Morning Has Broken!

One of my favorite Church hymns is “Morning Has Broken.”  The hymn was written in 1931 but, like many of us, I am most familiar with the 1970s recording by Cat Stevens.

Last week, as the Oblates in North America gathered for their annual meetings, this song kept playing in my mind.   St. Francis de Sales told us that no matter what happens in our lives, every day we must begin anew.  The lyrics of “Morning Has Broken” always remind me of this.  St. Francis taught that "we all have a vocation" - we are all called to. We all have the opportunity to help God as co-creators and to care for the world.

In “Morning Has Broken” the following lyrics seem to summarize this mission:

“Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning, born of the one light, Eden saw play. Praise with elation, praise every morning, God's re-creation of the new day.”

Every day is a new day.  Every day is an opportunity to work with God to keep creating the world.  God’s creative spirit never stops.  Each moment we are here on Earth we are given a chance to begin again, to do something new.

Sister Susan Louise Eder, OSFS, gave the keynote address to the Oblates who gathered at DeSales University.  In her speech about our founders and patrons, she reflected on the first meetings of St. Francis and St. Jane:

“Each of them saw the working of the Holy Spirit in these encounters. They came to discern that they were being called to do something new together. In addition to seeing the grace of God in each other, I am sure they recognized the exceptional character and gifts that each possessed.”

Sister’s reminder about those first encounters between two people who would become friends, founders, and saints is a call for all of us to recognize that it is in our relationships that we can carry out God’s will and do God’s work.  It is in working with one another that we are given a chance to share in God’s creation. 

As we begin a new day, a new month (and for our friends in the business world – a new fiscal year), let us take the opportunity to start all over.  May we do something new this day.  Morning has broken – let’s get to work!

Rev. John A. Kolodziej, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Francis & Me: Karri Yeager

Today marks the end of the Oblates 14 years of ministering at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden, NJ.  Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS, and Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS,  will continue to live and serve in Camden.  The reflection below is an example of how the spirit of St. Francis de Sales is alive in the people of Immaculate Conception.   We pray that this spirit remains in the hearts of all who have come to know Salesian Spirituality at the Cathedral.

Karri Yeager: Parishioner at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception - Camden, NJ

“Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily.”

— Saint Francis de Sales

I had spent 37 years working as a pharmacist at a large teaching hospital in Camden, NJ. Camden is famous for being one of the poorest and crime-filled cities in America. People asked if I was afraid to go to work and why I didn’t look for a safer job. My answer was always the same because that’s where I felt needed. 

Camden is full of good hardworking people but poverty and crime takes its toll. I found joy in helping them. Once a wheelchair-bound woman came to me because she couldn’t get her discharge meds because it was late on a Sunday. She started to cry. I took her hand and told her that we would figure it out.  She held my hand and thanked me over and over. Those are the moments I think about late at night.  

I still drive 30 minutes to Camden for Mass. Why? Because everything felt different there. It was almost as if I could feel that little spark of God’s love. There seemed to be a gentle kindness in the air. It is a very small congregation, but it was so diverse. I loved it. The church at that time was being served by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. 

Who was this St. Francis de Sales and what were these Oblates all about?  I Googled them. The more I read, the cooler St. Francis de Sales became. I spent hours reading about him. I felt a connection. I wanted to see God in my everyday life too. I started sprinkling that kindness all around. I let other cars merge into traffic. I carry a bag of essentials with me for the homeless. If someone is short at the store, I step up to help. We even quietly gave the Oblates money to use if someone needed emergency help with rent or groceries. We got anonymous thank you notes that broke my heart. 

A friend told me she tries to do one kind thing every day.  Now I do that too. It doesn’t matter how small my gesture is, it still counts. The more I helped, the more I started to understand what St. Francis de Sales meant about finding God in the everyday things. I started to feel I was becoming a more settled and peaceful person. I really liked it. 

St. Francis de Sales helped me see that spark of God in the ordinary experiences and maybe in myself too.

Thank You

Click here to view photo gallery

I have to respond to Fr. Lou Fiorelli’s article in last week’s De Sales Weekly. Fr. Lou informed us that his article would be his last. This week, the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province is electing new leadership and Fr. Lou has determined he is ready to step back from this position. It’s perfectly understandable that he would choose to do so. 

Fr. Lou served the Oblates internationally as our Superior General for twelve years. He served as a member of the team forming our seminarians for many years, and, as you know, most recently, served as the Provincial for the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province. My years working with him, as a fellow Provincial of the Toledo-Detroit Province, have been wonderful. Lou has been welcoming, supportive, collaborative and a gentle soul to work with. I will miss him as my cohort in this position. Thank you Lou for your faithful and generous service, and many blessings on the next chapter in your Oblate life. 

On another topic, this past Sunday the Oblates of the Toledo-Detroit Province celebrated the Double Salesian Jubilee with the people we have served for over 70 years in Toledo, OH, and Southeast Michigan. We began appropriately, with a mass on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ at Gesu Church, one of the Oblate parishes in Toledo. During the mass, after the homily, the Oblates gathered at the front of the sanctuary and renewed our vows publicly for the congregation. Following the mass, we moved to the Sullivan Center, the parish hall, for a reception. 

It was a wonderful celebration. Between 600 and 700 people attended the liturgy and over 400 joined the Oblates at the reception. The comments from those attending were complimentary and filled with gratitude for the presence of the Oblates in their schools and parishes. 

We Oblates invited the people from the area as an expression of our gratitude for their support, encouragement, and collaboration in our ministry. I began the liturgy by telling the congregation, “This celebration is for you. We Oblates are grateful for all you have done with and for us to assist us in our ministry and help make our efforts to serve the people of God in Ohio and Michigan a success.” 

I’m sure the Oblates, wherever we have ministered and served God’s people, will share the same sentiment. So, thank you too!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Announcement New Provincial Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales is pleased to announce that Rev. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, has been elected to a four-year term as provincial effective immediately.  

