Meditation by Oblates: Fifth Sunday of Easter

Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”

Quote

 “Gentleness encourages hearts and makes them more receptive while harsh words only harden hearts.” - St. Jane de Chantal

Reflection

What Jesus says after Judas leaves sounds like a strange response to being betrayed. How can this moment of disloyalty be a moment of glory? But glorifying someone means recognizing them as God knows them and announcing it to the world. Who Jesus is was about to be clearly seen. Judas’ betrayal set it in motion.

Jesus took the gentle approach. St. Jane de Chantal wrote, “Gentleness encourages hearts and makes them more receptive while harsh words only harden hearts.” Jesus chose to draw the hearts of the disciples into the good at hand - the glory of God being revealed through him. That is the self-giving, self-sacrificing love of God in action. It’s the kind of love that Jesus calls us to live - and in doing that we Live Jesus.

Fr. Patrick Kifolo, OSFS

Chaplain — Georgetown Visitation

Welcome, Joe!

First row- L to R: Oblate Fathers Dave Kenehan, Dcn. Joe Katarsky, Frs. Jack Loughran, Ken McKenna, Ed Ogden. Second row - L to R: Oblate novice Joe Kochendoerfer, Dcn. Craig Irwin, Oblate Fathers Ron Olszewski, Paul Dechant, John Crossin

The Formation Document for the American Provinces of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales articulates the purpose and process by which a young man prepares for Oblate life and ministry. The document quotes the Oblate constitutions: “The primary goal of a formation program is to help the candidate become fully absorbed in the love of God and neighbor and to progress in that love so that he can, as an Oblate, serve in the Kingdom of God on earth.” [C 44]

Becoming an Oblate is challenging and comprehensive, addressing the formation of the candidate in human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial dimensions. Accomplishing these goals requires the man to be open to those who mentor them in formation, an honest and continual reflection on his progress in the four areas mentioned, the mature ability to choose Oblate life and all that it entails, and a deep desire to serve God through the Church. 

Joe Katarsky is the most recent man to reach the benchmark of final vows and ordination, fulfilling all mentioned above. This past Saturday, Joe was ordained as a transitional deacon, entering his final formation stage. Joe was ordained at the Basilica at the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, with his family, friends, and brother Oblates in attendance. 

Joe has an exciting year planned as he heads towards his priestly ordination in June 2023. He begins working in youth retreats at the DeSales Center in MI, followed by several months of rural ministry in Alaska with the Jesuit community, and finally, six months as a deacon at the Oblate parish, Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Vienna, VA.

It was highly gratifying to be with Joe at his diaconate ordination. He has become all that we Oblates hope for through his years in formation and, in doing so, has found the happiness, excitement, and joy that should mark every Oblate ministering in the Church. If anything, being with Joe and seeing him mature into the man and the Oblate he is today affirms my Oblate vocation. It also encourages me to pray and work for vocations so that others may have this wonderful life we Oblates share. Please join me in this prayer and work to inspire other young men to consider this life. 

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Francis & Me: Duncan Borland

Francis & Me: Duncan Borland, St. Francis de Sales High School, Class of 2022

As I reflect on my years at St. Francis de Sales High School, I see a lot of highs and lows in my time here. However, through it all, I see the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales and his many sayings, especially the admonition to “be who you are and to be that well.”

When I first came to St. Francis, I was nervous about starting a new school. My old school was toxic. I had few friends and especially lacked real role models. At St. Francis, I was challenged in my classes, continued running cross country, and started on the track team as well. I decided to experience new things and joined the school musical.

Soon I started making friends with the other members of the cast, it was a great group. ​The senior guys always looked out for everyone in the cast and made sure everyone was trying their best. It wasn’t until the end of the school year that I realized how much I looked up to them. I finally had guys to look up to and model myself after.

When the school opened again after Covid, I decided that I would strive to be my best and be that well. By living this way, I would hopefully give the younger guys someone to look up to just as I had in my freshman year. The musical started and I was surprised that my directors wanted me to take on a leadership role. Our choreographer had fallen seriously ill as we approached opening night. I wrote her a letter apologizing for not always trying my best, but she passed away before I could give it to her. I made a promise at that time that I would always try my best in everything I did.

I worked hard to balance my schoolwork, musical practice, and cross-country schedule. I was recognized by my castmates as someone they looked up to and admired. After the final show, two freshmen handed me letters they had written. Both letters included how I was a great example to them and always brightened up their days at rehearsals. I was happy because I knew I had made an impact on people in the cast in the same way those seniors had impacted me a few years earlier.

