Responding to the Invitation: What if you said YES?

In each of the gospels, we hear Jesus invite men to follow him and it is by the example of these men that we may learn how to respond to the invitation He offers each of us.  

We really don’t know much about the apostles before their calling. We can imagine that they may have heard of Jesus and became curious or witnessed a miracle of His and became amazed. They may have seen Him in the streets and were inspired or perhaps heard His tender voice and were moved. Whatever it was, it was enough for them to say ‘yes’ and to follow.  

The interest, desire, or urge placed upon our heart to consider religious life and the priesthood has not happened by chance. C.S. Lewis reminds us of this fact saying, “For a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work." There is a  reason we find ourselves contemplating a call to this vocation. In the gospels, Jesus tells us, “It is not you who chose me, but I who chose you” (Jn 15:16). The interest, desire, or urge that Jesus  has placed on our hearts ought to be enough for us to follow the example of the apostles and consider saying ‘yes.’  

While studying at the University of Toledo, I was introduced to the Fellowship of Catholic  University Students (FOCUS), which is a Catholic collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the gospel with college and university students. And it was at a national  FOCUS conference that I came across the powerful slogan: What if you said YES?

For two years since hearing this short question, it comes to my mind whenever I find myself contemplating my vocation and deciding on whether or not to take it one step further.  

I have always concluded that my ‘yes’ could result in something really great, and in knowing this  I have found the peace and encouragement to keep responding to His invitations. I didn’t know where these responses would lead, but I knew I had to take the chance, and I am thankful I did.  I said ‘yes’ to learn more about the Oblates as an Associate; I said ‘yes’ to entering religious life as a Postulant; I said ‘yes’ to intense spiritual discernment as a Novice.  

What is Jesus inviting you to right now?  

• Is He inviting you to start going to Mass again? To go to confession?  

• Is He inviting you to attend a Bible study? Or to start one?  

• Is He inviting you to learn more about religious life? The priesthood?  

• Is He inviting you to talk to a Vocations Director? Or perhaps to join a discernment group?  Jesus is calling. What is His invitation? Will you respond?… What if you said YES? 

Joseph Kochendoefer

OSFS Novice 

Finally....freedom!

My house arrest just ended. I just got my car keys back and have permission to drive no longer than one hour distant from my home. You might think that, along with Richard Nixon, I might say, "I am not a crook!” But, you’d be wrong.

Different from Richard Nixon, my restrictions were a result of surgery on both of my feet. My sentence was staying off my feet for five weeks. Only short trips to the "necessary room" and the kitchen were allowed. The first two weeks weren't bad, and the pain supported the mandate. The second two weeks were ok but boring. The final week was torture. I couldn't wait for independence, to drive my car, and do something as simple as going to the grocery store.

After the pain subsided, I found myself reflecting on my situation. The Oblate Constitutions state, "The Oblate who is ill will strive to bear the suffering and discomfort of his illness in union with Christ. He should accept them with resignation, patience, and a spirit of penance, convinced that in so doing, he works more effectively for his salvation and the coming of God's kingdom." So, being a good Oblate, I watched Netflix, read mindless novels, and rearranged knick-knacks on my shelves. My resolution to clean up my computer, streamline my million and a half passwords, and discard thousands of unnecessary photos on my computer didn't happen.

In a way, I did follow the Constitution above. Occasionally, I reflected, that at 70 years old, I'm closer to pushing up daisies than ever before. Most of my siblings, even those much younger than me, are retired - not me! Aches and pains are my companions most days, and what hair I have left is white. A friend saw an old photo of me recently, and remarked, "I have a hard time thinking of you as a redhead." I used to be!

Gratefully, a saving grace occurred during this time of sober reflection, November. The month is devoted to remembering saints and souls. While at times God seems obscure or hidden, our loved ones who precede us remain in our memories and hearts always. Those who shared our faith encourage us to look up, trust in the eternalness of life, live in hope amid pain, suffering, loss, and sorrow - a great blessing. With memories of holy, loving deceased relatives and brother Oblates, my heart turned to our union with Christ filling me with a sense of peace and comfort. The Constitution above came to life and brought hope and purpose despite my sore feet. The wisdom and grace of our Church continue to guide and nourish.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

My Favorite Veteran

Imagine what it was like to get an enthusiastic invitation to come to Alaska and have access to dream-come-true fishing? I could hardly believe it. And after all these years, I can still hardly believe I never followed through and accepted the invitation. There were no strings attached, but I would have to carve out some time and manage to come up with the funds to get to Anchorage. 

You see, a fellow Oblate and very good friend, Fr. Dave Kenehan, after an impressive run as principal of our high school in Salt Lake City, had followed his father's footsteps and joined the army to serve as a chaplain. Dave has been stationed around the world, but as far I'm concerned, that stint at Fort Richardson Alaska was his best stop ever. I still dream about what could have been... 

That's not the only invitation I got from Dave. Three times over the years he's invited me to lead retreats for the communities he's served. I've been to Carlisle Barracks in Carlisle PA, the very site of the Indian school where Jim Thorpe became famous. I'm still saddened to recall the cemetery at the school, a testimony to the dozens of young Native Americans who died of loneliness after being separated from their families. I was honored to do a program at the military parish at Fort Myer, next to Arlington National Cemetery. And most amazingly, I led a retreat for military chaplains of the Pacific in Seoul, South Korea. The base there is Yonson, and from there I was awed to visit Camp Casey in the DMZ (demilitarized zone) at the border with North Korea. I'll just say it was more than a little spooky to be so close to such a tense border. 