The provincial works with all of the Oblates and their apostolates in the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province. He oversees all administrative aspects of the Oblate community and ensures the mission of the Oblates to live and spread Salesian Spirituality.

A 1987 graduate of Oblate-ministered Northeast Catholic High School and 1991 graduate of Holy Family University, Fr. Jack made his first profession to the Oblates in 1993.  He studied theology at DeSales School of Theology in Washington, DE and received a Master of Divinity from the Washington Theological Union. He was ordained a priest in 1999.

Fr. Jack ministered as director of campus ministry at Salesianum School in Wilmington, DE; assistant principal for student affairs and director of Salesian mission and identity at Father Judge High School (Philadelphia); superior of the Oblate community at Father Judge and superior of the Oblates at the Salesianum Residence.  Fr. Jack studied gerontological administration at St. Joseph’s University and ministered at the Oblate Retirement Center in Childs, MD.   Fr. Jack most recently served as director of development for the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province.  He was a member of the Provincial Council and serves on the Board of Trustees of Nativity Preparatory School (Wilmington, DE).    Fr. Jack is a weekend minister at St. Timothy’s parish in Northeast Philadelphia. Fr. Jack takes over from Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS, who will reside and minister as a senior priest at Our Lady of Good Counsel parish in Vienna, Virginia.

Please join us in congratulating Fr. Jack as he begins to serve the province in this significant role. Let us keep our provincial and province in prayer. 

A Final Word

Soon we Oblates will gather as a province to choose our next Provincial.  My four-year mandate will then come to completion.

The next reflection from the Wilmington-Philadelphia Provincial will be from our new Provincial.  It may take him some time to get his footing, so I know that you will be patient until you hear from him.

For the first two years or so, I wrote a reflection every week.  I was, therefore, happy when my counterpart in the Toledo-Detroit Province, Father Jack Loughran, took up his pen every other week.  Then we began to hear from others in the Salesian family as well.  

A dear Visitation Sister used to describe these kinds of reflection as “Salesian Bread.”  I was always taken by that expression.  Bread is such an ordinary, everyday kind of food.  And yet, Jesus chose bread as the medium for what becomes, at every Mass, his very Body.  For Jesus, then, there is nothing at all ordinary about bread!  

I think that is the kind of insight that Sister had in describing our reflections in De Sales Weekly.  They are often on topics of everyday, ordinary life, but charged with Salesian insight and written in a manner that hopes to speak “heart speaks to the heart.”  In that spirit, “Salesian Bread” can nourish the heart and fortify the daily lives of those who read these brief reflections every week.

I want to thank each of you who read what we write here, and I want to ask you to continue to pray for us Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and others in the Salesian family in support of our desire to live and share “Salesian Bread” with you, our readers and our friends, and with all those whom the Holy Spirit may lead to these pages.

From time to time, Oblates change ministries.  That is what I will do now as I prepare to leave the ministry of Provincial and return to the ministry of parish life.  Placements may change, but the heart remains the same, determined to do and accept whatever God wills or permits.

Now it is time to say, “Goodbye and God bless.”

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

If you would like to send Fr. Lou a card, you can address it to:

Fr. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Our Lady of Good Counsel Church

8601 Wolftrap Rd, Vienna, VA 22182

From Our Graduates

Enjoy selections from Salesian Speeches and Graduate Speeches

The Oblates established and continue to minister at DeSales University, Salesianum School, Father Judge High School, Nativity Preparatory School, & St. Francis de Sales High School. We also support and partner with Cristo Rey High School, Bishop Ireton High School, & Georgetown Visitation.

Salesian Reflections 

Mark Jannuzzi - Class President- DeSales University 

Today we honor all those who have succeeded, those who took the risk on DeSales University, and even through the hard times, came out on top.  6.7% of the World population holds a college degree. Percentage-wise, you weren’t supposed to be here. That means 93.3% of people in the world won’t get to be where you are today. YOU  have made it POSSIBLE. We are the role models and leaders of the future. Saint Francis DeSales once said, “Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that  perfectly.”

Similar to the quote we all know “Be who you are and be that well,” Saint Francis  DeSales teaches us to never lose sight of ourselves, something which is hard in today’s social media-driven world. He teaches us that being the best version of ourselves is better than being a fake version of someone else. This is a reminder that God created us uniquely and now it is our duty to be unique, just like how the DeSales community is unique.

In closing, I would like to add a quote from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt: “Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has  happened.” Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Class of 2022. The Class that will make things happen! Thank you. Read full speech here.

Thomas McGauley  - Fr. Judge High School 

As we gather tonight, we remember that we have shared many things, especially the same Salesian virtues that unite us as brothers under our patron, St. Francis de Sales. One virtue that I have taken up and that I think represents our whole class is the call to be positive. I try to approach life with an optimistic attitude each day.  Over these last few years, even with our struggles, I have seen everyone strive to remain optimistic and be the best versions of themselves every day.

As we move on after graduation, we will carry on the legacy of being a “Judge Guy.”   This is a legacy of persevering through daily life and through the hard times in life, just like our “27” did. The “27” are the young Judge graduates who were deployed in the Vietnam War and never returned.  However, their sacrifice and bravery is always remembered and something we should always appreciate and value. 

When we leave Solly Avenue, we should also strive to carry on our identity as Salesian Gentlemen, wherever we go. As we leave, I hope we continue to be positive, be good, and in the words of our patron, St. Francis de Sales, may we always “be who we are and strive to be that well.”   Read full speech here.

Jim Conley - Salesianum  School

From my first day at Salesianum, I was introduced to several people who would help me on my own faith journey. My faith was truly strengthened in the way that I saw Jesus in the people I encountered every day at school.   Teachers, classmates, custodians, and coaches all helped me to encounter Christ.  I saw Jesus in their example and they inspired me to “be who I am and be that well.”