I have come to see that the teachings of St. Francis de Sales encapsulate my time in high school. I will always carry these lessons with me. I had struggled with role models all my life until becoming a Knight at St. Francis. I found good role models and I strived to be a good role model for others. Through my experience at St. Francis, I was able to embrace who I am. I challenge everyone to not be afraid to take risks. Put yourself out there, do everything with a smile on your face (if you can), and lead by example. Most of all take a look at yourself and visualize how to be who you are and to be that well. Try to be the best person God has made you to be.

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Francis & Me: Paula M. Riley

Francis & Me: Paula M. Riley, M.S.

Francis’ Mother’s Day Gift

On Mother’s Day this Sunday, I will get love from my four teenage children.  Their Mother’s Day gifts age as quickly as they do. Gifts have graduated from hug coupons and handpainted flower pots to name brand clothing and fine jewelry. 

Though not as hastily wrapped as the kids’ gifts, there will also be a gift from St. Francis de Sales. This is one I receive every day when I reflect on his teachings. 

Francis’ instruction to “Be who we are and be that well” is my most treasured gift from him and it’s what I employ in my role as a mother every day.  There are many dimensions to being a mother in today’s environment. Societal pressures, competition, and comparisons can lead to feelings of self-doubt and insecurity.  

His words support me; they remind me that I get to define what it means to be a mom, I choose how I engage with my kids, I choose when work takes priority over a game, or when an infraction is punished or ignored. “Be who I am.” Francis tells me that God just wants me to do the best I can, the best way I know how as I use God’s gifts. 

Francis’ words encourage me to ignore other moms’ Facebook posts, discussions on the “best colleges,” details of exotic family vacations, spotless homes, and church attendance.  I celebrate my fellow moms’ successes and joys but Francis remains, perched on my shoulder, reminding me that what I am doing is good enough. I can hear him gently whispering in my ear, “Just be who you are Paula.” 

Salesian Spirituality teaches us that when we live our ordinary lives in an extraordinary way we are serving God. We are being holy.  There is so much “ordinary” in being a mom - completing school forms, purchasing groceries, matching socks, carpooling.  Yet, Francis’ direction has helped me bring meaning to these acts.  He encourages me to enjoy, celebrate, and truly treasure the opportunity to change a messy diaper, sit through a painful piano recital, comfort a child after a loss, make dinner for six, or stand at the soccer sidelines on a cold, blustery day. 

Each and every moment I am a mother to these children I know am engaging in a holy act.   That is what I have learned from Francis, this is his gift to me.  That is what the Oblates taught me: that in the simple, ordinary acts I perform every single day, I am living Jesus.  There is true beauty and grace in the tedious tasks of caring for children and running a household. 

The world will and has acknowledged what I have achieved in my career. Fewer official accolades, however, come from being a mother. Francis comforts me as he tells me that whoever I am and whatever I am doing, when I am using my God-giving gifts that I’ve so generously been given, I am doing His will.

*This is an excerpt from Paula’s reflection shared at Live Jesus! Retreat in March 2022. Watch the full speech here, along with other Live Jesus! 2022 speakers.  Look for announcements for Live Jesus! Retreats in Delaware in December and Virginia &  Pennsylvania in Spring 2023.

Paula M. Riley, M.S.

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Carrying Christ

In one of his sermons, St. Francis de Sales speaks of three ways of carrying Christ: on our tongues, in our hearts, and in our arms.  In his view, the first two ways mean very little if the third way is missing.  Let me explain.  

Carrying Christ on our tongues

Francis describes this way of carrying Christ as “recounting his marvels and praising Him with great ardor.”  Tele-evangelists, preachers and spiritual writers are often quite effective in conveying the wonderful things God has done for us, his people.  Indeed, especially tele-evangelists often shout out their praise of God in loud voices and with much vigor, hand movements, and ardor. This has a powerful way of captivating the listener and moving them toward God. This is good but not enough for Francis.

Carrying Christ in our hearts

Francis describes this way of carrying Christ in these words: “Others carry Him in their hearts with tender and loving affection, which becomes part and parcel of their lives, thinking of Him and speaking to Him.”  Such people have learned to see the Lord, often through prayer, in the center of their hearts. They love him there and sense him as intimately present to them in their very being.  This, too, is good even beautiful but not enough for Francis.