Today is Veterans Day, an important time to remember, honor, and give thanks to those who have served our nation. I'm always impressed that my patron, St. Francis de Sales, in the Introduction to the Devout Life, when stressing the point that everyone is called to holiness, specifically mentions soldiers in the examples of occupations and careers he lists. For all the nobility of the life and role of those who serve in the military, it's a demanding position that by its very nature puts the soldier in harm's way. Even as we remember on Memorial Day those who have given their lives in military service, in honoring veterans, it's important to remember and provide support in the light of the sometimes high emotional cost of serving. PTSS (post-traumatic stress syndrome) is now a part of our everyday vocabulary. Not all wounds are visible, and those hidden, interior wounds can be just as debilitating as the worst physical handicaps. Perhaps we're too inattentive to the growing list of casualties among veterans who take their own lives. I attended an impacting workshop on this issue this past year and came away newly aware and concerned for the psychological and spiritual well-being of our veterans. In fact, we have a supply of cable-style gun locks from that program available, especially for veterans, or anyone who has an unlocked firearm in their home. Don't hesitate to request any you will put to use. 

Dave is retired now. When he was in active service I was used to seeing him dressed as an officer. But he didn't spend his entire career behind a desk. He was called up for active duty during Operation Desert Storm, our nation's response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. There, he faced the reality of combat, the tragedy of the loss of personnel, and the troops' struggling with the reality of taking the lives of the enemy.  If there is ever a situation where the presence of a priest is essential, combat is certainly it. 

I've always had a special appreciation for Dave's spirit of encouragement. Way back when he was a deacon at Queens and I was a teacher at Lumen Christi, it was Dave, shocked to realize that I was teaching sailing at Camp De Sales but lacked Red Cross swim safety certification, gave me the strong push I needed to get past my hesitations and excuses and go through the long training for first, Red Cross Senior Life Saving, and then, far beyond my confidence levels, to become a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor. That's pretty trivial in the light of the reality of combat, but I continue to thank him and I thank all of you who have served with honor in our military. If I, or we, can be of any help in addressing inner wounds, I pray we will be as responsive and effective as my favorite veteran, Dave. I just wish I had found a way to accept that invitation to Alaska! 

Blessings,

Father Thomas Helfrich, O.S.F.S.

St. Rita Catholic Church

Clarklake, MI

St. Charles, St. Francis and the Call to Holiness

Today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo. Shane Flanagan, a seminarian studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, reflects on the similarities between St. Charles and St. Francis de Sales. Shane is a 2014 graduate of Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. Father Judge has been a Salesian school since it was founded by the Oblates in 1954. Shane will be ordained a deacon in the spring of 2022.

Saint Therese of Lisieux once said, “you cannot be half of a saint, you must be a full saint or no saint at all.”  During a dark moment in the Church’s history two men rose up and embodied what it means to be a “full saint.”  Saints Charles Borromeo and Francis de Sales were leading figures in the Church during the Counter-Reformation.  Both men called for the sanctity of everyday life, through the faithful living out of one’s vocation.  Both men preached firstly by the way they lived and then by their words. They were examples to the people they were called to lead, showing them the way to salvation, by providing direction on how to live well.  

St. Charles and St. Francis shared strikingly similar paths in life.  Both men were born into noble families, educated at the finest schools, overcame family objections to their ordinations, and received their offices within the Church initially because of family connections.  God used the culture and atmosphere of the 16th Century to elevate these humble and holy men to the office of bishop.  While St. Francis called the lay-faithful to holiness, St. Charles dedicated himself to correcting the abuses found within the clergy of his time.  

As Bishop of Milan, St. Charles became an advocate for the more structured education and formation of priests, a precursor to the modern-day seminary.  He stressed the importance of being with the people entrusted to his care, choosing to remain in the city of Milan during the plague while most noble members of society fled. His desire to stay was fueled by the people’s need for the sacraments, especially in their final hours.  St. Charles led with humility and called others to do the same. The challenge to be a humble steward was met with much resistance and even resulted in an assassination attempt on his life. Despite all of this resistance, St. Charles remained on course.

Personally, God has blessed me with the opportunity to learn under the patronage of both men.  As a student at Father Judge High School, I was introduced to St. Francis de Sales and Salesian spirituality.  The motto “be who you are and be that well '' was not just a sign on the wall but a challenge to know myself through the eyes of God, so I could become the best version of myself.  The gentle challenge of St. Francis created an atmosphere in my heart, which created a space in which the quiet call of God could not only be heard but also acted on.  Upon entering St. Charles Seminary, I was presented with the priestly example of how one “loves without measure,” through my reading about the life of St. Charles.  The motto of St. Charles was to do all things with humility.  The Salesian basis of introspection provided the foundation needed to humbly accept my shortcomings and strive to “live Jesus” in all aspects of my life.  Self-knowledge and love underline the teaching of St. Charles and St. Francis, and both aspects are needed in our current culture. Through the intercession of Sts. Charles and Francis, I strive to be a light like them and work to bring Christ into every action of my day.  May we all strive to “be who we are'' and be “full saints” today, like St. Charles and St. Francis.  

Shane Flanagan

Father Judge High School, Class of 2010

Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, PA

Wherever Life Leads You, God Meets You

Next week is Vocation Awareness Week, a time to prayerfully reflect on one’s vocation in life, the vocation to which God has already called us or the vocation to which God is perhaps now calling us.

Our Christian belief in Providence affirms, among other things, that God has had from all eternity a plan or path for each of us, even by name.  At this point in their lives, most of the readers of DeSales Weekly will have embraced one of life’s major vocational options: the single life, the married life, the religious or the priestly life. 

In whatever path of life you now find yourself, God wants you to bloom right there; God wants you to flourish there and to maximize its potential, especially as it leads to the fulfillment of love’s commandment toward God, one another, and of all creation.

A special focus of Vocation Awareness Week is, of course, on those who are still in the process of discerning which life path God is inviting them to follow. One thing is absolutely certain: if what we discern and decide upon is also what Providence has planned for us, then that vocation will more surely lead us to God –to union with God and God’s will for us in this life and for an eternity of blissful communion with God in heaven.  

No matter whether you are now on your life’s path or still discerning that path, this bit of wisdom from a fellow Oblate is certain: wherever life leads you is where God meets you.  

Life, any life, will have its happy moments, its joys and emotional highs, as well as its challenges, disappointments, reversals, and setbacks. Faith assures us that no matter where or when in life we experience the happy or the sad, the high or the low, wherever life leads you is where God meets you.

