Relief

Relief from the pandemic is something all of us have yearned and prayed for this past year. It is a hope shared by every man, woman, and child on the face of the planet. 

I know what it feels like to find relief. It's almost four weeks since I received my second shot of the Covid vaccine. Even following the first shot, I experienced an unexpected feeling of relief. The anxiety and fear worrying about getting Covid, which I lived with for so many months, was finally lifted. It is a relief that I no longer need to worry that everything I touch, every person I stand next to, or every crowded room I enter is a potential, and perhaps deadly, threat to my health. 

This is a relief that I can now visit friends again - especially those who are vaccinated. It is a relief that I can restart one of my ministry's essential responsibilities as Provincial of the Western Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, personally visiting each member of the community. As provincial, it is my responsibility to be familiar with each Oblate in the Province, assuring that they have the resources, support, faith, prayer life, etc., to live faithfully the charism we share and be effective in their ministry.

I am responsible for the Oblate Province's life at large, assuring that we are faithful to our mission, living lives of integrity and faith. For a year now, these responsibilities have occurred through phone calls and zoom meetings. These vehicles of communication are great but a weak substitute for meeting my brother Oblates in person. Being physically present with another person is a much richer experience than talking to that person on a phone or online. It's simply more personal, more effective, and more human and life-giving. 

Finally, I am relieved that I will now be able to visit my 97-year-old mother in NY, whom I haven't seen in a year. I will be able to celebrate Easter mass with her and other members of my family. We will share the Eucharist, something she hasn't done in a year. I know we'll all find relief and joy at that moment. 

The relief I feel in all these scenarios is palatable and has made my life easier, happier, more hopeful, and joyful. I thank God for this gift, this relief. It nurtures my soul. Isn't the gift of relief the gift Christ commands us to provide for those people in our world burdened with poverty, illness, violence, prejudice, and more? 

As Lent draws close to an end, maybe a question we might ask ourselves is, "How can I live the gospel of justice and service as commanded by Jesus." You know, the command, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Mt 25:40). 

What a tremendous gift we bring through our financial support, attentive concern, and personal engagement to those in need in our community and beyond. What life we nourish in others as we lift significant burdens and bring the simple yet profound gift of relief to those more burdened than we are.

We can provide relief for others, in which is found God's grace, God's love, and God's healing presence. 

May the Lord bless us this Lent, and may we grow in our interest and ability to reach out to others, providing relief that brings peace of mind and heart and the grace of Hope!

May God be blessed.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Saint Joseph, Strong and Silent

March 19 is the feast day of that Saint Joseph.

We often hear about “the strong silent type,” in describing a man of great character.  That description fits Saint Joseph perfectly.  He does not say one word in all of scripture, but his actions speak for him, and beautifully!

When he learns of Mary’s pregnancy, for instance, his instincts are not to condemn her but to protect her and her reputation by “divorcing her quietly.” And as soon as he learns in a dream of the heavenly origin of her conception, he readily believes and immediately takes her as his wife.  Mary’s “fiat!” was spoken aloud to the angel, while his is spoken, not in words, but in the actions of a compassionate and kind, loving and good man. 

At those times when we may be tempted to jump to conclusions about the actions of others, presuming not the best but the worse motives, let’s recall the example of Joseph.  How differently would the story of the “Holy Family” have unfolded if that good man of few words had presumed the worst in Mary and doubted the words and inspirations of an angel?  

As a nation, we have recently witnessed many examples of incivility in the words and actions of some of our fellow citizens.  We have too often seen differences of points of view divide, leading quickly to angry words and, at times, even physical violence.  There is another, a better way.  And Saint Joseph shows us that way, not in words but in the quiet, healing and caring actions of someone who has learned from his faith how to be both just and merciful in all his interactions with others -- quick, not to judge, but to give the other the benefit of the doubt. 

And think of how relieved and comforted Mary must have felt to find in gentle Joseph so strong and caring an acceptance.  She now had a life partner with whom to share the strange and wonderful adventure of parenting Jesus, Immanuel, God-with-us!

Father Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Jokes

Growing up, I learned many different jokes. Some of them were clever and also harmless. They made us laugh; they helped us to poke fun at ourselves and others. But they also could be used in a negative fashion. Some jokes were used to make fun of others based on superficialities pointing out that they were different from us.

Like jokes, at times our assessment of people can be based on surface judgments. Beautiful people, athletes, rich people, and celebrities may all be assessed in a positive or negative light simply because of their status. Poor people, people with physical or intellectual challenges, foreigners, and others different from who we are can also be assessed simply on appearance or other superficial ways.

One of the great gifts of my time in Camden was to challenge some of my assumptions about the poor. My sense of generosity changed by seeing how generous people who had so very little were. I learned hospitality in a new way from people who welcomed newcomers so easily but were so often not offered welcome simply because of their accent, the color of their skin, or on account of their country of origin. I also learned about my faith from a community who trusted deeply in God and God’s love despite the significant economic and social challenges they faced each day.

Jokes, by their nature, can be considered neutral but people are not. Each individual is unique and unrepeatable and beloved in God’s eyes. Polarization is often mentioned in our nation. It seems to me that can only happen when we choose not to see all others as God does, simply through the eyes of love.