As Salesians, we see God in the present moment, in our companions on the road, and in the breaking of the bread.  Perhaps it didn’t matter what we accomplished, as long as it was together.  Our Salesian brotherhood, similar to the bond of the apostles, will always keep us close.   Francis de Sales reminds us that “those who go, stay and those who stay, go.”  As we leave this building, we leave a piece of ourselves behind.   Yet we also take a part of Salesianum with us forever.  So, my fellow travelers, take hold and never let go.  Rise up and Live Jesus! Read full speech and other Salesianum speeches here.

Nicholas Basista - St. Francis de Sales High School 

So often as students we hear “Be who you are and be that well,” or for one unfortunate class, “u.b.u”. I've probably heard that phrase more than anything else at SFS; everywhere you look that quote from St. Francis or a relative phrase is plastered on the walls. Its importance really comes to fruition as I reflect back on my own experiences and the times with this class as a whole. It's the individuality of each person composing the student body that makes the St. Francis community so special. The diversity of personalities within SFS makes the school an exciting place to be. But more importantly, it's the fact that each person, each personality, can find success in the community. However, greatness isn’t uniform. Greatness can be defined by so much: academic success, athletic success, skills in arts or music, and much more. I often think that our view of success and greatness is so limited. Being yourself, whether you’re the funniest kid in the room, the hardest working student behind the scenes, the best player on a state championship-winning hockey program, or just a good person to be around, is truly achieving greatness. No one achieves greatness purely by luck. Every step along the way, a peer or a faculty member is ready to help or involve you in the community to become great. So while we all have work in front of us to continue being great, I’m confident that each of us has been endowed with the foundation necessary for success regardless of where we go.  Read full speech here.

Jack Rust  -St. Francis de Sales High School 

Looking back on all that we have accomplished and experienced throughout these four years, Our class, the class of 22, encountered, survived, and overcame more than any class that has come before us here at St. Francis. No matter the trial or tribulation we faced, my brothers endured and lived the St. Francis quote, “rise up.”  

For most of us, our time at SFS and brotherhood can be linked back to Camp DeSales. Most of us started our St. Francis experience at 7th, 8th, or Freshman camp. The fond memories of Father Ken’s cooking, being pulled tubing by a priest, or bonding through the accomplishment of the ropes course was the inception of the brotherhood. As Father Ken would call it, “a place where the air is thin between heaven and earth.” What a more perfect place,  for this brotherhood to form.  Most of us had the opportunity to return to  Camp DeSales for our Senior Retreat, for a final chance to reinforce our bond before going our separate ways.

I could not miss the opportunity to leave you with a few sayings to carry with you: 

• “Saveter et Fortier” “There’s nothing so strong as gentleness” 

• “VJ”

•  “We want you to be a Knight” 

• …any word attached with “Salesian”

. God bless the class of 2022 and God Bless America! Read full speech here.

---

Excerpts from Commencement Speeches 

Pablo Mezquita-Medina and William Johnson, Jr. - Nativity Preparatory School

I learned that the classes I had to go through would mean nothing if it hadn’t been for my classmates. Throughout my time at Nativity, I had to recite the school pledge countless times. Each time I recited the pledge, I would think about the spirit of Nativity and what or who it was. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that when I pledged my service to the spirit of Nativity, I was actually pledging my service to my classmates. If I had to choose one word to describe my

class, I would choose empathy. Empathy has been a very common theme in my class throughout the year.  I like to try and end things how I start them; in this case, with a quote. The quote I chose to share is about empathy, and it’s by Cornell West. Dr. West once said,“Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it. In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope.” Read full speech here.

 Riley Lebon -Bishop Ireton  High School, Alexandria, VA

Over the past summer, I met with 11 of my classmates to talk about what the school Salesian quotation for the year should be. It was important to us that this quote encapsulated all of the emotions we felt and the experiences we had during high school. We chose St. Francis de Sales’ words: “We must sometimes take a step backward in order to better spring forward; let us practice well holy resignation and pure love of our Lord.” Each crack we’ve faced together was tackled with the same level of determination that it approached us with. Not only did our faith never waiver, but we continued to be pivotal Salesian leaders in our families and communities. One of the biggest blessings this year has been the full return to retreats at Ireton. Each Monday when the retreatants returned, the change was instantaneous. Whether it was a weekend of serving others or a weekend of learning about love and friendship, we returned with fresh outlooks and affection for each other so strong that it will continue long after we leave here today.  Read full speech and Aidan Foley's speech here.

View Bishop Ireton Video

Aisata Ba -  Cristo Rey High School, Philadelphia, PA

Cristo Rey asked us the first question: “Who are you?” - Even as freshmen, we were told we belonged. We were reminded by upperclassmen and teachers that our existence in the seats of the cramped Social Hall was important. That we were important. We found our significance on Signing Day, and feeling that spark of inspiration at every Friday assembly. We explored every nook and cranny of our complex beings, and there we found our potential. 

Who are we now? We are unified. Everywhere you turned there was a college acceptance, a scholarship awarded, a job granted—a new beginning. We had a wonderful support system. We had so many staff and most importantly, we had each other! Though we worked to thrive individually, we knew that would have meant nothing if we didn’t thrive together. We became one. 

We’re all sitting here right now because we worked our way through these questions. We learned that this potential we harbor within us is made to be discovered, explored, utilized, and changed. 

Tonight is a reminder of your journey. And your journey is a reminder that you are resilient, you are courageous, and you are loved. Read full speech and Malcolm Pace’s speech here..

Joella Kiondo - Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School

The end of my time as class president, the end of our time as Visitation students, and yet the beginning of a new era of our lives.   What I know for sure is that we are intelligent, resilient, adaptable, and optimistic. What I don’t know for sure is what comes next. What happens after we make our exit? I challenge you to remember you are capable of accomplishing difficult things — but you don’t necessarily have to seek them out. Meet yourself where you are, and where you want to be.

