblatos . 24-25 Perfil Oblato: P. Pat Casey, O.M.I. Contraportada: Los seminaristas Oblatos pasan tiempo 26-27 The 75th Anniversary of the Oblate Grotto en oración en el Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de 28 Celebración de los 75 Años de la Gruta las Nieves Oblata en San Antonio 29 Seminarian Profile: Victor Manuel OBLATE WORLD magazine is a publication of the Patricio Silva, O.M.I. United States Province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Washington, D.C. 30 Perfil de un Seminarista: Víctor Manuel Patricio Silva, O.M.I. OBLATE WORLD magazine seeks to inform our readers about the mission to the poor in which 31 Festival of Social Doctrine: Oblates engage around the globe; to educate our "Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration" readers about the teachings of the Catholic faith and 32 Festival de la Doctrina Social: the Missionary Oblates; and to inspire our readers so “Colaboración de Participantes Múltiples” that they may enhance their own spirituality. OBLATE WORLD 33 Oblate Crossings Copyright ©2017 • A Crime that Cries to Heaven Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate • The Keys to the City 391 Michigan Avenue NE • New Oblate Justice/Peace Website Washington, DC 20017-1516 omiusa.org 34 Caminos Oblatos Designed and printed in the U.S.A. • Un Crimen que Clama al Cielo Publisher: Fr. Bill Antone, O.M.I. • Las Llaves de la Ciudad Editor: Annie Kessler • Portal de Justical/Paz de los Oblatos Creative Director: Bill Undertajlo Production Director: Joe Pytlinski Writers: Annie Kessler and Mike Viola Designer: Barb Thomas Photography: Sarah Abbott Translator: Rosario García If you no longer wish to receive Oblate World magazine, please call 1-888-330-6264. Thank You. N C NATIONAL CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT Please send change of address, comments or questions to: D C CONFERENCE, INC. Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate 9480 N. De Mazenod Drive Belleville, IL 62223 E-mail: [email protected] VOLUME 8 • NUMBER 2 From the Fr. ProvincialBill Antone, O. M. I. Dear Oblate Friends, As I write this introductory letter for the summer issue of Oblate WORLD, I am bringing to a close my service as Provincial of the United States Province of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The six years I have served in this role have passed by quickly and have been very good years. Through the humble instrument of this magazine, I am hopeful that the readers have come to experience the God-given dignity of each human being, especially the dignity of the poor with their many faces. I am also hopeful that the “charism” of St. Eugene De Mazenod, founder of the Oblates, as it is lived out in the lives of Oblates and all who have come to know St. Eugene and the Oblates, will continue to motivate each one of us to proclaim that God truly hears the cries of the poor. This is Good News, and it is True News. Oblates go beyond the usual labels of liberal and conservative. We are passionate lovers of Jesus Christ and the Church; we see God where the world does not. We see the face of God in the poor, abandoned and marginalized. We see God in the integrity and inter-connectedness of Creation. As the refrain goes: “God is good all the time; all the time God is good.” I welcome my successor, Fr. Louis Studer, O.M.I. May he be as blessed as I have been in serving my brother Oblates and all who are related to the Oblates in any way. Many thanks and prayerful blessings of Peace and Joy! Fr. Bill Antone, O.M.I. Provincial, United States Province Estimados Amigos de los Oblatos, Al escribir esta carta para el número de Verano de Oblate WORLD concluye mi período como Provincial de la Provincia de los Estados Unidos de los Misioneros Oblatos de María Inmaculada. Los seis años que serví en este puesto se han ido rápidamente y han sido muy buenos. Espero que a través del humilde instrumento que es esta revista, los lectores hayan experimentado la dignidad que Dios da a todo ser humano, en especial la dignidad de los pobres en sus muchos rostros. También confío en que el “carisma” de San Eugenio De Mazenod, fundador de los Oblatos, vivido por ellos y