Live Jesus!

Fr. Matt Hillyard, OSFS

Becoming Whole

This Sunday is the third Sunday of Lent. In three weeks, we will begin Holy Week. We are halfway through this season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. So, how are you doing? Have you kept up with the plans you made on Ash Wednesday on how you’ll observe this season?

There are probably some days that have gone well, and some not so well. Maybe you’ve just not been able to get into the rhythm you hoped for, and you’ve given up. Or, perhaps you’re doing great. If the last one is true – congratulations, keep up the excellent work!

If you identify with one of the first two, don’t worry. There have been Lenten seasons when I didn’t even persist with my commitments through the first Sunday of Lent, and by the third Sunday couldn’t even remember them. Be assured; it’s never too late to restart or even figure out a new direction that will fit better.

As St. Francis de Sales encourages us, “Have patience – especially with yourself.” He also says, “God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps; and like a good father who holds his child by the hand, he will accommodate his steps to yours and will be content to go no faster than you. Why do you worry?” Isn’t this a wonderful and comforting image?

Perhaps the deeper reason it’s been difficult, or even impossible, to maintain the course you set for yourself is that it is too divergent from who you are and the circumstances of your life. St. Francis de Sales says that holiness – what he calls the devout life – is found precisely in living well your daily life. Francis teaches that many people think true holiness is tied to just doing religious things like praying, fasting, and doing service works. And these are good things, but they don’t make one holy by themselves, Francis says. Why? Because we all know people who pray every day and then insult and ridicule others either publicly, online, or behind their back. We know people who fast from food to lose weight but don’t fast from anger, hatred, and grudges; and people who donate to or volunteer at social service institutions to be seen but ignore their friends or family members who need help.

For Francis, true holiness – the devout life – is integration. Holiness comes from integrating your love for God (or even just the desire to love God) with everything else in your life. Holiness calls you to integrate your interior (your heart) with your exterior (your actions). In this way, you become whole, and wholeness is holiness.

As you go about this week, I invite you to think and pray about this saying: “Wholeness is holiness.” 

• Ask yourself how whole you are. 

• Do your words match your deeds? 

• Do your actions match your motivations for doing them?

• Are you ready to try and live a wholly holy and devout life?

• Ask Jesus to help you try and live a wholly holy and devout life.

Have a blessed third week of Lent.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Light in Darkness: The Tabor Experience

Every year on August 6 the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration.  So why is that special event in the life of Jesus also recounted every year on the Second Sunday of Lent?

Certainly, one reason is the historical memory of the earliest disciples.  Peter, James and John recalled this powerfully transforming experience as occurring while they were on their way to Jerusalem and the tragic events there.  They experienced a moment of transfiguring light and a taste of glory as they were approaching the darkest days in the life of Jesus and in their own lives as his first disciples.  That brief moment of light changed everything for them!

Recalling this event early every Lent is the Church’s way of reminding us that Calvary was not the last word in the life of Jesus.  Nor is it the last word in the life of believers. Resurrection is that word, and the transfiguration of Jesus is its promise.

We as individuals, Church and world are always at a different place when we recall the transfiguration on the Second Sunday of Lent every year.  So, it speaks to us anew each year.

This year around this date marks a full year of Covid-19!   Talk about a year of darkness, dread and death!  The stress of the social restrictions, economic setbacks, political upheavals, combined with the deprivation of Church, liturgy and sacraments, has led many of us at times to a very dark place.  Only now, with a growing number being vaccinated, is a bit of light beginning to dawn.

If we let it, the gospel account of the transfiguration of Jesus can bring us light, hope and promise, as it did Peter, James and John.  Tabor was not only a welcomed pause on their journey to Calvary, it also pointed them to the glory of the resurrection light beyond.

Let the transfiguration speak to each of you as you need it to speak to you at this moment.  In whatever darkness you now find yourself, let God’s light shine down upon it, scattering it.  Peter speaks for all of us when he cries out: “It is good for us to be here!”

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Our Salesian “Rock”: The Spiritual Directory

You might remember a commercial for Prudential Insurance that contained a picture of a huge rock. Their motto was “Grab a piece of the rock.” When we bought their insurance we would feel protected and safe. That image came to mind when I prayed with the exchange between Jesus and the disciples where Jesus asks: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Recognizing that this knowledge came from above, Jesus renames Peter: “You are rock, and on this rock I will build my Church.”

There is a fun word play in that exchange that we miss in English. There are two Greek words for rock. The word for rock translated as church, is petra. The word for rock that Jesus uses to rename Simon, is petros. Petra means a great big rock, like a boulder. Petros means a small stone, pebble or chip. By calling Simon petros, Jesus is saying that he is a chip off the petra, the Church. I’m a word geek. Discovering this word play gives me an insight into Peter’s relationship with Christ and ours. Each of us, the baptized, are members of the Church, chips off that block. We are connected. 

For Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and devotees of Salesian spirituality, the Rock (petra) that binds us (petros) is The Spiritual Directory. At the beginning of the Spiritual Directory (SD), St. Francis de Sales tells us:

“Come, take hold of this book
and eat it,
swallow it,
fill your heart 
and nourish your soul with it.