Do what excites you, not what is expected of you. You are always growing and changing. Have patience with yourself. Some may choose to see college as a fresh start, and for others it will be an opportunity to carry the best of themselves into a new environment as you try new things. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” It is the relationships that we keep, throughout all the hectic changes, unending twists, frequent turns, and surprising dead ends in our lives that truly make life fulfilling. Read full speech here.

Trinity Sunday

This week, sandwiched between the feasts of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity, provides me with much to reflect upon. The main reason is that I have to prepare homilies for both. These two feasts are very similar as we recall what Christ has entrusted to us upon his death. 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives a long farewell speech at the Last Supper on the night before he dies. His disciples, understandably, are shaken, afraid, and not prepared to accept the brute reality of his impending death. He tries to calm them, reassure them, and give them things to cling to, and he ends with these words: I am going away, but I will leave you a final gift, the gift of my peace.

This gift of peace from Christ is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and, as we know, that is charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, long-suffering, fidelity, mildness, and chastity.

In truth, the exercise of these gifts brings peace. They may not impact the world as immediately as war, inflation, drug abuse, mass shootings, or other social evils, but they are not as fickle nor evil as these occurrences are. The gifts of the Spirit reach deep into our soul and, when placed into practice, form us into people of the Holy Spirit; and bring lasting peace into the hearts of those around us.

In the gospel for Trinity Sunday, Jesus states to his disciples, "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.

I find Christ's gentle concern and kindness for us in this statement and the implicit trust He has in our ability to see, understand, and follow Christ striking. We do not need a grueling spiritual race or frantic effort to Live Jesus. We listen to the Spirit's encouragement to determine our next step. As Pope Francis suggests, "the next thing on our calendar is where God's will is found."

We all know what it's like to have our patience tried, but patience disarms anger, frustration, and offense. Goodness, fidelity, chastity, and mildness bring comfort, assurance, and trust. Charity, joy, and peace bring healing and hope. These gifts of the Spirit bring strength to follow Christ, and the ground beneath our feet becomes firm as we find our place walking in God's grace. Indeed, in the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts, we find peace.

How happy those souls who live only to do God's will. (St. Francis de Sales)

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Francis & Me: Sidonie Becton, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School

Sidonie Becton ‘07, Tri-Chair, Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School.

“Let us be who we are and be that well, in order to bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork we are.” - St. Francis de Sales

As we all know, the saints were messengers for God. He spoke through their words and their actions. So, what we see in this quote from de Sales is God telling us to be exactly who He created us to be and that it brings Him honor when we do so. 

Part of being who God created us to be is accepting His will for our lives. Growing up in a Christian household, this idea was instilled in me from a young age. It’s only since I’ve gotten older that I’m beginning to truly understand what this means. Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to have my hand in a number of things at the same time, whether that’s event management, my law practice, singing, writing, you name it. I love using the talents God has given me! 

Last year, I made one of the toughest decisions yet in life: while still being a full-time practicing attorney, I would study theology and begin the journey of becoming an ordained minister in the Baptist tradition. Sure, it is exciting, and I absolutely love the knowledge I am gaining! But I also understand the tremendous task that God has given me. To be honest, I ran from this calling for a long while because of how heavy this task is. Having reflected on the Salesian theme of not just accepting the Will of God, but sincerely doing so, I understood that at some point, I had to yield over my personal wants and needs for those God has called me to. St. Francis de Sales’ quote tells us that we are God’s handiwork and not our own. I had to remind myself that my purpose here on earth is so much bigger than ‘Sidonie’ alone. 

As I prepared to share my reflection with you, I faced one of the most devastating experiences: the sudden loss of a loved one. The past two weeks really forced me to dig deep and to understand that God has given me multiple gifts for a time such as this. Not only could I minister to the immediate family grieving and assist through the process using my legal skills, but I planned the memorial service in New Jersey and the vigil to be held in Maryland.

None of this would be possible if I had not yielded my will to God’s will for my life. Looking back over my life, I can definitely see times when God’s hand was present in my life, gently (and sometimes not so gently) guiding me. Whether that was making the switch from law school to an event/sports management program at Syracuse, to working as a retail store manager, to being more active in my church’s young adult ministry, becoming a Sunday School teacher, or even learning how to process and work through grief; each of these experiences has made me stronger and shaped me into the person whom God has called me to be. 

Summarizing all of these experiences in light of my time at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, I would certainly say that God calls us all to a life of service. It’s simply a matter of figuring out how best to utilize the gifts and talents God has instilled in you to serve His people. At times, this may seem like an insurmountable task. But when we sincerely and humbly ask God for guidance and truly accept His will for our lives, this task becomes easier every time.

---

Painting With Friends

I recently had the pleasure of leading a “Sip and Paint” gathering at the brand new Saint Paul VI High School in Chantilly, VA. This beautiful, modern facility replaces the older, smaller school in Fairfax which the Oblates opened in 1983 and administered until 2000. 

For those who are not familiar, “Sip and Paint” gatherings are where folks sip on their wine while working on a simple painting which an instructor like myself,- in partnership with the wine- guides them through. The only difference with my version, as I told them at the very beginning, is that I preferred to think of it as a “Gulp and Paint” because it was my first time doing such an event. 

I was delighted when Principal Tom Opfer, himself an alumni of Paul VI, invited me to instruct this event, as I am always ready for something new, fun, and inspiring. 

The evening was made possible through the school’s annual Spring Auction. Limited by the size of the art room, the group topped off at twenty very enthusiastic, fun-loving people, many of whom informed me of their great affection for the Oblates and St. Francis de Sales. It was made clear that we are missed but not forgotten at St. Paul VI.

Upon my arrival at the school, I was greeted by two banners of Sts. Francis and Jane which immediately warmed my heart in this very sleek and modern facility. Further down the hall is the Fr. Don Heet Reception Area, with a plaque bearing Don’s young face. Coincidentally, a few minutes later, I was warmly greeted by the very real, and much older, Don who happened to be there for a Board meeting. As I toured the school, quotes of St. Francis occasionally appeared on the gleaming white walls giving me a sense of comfort and homeliness.