Our God is a faithful God.  He is there, always there. No matter where we are in life; no matter our health or wealth status, no matter who our companions are or are not, we are never alone: the God of love, mercy, compassion, and fidelity meets us there. God is our life’s Companion.

For those of us who are already on our chosen life’s path, let us thank God for being “Emanuel,” God with and for us.

For you who are still discerning your life’s path, pray to know what God desires for you and pray also for the courage, once it is known, to follow wherever God leads.  Happiness --true happiness—lies there. 

For both groups, have a firm and steadfast trust that wherever life leads you is where God meets you!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Is Halloween over or just beginning?

In our popular culture, the month of October has evolved into a four-week celebration of Halloween.  These autumn days are filled with constant images of ghosts, zombies, witches, and werewolves.  The media and the markets focus on the scary and the supernatural.  Yet by the beginning of November, the masks are taken off, the cobwebs are cleared away and the howling at the full moon has faded.

For Catholics, Halloween is just the beginning of a sacred time to remember all those who have gone before us.  This is not a moment to be afraid but a period to focus on faith, hope, and love.  The first two days of the eleventh month are a time when the dead are remembered, our ancestors are honored and the souls of all the faithful departed are commended to God through special rituals, services, liturgies, and prayers.

On November 1st, the Church celebrates “All Saints Day.”  These are the men and women – the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) - who we believe are now with God and help us on our journey through this life.   St. Francis de Sales reminds us that “the lives of the saints are nothing but the Gospel put into practice.”    

On November 2nd we commemorate “All Souls Day.”  This is a solemn celebration when we remember and pray for all who have died.  We pray for their journey to their true home in heaven where they will dwell with God and all His angels and saints.  Many Catholics try to go to Mass on this day or they visit a cemetery, light a candle or find time to think about their loved ones who have gone before them. 

While All Souls Day and the entire month of November are a time to think about death and the afterlife, we must remember that the hope and joy of the resurrection is always before us.  The early Church celebrated All Souls in the Easter season as a reminder that it is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that gives meaning to our lives on earth and the promise of eternal life.

In the next few weeks, as our culture replaces images of monsters with pictures of pilgrims and the taste of candy gives way to turkey and stuffing, let us continue to pray for our beloved brothers and sisters who have died. As we remember them, may we always keep in our hearts the words of St. Francis de Sales: “Let us walk joyously among the difficulties of this passing life. These pains will have an end when our life ends, after which there will be only joy, only contentment, only eternal consolation.”

Rev. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS

Director of Development

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Removing our Disguises

Without a doubt, the best Halloween costume I ever had was the uniform I wore at my first job. I was 15 years old and lied about my age to get a job as a tourist attraction. I love telling people my first job was as a tourist attraction. I was one of the young high school and college-age guys who dressed as a 1777 British Grenadiers and put on a show for the tourists at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, NY. The Fort is at the mouth of the Niagara River where it flows into Lake Ontario. We marched in formation, stood guard, shot old cannons and civil war muskets. There were about 18 of us, and we had a great time. Check out “Old Fort Niagara” for more info.

It’s amazing that Halloween is now the 2nd most popular holiday for adults in the United States (Christmas is the first). And, Halloween is the one holiday where we don’t celebrate who we really are. Instead, we put on costumes and go door-to-door begging for treats; disguising ourselves in order to get something good.

What a metaphor for real-life: we disguise ourselves to get what we think is good: what will make us feel affirmed and liked, powerful and in control, secure and safe. And, we do it all by wearing and celebrating our costumed selves. Being ourselves, being the people God has created us to be is hard. The poet E.E. Cummings said it best: “To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight - and never stop fighting.”

That’s why we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. It is the feast of those who don’t wear costumes. Of those who lived lives free of artificiality and pretense. Of those who are, as Jesus says today: “The pure of heart.” who had the courage, in this harsh world to be their authentic and loving selves, to stand up for what was right even when it was tough by living lives that were merciful instead of vengeful, humble instead of hypocritical, gentle instead of vindictive, seeking justice instead of personal power, and peace instead of division.

How did the Saints get this way? The same way we can. They approached the door of God’s grace and mercy every day. They saw and acknowledged their sinfulness —the costumes we often wear to “trick” others and ourselves into seeing us not as we are but as we’d like to be seen. And, they saw God’s mercy and grace, God’s constant presence in their lives (and in ours) that invites us to take our costumes off, to humbly knock on God’s door as we are, and accept his “treats” — the grace God always offers us. St Francis de Sales would say, “Be who you are, and be that well!”

May God be Praised!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Bartimaeus and Discipleship

This Sunday, we will hear the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar whose sight Jesus restored. For the evangelist, St. Mark, the story of Bartimaeus is meant to be the story of every Christian.

Bartimaeus is acutely aware of his blindness. How could he not be? And his blindness makes him deeply aware of his need for help. Do we too need to rediscover an awareness of our own sinfulness and blindness in order, like Bartimaeus, to cry out for the mercy of Jesus and, upon receiving it, to follow him “on the way” of Christian discipleship? The humble acknowledgment of our need for a Savior is the beginning of Christian discipleship.

Bartimaeus perseveres in his cry for help from the passing Jesus, and his perseverance is rewarded with a miracle of healing. Do we persevere in our prayer? Or do we easily become discouraged because what we are praying for is not immediately answered or is not answered in the way that we would like? The subtext for all Christian prayer is always the divine will. We pray for this or we pray for that, but we must always frame our prayer in the words of Jesus himself: “Not my will but Your will be done.” Perseverance and Acceptance of God’s will: both are vital aspects of Christian prayer.

Embarrassed by the scene that he is causing, the people around Bartimaeus try to stop him from crying out to Jesus. But Bartimaeus will not be stopped. Are we too embarrassed to acknowledge that we are sinners and need a Savior? Bartimaeus refuses to stand on any such ceremony or to let others keep him from Jesus. Do we?