Let its words remain day and night before your eyes
that you may meditate on them
and in your hands
that you may put them into practice
and let your entire being praise God for them.”  (SD, “Preface”)

As always, de Sales offers us simple and practical advice that is easy to put into practice. Please let me explain.

1. Like the rock of Christ’s Church the SD is a firm foundation, a rock.
   When we hold onto it, we are anchored.
   We hold on to it by reading and rereading it often.
   Take hold, grab a piece of the rock!

2. We need to do more than read it:
   We must eat and chew on what we read in the SD. 
   It isn’t “fast food,” so savor it like we do a fine meal.
   Let its words rest on our tongue like we might a fine wine or delicious food.
   In this way its words and insights begin to become part of us.
   Eat, savor and appreciate!

3. Savoring is a conscious act:
   We need to be mindful as we read, meditating upon the SD.
   This conscious reflection helps us digest the words and guidance in order to enter and fill our hearts.
   There, in our hearts, the words of de Sales nourish.
   Meditate and be nourished!

4. Once the SD fills our hearts it transforms us from the inside out:
   Our heart is filled with Christ so we can remain one with him.
   One with him we can act on what we discover and  “Live+Jesus.”
   “Living+Jesus” makes clear that we are chips off Him, our Rock and foundation.
   And we need to repeat this process often, like we need to eat daily.
   Return to the SD and eat each day

Who do we say Jesus is? Is he our Rock, our Way, our Life? If so, grab a piece of the rock. Live as chips off the Rock that is the Church, the Body of Christ. Allow the Spiritual Directory to anchor and guide us. Return to it often. Eat the food it has to offer. Savor it. Consciously meditate upon it. Act on it. The SD will help us “Live+Jesus” in simple, practical ways. Each of us is a rock (petros), a chip off of the Rock, (petra), the Church, visible today. 

May God be praised.

Rev. Paul Colloton, OSFS

Living Jesus in Lent

“What are you giving up for Lent?” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this question over my many years of putting ashes on people’s heads for Ash Wednesday. For many of us it involves abstaining, or giving up, treats like eating candy, ice cream, pizza or a favorite snack, soda, coffee, or beer. 

This Lent, however, I’d like to challenge you to think of Lent as a time to deepen your own relationship with Jesus Christ by making decisions that enable you to better “Live Jesus.” 

St. Francis de Sales calls this type of decision “virtuous living” and he devotes the entire third section of the Introduction to the Devout Life to this task.

In the Lenten Season, God invites us to reflect on our habits, both good (virtues) and bad (vices). Doing this allows us to build up our relationship with God, with ourselves  and with each other. Lent, in other words, provides us an opportunity to stop, evaluate our lives and see what adjustments are necessary so that we become who we are called to be.

As you go through this week, I invite you to begin Lent by reflecting on your habits, both your virtues and your vices, and identify where God might be calling you to persevere and to change.

Ask yourself:

• What are the things I do every day? What are my daily habits?

• Are they good (virtuous) habits?

• Are they bad habits (vices)?

• What good habits allow me to live each day well, allowing me to recognize God’s presence in my life, in myself, and in my friends?

• What negative habits habitually lead me to live foolishly and keep me from recognizing God’s presence in my life and responding to it? 

• What good habits ought I to continue?

• What bad habits ought I to stop?

Then, in prayer:

• Thank God for the good habits or virtues that you have.

• Ask God for help in overcoming your vices by practicing the opposite virtue; for example, if you are impatient, consider practicing patience. 

• For help with understanding the virtues check out this section in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Finally, whenever we attempt to transform our lives, we would be wise to ask for God’s grace, for God’s assistance to aid us in our attempts and to withstand the temptations that are sure to afflict us. And, as always, remain patient with yourself for as St. Francis de Sales wrote: “Have patience with all the world, but first of all with yourself.”

“In order to journey well, apply yourself to living well the road right in front of you.” ~ St. Francis de Sales

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Comfort from St. Francis and Our Lady

Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are,
will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it,
God will carry you in His arms.

An Oblate quoted these lines from St. Francis de Sales in his annual Christmas letter.  I read them during this “dark winter” of pandemic and political unrest on the national level, and the yet-unrealized full potential of the Covid-19 vaccination on the personal level of countless millions in this country and throughout the world.

Look at these situations “with full hope”?  Wow, that is a challenge, isn’t it?

Still, our faith and Francis assure us that, “God, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things.”  I am particularly comforted by these words, “God, whose very own you are.”   You and I, each in our own unrepeatable uniqueness, are God’s very own.  When that truth travels from the head to the heart, everything changes, doesn’t it?   De Sales urges us in his Treatise on the Love of God to personalize the truths of our faith because, at its base, faith is not simply or principally a collection of doctrines to be believed but a personal love affair between God and each of us, “by first and last name,” as Francis assures us.

“And when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms.”  Now, those words really speak to me.  They acknowledge that no matter how strong and personal our faith may be, there are times when they seem not to be enough.  We know that we can’t save ourselves.  Jesus does that.  These words also remind us that, alone, we may not at times be able to handle the stress or the pain or the uncertainty of what is our lot.  When that happens, “God will carry you in His arms.”  He not only saves us from our sins, he also carries us when we hurt or are overwhelmed or are just stressed out by life. 