Carrying Christ in our arms

Here is how Francis speaks of this third manner of carrying Christ: “But these two ways of carrying the Lord do not amount to much if the third element of carrying Him in their arms by good works is missing.”

In this Sermon, Francis is making abundantly clear that there must be an unbreakable bond between the first commandment, love of God, and the second commandment, love of neighbor.  As the familiar song has it, “you can’t have one without the other.”

It is good to ask ourselves, honestly and before the Lord, if we separate the two loves in any way.

(See Sermons 2, Oeuvres IX, p 22; also see February 1 in Everyday with Saint Francis de Sales)

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Meditation by Oblates: Fourth Sunday of Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter: Jn 10:27-30

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Quote

“Prayer is called mystical, because of the hidden nature of the conversation: God and the individual speak heart to heart, and what passes between them can be shared with no one else.” 

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 6, chapter 1) 

Reflection

The deeply personal union between God and humanity is described in this Sunday’s reading from the Gospel of St. John (10:27-30). The metaphor of a shepherd who intimately knows his sheep describes the close relationship we have with Jesus. God the Father and God the Son are one, and thus, the Divine knows us and draws us into an eternal union. God truly gets us, but how do we get to know God? Saint Francis de Sales reminds us in his Treatise on the Love of God (1616) that through prayer, the intimate “heart to heart” communication between the individual person and God is fostered. The closest of friends or lovers know each other – their thoughts, their (re)actions; likewise, humanity and God can be just as close through prayer. 

Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS 

Provost, DeSales University 

A Cue From Christ

Spring seems late in coming this year. Perhaps nature is mirroring our messy world. Christians worldwide celebrated the rising of Christ from the dead with shocking images of death on the streets of Ukraine and frightened people held captive by an invading army. We celebrate the rising of Christ, aware the fullness of Christ's reign continues to be beyond the grasp and even the imagination of many. We may find this frustrating, sad, and even depressing.

In the face of this, we are the ones commissioned by Christ to proclaim a message of victory and hope. In the scriptures, between Easter and Pentecost, we hear the last will and testament of Christ. He gives us his word that he will remain with us and in us. He promises that we are one with the Father in our union with him.

Christ leaves us the mission to live out hope, joy, and faith. We are to image the lives of those men and women who left that upper room and dared to speak something essential and life-giving to non-believers, those who scoffed and persecuted, and those who believed without seeing. Finally, Christ left us his own Spirit to guide and inspire us in this mission.

Spring is taking its time here in my part of the Northern Hemisphere, and our world is tragically worse than just messy. Regardless, we can take to heart the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales: "Let the world turn upside down, let everything be in darkness, in smoke, in uproar - God is with us."

We take our cue from the Risen Christ and become a word of hope, faith, and love. Listen carefully to God's word proclaimed each Sunday and pray you may be inspired and courageously respond to the command of Jesus to "go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." The first disciples did this; we can do it too. We can build the Reign of God with the Easter faith we share. Christ reigns in us. Live Jesus!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Meditation by Oblates: Third Sunday of Easter

Jn 21:1-19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead…Read More

Quote

“Have patience with all things - but first with yourself.  Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being.  You are a perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist.  And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.” - St. Francis de Sales

Reflection

The Gospel narrates the apostles returning to their former jobs as fishermen.  They probably felt ashamed and unworthy of Jesus’ love or being His followers after they abandoned and denied him during His passion.  To their astonishment, Jesus still demonstrates great affection and care by helping them catch fish, preparing breakfast, and eating with them.  We, too, can feel unworthy of God’s love or being Jesus’ disciple because of our sinfulness, failings, weak resolutions, and so on.  Yet, our denial of Him does not result in His denial of us.  Our disobedience does not stop God from loving us or annul His invitation to be His disciples.  Why? Because we are His beloved creatures created in His own image.  

Fr. Michael Depcik, OSFS

Chaplain for Deaf Catholics Archdiocese of Detroit

Eastpointe, MI

Francis & Me: Richard Leonard

Richard Leonard: Eighth Grade Teacher at Our Mother of Consolation, Parish School, Philadelphia, PA 

Richard Leonard

A nun once praised me in eighth grade for being a perfect gentleman.  I was happy there was no one else around.  Growing up in Philly in the 70s was no place for a gentleman.  It was a word that wore a powdered wig or threw its coat over mud puddles for rich ladies.  