por todas las personas que llegan a conocer a San Eugenio y a los Oblatos, continúe motivando a todos y cada uno de nosotros para proclamar que Dios escucha en verdad el clamor de los pobres. Una Buena Nueva y una Nueva Verdadera. Los Oblatos vamos más allá de las etiquetas de liberal o conservador. Amamos apasionadamente a Jesucristo y a la Iglesia; encontramos a Dios donde el mundo no lo hace. Vemos el rostro de Dios en los pobres, los abandonados y los marginados. Encontramos a Dios en la integridad e inter-conectividad de la Creación. Como dice el refrán: “Dios es siempre el Bien; Dios es siempre bueno.” Doy la bienvenida a mi sucesor, el P. Louis Studer, O.M.I. Deseo para él las bendiciones que recibí al servir a mis hermanos Oblatos y a todos los que se relacionan con nosotros en cualquier forma. ¡Con mi agradecimiento y oraciones por bendiciones de Paz y Alegría! Fr. Bill Antone, O.M.I. Provincial, Provincia de los Estados Unidos 3 Oblate Martyrs of Laos Beatified When she was In December, Lucia celebrated the in first grade, life of her brother as he was beatified by Lucia Borzaga the Church. Father Borzaga, along with would attend five other Oblate Laotian martyrs and Mass presided by 11 more Catholic martyrs in Laos were her older brother, declared Blessed, a major step on the path Mario. Mario was to sainthood. in the fifth grade “His dream was to be a missionary and at the time, and that is why he chose the Oblates,” said Mass was held Lucia. “They are specialists in difficult Fr. Mario Borzaga, O.M.I. under the kitchen missions and that’s what he wanted to be.” table. Mario would use a stool as an altar, There may have been no more difficult and kitchen utensils were his props. Lucia mission in the world for a Catholic priest would attend "Mass" under the kitchen than Laos in the 1950s and 1960s. Most table wearing her mother’s veil and holding people lived in extreme poverty, and a prayerbook she couldn’t read. Communist guerillas were determined to rid At these childhood Masses, Mario would the country of religion. share with his little sister that he wanted to The Oblates ministered to a small group be a priest, and to become a missionary in a of Catholics who chose to practice their far-off land. That dream became a reality faith despite violent persecution. Facing when he joined the Missionary Oblates and numerous difficulties, the Oblates put their became a missionary in Laos. trust in God. Father Borzaga wrote in his The dream ended tragically in 1960 when diary that ministering in Laos would require Fr. Borzaga was killed for his faith. He was him to identify with the Crucified Christ. 28 years old. Father Borzaga would be the “I know exactly what death means, and first of six Oblate martyrs in Laos during I know that if life flowers from death, I the 1960s. will die every day from dawn to dusk, drawing strength from the Bread who is Victim, that is the Sacrament of Love, of Suffering and from that I will draw the strength to love, to suffer, to do the will of the Father.” In 1960 Fr. Borzaga was murdered along with a young Hmong catechist, Thoj Lucia Borzaga 4 Oblate WOrld - Omiusa.Org Xyooj, as they were returning from an apostolic trip to rural villages. A year later, Oblate Fathers Louis Leroy, Michael Coquelet and Vincent L’Henoret were snatched from their missions in the Province of Xieng Khouang and savagely killed. Father John Wauthier, a tireless worker among war refugees, was killed in 1967. In 1969 Fr. Joseph Boissel was ambushed and killed on his way to an isolated Christian community. The heroic sacrifice of the Oblates in Laos was brought to the attention of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. After an extensive review of each case, the Vatican announced their beatification last year. “They gave The beatification ceremony took place at the up their lives Church of the Sacred Heart in Vientiane, the only in service of the Catholic Mass celebrated that day in Laos. The Lord and in the “How can Oblates’ Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, O.M.I. of service of their I forget the the Philippines was Pope Francis’ representative brothers and martyrdom of at the ceremony.