At those moments God is like a loving parent who carries a frightened or hurting child in his or her arms, whispering words that we all heard at one time or other: “It’s Ok.  I am here now.  Everything is going to be ok.”  At those moments, God is parent, and we are reassured, safe, and loved!

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.  If we have a difficult time envisioning God as parent, I am sure this is not the case with Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother as well. 

During this long “dark winter,” let Mary’s healing and caring love carry each of us, her children, in her strong and motherly arms as she once carried the infant Jesus.  She will whisper these words to us as she no doubt once whispered them to her baby son: “It’s Ok.  I am here now.  Everything is going to be ok.”

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

St. Francis & The Present Moment

A priest friend of mine writes a weekly blog, in which he provides a brief reflection on the Sunday scriptures. This past weekend he grabbed a line from the second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians.

              "I would like you to be free from all anxieties."

He then writes, "I would like that as well. Who wouldn't? But these days, who can be?"

My friend continues to list what causes us anxiety, beginning with the tragic events at the Capital in Washington, D.C. on January 6th. I quickly created my own list of anxiety-producing topics and circumstances, and  I am sure you can create one yourself. 

My list included health, quarantining, competing world economies, political tensions both international and local, Church scandals, global struggles for vaccines, terrorism, and more. And, then there were more mundane items such as, should I work on my homily or read that novel that I'm enjoying so much, or, is it ok if I play one more game of solitaire on my computer? I did say these were mundane. Maybe that's an understatement.

St. Francis de Sales famously wrote, "Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry." St. Francis points out the danger of anxiety and how it can fracture our spirits and rob our peace of mind. While many anxiety-producing realities are beyond our capability to change or control, how we respond to them is entirely in our hands. My friend, the priest blogger, goes on to Mark's gospel from this past Sunday and writes, "What we have in this brief exchange between Jesus and a man caught up in darkness is a power struggle. Darkness challenges The Light of Christ, and The Light prevails. It is a power struggle that will continue until Christ returns in glory, leading creation into the Reign of God. Then, evil will totally surrender."

This is where I found myself wondering, "How can I allow the power of Christ's light to reveal the evil of my anxieties, clear them from my heart and mind, and allow Christ to reign within me?" Again, St. Francis leads us to the answer with several often-quoted lines. Perhaps most famously, "Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: 'The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in Him, and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me and I in Him.'"

Another quote from Francis: "We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God. If at times we are somewhat stunned by the tempest, never fear. Let us take a breath and go on afresh."

Finally, one of my favorite quotes from Francis, both poignant and humorous, "What is the use of building castles in Spain, when you have to live in France?"

All of this advice from Francis encourages us to live in the present moment: to see in the place where we are, in the people with whom we associate, and in the challenge immediately in front of us.  This is the place in which we meet the God of peace, the God of life.

So, when you find yourself anxious and worried, when you are unsettled and confused, when things are becoming a bit overwhelming, do what Francis says, "Let us take a breath."  Look around you and find the goodness and grace of the moment. See your life through an optimistic lens recognizing that the Reign of God is near to you now. In fact, “He is not only with me but in me and I in Him.” Then we can “...go on afresh."

There is a sense of freedom, when you find that place of confidence in God’s benevolence, which brings calm and peace. So, live in the moment, do not fear the future, or regret the past. It is in this present moment in which God is present to you and offering you the fullness of his love and grace.

Now, back to that game of solitaire.

God be blessed,

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

The Holy One of God

This Sunday’s Gospel reading is from the first chapter of Mark’s gospel, the gospel which is the special focus for Year B.  It describes what must have been a powerful and frightening scene.  From the mouth of a possessed man the unearthly voice of many demons suddenly shrieks out in the midst of the silence of a spell-bound assembly: “What do you want of us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are – the holy One of God!”  

As lens for his entire Gospel, Mark chooses this confrontation between Jesus and Satan and, in doing so, reduces the cosmic forces of Good and Evil to a one on one struggle between Jesus of Nazareth and the Devil himself.  In this way, Mark wants to remind us that Satan, Evil, is always the hidden face behind every opposition that Jesus encounters, every plot against his life and every rejection of his person and teaching.  At the same time, Mark reminds us that behind the human face of Jesus is always the hidden face of God.  It is the face of God that the Evil One recognizes on the face of Jesus!  

Jesus wins this first bout in what will be a life-long struggle.  He knows that the Evil One will return again and again throughout his ministry to sow fear or doubt or hate, all of which will end in his arrest, passion and death.  Calvary may, at first blush, seem to suggest that Satan is the winner in this cosmic struggle, but the Resurrection reveals that love, not hate, good, not evil, wins out in the end.  For Mark, as for us, faith in Jesus lays hold to ultimate victory over sin, death and the Evil One.

In recounting this event in the life of Jesus, Mark offers encouragement to his first readers as they engage in their own personal struggles with evil in the form of sin or doubt or fear or any one of the countless buffetings that always seem to encircle us.  Satan failed to win against Jesus, but can he prevail over his followers?  Mark’s response is a firm, “No!”  Our faith in Jesus is our echo of Mark’s “No!”  