My name’s Richard Leonard.  Since the 1980s, I’ve taught seventh and eighth graders in Catholic schools all over Philly.  Whether you’re teaching a boy from North Philly or Manayunk, asking him to behave like a gentleman is still a hard sell.  Stealing a line from Kiss of the Spider Woman, I got further by offering this definition:  A man never lets the people around him feel degraded.  Successful men in America have never been held to this standard.

I now teach at Our Mother of Consolation School (OMC), run by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.  De Sales was the Gentleman Saint.  Over the last fourteen years, I’ve begun to see the word gentleman in a more Salesian light.  I was bobbing to the surface from one school closing after another when I met St. Francis de Sales.  When I interviewed with OMC’s pastor, Oblate Fr. Bob Bazzoli, I asked about the monogrammed letters on his shirt pocket.  I must’ve missed something because I told him my parish priests were also Franciscans.  Today I’d be armed in these situations with Salesian wisdom:  “Nothing is more like a wise man than a fool who holds his tongue.”  

What first drew me to Francis de Sales wasn’t his wisdom, it was his example.  It wasn’t just that he never let anyone around him feel degraded.  He pushed further.  He let everyone know they were indispensable to Christ, particularly those with whom society was quick to dispense.  A woman too old or sick to be welcomed as a Bride of Christ in other orders was always in demand at his Visitation Community.  He spent months spelling out the sacraments for a deaf man who wanted to know Christ – while many saw this as beneath his office as Bishop of Geneva.  The Jesus that Francis de Sales lived was kind, not judgmental.  How else would he restore 70,000 fallen-away Catholics to the faith?

Images and sayings of Frances de Sales appear all over the campus of Our Mother of Consolation – in the school, the church, the rectory.  I reflect on many of these as I travel from my eighth-grade class to the room where my wife teaches Pre-K 3.  (We are the gatekeepers of the school).  By her door, a sign says “Worry prevents us from doing well the very things about which we were worried…”  

I flashback to the winter of 2010 when I was in and out of the hospital for a benign brain tumor.  Before my first operation, I’d told my ten-year-old son that the difference between prayer and worry is that only one of them can change anything.  He replied that worry can change things too:  for the worse.  (He was always scary smart).  I wound up deaf in one ear, with balance issues and an anxiety disorder.  During my absence from school, an Oblate would check in on me.  He talked me through this total nervous breakdown.  When he first called, I shared my rigid plan of saying the rosary every day until I started improving, admitting it wasn’t my favorite way to pray.  He told me just to take time to be present in the moment with God.  I’d like to make that a life-long practice.

Every January, the eighth grade plans the liturgy for the Feast of Francis de Sales.  Through art, poetry, and film, we trace the ripples of Francis’ life outward from Jane de Chantal to Don Bosco and his Salesians.  To Louis Brisson and his Oblates.  To all of us who aspire to follow in the humble, inclusive spirit of Francis de Sales.  

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time we all knew our value.  We’re all indispensable to Christ.

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Francis & Me: Patrick Lonergan

Patrick Lonergan: Father Judge High School, Class of 2022

Every saint has some significance to Christians as a guide or patron. Francis de Sales is a saint whose life and legacy are valued by Father Judge High School and so he continually reminds me of my school community and our values. St. Francis unites our school and challenges us to follow his advice and teachings in our everyday lives. 

We are often told to “be who you are and to be that well.”  At Judge, this seems to be the most well-known and favorite quote of our patron.  Our teachers constantly call us to be “Salesian Gentlemen” and “Judge guys.”  Both phrases are based on the teachings and spirit of St. Francis. Everything about my school and our community is modeled around his life and legacy. From Salesian banners and sayings to images and statues scattered around the school, his impact can be seen everywhere in the hallways and in the classrooms.  During school events, games, and at the start of every class, we ask St. Francis to pray for us.   In almost every classroom an image of our patron or a quote can be seen on the walls.  The “Salesian Seven” is a code of student behavior based on the little virtues of St. Francis.  

Since I started at Father Judge, each theology class has taught me more about the life and legacy of St. Francis DeSales.   During my grade school visitation, I did not know what a “Salesian Gentleman” was. However, once I began classes and experienced life at Father Judge, I learned what all of these phrases and quotes meant.  In theology classes and school assemblies we learned about the Salesian Seven: respecting yourself and others, recognizing our unique gifts and talents, being patient with ourselves and others, being gentle in all we do, being grateful in life, being positive as we go throughout the day, and being confident in ourselves. Some classes focused on one virtue while other classes focused on all of the virtues.   At Judge, we learn to apply these teachings to our personal lives. 

