A little over a week ago, on August 21st, Craig Irwin and Joe Katarsky made their perpetual profession of vows as Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in the Toledo-Detroit Province. The celebration took place at Holy Family Parish, an Oblate parish in Adrian, MI.
It was a great celebration, and one that coincided with a young Oblate in Haiti and two Oblate sisters in Troyes, France also making their perpetual profession on the same day. The date is significant as August 21 was the birthday of St. Francis de Sales in 1567. It was a good day for the Church and for the Oblates.
Joe and Craig have been in the Oblate formation program for around 7 years. They began their time with us as postulants, Joe teaching at Visitation Academy in Washington, DC and Craig teaching at St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo, OH. From there they entered the novitiate and made their first vows in 2015. Then they began their philosophical and theological studies at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Part way through their theological program they spent two years in apostolic internship teaching at St. Francis in Toledo. They returned to Washington a year ago and are nearing the end of their theological studies.
At this point, as Fr. Ken McKenna, OSFS, mentioned in his homily at the profession, “Craig and Joe have finally arrived at their trifecta of celebrations: perpetual profession, diaconate ordination and priestly ordination. I remember my family — by the time we got to priestly ordination — asking two questions: “Didn’t we just do this?” and “Do we have to buy another gift?”
Ken went on to say, “Of the three celebrations, today, for me, is the most moving. To see young men commit their entire life to God — to vow to imitate the poor, chaste and obedient Christ touches the heart and soul and invites us all to reflect on our own living of the Gospel.”
For we Oblates, having young men make this final commitment to the Lord and to the Oblates, is always very moving. In some ways, it validates our own commitment as Oblates and gives us hope and encouragement for our future and the future of the Oblate community in the United States. It also wonderful to see others value the life we have valued and lived, some of us for a long time.
Joe and Craig will now finish their theological studies, be ordained deacons and work in a parish for a period of time, up to a year, and then be ordained priests and begin their priestly ministry as Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. I’ve already congratulated them, but do so again. Many blessings Joe and Craig, we all look forward to your years in ministry with us and for the Church.
Please keep Craig and Joe in your prayers as they draw to the end of their program of basic formation as Oblates and enter the life of an ordained minister in the Church. Also, join us in prayer for vocations to our way of life.
Blessings
Rev. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial, Toledo-Detroit Province