When Jesus calls for him, Bartimaeus immediately throws off his cloak and runs to him. Nothing will slow him down from running to Jesus. What’s the heavy cloak that keeps us from running to Jesus for light, mercy, and forgiveness? Is it perhaps some sin or addictive behavior that keeps us tightly locked within its grip? Is it some hurt that we cannot let go, or some past offense that we cannot yet forgive? Is it perhaps the heavy weight of spiritual laziness or indifference? Or is it just easier for us to coast along spiritually rather than take in hand the adult responsibilities and challenges of Christian discipleship? The gospel description of Bartimaeus running to the Lord - free and unencumbered - will always be a prophetic witness against any posture on our part of indifference, hesitancy, mediocrity, or spiritual laziness.

When Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants, he answers simply and directly, and on the level of his immediate need. In other words, Bartimaeus does not even pretend that he wants the faith to move mountains or the gift of discipleship. He simply tells Jesus that he wants to see. Jesus takes him exactly where he is and heals him. The lesson is clear: the little faith of Bartimaeus at this moment is enough for Jesus to work a miracle for him. How often do we feel that we must first become saints in order to approach Jesus? At those times, let us remember the story of Bartimaeus and how Jesus was able to take his little seed of faith and transform it into the wonderful miracle of sight. However little our faith may be, when that faith is joined to the power of God’s grace, miracles happen! Do we really believe that?

After he was healed of his physical blindness, Bartimaeus continued to follow Jesus “on the way” of Christian discipleship. He trusted that by following Jesus wherever he led, he would come to the fullness of truth, to the joy of heaven, and to the brilliant light of glory. And that he did. And so will we if we make our own the gospel story of Bartimaeus!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Leveling with Life’s Frustrations

I’m annoyed and frustrated. I’m recovering from foot surgery and am supposed to stay off my feet. Two weeks into a five-week sentence of sitting in a chair is feeling ridiculous. Yesterday, the doctor was rather stern reminding me of my restrictions. What does he know? They’re my feet!

Then this morning I went for blood work, fasting in preparation. After waiting for 30 minutes, I was told the orders weren’t delivered, even after I called the doctor’s office last week and gave them instructions on where to send the order and the fax number to the lab.

So, I’ll have to fast another day, beg for a ride because I can’t drive, and go back to the lab for tests that should have been completed today. In addition, my Wi-Fi is acting up, my printer is out of paper, and I don’t have any on hand, and we’re out of coffee. Finally, I forgot about this reflection, which is due today, until just a few minutes ago. I had other plans this morning, and they just went out the window. I should have stayed in bed this morning.

 I know these are minor complications compared to those people who have much more serious issues to contend with, but I find they are still exasperating. No matter how big or small annoyances, frustrations, irritations, exasperations, displeasures are part of life, and they disrupt plans, diminish contentment, a sense of well-being, and rob us of peace of mind and heart.

 St. Francis de Sales wisely and competently addresses the shadow of life’s frustrations and disappointments in the Introduction to a Devout Life. Paraphrasing Part 4, Chapter 13 of the Introduction, he writes: 

We should always attempt to keep equality of heart despite the crazy and annoying occurrences all around us. Although all things turn and change, we should remain constantly immovable, always looking for and aspiring towards God. Let everything be in confusion. Even if our soul is overwhelmed by sorrow or joy, with peace or trouble, with light or darkness, our heart, our spirit, our will must always be directed to our God, its Savior, its only sovereign good. Nothing shall separate us from this holy charity (love) which is found in Jesus Christ.

It is in this advice from St. Francis that peace of mind and heart may be found.

May God be blessed,

Fr. Jack

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Mary and Me

October is the month of the Rosary.  For that reason, it is also the month of Mary.  The mysteries of the rosary depict moments and memories in the paschal mystery of Jesus and, thus, also of his first and best disciple, Mary.

What does Mary mean to me? 

For me, Mary is first and foremost Mother. It’s so easy for me, in recalling the tender, selfless and unconditional love of my own mother, to see Mary in that way too.  How many times did Mom sacrifice her own needs, wants, and desires to meet those of my sisters and me!  I know that Mary must have done the same for his child, Jesus.  I believe –I know—that she does the same now for me and for all who follow her Son.  

From the cross, Jesus entrusts his mother to us and us to his mother.  From that moment on, every Christian has a second mother.  For that reason, each of us is doubly blessed! Just as we honor and cherish our birth mothers, we honor and cherish our second mother as well.  Mothers do anything and sacrifice everything to further the happiness and well-being of their children.   Our Mother Mary does no less for us, her children.

For me, Mary is also “Our Lady of Good Counsel.”  At the wedding celebration in Cana, Mary counseled the stewards to do whatever Jesus asked them to do.  By following her counsel, the bridal couple was spared a major embarrassment of running out of wine.  Mary’s counsel and advice to us is the same as to those wedding stewards: “do whatever Jesus” asks of us.  That counsel is the best roadmap to genuine Christian discipleship and to our call to live Jesus. 

I am intrigued that this “first sign” of Jesus’ public life took place at a happy and very ordinary event of a wedding and that it was brought about by the prompting of his Mother’s touching concern for others.  That “first sign” tells me that Jesus, as the human face of God, intends to be an intimate part of our everyday lives and to be as responsive as any child would be to his mother’s requests and prayers on our behalf.

Cana tells me everything I need to know about the kind of loving God we have in Jesus, as well as the power of his mother’s beautiful love for you and me.

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial, Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Keep the Light Shining

Fr. Jack and his mother, Florence Loughran, in

Annecy, France. They were celebrating her 76th and his 48th birthday.

This week is my birthday and it’s a big one! I just turned 70! Although, it’s not as big as my mother’s who turns 98 the same day. She’s a pro at this aging stuff.  Like many people, I don’t think of myself as being as old as I am, but that fact remains - I am 70. I don’t have the stamina or even the ambition to do all that I did when I was younger. I even find myself thinking about stepping back from ministry to some degree and lightning my schedule. 