Through our Christian Service program, I learned the value of the saying “nothing is small in the service of God.”  This is a core concept of Salesian Spirituality.  It also gave me the opportunity to be gentle with others. Thus, all these Christian Service events led me back to Salesian Spirituality. So, within these four years, I not only learned what the many Salesian quotes meant but I also learned how to follow Jesus by living like St. Francis De Sales. To summarize my experience as a student at Father Judge High School, the gentle bishop of Geneva is the foundation for everything in our school.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us!

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Meditation by Oblates: Second Sunday of Easter

Gospel Jn 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Quote

 "We must not be afraid of fear." ~ St. Francis de Sales.

Reflection: Really?  Doubting Thomas?

 “My Lord and My God!”  Besides Peter, Thomas is the only other Apostle who makes some fairly bold proclamations when it comes to Jesus.  Thomas most clearly is remembered for his bold doubting in the Upper Room after hearing about the resurrection.  He is not so well remembered for his earlier bold statement in the Gospel of John, in which the disciples fear for Jesus’s safety when He wants to go see Lazarus, Thomas tells the others, “Let us also go to die with him” (Jn. 11:16).

Thomas wasn't afraid to proclaim his true thoughts. In this earlier instance we see a bold, confident boast—and then in the upper room a bold and bitter doubt followed by an equally BOLD confession of faith once he meets the risen Lord.  Thomas is a disciple whose head and heart were not working together until he accepted the truth about who Jesus is.

In the wake of the Resurrection, Jesus takes this fearless man and gives him the opportunity to turn that bitter disappointment into a beautiful prayer of adoration.  Thomas became a bold proclaimer of the Resurrection not just in thought or word but in action as well.  May St. Thomas becomes an example for each of us when we struggle with uniting our head and our heart.

 Fr. Steve Shott, OSFS

Pastor, St. Thomas the Apostle Church

Glen Mills, PA

No Resurrection, No Faith!

I like bottom lines. St. Paul provides our faith with a very clear bottom line: No resurrection, no faith!  He writes, “If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless, and your believing it is useless.  Indeed, if our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people” (1 Corinthians 15: 14-19).

Our Faith is grounded, rooted, and confirmed in the resurrection of Jesus.  

No one witnessed the actual rising of Jesus on Easter morning.  Indeed, initially, all his disciples knew for certain was that his tomb was empty.  There could have been any number of explanations for the empty tomb.  But with the appearances of the risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene and to so many others after her, the explanation for the empty tomb becomes abundantly clear: the tomb is empty because Jesus has risen!

The disciples spent the rest of their lives in witness to that one simple but fundamental truth of our faith: The Crucified Jesus has risen!  Death is not the last word for Jesus, nor is it the last word for those who believe in Jesus.

This simple, profound, and wonderful fact of faith has turned the whole world and all of creation on its head! 

For us Christians, belief in life after death prompts us - not to neglect or to deny this world- but to live each day and every moment in it just as Jesus lived: by proclaiming Gospel good news by lives of selfless love, concrete compassion, ready forgiveness, active justice, and whole-hearted mercy.

Faith is not foolish at all.  Indeed, it is life-giving in every possible way, from the nooks and crannies of our everyday lives with one another to every world-transforming effort at justice and peace, love and mercy, human kindness and care. 

Believers change the world; they make it a better world.  Why?  Because Jesus, their Lord, is risen!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Triduum - The Great Three Days

Today we begin the Triduum - The Great Three Days. As the Church concludes Lent, we journey through the final moments of Christ's life, leading to his resurrection. These moments are rich in meaning and reflect every human heart's most profound longing and hope.

On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the Last Supper, including the washing of feet. We remember Christ as a servant who, by washing the feet of the disciples, invites us to join him in serving God's people. We proclaim we are the Body of Christ, graced, broken, and saved. Friday, we enter in the passion of Jesus, remembering the great sacrifice Christ made to effect our redemption. And finally, on Holy Saturday, we celebrate the Easter Vigil proclaiming the dawn of a new life in the Resurrected Christ. The words of the Exsultet, also known as the Easter Proclamation, is sung in the light of the newly lit Pascal Candle. The Proclamation reveals the power of this night in transforming a world darkened by sin and evil.

The Exsultet begins:

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor, radiant in the brightness of your King! 

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! Darkness vanishes forever!