I began the evening with a thirty-minute slide show which included Salesian images and quotes about beauty from Pope Paul VI. It was also the perfect opportunity to share my renderings of Sts. Hildegard of Bingen and Brigid of Ireland, each of whom promoted beer for physical and spiritual wellness. Then, step by step, I led the group through drawing the outline of a butterfly at which point they filled the wings with colors and designs of their own creative choice.

What was most powerful for me to witness was the loving spirit of community and friendship so evident among the participants. One woman, from the first graduating class in 1987, told me how much she and the other students loved the Oblates back in the day because of their Salesian spirit of kindness and gentleness. Others were long-time staff or faculty whose very fond memories make them wish the Oblates were still in the school today. One married couple are proud parishioners at St. John Neumann in nearby Reston, and Principal Tom Opfer has as much love and passion for Salesian spirituality as any Oblate I have ever known. 

For me, and I suspect for each person there, it was perfect timing for an evening of creativity, reminiscing, and laughter as a mental reprieve from the recent events that have been weighing heavily on our hearts. 

In this unsettling time for Oblate community life and the many uncertainties of our future, the “Sip and Paint” gathering was truly a gift from the Holy Spirit and St. Francis de Sales himself who said, “We pray best before beauty.” And, as Dorothy Day loved to say, quoting Dostoevsky, “In the end, beauty will save the world.”

Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS

Salesian Artist

Salesian Shop

Francis & Me: St. Vincent de Paul Thoughts on St. Jane

Francis & Me: St. Vincent de Paul on St. Jane

While on his last trip to Paris in 1621, Francis de Sales (1567-1622) committed the care of the first Visitation monastery in that city to his friend and fellow priest, Vincent de Paul.   After St. Francis died the following year, Vincent de Paul became the spiritual director of Jane de Chantal, the co-founder (with de Sales) of the Order of the Visitation.   They remained spiritual friends for twenty years, until her death in 1641. 

After her death, the future saint recalled the life of Mother de Chantal:

 “It seemed to me that she was full of every sort of virtue, and particularly of faith. Because of her strong faith, throughout her life, she was beset by strong temptations of doubt.   Yet she always had supreme confidence in God.  Mother de Chantal was wise, moderate, tolerant, and firm to a most unusual degree.  The spirit of humility, austerity, obedience, and zeal for the perfecting of her Order and the salvation of souls absorbed most of her time.  I have never observed any faults in her but always saw her put into practice her virtues and the rule of her community.

Although she seemed to possess the peace and quietness of spirit that is natural to souls that have advanced far in the devout life, she underwent intense inward suffering.  She told me many times in speech and writing that it was a continual effort for her to withhold the thought that she did not deserve to go to heaven.  In spite of this anguish, she never lost her outward calm nor slackened in the practices of a Christian and a nun.  I believe her to have been one of the holiest souls that I have met on this earth.”

---

God's Language

In just a few days, the Church will celebrate Pentecost. I think we can best appreciate the meaning of this beautiful feast if we begin with the fact that we are all made in the image and likeness of God.  Two characteristics stand out about God in whose image we are made. One characteristic is his Word and the other is his Love.  In the Incarnation, God gives us his Word, and at Pentecost, he gives us his Love.  Together, God gives us a new language, the language of love.

In his account of Pentecost, St. Luke describes the appearance of the Holy Spirit “as tongues of fire” that rest over the heads of Mary and the 125 disciples gathered in prayer.  Luke goes on to speak of the preeminent miracle of this day in these words: "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them speaking in his native language?" (Acts 2:7-8).

Even though there were people from many different countries and language groups, each of them was able to understand Peter and the others in their own language.   The multiplicity of race, language, and custom had, through the powerful Word of God’s Love, yielded to the unity and union of a single language, the language of common humanity. 

On that day at least and for those few hours, there was only one people and only one language.  God’s love had overcome the usual distinctions such as language, nationality, race, and gender that too often lead to divisions, distrust, hostilities, and wars.  With the gift of God’s love comes the promise and the power to bring about God’s peace on the earth and the fulfillment of these words of our Creed:  “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life…[and] I believe in one, holy catholic and apostolic Church.”

The word, “catholic,” means universal.  The Holy Spirit is God’s promise of a healed humanity in which differences no longer divide but are applauded as so many beautiful variations of the one Spirit.  Our own St. Francis de Sales invents a new word to describe this new Spirit-filled humanity: unidiverse.

Pentecost is often seen as God’s reversal of the destructive consequences of the Tower of Babel whose story is described in Genesis (11:1-9).  A people who had become proud and arrogant decided to build a tower high enough to reach the heavens.  It would, they thought, provide them with ready access to God and therefore the ability to either manipulate God or become his rival.  There was only one language then.  The communication essential to design and build that tower, therefore, was readily at hand.  But God punished their pride by making them speak in many different languages. They could no longer understand one another and, thus, they could no longer cooperate in building the tower. Soon their differences in language began to divide them.  They became distrustful of one another, and that distrust quickly led to hostilities and wars.  As with the story of the Garden of Eden, once again human pride, human hubris, had led to the sad, divided, and often sinful world with which we are all so familiar today.

In Jesus, God’s Word speaks to us of a new way of living and of a new way of loving.  At Pentecost, God gives each of us, in the Holy Spirit, the power to live as Jesus had lived and to love as Jesus had loved.  And for one brief moment, he permits the thousands gathered in Jerusalem to hear but one language that speaks to all hearts of his promise and of his power.

But God has rightly left it up to all who believe to welcome that promise and to accept that power to change and to better the world, one small act of love after another and, thus, to bring about a new world in which peace and justice reign and compassionate love is the norm; a world that welcomes the many differences among us and channels those differences in one direction: the imitation of the life and the love of Jesus.