The rub is that I have vowed to be an Oblate for a lifetime, and the life-view of an Oblate is a man passionate and fully engaged in the service of God’s people. Looking back over my life as an Oblate, I can’t say that I’ve always fulfilled that view in my ministry, but I certainly have given a lot of myself to the mission of the Oblates and the church. When I think of stepping back, I find myself thinking of the excitement and joy I had when I first began priestly ministry, and I ask myself, “What happened to all that? Am I being selfish or self-centered with this idea of stepping back?”

At least part of the answer to those questions came in a reflection by Fr. Ron Rohlheiser, OMI in his weekly column.  Published on January 1, 2002, he composed ten commandments for the new year, these commandments are intended as spiritual sustenance, sustaining food, for those who walk the lonely, long road of faith and often find themselves discouraged and running out of gas. They don’t offer a quick fix, but point out the right direction within which we should be walking and where, if we cast our eyes at the right spot, we might find God’s food for the journey. The answer to my aging dilemma is found in his 9th commandment. Rohlheiser writes:

Commandment 9: Accept Aging

“Rely more on the paschal mystery than on cosmetics. All that dies brings rich new life, even our own bodies. Paschal wisdom will do more for your joy than a face-lift. Aging needs to be defined aesthetically. Your soul must be properly aged before it leaves your body, like an old wine-barrel, it takes on a different function and beauty as you age. Aging is an art form.”

Remembering the words of Luke 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” I am mindful of this wonderful, precious gift Christ has given us for a lifetime. It is meant to shine on the darkness of sin and evil as a beacon of healing and hope. God has given each and every one of us a different way to love and serve. The light He’s asking us to shine is Him, not us. He wants us to showcase His love, mercy and might, not our own. There is no such thing as a light that’s too small or too plain. The Gospel encourages us to trust Him to point us to the places that need His light, and He promises to send us with exactly the perfect wattage to show Him to those who need to see. Certainly Christ knows this light will be tempered by our gifts and abilities, and yet effective through his grace regardless of the type or the power of the gifts we have been given. No matter how youthful and full of vigor, or seasoned and weary we may be, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Blessings,

Fr. Jack

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Toledo-Detroit Province

Taking Francis With Me

St. Francis Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated this Monday, is perhaps one of the best known and most beloved Catholic saints.  He’s one of my favorites, and not just because October 4th is my birthday. 

Growing up in a Catholic home, I was regularly reminded of my connection to Francis. As I came to know him better, he became my patron saint. My relationship with Francis started with colorful children’s books featuring him surrounded by animals, a worn statue of him in my room, and stories of “Brother Sun and Sister Moon.”

Of all the saints I met in a decade of parochial school, Francis of Assisi seemed by far, the coolest. As a young man, Francis was considered fun and popular; he was the life of the party with an eye for great adventure.  When the time came, he donned a knight’s armor and fought in a battle, honorably defending his hometown.  Very cool.

Then, like so many of us, his plans took a turn. A battle injury, imprisonment, and illness led to Francis’ transformation. There are many stories of the beloved saint - the voice telling him to “rebuild my church,” the stigmata he experienced at the end of his life, and his connections to animals. 

For me, Francis’ convalescence is the greatest of his stories. For it was there, deep in the serene fields of Assisi, where he truly encountered God, where he learned of beauty found in simple things.  This is where Francis keenly observed God’s creation and learned its critical lessons of peace and humility.  

I take Francis with me on my early morning hikes through the Wissahickon Valley in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park.  When the divisions in my community overwhelm me or the arguments in my household stress me, I voyage deep into this quiet, timeless, and ever-changing forest. On every trip, the moment I behold the rocky, wooded path, I feel God’s peace envelop me. Later, when I exit the forest’s edge, I may not hear the voice as Francis did, but I do feel a powerful invitation to take the forest’s peace into my day.  

Being a peacemaker is no easy feat and acting in a peaceful, loving manner can be hard for all of us.  For me, I struggle with being a peacemaker when dealing with my teenage sons, colleagues with different agendas, and neighbors who easily offend.  Those are the times when I think of the forest and hear Francis’ prayer, recalling the tune, “Make Me A Channel of Your Peace.” 

The challenge that Francis presents us in that popular prayer is as relevant today as when he rebuilt the church San Damiano.  His words remind us that in the simple ways we bring God’s peace to our world, we, too are rebuilding His Church. 

In de Sales,

Paula M. Riley

Communications Consultant

St. Vincent de Paul: “I am for God and the poor.”

When you first encounter a place like Camden, NJ, a small city with large issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction—-seeing these issues all out in the open, it is natural to look for solutions.   That was my impulse arriving in Camden in 2008.  So often people would ask for money, a few dollars that would help with this or that situation.   Sure, I can part with some change, a couple of dollars, or 25 bucks to help solve someone’s difficulty.   You don’t have to live in a broken-down, post-industrial city to run into people hustling for money.   At intersections all over America you can drive by people with their hands out, their story summarized on a scrap of brown cardboard. 

You learn pretty quickly here that no amount of money begged or borrowed accomplishes what you hope it would.  A friend states the reality very plainly: “Every penny of money you give someone out here will be used for drugs,” he says.  This friend speaks of what he knows; May 31, 2021, marked nine years clean and sober for him—- after 22 years of active addiction, most of those ripping and running on the streets of Camden.

Following his advice, I began answering requests with the simple statement, “I don’t carry cash.”  Sometimes the person will try for the cash from a different angle, or will beg or manipulate, or will drop me and look for another “helper.”   But sometimes there is a real shift; we can encounter each other as human beings—-instead of a human and a human ATM.   Often we can talk about what is really going on, or point to services in the community that can assist with food, housing, recovery.    

I share all of this because we celebrate St. Vincent de Paul this week.   The church remembers him as someone who points followers of Christ to the care of sisters and brothers brought low by poverty, hunger, addiction, injustice.    St. Vincent was friends with St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane; he was her spiritual director for twenty years.  You can see the influence these Salesian friends had on him.    He wrote, “We must love God…. But let it be in the work of our bodies, in the sweat of our brows.   For very often many acts of love for God, of kindness, of good will,  and other similar inclinations and interior practices of a tender heart, although good and very desirable, are yet very suspect when they do not lead to the practice of effective love.”   Very Salesian: inspired by the love of God, grounded in meditation on Jesus, and very practical as well.