The chant concludes:

May the Morning Star, which never sets, find this flame still burning:

Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead

and shed his peaceful light on all humanity, your Son, 

who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

These words proclaim the power and the beauty of this three-day liturgical event, the pinnacle of our liturgical year. They sing of the greatest gift ever given. 

If you have never attended the Triduum, I encourage you to make an effort to attend the three days this year. In this event lasting three days, we acknowledge our freedom as brothers and sisters of Christ, the freedom from sin and death, and the hope promised in God's reign. 

May the Lord fill your heart this Easter with the joy this feast proclaims, may the prayer of this season fill your spirit with hope and comfort, and may you rise with Christ this day and every day with a song of praise and thanks. Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Have a Blessed Easter!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Francis & Me: Maureen Furletti

Maureen Furletti: “My Friend, Jane”

Maureen Furletti

It’s Monday evening.  Another chaotic family meal is over.  My teenage kids begrudgingly cleaned the dinner dishes and retreated to their rooms.  While they pretend to do homework, I know they are connecting with friends, FaceTiming and Snapchatting.  I hear the girls giggling.  Should I stomp into their rooms and put an end to their conversations?  Tell them to drop the phone and pick up the Algebra book?  What would my friend Jane do?  Also, a mom, would she approve of their online conversations?  

St. Jane de Chantel was a wife, mother, friend, and foundress.  Even though we live many centuries apart, I call Jane my friend.  I think she could relate to the business of my family life.  I look to her for guidance, as she models Christian womanhood.  I learn a lot from my friend, Jane, especially the importance of putting Christ in the center of relationships.  

Jane teaches me that it is through relationships that we “live Jesus.”  Jane’s spiritual friendship with St. Francis de Sales beautifully models this Christ-centered relationship.  Jane was attentive to the promptings of the Spirit and receptive to Francis’ spiritual direction.  From their director-mentee conversations, a more mature and reciprocal relationship grew.  Their mutual sharing and letter writing gave voice to Salesian spirituality, and the fruits of their friendship and collaboration were manifest in the religious Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary that together they founded.

Jane, the baroness, the widow, the mom of four kids.  Francis, the Bishop of Geneva.  An unlikely pair.  Yet, God gave them the gift of each other, and with Jesus at the center of their relationship, their friendship produced much fruit.  

How can I encourage my children to nurture spiritual friendships?  Jane and Francis’ relationship matured through letter writing.  Can profoundly spiritual friendships mature through digital communications today?  Does social media promote frivolous friendships, or can digital communication create opportunities for deep conversation? As Salesian spirituality reminds me, God is found amid everyday life. As more of our everyday life is lived online, I recognize, then, that God is online. If my children put Christ at the center of their in-person and online conversations, then perhaps they can nurture spiritual friendships.  They can “live Jesus” online.  I think Jane would approve of their Christ-centered online conversations. Yet, I think, like any mom, she’d push them to do their Algebra homework, too.

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Holy Week with Jesus

Holy Week begins this Sunday with Jesus’s solemn entrance into the City of David.  Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, the humblest of animals.  That is his way of indicating that he has chosen to be a Messiah who saves his people by suffering for them, and not as the mighty warrior King that so many had hoped for.  On Thursday of this week, Jesus gets down on his knees and washes the feet of his disciples and, rising, commands them to love one another in exactly that same humble service. That unforgettable gesture is followed by a special meal with them during which he institutes the Holy Eucharist as a lasting memorial of his dying and saving love. At that same moment, he establishes the Order of the Priesthood so that this Sacred Bread will be forever available for his people.  

Right after that last supper, Jesus goes into the garden where he pleads with his Father to spare him from having to drink from the chalice of sufferings that he is about to endure.  His final prayer, though, is one of total acceptance of whatever is the Father’s will is for him: “Not my will but Your will be done.” This is yet another example for his followers to imitate. 

Hours later, he is judged, tortured, and forced to carry his cross to Calvary where he is crucified, dying between two thieves.  

But death does not have the last word.  Early Sunday morning God recreates new heavens and a new earth in raising his beloved Son to the glory of new life. That singular divine act has made all the difference for all of creation and for every one of us.  Because of the Resurrection, the Cross, rather than a shameful stumbling block to faith, is rather the precious and powerful symbol of our salvation from sin and death.  

Christians throughout the world are encouraged to accompany Jesus and those that followed him at every step during the few days and momentous events of Holy Week.  

With Peter, let us learn the meaning of Christian leadership from Jesus who washes the feet of his disciples and leaves his last command: “As I have done for you, so you must do for one another!”