Mark does not sugar-coat the cost of discipleship.  He is a realist.  Faith in Jesus must work itself out over the course of every day and in the face of many voices, tugs and pulls that are contrary to his.  But we have in Jesus someone who struggled as we do and has overcome.  For us who believe, his victory becomes our victory as well.   We too know who Jesus is: “The holy One of God!”  So, let us follow Jesus, stay very close to him, continue to read his Word and walk his path. If we do that, Jesus will do for each of us what he does for the possessed man in this Sunday’s Gospel.  He will free us from every evil and, at the same time, fill us with another very different spirit: his Holy Spirit!  

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Coming Together through Love

I am writing this reflection a few days after the stunning and unimaginable attack on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., leading to numerous deaths and extreme mayhem. By the time you read this, a new president will have been inaugurated and our country will be attempting to recover from all the shocking events of the past weeks, and the enduring tensions and conflicts that remain between our citizens.

I find myself disappointed and incredulous at the state our country is in, and wonder, "How can we move from the place where we are now to something more kind and less threatening? How can we recover the ideals upon which our country was founded, and reestablish a discourse between us that is respectful, productive, and serves all people well?"

An appropriate response is presented to us by the patron and spiritual guide of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The following is quoted from St. Francis de Sales' inaugural sermon when he became provost of Geneva, the leader of a group of priests responsible for the Cathedral there. Fifty-five years before this moment, Geneva became a Protestant stronghold, and Catholics risked their lives if they ventured into the region. Eventually, Francis would be named the Bishop of Geneva, a diocese he was forced to lead from a distance in Annecy, which remained Catholic.

In his inaugural sermon in 1593, St. Francis speaks about his own country/diocese and the divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Many, to make sure their voices were heard, were resorting to violence as the only answer.

St. Francis took a different tack. He said: "How will we recover Geneva? How will we unify and make sure our voices are heard? Through love. It is by love that the walls of Geneva must be shaken, by love that Geneva be invaded, and by love that Geneva be recovered...I propose to you not the weapons of war whose odor and taste remind us of hell. I do not want to form one of those armies full of uncouth soldiers. May our camp, our group, be like the camp of the Lord whose trumpets proclaim with accents full of gentleness this song: 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.'" It is on this camp that you must fix your gaze."

Francis' suggestion may seem to some to be a weak response to a grave reality. But I believe it is a response formed by St. Francis's relationship with and understanding of Christ as found in the gospels. As Christians, the gospel is our guide and strength, and the way of Christ is foundational in how we live our lives. Perhaps questions we can ask ourselves in this challenging time for our country are, "What can I do to bring the love of Christ into the country I live in and love? How can I change the discourse from confrontation to collaboration, from bitterness and resentment to reconciliation?"

This Sunday, January 24, is the feast of St. Francis de Sales. May our prayer on this feast be that we Americans, inspired by men and women of good hearts and filled with the Holy Spirit, come together as one country through the Spirit of Christ.

Fr. Jack Loughran
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

St. Leonie Aviat

We are into a brand-new year.  I doubt that any of us are sorry to see 2020 in the rearview mirror!  I know I’m not.  

At the beginning of 2021, this prayer of St. Francis de Sales is my prayer for each of you: “I pray that God, in his goodness, will grant you a good beginning, a better continuation, and a perfect ending to this New Year that now welcomes you!”

Earlier this week on January 10th we Oblates – sisters, brothers and fathers – celebrated the feast day of our newest Salesian saint, Léonie Aviat.  She is little known outside the Salesian family, but she is a saint for all of us, and in a special way for young women entering the workplace and beginning careers.   

With the encouragement and support of her spiritual mentor, Blessed Louis Brisson, Léonie opened homes for young girls who were leaving their small farms and villages to work in the factories and shops of Troyes, a small industrial city in the Champagne area of France.  These homes provided a safe and welcoming environment for these young working girls.  They were part of the heroic efforts by Léonie and Louis to protect the faith of young workers in a new environment that was frequently indifferent and often hostile to Christian virtues, morals and values.

As she herself expressed it, Léonie’s sole desire throughout life was to “forget myself entirely” and “work for the happiness of others.”

This selfless, hard-working and holy woman put herself to one side in order to do all in her power to foster the human happiness and spiritual well-being of all those she served, especially the young women to whom she was both a substitute mother and a faithful friend!

May St. Léonie come to be better known and her example of selfless service of others more widely imitated in our world today!

Gratefully,

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Begin Again with St. Francis

Recently, I was looking through reflections by St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane DeChantal, and Blessed Louis Brisson, the founder of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. My search was to find something on which to reflect as I begin this New Year 2021. I was looking for something encouraging and uplifting after the rough year 2020 has brought all of us.

As I read each author, I repeatedly found the phrase, "We must begin again," mentioned by all three of these holy individuals. They used this phrase to address unfulfilled resolutions made by individuals and perceived failures in the spiritual life. In the case of St. Jane, she was actually writing about beginning a new year.