I do not mean to suggest that I have found a simple solution.    I also do not mean to suggest that all “poor people” are the same; there are as many reasons for being on the street as there are people in need.    But together with the saints, impelled by love of Christ, we do make an impact, encountering our neighbors, putting love in action.   Kindness, gentleness, honest human encounters have real power.

Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS

DeSales Service Works

Camden, NJ

Oblates Remember 9/11

Honor Guard at Salesianum School in Delaware honoring the anniversary of 9/11.

This past weekend, our nation commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 Americans died that day, while thousands of others suffered injuries, and people throughout the country faced a traumatic and scary new reality.

The anniversary of 9/11/01 was marked this year with special events, ceremonies, and services to honor those who died and the first responders who continue to keep us safe.

Oblates around the country remembered and reflected on one of the darkest days in our country.

In Philadelphia, Rev. Steve Wetzel, OSFS, was a con-celebrant in a “Blue Mass” to honor the work of all public safety personnel and remember those who gave their last full measure on September 11th. Read a news story covering this event HERE.

In Virginia, Rev. Matt Hillyard, OSFS, reflected on the “scars” of 9/11 but also the call for peace and reconciliation:
“...For those of us who lived through it, especially here in Northern Virginia, it is one of those life experiences we will not forget. Twenty years later, there are many who do not have that experience of the day. Hopefully, it will always be a day of remembrance, reflection, and prayer. We continue to pray for the victims who lost their lives that day and those who tried to save them. We pray for those who continue to mourn their loved ones.   The first followers of Christ witnessed the horror and tragedy of the cross that changed their lives, only to be challenged by the good news of the resurrection. As disciples, we are called to hope, love, and fight for justice even in the face of great injustice.

In Toledo, Rev. Alan Zobler, OSFS, shared memories of his friend, Daniel James “Reds” Gallagher: 

“Full of life. Hilarious. Great sense of humor. Joyful. Friendly. Hard worker. Life of the party. A good man.    A faithful son and brother. An unforgettable soul.  Dan was a year ahead of me in college. After graduating from our Alma Mater (Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales), Reds received his dream job and worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in New York City. 104th Floor of North Tower. He was at work before 8AM each morning.  Dan went to work 20 years ago yesterday. He was just 23 years old.   When I visit New York City, I am privileged to visit his name at the WTC memorial. Just to be there. Just to remember. Just to smile.   Dan, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. And to the thousands of others, we honor and remember you this weekend.  May love continue to transform, heal, and strengthen each one of us. And our world.”

In Delaware, at the first home game of the new football season last Friday night, Rev. Chris Beretta, OSFS, led the packed Abessinio Stadium in a moment of silence and prayer for all who lost their lives on 9/11, including John J. Murray, class of 1986.  The tribute ended with an honor guard of representatives from the Wilmington Fire Department.

Around the country, schools, and parishes staffed by the Oblates dedicated time on Friday night, Saturday morning, and throughout the weekend to remember, reflect, and pray.

Even as the anniversary has come and gone, may the message of peace and healing continue to resonate. Let us make the prayer of St. Francis de Sales part of this process:

“Be at peace.   Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life; rather look to them with full hope as they arise.  God, whose very own you are, will deliver you out from them.  He will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”

Congrats Deacon Craig!

Craig promising obedience to Bishop Mario Dorsonville, an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Washington.

A little over a month ago, Craig Irwin, OSFS, and Joe Katarsky, OSFS, professed their final vows as Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. You may remember when I reported on this event, I quoted the following from Oblate Fr. Ken McKenna’s homily at this celebration. He said, “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?”

Craig’s parents in the pew behind him at the ordination.

On September 4th Craig Irwin reached the second stage of that trifecta as he was ordained a deacon at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, DC. This was a wonderful celebration, and like the final vow celebration, provided a wonderful opportunity for Oblates from both provinces to come together and reconnect after the long isolation required by the pandemic.. Both events were a shot in the arm for the spirit of fraternity and community life among the Oblates. Many remarked, “It’s been too long since we’ve been together.” 

In anticipation of their ordination to the priesthood, Oblate scholastics are ordained to the diaconate during the final stages of their theological studies. The diaconate role, in which they typically serve for a year, is the final step in their preparation for priestly ordination. Deacons proclaim the Gospel and preach and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of sacraments, they baptize, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services.

Craig gets vested by Rev. Jack Loughran, OSFS, Provincial (left) and Rev. John Extejt, OSFS, Director of Formations.

 Craig will continue to live at the formation house and attend Catholic University this semester and assist part-time at the Oblate parish in Reston, VA, St. John Neumann. In the second semester, he will actually live at the parish and assist full time in preparation for his ordination to priesthood next spring. Joe Katarsky will follow Craig’s process and plans diaconate ordination for this coming spring.

 Please keep both of them and all our men in formation in your prayers, and join us Oblates as we pray for vocations to our way of life. 

Blessings,

Rev. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial, Toledo-Detroit Province

Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Peter Claver’s View of Unidiversity

The Feast Day of Saint Peter Claver leads some among us - perhaps most especially Black Catholics - to reflect on what our patron Saint Francis de Sales described as unidiversity.

The universality of the Body of Christ is a key tenet of our Catholic faith. We also know that we are called to be One Church. But sadly, we live in very splintered and fractious times. Interestingly enough, Peter Claver and Francis de Sales both lived in times of tumult and hostility. The late 16th century was a time in dire need of people of great faith, who could effectively spread the Lord’s Gospel by the unique way each ministered to God’s people. 

For Claver, his call was to literally provide loving care and kindness by tending to both the spiritual need for the sacraments and treating the physical wounds of hundreds of thousands of enslaved men and women (during a 33-year ministry, in present-day Columbia, South America). Because of his efforts to help these poor enslaved souls, Claver risked his own life. For de Sales, his call was to educate and inform a church community in urgent need of reform. One of de Sales’ most enduring messages is that “God sees humanity as a great and varied garden, with each person beautiful in his or her own uniqueness.”  Many who live in the 21st century seem to have forgotten that message, but St. Peter Claver and St. Francis de Sales left templates for how we can still teach this most important lesson. 