Christianity is now over 2000 years old. Yet even in the so-called Christian civilizations, the universal brotherhood of all humankind in God through Christ has not yet been fully realized. You may ask, "What can I do? I am only one individual. What difference can I make?" 

Maybe we can learn something from the story of the squirrel and the owl:

A squirrel once asked a wise old owl the weight of a single snowflake. "Why, nothing more than nothing," the owl answered. The squirrel then went on to tell the owl about a time when he was resting on a branch of a maple tree, counting each snowflake that came to rest on the branch until he reached the number 1,973,864. Then with the settling of the very next snowflake -- crack! The branch suddenly snapped, throwing the squirrel and the snow to the ground. "That was surely a whole lot of nothing," said the squirrel.

Our daily personal efforts to spread the reign of love and justice may be as light in weight as a snowflake. But by heaping our snowflakes together we will eventually be able to break the heavy branch of divisions, evil, and injustice in our world today. Our Spirit-filled efforts at the language and actions of Christian love, however small, will lead in time to a brand new world, a brand new manifestation of Pentecost! 

And so we pray:

Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

*I have taken the story at the end from Munachi E. Ezeogu, CSSP

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Meditation by Oblates: Pentecost Sunday

Jn 20:19-23 

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.”

Quote

“Oh! How happy shall we be, if we receive these priceless gifts, for doubtless, they will lead us to the summit of this mystical ladder where we shall be received by our Divine Savior who awaits us there with open arms, to make us participants of His glory and felicity.” -St. Francis DeSales

Reflection

In my parish church, we have a St. Francis De Sales Food Pantry. There is a small mention of it in our bulletin and on our website. Most people in the community know about this pantry, but it does not mean much to them - just one ministry of many in the parish.

For those who are involved in this ministry, though, it is a very special place. There are wonderful and dedicated volunteers who work hard to fill the pantry shelves with food every Wednesday, and from this small room, every Tuesday and Saturday, food is distributed to many families who find it difficult to pay all of their bills and buy enough food for their children and household.

When I visit and participate in the work of the pantry, I recognize that these volunteers possess a strong sense of the importance of what they are doing. In the midst of the hard work – sharing the food with the long line of clients waiting at the door, trying to meet their specific needs – I see them practice patience, humility, and generosity. They share spiritual thoughts and prayers each day with those who come for food. They laugh together when moments in the work are challenging – like old friends sharing a private joke. They are generous with the people who come and have formed a deep bond of friendship and community with one another and with the people they serve.

On the days they volunteer, when the work is done, the staff also pray together and cook and share a meal and conversation. There is a tangible joy among the volunteers that brings them back to help each day. I believe it comes from the love and friendship they experience in this small community they have formed and a sense of completing God’s will in doing something so concrete and biblical as feeding the hungry.

So often we are used to recognizing the Church as a great structured institution spread throughout the world, accomplishing great things. Yet the Church is also you and me, living our simple lives individually and communally as faithful Catholics. We are pilgrims devoted to a life of virtue, opening our hearts to God’s call, and responding to that call.

We share that message with others - in the friendships we make, in the communities we form, in the good works that we do. Always in the company of the same Holy Spirit. Just as the Apostles and Mary came forth from the upper room to proclaim to the waiting world the Good News, so we are called to do the same.

Today, without fear, trepidation, or confusion, we open our hearts - individually and as a Church community - to the Holy Spirit. May we live the gifts of the Spirit we receive, share the Gospel message, and discover the great joy of uniting the mission of our life with the mission of our Church, which is such an important way to unite ourselves with the great work of our God – building His kingdom of love, and the salvation of the world.

Fr. Patrick O’Connor, OSFS

Pastor of Jesus the Worker Catholic Church and Mission San Jose, Fort Myers, Florida

Traveling this Weekend?

This weekend, thousands of Americans will travel to vacation destinations across the country.  They travel as Mary our Lady so often did throughout her life.  Just as Mary did when she visited her beloved cousin Elizabeth, travelers this weekend begin their journeys with hope and anticipation. Some travel with some trepidation. Some seek guidance and support. Many seek protection. 

In celebration of Memorial Day travels and Tuesday’s Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you too can take Mary with you on your journey when you join Mary’s Travelers.

Mary’s Travelers is a spiritual community dedicated to Mary and her special intercession!  Mary’s Travelers invoke the protection of Christ's Mother on all their journeys.  United in their devotion to Mary, Travelers call on her to keep travelers under her divine protection.

When you join Mary’s Travelers, you become part of an online community of fellow supporters, receive special travel prayers, get discounts on Salesian books and artwork, and enjoy other benefits. 

Join Mary’s Travelers today and take Mary with you on every journey!

Magnificat    

                Luke 1:46-55                                                                
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
God looks on the lowliness of his servant
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy is God's name!
There is mercy from age to age,
on those who fear God,
God puts forth his arm in strength
scattering the proud-hearted;
casts the mighty from their thrones,
raising the lowly,
fills the starving with good things,
sending the rich away empty.
God protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our forbears,
for Abraham and his heirs for ever.
Praise the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever. Amen.

--

Francis & Me: Ellen Hildenbrand

Francis & Me: Ellen Hildenbrand, Religion Department Chair, Salesianum School

Given that my whole life has been lived in the context of Catholic education, I have had the good fortune to be inspired by the lives of the saints whose charism animated the institution in which I studied or worked.

I count St. Anthony of Padua, St. Augustine, St. Julie Billiart, and St. Vincent Pallotti among the many “villagers” who helped to raise me, and they will always have a special place in my heart and in my prayers.

Now I am excited and privileged to call myself a Salesian.

Salesianum School is deeply immersed in Salesian Spirituality and mission, and St. Francis de Sales’ presence is felt by us all as we go about our days.

For me, this means that my Catholic faith has been further chiseled by the challenges he poses in “Introduction to the Devout Life,” as I consciously try to incorporate the little virtues into each day and to call myself to the gentle, patient strength of the saint in every situation.