Peter first boasts that he will never betray Jesus and then does just that –three times!  But Jesus does not give up on Peter.  Nor will he ever give up on you and me -- no matter how often we may disappoint or fail him. But, once again, his command to us is this: “As I have done for you, so you must do for one another.” 

During this week, we encounter the Sorrowful Mother in the most poignant way.  When all but John and a few brave women desert him on Calvary, Mary stands right there near the cross of her son to the end.  She will not let her son die alone.  After his death, he is taken down from the Cross and placed in the arms of his mother.  She caresses him in death just as tenderly as she had caressed him at birth.  Hers is a mother’s love.  Jesus’ gift to us from his cross?  His own mother!

With thoughts like these, let us prayerfully be with Peter, Mary, and all the others who themselves accompanied Jesus to Calvary in sorrow and then encountered him anew at Easter with unimaginable joy!  

Pope Francis encourages us to practice the virtue of accompaniment with one another.  Let’s begin by accompanying those who, before us, walked with Jesus in his final days of suffering, death, and resurrection!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Meditation by Oblates in Formation: Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Quote

"The one who could take away rash judgment from the world would take away from it a great part

of its sins and iniquities." - St. Francis de Sales

Reflection

OUR WEIRD OBSESSION WITH OTHER’S FAULTS  

Let’s face it. You and I have an odd and ugly tendency to be fascinated with each other’s faults. We love to scroll through Instagram, TikTok, and the countless YouTube compilations of “Unhinged Karens”, celebrity failures, and uncomfortable mistakes average people make without knowing they were being recorded. 

We also tend to love cancel culture. We love rallying against someone for the mistakes and sins that they have committed (no matter how long ago they were). We are tantalized by the comment section underneath a news article about a “canceled”  celebrity or politician. It’s juicy, addicting, and pleasurable. 

Now, what if that person in those videos, TikToks, tweets, and comment section mentions was you or I? Viral amounts of people seeking to gawk at our greatest sins,  our worst mistakes. Our shame is under a microscope for the world to see and everyone has the chance to tell us how wrong, disgusting, or misguided we are. Their cancellation of you is your condemnation.  

As Christians, who do we want to be?... The pharisaical media? The hypocritical viewer? The comment troll? In some way, shape, or form, we are all already the woman caught in adultery.  

Yet, if we want it, we can direct our intention to live Jesus and say to our culture, “Where are they (those comment trolls, those sub-tweeters, those “Pharisees”)? Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on, do not sin  anymore.” 

Mr. Jonathan Dick, OSFS

Palm Sunday Reflection

Palm Sunday

Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, “Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will answer, ‘The Master has need of it.’”
So those who had been sent went off and found everything just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying this colt?”
They answered, “The Master has need of it.” So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt,
and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

Quote

"To take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ means nothing other than receiving and accepting all the troubles, contradictions, afflictions, and mortifications that come our way in this life. We should accept them with complete submission and resignation. We ought not select our own crosses, but we should accept and carry those that are offered to us. In this way we imitate the Savior, who did not choose His own cross, but humbly took upon Himself the one prepared for Him." (Sermons 2; O. IX, p. 18).

Reflection

What is your cross: A broken relationship; A chronic disease; A terminal diagnosis for you or a friend; A job loss; An addiction; Not being accepted into a school, program or job? We don’t need to go looking for crosses. They come to us, sometimes all too often. Imitate Jesus, honestly accept your cross, learn from it, and carry it, even with help. The cross is Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Adore the cross on Good Friday. Walk the Way of the Cross with Jesus this Holy Week. Take up your cross and find Jesus in your midst. May God be Praised!

Fr. Paul H. Colloton, OSFS

Assistant Superior

Oblate Residence, Childs, MD

This excerpt is taken from Fr. Colloton’s article “Take Up Your Cross” read the full article here

Returning to Joy

A few days ago, I had dinner with good friends, a couple who had just returned from a three-week vacation in Florida. Naturally, they spoke about their trip and quickly recalled a highlight at what they called a "townie" bar next to the docks at Anna Maria Island. Somewhat reluctantly, they went with a few people they had just met at their hotel. Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of their trip's best and most memorable evenings.

At the "townie" bar, an older couple entertained the crowd by playing piano and violin, telling jokes, and getting the crowd revved up, making them laugh, joining in the songs, providing a great evening. The wife reported that she felt that, at times, their fun seemed almost indulgent.