Those of us who have opened the doors to our homes or soup kitchens to serve refugees  -- from the storms that consistently batter Haiti or the militant troops that have returned to threaten the people in Afghanistan -- may not risk losing our lives like St. Peter Claver. But by living our lives according to the Beatitudes, we are definitely making a bold and clear statement about unidiversity. And while offering a course to high school seniors about how saints during ages past and from around the world were reformers may not seem like a radical notion, in our times, it is. The saints from times past were either born into aristocratic wealth (like de Sales) or to impoverished families (like Claver). Yet they did not seek to malign those who are different, but instead recognized others’ innate dignity and worth, as members of the Body of Christ.

We live in a world and at a time when it is easier to teach students to memorize all the commandments and quote many encyclicals than it is to find daily examples of Catholics living the Salesian virtues of gentleness, respect, and gratitude. But, our recognition of our students’ unique talents and gifts gives us good reason for optimism and confidence that we will succeed.

Thank you, Saint Peter Claver and Saint Francis de Sales for providing such rich lesson plans.

Mr. Kevin O. Williams

School Minister/Theology Teacher

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia

Further Salesian Reflections on the Assumption of St. Joseph

The Church has only formally declared as dogma the Assumption of Mary, but St. Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Church, saw the same possibility for St. Joseph, the spouse of Mary and foster father of Jesus.

 A few weeks ago, we looked at the reflections of St. Francis de Sales on the Assumption of St. Joseph in his Treatise on the Love of God, Book 7, chapter 13. Those were not his only reflections on this subject.  

In May of 1621 Pope Gregory XV had ordered that the March 19 feast of St. Joseph henceforth be observed by the universal Church.  On March 19, 1622, the first time this feast was observed by the whole Church, Francis preached an important sermon on the virtues of St. Joseph to the sisters of the Visitation Sisters in Annecy.

Towards the end of this profoundly beautiful sermon, Francis adds: “What more remains for us to say now, except that we cannot doubt at all that this glorious saint has great influence in heaven with Him who so favored him as to raise him there in body and soul…for how could He who had been so obedient to him all through his life, have refused this grace to St. Joseph?” (pages 124-25 of Oblate Father Joseph F. Chorpenning’s Sermon Texts on Saint Joseph by Francis de Sales: Toronto, Peregrina Publishing, 2000; emphasis mine)

St. Joseph does not utter a single word in Scripture.  But, in this same sermon Francis imagines that the silent Joseph now addresses the newly risen Jesus in these words: “My Lord, remember, if it please You, that when You came from heaven to earth, I received You into my house, into my family, and, as soon as You were born, I received You into my arms.  Now that You are returning to heaven, take me with You; I received You into my family, receive me now into Yours…I have carried You in my arms, now carry me upon Yours; and, as I took care to nourish and guide You during the course of Your mortal life, take care of me and lead me into life eternal” (page 125).

Francis then concludes, “how can we doubt that Our Lord caused to rise with Him to heaven in body and soul the glorious St. Joseph….St. Joseph, then, is in heaven in body and soul, there is no doubt” (page 125).

Too often today, we hear of the loss of family values and even, at times, of a lack of appropriate care and respect from adult children toward aging parents, let the words of the parent, Joseph, to his son Jesus in this sermon speak to our hearts and, where necessary, change them.  May the example of this father and this son be imitated in the lives of all parents and children so that what is begun here in our lives as families may be continued forever in the glory of heaven!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Remembering 9/11 - Twenty Years Later

At 8:45 a.m., our Social Studies chair came into my office to let me know that a plane had gone into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.  Just 18 minutes later he returned to tell me another plane exploded into the South Tower, and we were under attack.  I met quickly with the other administrators and addressed the school community using the PA system.  I explained what just transpired, led the school in prayer, and suggested that students and teachers turn on the television and witness a very sad and unprecedented moment in our history.  

 As the day unfolded, we learned about the attack on the Pentagon and the failed attempt to take down the Capitol Building due to the bravery of a few men who by this time had known that we were under attack and were not going to let their hijackers achieve their evil with their plane.  Films since revealed that they selected a secluded place when rushing the cockpit, to save other’s lives.  “No greater love has one than to lay down his life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) 

National Geographic released a six-episode series 9/11: One Day in America.  In the first episode, on seeing the plane go into the South Tower, an eyewitness exclaims “There is no God.”  Many may have uttered the same sentiment, but we know this not to be true.  God was on full display in the various firefighters, police, first responders, and thousands of volunteers who risked everything to save lives.  God was present in all those phone calls made on the planes with the same message of love to their spouses, parents, and relatives.  God was present in the thousands of volunteers who immediately raced to the scene offering their service. God was in the various churches, synagogues, restaurants, and businesses that opened their doors to triage people, to feed them, or to act as temporary morgues. The response was overwhelming and attested to goodness and love winning the day.  

 If God is all good and all that God created is good, how does something like 9/11 happen?  Of all that God created, the only thing God wants back is us.  God could have made us automatons where we move like robots with no option but to obey him.  But love is a choice.  God gives us the freedom to reject this invitation to a relationship.  We call this free will.  Theologically, we say that evil does not exist for God brings all things into existence.  To create evil would be a contradiction to who God is.  What we call evil is good corrupted, distorted, or twisted.  What could possibly be the good distorted in such a tragedy whose memory still tears us apart on this, the 20th anniversary?  Some may conjecture that in attempting to take down the financial center of America al Qaeda was trying to even the power imbalance in the world or to address a problem of greed that they perceived to dominate the USA.  Other reasons may be raised, and my explanation may not satisfy you.  In no way is it meant to excuse away this most horrific violence and show of hatred.  What 9/11 teaches me is how far some are from understanding who God is and our inability to use well and correctly the gift of free will to love, to choose God, to fall madly in love with God that with God as our center, our being, our everything, only good can issue forth.