Teaching our Salesian identity to incoming freshmen has been a genuine gift to me.  Each day, as I watch my students make a conscious effort to grow as Salesian gentlemen, I am humbled that I get to play a role in their development.  I believe – I know that the world desperately needs men who know that they are each uniquely created by a God who loves them and calls them to be his holy face in this contentious and polarized world.

So I decided to write this reflection to publicly express my gratitude to St. Francis and St. Jane as well as to the Oblates and others with whom I serve.  In this Salesianum community, I have found inspiration and consolation.  Our motto “Tenui Nec Dimittam” is a reflection of my love and appreciation.  I have taken hold and will never let go of what I have learned here.

---

The Visitation Sisters

Tuesday, May 31, is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This feast has special significance to the Salesian community because it was this event in the life of our Lady that St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal wanted to imitate and promote in the religious order that they founded. 

St. Francis de Sales envisioned a community of women who would not be bound by the rigorous rules of the religious orders of the day. Rather, the rule for the sisters of his community would be based on the bond of charity.  This group of women would focus on the little virtues of humility and gentleness toward God and neighbor. The order would be contemplative but with an active spirit.  Francis wanted the Sisters to go out among the people – caring for the poor, the sick, and the dying. 

Despite this hope of having the Sisters combine prayer with an exterior ministry, Francis and Jane eventually had to follow the directives from the Vatican.  At the time, Rome did not permit women religious to go out among the people.  As a result, the community was established in 1615 as a traditional cloistered religious order.  However, founders Francis and Jane decided to keep their original name, the “Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary.”   

The Order spread from France throughout Europe and eventually to the Americas.  Today there are 150 Visitation monasteries throughout the world.  The mystery of the Visitation centers on Mary responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and setting out on a mission of charity.  The Sisters continue to keep alive this spirit:  a spirit of gentleness and strength, a spirit of humility and harmony.  

As we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation may we too strive to imitate the devotion of Mary in seeing everyone as our brother and sister and bringing God’s love and presence to our corner of the world.    

Meditation by Oblates: Ascension of the Lord

Lk 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Quote

“Let us think only of spending the present-day well. Then when tomorrow shall have come, it will be called today, and then we will think about it.” - St. Francis de Sales

Reflection

To start this reflection, I would like to take you all back to when I was in eighth grade. We had just finished our final show as eighth-grade students and had spent the afternoon tearing down the set when suddenly one of us starts crying…and not just a few happy tears. I mean full-on, ugly crying. That crying when you struggle to catch your breath….and then suddenly it wasn’t just one of us, it was about 10 of us. We just walked around the now empty gym sobbing. 

Now, our art teacher had the patience of Job, she allowed us to cry and cry for what felt like an eternity. But then the buses started arriving to take us home and she still had a bunch of sobbing eighth-graders in her care. So she gathered us together, looked at us, and gave us a choice that I have never forgotten.

She said, “Look, kiddos. The buses are here. Now, you can get on the bus or you can choose to stay and have your parents pick you up but you cannot stay here. So don’t let the bus driver make the decision for you. Make your own choice.”  In just a few lines, she was empowering us to move forward, even when we didn’t think we could. But ultimately, she was right. Each of us got on the bus that day.  

I couldn’t help but think back to that moment as I listened to the readings for this weekend.  The weekend when we celebrate the Ascension. For I totally get the disciples standing on that hillside looking up into the clouds.

They have been through so much together: From Miraculous healings and long conversations around the dinner table to Sermons on the Mount,  boat rides across a stormy lake to betrayal, the crucifixion, the resurrection…and now he was leaving.  A chapter was ending and it was unclear what the new chapters would be like.

When the two angels challenge them as my art teacher did to us so many years ago, they too are faced with a choice. They can stay on that hillside clinging to what has gone or they can head back into the village, transformed by that encounter.

My friends, it seems so fitting that this feast comes at this time of year.

Many of us are having our own Ascension moments. We are preparing to transition jobs or retire, leaving behind our hilltop that we have labored on, sometimes for decades.

We are preparing to graduate, leaving behind our hilltops in which we have found our place, discovering who we are and what we were capable of.

We are watching our children take the next step, moving one step farther away from us on their own journeys.  Whether walking across the stage with their fellow kindergarteners or moving out of the house or preparing for the arrival of their own children.

Like those disciples, we too are confronted with a choice: We can attempt to cling to the status quo and resist change, acting as if we can freeze time and keep everything and every one just the way they are. We can keep staring into the clouds, waiting for the world to go back to the way it was. Or …We can take a final look around at the magnificent view and then head down into the villages that await us, transformed by the hilltop we have journeyed up. Blessed by the one who promises to remain with us until he returns in glory.

The choice is ours, my friends. As St. Francis de Sales reminds us. “Let us think only of spending the present-day well. Then when tomorrow shall have come, it will be called today, and then we will think about it.”

So let’s get moving. We don’t want to miss the bus.

May God be Praised.

Brian Zumbrum, OSFS

Accepting God's Will

A few weeks ago, I visited one of our senior Oblates residing in a local nursing facility. Due to back issues, he cannot walk or stand for any time, he needs assistance with basic activities. He also has mild dementia.

As we spoke he surprised me, asking if he had any role in an upcoming Province Assembly scheduled for the end of June. Our Assemblies typically occur every June, and, health permitting, every Oblate in the Province attends. It is always a joyful time as men from different parts of the country come together, reconnect, share what has happened over the past year, pray, share meals, plan for our future, and generally have fun together. All of us look forward to this time.

I was surprised he made this request because the Assembly is a four-day event, that includes travel, and spending the nights on site. Indeed, it is well beyond what is reasonable for him due to his health issues.

Catching me by surprise, I blurted out, “Of course, you can be there. Please join us.” At this, he was so excited and happy that he began to cry, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him how difficult it seemed. I knew that this would be an almost impossible request to fulfill. I also knew as I watched him weep, that his heart belongs to the Oblates, and not attending the Assembly would be sad and a painful loss for him. Chickening out, I told him I’d look into the possibility and get back to him next week. I just couldn’t tell him the truth and bring that disappointment to him at that time.