I believe the phrase "Begin Again" reveals the great optimism of Salesian Spirituality. St. Francis brought a new insight into spiritual life, pointing out that everyone can live a saintly, devout life. Francis assures those he guides in the spiritual journey that saintliness is within our grasp. There is nothing that exists stronger, more available, and more attainable than the grace of God. St. Francis teaches that we can be saints in all we do and, in particular, in how we engage in our personal vocation.

“Begin again!” It is good advice. This year, more than any other in our lifetime, has been difficult around the globe. The plague of COVID-19 has ripped through families, causing extreme illness and death, financial ruin, isolation, hopelessness, fear, and frustration. We need a “redo.” “Begin Again” reminds us that we can be hopeful and energized for more. Every saint was also a sinner, every saint felt the same anxieties, fears, and sadness that touches so many lives today. It was their faith and trust in God that allowed them to rise above their struggles and “Begin Again!”

May we meet 2021 with optimism and hope, and use our energy and gifts to allow us to “Begin Again!”

May God be blessed!

Fr. Jack Loughran
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Handling Conflict Like St. Francis

Today’s world is absolutely wrought with conflict. I often find myself muttering the trite question “Why can’t we all just be nice to each other?” as I try to live my day-to-day life, ducking out of hard conversations and complaining bitterly over my brother’s latest screw-up.

However, St. Francis de Sales, often referred to as the “gentle saint,” would argue that these situations of conflict do not make it impossible to love our neighbor. On the contrary, times of disagreement are an opportunity to show even more love. When I compile his words, St. Francis seems to propose a four-step process to deal with an affront.

Step One: Give the Offender the Benefit of the Doubt!

Often, I encounter someone who is doing or saying something absolutely egregious—or so it seems at first glance. St. Francis de Sales directs: "Whatever we see our neighbor do, we must strive to interpret it in the best manner possible." When I brainstorm non-malicious reasons for people’s actions, I feel a lot more at peace.

Maybe the person who cut me off on 309 is racing to the hospital to deliver their first child!

Maybe my snippy professor just got horrible news back home.

Maybe my brother is bringing my stolen dessert to someone who really needs it!

My projected intentions may be unlikely, but they put me in a much better mindset to deal with the perceived offense. St. Francis also reminds us that an isolated situation probably does not represent the entire person, and that, because God’s grace works in a single moment, “What assurance can we have that a person who was a sinner yesterday is a sinner today?"

Step Two: Confront your Neighbor Peacefully!

With this first step in mind, the gentle saint does advise us to confront those who have hurt us. "It is important to resist evil and address the faults of those placed in our care, and this must be done constantly and courageously, but gently and peacefully." Obviously, if the offense comes from a stranger or distant acquaintance, it would be better to forgive and forget, but when we are dealing with someone “placed in our care,” we absolutely should address the situation.

Step Three: Don’t Spread Gossip!

The number one factor that exacerbates drama is to spread it around. If a friend, or even an acquaintance, has done something that we know to be wrong, telling other people will do nothing but cause hurt. St. Francis writes: "Refrain from imputing imaginary faults to your neighbor, from revealing those which are secret and from exaggerating those which are obvious." When has gossiping ever helped a situation?

Step Four: Forgive and Live!

Frankly, the only resolution to any conflict is forgiveness. St. Francis is direct with this point: "Support and excuse your neighbor with great generosity of heart." Holding a grudge will hurt us much more than it will hurt the other, and the longer we stew over the offense the longer the conflict will last. The way to love our neighbor is not to avoid all conflict, but to show forgiveness when a conflict arises.

In sum, we can heed a final word from our patron saint: "Let us walk on the way with our brothers and sisters gently, peacefully, and amiably."

By Genevieve O’Connor, Oblates Social Media Intern

The New Year: A Salesian Perspective

At this time of year, we hear much about resolutions, new beginnings, a fresh start.  All we need to do is to recall our past New Year’s resolutions to realize the truth of what St. Jane de Chantal once wisely wrote: “It is easy to begin a New Year: it is not so easy to see it to completion. It is not so easy to put our hands to the work that God expects of us during every day of this approaching year.”

Beginnings are easy.  Following through is the hard part.

Still, St. Jane is an optimist, as are all in the Salesian tradition.  Which is why she adds: “Time passes, the years come and go, and we come and go with them.  Nevertheless, we must make a strong and absolute resolution that, if our Lord wills that we might enjoy this coming year, we will make a better use of this New Year than the many that have preceded it.”

Agreed.  But how?

Once again, this large-hearted, saintly widow, mother and foundress has an answer: “Let us walk with a new and lively spring in our step in the service of God and one another.”  

In urging us to “walk with a new and lively spring in our step in the service of God and one another,” Jane is inviting us to renew our efforts to observe the double commandment of love of God and neighbor, that is, to dedicate ourselves anew to the basics of the Christian life, but to do so with a new and lively enthusiasm, a joyful and determined zeal.

Thus, in vintage Salesian wisdom, Jane is encouraging a firm resolve on our part to do ordinary, everyday things with great love.  Married?  Attend to the love of your spouse, never taking that love for granted.  A parent?  See in the faith and human formation of your children God’s principal will for you.  A friend?  Reach out to your friends, connect, help, encourage them in many small, simple and ordinary ways, especially during these dark, lonely and painful days of pandemic.