After reflection, she realized that it was almost a new experience of joy after two years of living in Covid, watching the news about Ukraine, and just being hyper-aware of the struggle so many experiences and the heaviness that lies upon our world. Fortunately, those thoughts didn't keep her from enjoying the moment that created a precious memory. 

We can relate to the heaviness that has overshadowed so much of our lives these past few years. In short, we find ourselves knocked off the straight and narrow path to what we expected our lives to be. We are stopping and asking ourselves: Am I where I want to be? Am I doing what I want with my life? Our world has taken us off autopilot and directed many to consider living more deliberate and purposeful lives.

As people of faith, we know the answer to these questions lies in the interior journey. Reflecting on this, St. Francis de Sales writes:

“It is by a deep and secret instinct that our heart tends in all its actions toward happiness and reaches out for happiness. It seeks it here, now there, groping as it were without knowing where it abides or what it consists of until faith reveals it and describes its infinite marvels. Then, when it has found the treasure sought for, ah! What contentment comes to this poor human heart! What joy, what loving complacence! Ah, I have found him whom my heart has sought without knowing him!… What ease, what pleasure, what a thrill follows throughout our whole soul! Then it cries out in love: "Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, you are beautiful.’”

It's a journey well worth taking!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Meditation by Oblates in Formation: Fourth Sunday of Lent

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them, Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ Continue reading

Salesian Quote

“See, this Divine Lover is at the gate. He does not merely knock, but He remains there knocking. He calls to the soul, ‘Come, arise, make haste, my love.’”

-St. Francis de Sales (Treatise on the Love of God II.8.)

Reflection

Who are you in the parable of the Prodigal Son? The penitent brother? The aggrieved brother? Maybe you’re the merciful father? 

Or perhaps, you cannot relate to any of the three. Maybe you are a character not mentioned in the story but is likely there. Maybe you are the character still off in the distant country, who also has squandered his inheritance, and continues tending the swine and longing for the Carob pods they eat. Maybe you are the character who has not yet sought his father. 

This parable reminds us that the Father is at the gate and He is waiting for us. He sees us from a distance, ready to run to and embrace us just as we begin our approach to Him. He remains there knocking and calls to us: “Quickly, arise from your despair and come to me - for I love you still.”

May we remember this Lenten season that the Divine Lover is at the gate waiting for us. But it is we who must open the gate - it is we who must begin to approach Him. 

Mr. Joseph S. Kochendoerfer, OSFS

Fiat and Nunc: The Mystery of the Annunciation

“Fiat” and “Nunc” are Latin for “Yes” and “Now.”  Together, they are the story of the Annunciation.  They are also the story of our participation in its mystery.

The Angel declares to Mary that she is invited to be the Mother of God.  Mary ponders, questions and in the end, renders her emphatic Yes! Fiat! to God’s will for her, not only at that special moment but throughout her entire life. Before, during, and ever after this moment, God’s will and Mary’s will are but one will: God’s.

Mary is mother.  She teaches her son this same Fiat! disposition before God’s will.  For this reason, Jesus will later affirm that “I do always the will of the One who sent me.”  Between the Father’s will and Jesus’ will, there is but one will: God’s.

For Francis de Sales, the Fiat disposition of Mary and Jesus is the essence of both Christian life and Salesian Spirituality.  Whatever God asks, we say Fiat! Yes!  Whatever God permits, we say Fiat! Yes! In this way, Jesus continues to live in us and to act through us in our world today.  

The Fiat disposition is the vocation of every Christian.  To concretize our Christian vocation, Francis and Jane stress its Nunc or NOW aspect:  What is God’s will for me at this present moment or circumstance, in this event or with this person?  What is the virtue that I am called to practice here and now?  What is the kind word, the compassionate response, the helping hand, or the accepting, forgiving, or encouraging word that I am here and now called to speak?

Late in his spiritual masterpiece, the Treatise on the Love of God, Francis gives us a very important bit of spiritual advice. For the mysteries of our faith to become integrated into the very fabric of our daily lives, we must embrace them in the deepest personal manner.  They must speak personally to each of us with the urgency of NOW.  Thus, the mystery of the Annunciation must not speak only of Mary, but it must also speak of you and me in such a manner that we live its truth as deeply as she did, not in the abstract but in the nitty-gritty of our daily lives with God and others.

As his mother, Mary taught her Son the disposition of fiat and nunc before the divine will.  Let her, our Mother, teach us as well!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province