Hatred along with evil was present before 9/11 and sadly since.  It will continue until we have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Until he becomes the true center of our life, not much is going to change.   It’s a conviction of the mind and heart that God desires to be in a relationship with us.  There are too many other heartaches and tragedies that come from the imperfection of nature (floods, fires, devastating hurricanes and earthquakes, diseases, physical ailments, and infirmities) that cause such sorrow and loss that are above our control to contain or prevent, why do we spread hatred and evil which we can control and contain?  

 On this anniversary of 9/11 and considering other recent tragedies, let us resolve again and renew our fervor in following the greatest commandment of loving our God with our whole heart, mind, and soul (and our neighbor as well).  Let us not forget that we belong to each other.  May God Bless America and each one of us.

Rev. John Fisher, OSFS

Rector, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, NJ

Former Principal of Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

The Excellence of Work

This summer, I decided to return to the city of Pittsburgh for my July vacation.  I have been there twice before, and I continue to be captured by Pittsburgh’s big city feel like that of Philadelphia where I grew up, but also with its mid-West hospitality which I experienced in every encounter I had there.  During my recent visit, I spent a good deal of time wandering through museums, spending a holiday with art and history.  In addition to learning more about Western PA icons like Andy Warhol and Fred Rogers, I was also drawn into the settings of various paintings and photographs of the Steel City, both past and present.  

When I viewed the images of working-class neighborhoods, bridges, and riverways, I could not help but reflect on the many people whose livelihood depended on the products of industrialization so prominent in the Steel City.  I saw steel factories with their smokestacks billowing across the city skylines formed by family homes, churches, and warehouses.  I also viewed illustrations of furnaces in which hot molten iron is poured creating colorful sparks.  

All of this brought to my mind how labor is inherent in the fabric of the streets and workplaces of my native City of Brotherly Love.  Likewise, they are found in similar vestiges of factories and farms across eastern Pennsylvania not so dissimilar to those of Pittsburgh, past and present, which caught my attention.  Most of all, as an Oblate of Saint Francis de Sales, these thoughts reminded me of the times and circumstances in Troyes, France where our Oblate founder Blessed Louis Brisson (1817-1908) lived, ministered, and founded our congregation at the end of the nineteenth century.  One of his first ministries was to educate and care for the young teenage girls who worked in the textile factories.  He established clubs where these young women could safely gather, become educated, and build a community with values counter to the vices experienced in the working rooms and streets of the industrial city.

A man who enjoyed the joys and challenges of labor – whether in his teaching and preaching, or his scientific studies and scientific inventions, Louis Brisson formed a spirituality of work.  This spirituality drew upon his prayerful practice of the Direction of Intention of his patron Saint Francis de Sales as handed down to him via the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary for whom he was chaplain.  Not only did he direct his work – either manual or intellectual – to the glory and praise of God in the present moment, but our founder also saw how such labor reflects the same activity done by a Creator who fashioned the universe.  From the smallest molecular particles to the vast constellations of stars, the created world, of which we are a part, was designed and fashioned by a loving God who desires to save all his creations, especially the human family.  

Seeing work as “excellent” and a “thing of awe and blessedness,” Father Brisson recognized how when we work, we cooperate with God, and such “cooperation in the action of God is sanctifying.”  Not only does our work take on this special character, but it also demonstrates respect and love for the objects of our labor.  In a retreat conference given in 1888, Louis Brisson reminded his Oblate confreres that their daily work “will take on a character so elevated, so complete in its union with God that we will treat all things as holy and sacred and as requiring our attention, our care, and our devotion.”  Thus, there is great value in the daily work we do, no matter what kind of labor that may be.  Reflecting on my Pittsburgh experiences, I see this evident in the manual factory labor of construction materials, the intellectual and social labor of education given through Mister Rogers’s Neighborhood, the artistic labor viewed in Warhol’s commercial art and silkscreens, and the hospitality labor offered in the hotel and restaurants of the city in which I vacationed. 

We began this week reflecting on the dignity of work and labor, so may we continue to recognize the blessedness of our daily labors – small or large, by hand or by mind, and give praise to God for the holiness of His creation of which we contribute to its fashioning and cultivating. May God be blessed!

Bro. Dan Wisniewski, OSFS

Provost

DeSales University

Honoring Labor, Celebrating Brothers

Many countries celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1 (May Day).    Throughout the 20th century this day became associated with the rise of communism and atheism.   Pope Pius XII wanted to counter this narrative and in 1955 he instituted the feast of St. Joseph, the Worker.   As a carpenter and working man, St. Joseph had traditionally been invoked as a patron of workers.  The Pope therefore proclaimed St. Joseph (rather than Marx) as the best model for working men and women.    

Because of the connection to communism, the U.S. does not observe May 1 as a day to honor workers.  Congress chose the beginning of September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the contributions of all laborers in building up our nation. 

On Labor Day the Church in the U.S. suggests that mass be celebrated for the Sanctification of Human Labor, recalling the sanctity of all work.   At mass this day, St. Joseph is often remembered and invoked as a model and inspiration.  He reminds us of the dignity and sacred calling of all workers. 

Because of his lifelong work, his daily devotion to his faith and his constant care for Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph was chosen as the patron saint of religious brothers. The Church in the U.S. expanded on this connection between St. Joseph and the ministry of the vowed life by declaring May 1 as National Religious Brothers Day. It is a day to celebrate the baptismal call and public profession of those men who live the Gospel as brothers in community.

The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales are a community blessed by the presence of brothers and priests.   As we celebrate Labor Day and honor all workers, perhaps we can also recall the work and ministry of those men who have spread the spirit of St. Francis de Sales as religious brothers.  

This summer two of our brothers reached significant milestones.  Brother Joseph Schodowski, OSFS, celebrated 40 years of profession as an Oblate and Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS, celebrated 25 years as a professed Oblate.  Congratulations to Brother Joe and Brother Dan!   May they, and all of our Oblate brothers, continue to be an example of how we are all called to “live Jesus” in every work, every vocation, every aspect of our lives.

St. Joseph, the worker, pray for us.