A final bit of sound advice from Jane at the beginning of this new year is this: “Let us embrace our state and stage of life as fully as we can.  Let us employ the time that God gives us with great care.  While we ultimately must depend and rely upon God’s mercy, let us at the same time remember to do as much good as we can in the time that God gives us now.”

In other words, the best of New Year’s resolutions is simply this: in each present moment during the year ahead, however ordinary or routine, let us be who we are and be that perfectly well!

Gratefully,

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Christmas Crib

Many of us place a nativity set near or under our Christmas tree.  The nativity scene helps to keep us focused on what we are really celebrating at Christmas and its true meaning: the birth of Jesus, God among us as one who serves and saves. 

In the parish where I served for many years, a huge nativity scene is placed on the side of the sanctuary and people are invited throughout the Christmas Season to spend some time in quiet prayer before it.

When we look upon the simplicity of a new-born infant lying in a straw-filled manger, surrounded by exhausted but happy parents, poor and prayerful shepherds, and barn-yard animals, we are compelled to wonder at the mystery and beauty of the divine plan in sending us a Savior in such humble circumstances.

St. Francis de Sales reflects on the Christmas crib in these words:

“Let us come close to the crib.  If you love riches, you will find the gold that the kings brought; if you are looking for the smoke of honors, you will find that in the incense; and if you take delight in the delicacies of the senses, you will find the delicate perfume of myrrh that pervades the stable.

Be rich in love for this adorable Savior, respectful in the familiarity with which you relate to Him, and delight in the joy of experiencing in your soul so many inspirations and affections because you belong exclusively to Him.”

Don’t let this Christmas day and season pass without spending some quiet moments in the presence of the Christmas crib.  All the wonder and majesty of both God and creation come together on the beautiful smile of the tiny infant lying before you:  God so loved the world…!

Gratefully,

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Mary and the Birth of Jesus

The first Sundays of Advent have John the Baptist as their focus, while this last Advent Sunday before Christmas places Mary, the Mother of Jesus, front and center before us.  With just a few days before Christmas, the youngest among us probably can’t think of anything else but a certain jolly fellow who will soon bring them lots of gifts.  We older folk, however, can spend just a few minutes catching our breath from the hustle and bustle of these last frantic days before Christmas to contemplate what scripture tells us about Mary, that remarkable young woman of faith who is best described by Francis de Sales as the first disciple of Christ and, thus, as the model for all of us to imitate.

Mary was first and foremost a woman of prayer.  Today’s Gospel says nothing about what Mary is doing when the Angel Gabriel comes to her.  But saints, artists and mystics have almost universally pictured her at prayer.  As described by de Sales, prayer is simply a heart-to-heart conversation with God.  The words don’t matter.  Nor is there any one method of prayer that one has to use.  Many just spend some quiet time, however brief, in the presence of God, open to his word.  That was Mary.  Whatever God asked of her, her response was always the same: “Fiat!” --“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your Word!”

Mary was also a woman whose prayer with God bore fruit in the concrete service of others.  What does she do as soon as the Angel leaves her?  She hurries to her cousin Elizabeth to assist her during what must have been a difficult pregnancy for an older woman.  Yes, they exchange beautiful words at their meeting, and the Prophet of Justice leaps in his mother’s womb as he encounters for the first time the Prince of Peace in Mary’s womb.  But after that, Mary sets herself to accomplish the many demanding household tasks that Elizabeth cannot accomplish.  And when John is born, Mary stays on to help her with the difficult transition to motherhood.  Mary prays, yes, but she also rolls up her sleeves to help another in need.

And the Visitation is not the only example in Scripture of Mary helping others in concrete ways.  At the famous wedding in Cana, it is due to her concerns and at her prompting that Jesus performs his first miracle.  By changing water into wine, he spares the young couple the embarrassment of running out of wine at their wedding celebration.  Nothing is too big and nothing is too small to elicit a helping hand from Mary.  

Finally, Mary is a mother who stays close to her Son no matter what.   We find Mary following Jesus throughout his ministry, sticking by Jesus through thick and thin.  She is with him during the heady days and huge successes in Galilee, but also during the increasing hostilities as they approach Jerusalem.  And where is the Mother when her only Son is cruelly crucified?  With him all the way: at the foot of his cross during the three hours of excruciating agony and heavy in her arms at the sad silence of death.  Tradition says that Mary was the first to see the risen Jesus that very first Easter.

Mary at prayer; Mary helping those in need; Mary with Jesus in the good days as well as in the bad days of life.  Artists and mystics often romanticize all of this, but for that woman of great faith hers was a real life and at times a very tough life.  Still, from the moment of the conception of Jesus within her womb until his glorious ascension into heaven 33 years later, she never left the one she loved, and he never left her.  That is Christian discipleship!

In just a few days, we will celebrate the birth of Mary’s Son in the poverty and simplicity of a manger.  See, with Mary, that the only important thing in life is to be with the God who has chosen to come among his people in the beautiful simplicity of a new-born babe and to live among them as one who serves. 

Mary was the first and best disciple of Jesus.  Let us learn from her!

