Annecy Hall: Happy 30th Anniversary!
For decades, the Oblates in America followed the time-honored Church tradition of younger members of a religious community dutifully caring for their older brothers. By the 1980s, as more Oblates were entering into retirement, the Church saw a decline in the number of young men choosing religious life. This change in demographics, along with rising healthcare costs, led the Oblate superiors to seek new ways to care for their aging and infirm brothers.
The Oblate property in Childs, Maryland had always been a special place for our community. Tucked between rolling farmlands and Interstate 95, this location has served many purposes over the years. Decades ago, Oblates first arrived at Childs as young, eager postulants and novices. In the 1980s it became a place where some Oblates retired but if they needed any kind of medical care, they would have to go to a nearby nursing facility.
The Provincial Superior at the time, the late Fr. Richard Reece, wanted Oblates to have a place to retire and receive medical care. Fr. Reese, along with Fr. Joseph Morrissey (Provincial Treasurer) and Fr. Dick DeLillio (Director of Development), decided to make this vision a reality. With the support and generosity of many friends and donors, the property at Childs was restructured and Annecy Hall was built. The building was dedicated, and the doors officially opened on May 7, 1994.
The healthcare center is named for the beautiful city in the French Alps where Francis de Sales lived, ministered, and became a saint. The name reminds the Oblates of our own call to service and sanctity. Over the last thirty years, Annecy Hall has become a place where retired and infirm priests and brothers, even with the challenges of aging and illness, can continue to minister to others through their prayers and good works. When a priest or brother is in his final days, community members will keep prayerful vigil by his bedside and bring comfort and support to his family and friends.
With a staff that includes 30 lay people, Annecy Hall can house 25 residents. There is also room for Oblates who are temporarily recovering from health issues and need rest and rehab. All of the Oblates who live and minister at Annecy find a place where they are treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.
One of the unique things about Annecy Hall that makes us distinct from other care facilities is that we are brothers who have lived with each other and worked with each other over the years. We consider each other family. In my current ministry, I have the opportunity to visit Annecy Hall regularly. I have seen firsthand the care and community that surrounds this special place. This fills me with great hope. I have witnessed friendships that started when men began their vocational journey and reconnected when they returned to Childs after many years in the active ministry.
Annecy Hall is a reminder that living our religious vows does not end when we leave an apostolate or finish a job. The vows remind us of our commitment to God, the Church, and our religious family. Our life as Oblates calls us to be who we are and to be that well. Living that out continues each day of our lives.
Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province