Gratefully,

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

A Letter of Healing

December 10, 2020

Dear Friends,

The past week has been an incredibly traumatic experience for all of us.  As many of you may know, on December 3, 2020 we learned that  Fr. William McCandless, OSFS - a member of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province - was charged by a federal grand jury alleging criminal conduct in 2017. Fr. McCandless has categorically denied any wrongdoing. We Oblates are cooperating fully with federal authorities. As is standard practice, Fr. McCandless will not serve in any official capacity throughout the course of this legal process.

This development is incredibly painful for our friends and supporters, as well as for my brother Oblates, fellow Catholics and all people of faith. I realize that this news may open old wounds or impact the trust you have in us, your servants and partners in ministry. We are committed to keeping the trust that you have placed in us over the years.

I express my regrets to anyone who may be a survivor of abuse. If you are an abuse survivor or need assistance because of abuse, please contact Kate McCauley, our Survivor Assistance Coordinator, at 571-766-6840.

Since 2009, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales have been fully accredited by Praesidium, a risk management firm that is recognized nationally for assisting organizations in preventing the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.

Please contact me by email or phone if you have any questions or concerns. Please realize that I am required to work within the parameters that are always associated with any ongoing judicial process.

Please know that my brother Oblates and I fervently pray for all of you.  As we strive to model the virtues associated with our Gentleman Saint, we continue to “Live Jesus” and attempt to heal pain and maintain your trust in a transparent manner.

Yours very sincerely,

Very Reverend Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

lfiorelli@oblates.org 
302-656-8529

I am the voice…

The mission of the Baptist is highlighted in the gospel for the third Sunday of Advent.  When asked repeatedly who he was, John said he was the “voice” promised by the prophet Isaiah, the voice who would prepare the way for the Christ by making straight the road that leads to Jesus.

St. Augustine wants us to clearly distinguish the voice that speaks from the Word that is spoken. John is the voice; Jesus is the Word.

St. Francis de Sales greatly admires the humility of John who, as it were, “gets out of the way” so that the road to Jesus is unimpeded for those who long for God’s saving and comforting Word made flesh.

In his humility, John is the model of Christian discipleship.  We, too, are called to be voices that speaks of Jesus as Savior and Lord to those with whom we share life.  We do that by getting out of the way, as John did, and in doing that, smoothing the way for others to make their way to the Savior.

How, in daily practice, do we speak in such a way that others hear in our voice God’s Word?  Holy and good people show us how.  By their kindness, care, and foot-washing love, they point to Jesus as God’s saving Word.

Think of St. Theresa of Calcutta.  She cared for the poorest of the poor and the most neglected, and the world saw on her wrinkled and haggard face the beautiful face of Jesus himself. They heard in her words, and especially in the example of her love, God’s saving and caring Word to us.

But she’d be the first to say that parents who sacrifice for their children do the same. In the age of Convid-19, first responders do so as well.  The phone call you make to someone homebound; the comforting word you speak to someone grieving; the time you take to address a need in your neighborhood –the examples could be multiplied a hundred-fold.  Each example, large and small, is an echo of the voice that speaks the Word!

Imitate the Baptist.  Learn from that humble and large-hearted man how to be the voice that credibly speaks God’s Word to others! 

Gratefully,

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Living Advent in Joyful Preparation of Christ

“Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!”

This famous hymn is the perfect summation of the Advent season. We anticipate the coming of Christ, and we do so with great joy.

But joy is not just happy feelings. We can be joyful in any circumstance, because, as Fr. Mike Schmitz from “Ascension Presents” defines it, “Joy is an abiding sense of wellbeing that comes from the fact that I know that God knows my name, and He loves me.”

This aspect of joy is important to recognize because Advent is about more than just Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Nor is the season only about parties and twinkle lights. Fr. Mike Schmitz explains that “Advent is also preparation for Christ’s second coming.” Not only do we celebrate Jesus’s birth, but we also prepare for when he will come again. Although Jesus’ second coming will not be quite as festive as Grandma’s turkey dinner, it requires infinitely more preparation.

So, of course we can spend our Advent in joyful celebration filled with decorations, music, and food. But, the most important part of the preparation is prayer! When Joseph and Mary searched for a place to stay, there was no room for them in the inn. By devoting our Advent to prayerful preparation, when Jesus comes again, we will have ample room to greet him with open arms.

In fact, we can joyfully prepare for every time we encounter Jesus. Many of the saints write about how we experience countless intermediary arrivals of Jesus in our prayers, and most especially in the Eucharist.

As St. Francis de Sales writes, “Oh, but the most holy Nativity of Our Lord is a truly great mystery. Each and every one [of us] can find in it much consolation, but especially those who are better prepared and have, in imitation of the shepherds, watched carefully over their flocks.”

Our favorite saint reminds us that Christmas is a wondrous day which can provide us with both spiritual and material consolation, but we need to be prepared in order to receive these amazing gifts. And this advice applies for every encounter with Jesus. God longs to pour out His grace upon us, but we need to ensure that we have prepared a space for Him in our hearts, preserving our “flocks” from the wolves of sin.

So, let us live out this Advent with joy! We can use this time to prepare for Christmas festivities, but also carefully prepare for the second coming--confident in God’s love.  

Genevieve O’Connor, DeSales University
Oblates Social Media Intern