On the following Friday, I revisited him. On my way there, I prepared my response informing him, as gently as possible, that attending and participating in the meeting would be impossible. I was dreading it. As I entered his room, and before I could even say hello, he said, “Jack, I have to tell you something.” I sat down and he said, “I know you were probably driving here struggling to find words to tell me I cannot attend the Assembly. I want you to know that I have come to that conclusion on my own.” 

He went on to say, “St. Francis de Sales teaches us to recognize and believe that God’s will is found in the ordinary stuff of our lives. Due to my health, I know that I will not be able to participate in the Assembly. I know that I am where I am because I need to be, and it is God’s will for me to find His embrace and place in His heart here. I spent last night praying about this and know this is the right decision.”

I can’t tell you how relieved I was and grateful for his beautiful insights and trust in God at that moment. His sacrifice in accepting this truth expressed his faith and deep immersion in our Salesian charism. We talked for quite a while following this exchange, and as I prepared to leave, he reminded me of the saying of Francis de Sales, “Why build castles in Spain when you have to live in France?” He said, “I guess my France is this nursing home. I don’t necessarily like it, but I know God’s embrace for me is here, and I will accept His will by staying here.”

For me, this was a spiritual and life lesson from a wonderful Salesian gentleman. 

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Wise Spiritual Advice: St. Jane de Chantal

In a December 1626 letter to one of her sisters in charge of forming young Visitation sisters, St. Jane de Chantal gives some very wise spiritual counsel that speaks to how we ought to relate to one another in a Christ-like and Salesian manner.

She writes, “Try to foster a spirit founded on deep humility which results in sincere obedience, a sweet charity which supports and excuses all, and an innocent, guileless simplicity which makes us even-tempered and friendly toward everyone.”  

Jane’s own spiritual friend and mentor used to speak of the “little virtues” which everyone can practice frequently throughout the day in their relational lives with one another.  In this letter, Jane is underscoring some “little virtues” that speak directly to relationships in a religious community, but many of them speak just as well to our every relationship with family, friends, and all others.

Let’s start with “deep humility.”  Both Francis and Jane wanted every Christian to live Jesus by imitating the virtues that he himself loved and practiced: “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart.” For both Jane and Francis, humility is truth, the truth of who we are before God, that is, created, good, and loved.  This is the truth for every other human being as well.  Honoring and reverencing that truth in both ourselves and in others is the foundation for relating with ourselves and them in the gentle and welcoming manner and the way that Jesus himself related to people.  “Deep humility,” then, is the foundation and source of the Christian and Salesian manner of relating to others in the spirit of love.  

“Sweet charity” is how Jane describes the concrete love of neighbor in this letter.  The adjective, “sweet,” is key to appreciating the Salesian character of love of neighbor.  From the context of this letter and from the whole Salesian corpus, “sweet” means a genuine, gentle, unfeigned, and caring concern for others.   Thus, “sweet charity” does all in its power to support the other in his or her life journey to God, even to the point of “excusing” faults, foibles and failings, that is, in not permitting human weakness from supporting one another in our efforts to live Jesus and make our way to God.  Together, as a communion of hearts and lives, we make our way to God.

“Innocent, guileless simplicity” is central to the Salesian character.  Simplicity implies a singleness of purpose, that is, a disposition that desires only whatever God wills or permits.   Here is how St. Jane once expressed this simplicity in another writing: “To be faithful, we must live simply. Then being free from attachments, we are possessed by nothing. We live in such absolute openness to Divine Love that whatever pleases God becomes our heart’s desire.”

The Creator is good, loving, and provident.  Trusting completely in God as good, loving, and provident is how we become like the children, the “little ones,” whom Jesus praises so highly in the Gospels.  They are innocent and guileless in their total surrender to the care and love of their parents.  A similar childlike simplicity toward a loving and provident God is what Jane is asking for here.

“Even-tempered and friendly toward everyone” Jane greatly appreciates the virtues of moderation, good balance, evenness of temper, and a friendly and welcoming disposition toward everyone.   This disposition is what “wins hearts” through love, never force.  This is how God wins the human heart and how we are to win the hearts of one another.  As Francis wisely notes, if you win the heart you gain the whole person.

All one has to do is look at the way Jesus interacts with others in the Gospels to see the profile of what St. Jane is asking for each of us in this letter.  It is her contribution to the Salesian invitation –and challenge-- to Live Jesus!

Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Meditation by Oblates: Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Lent: Jn 14:23-29

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.”

Quote

“Those who go stay, those who stay go.” ~ St. Francis de Sales

Reflection

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples that he will soon be leaving them. Yet, though he will be physically gone, he will still be with them because he will send them his spirit. Another way to think about this is that Jesus is giving them his presence and he will always be with them.

When someone whom we love leaves us, we too have the opportunity to receive their spirit — their presence — in a new and different way. They may be gone, but not forgotten and over time we can discern their continued presence in our lives in ways that we may never have imagined. In this way, they like the Spirit, are always with us.

Fr. Michael Newman, OSFS

Pastor, Holy Family Parish - Adrian, MI

Francis & Me: Ruth Lahnston, College Counselor

Francis & Me: Ruth Lahnston, College Counselor at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School

"Deal with one another, dear friends, with a care that is genuine, loving, and gentle." - St. Jane de Chantal

Helping students is my life's work, and I have never regretted choosing this field for a moment.  While I have worked with students in many different capacities including admissions, academic advising, and residential life, my time in college counseling has been the most rewarding. There is nothing quite as wonderful as meeting with a student during the spring of her junior year and seeing the possibilities that lie before her, through her eyes. They are filled with optimism, enthusiasm, (a bit of apprehension), and excitement about their goals and future. 

The path to college is unique for each student, and while it is paved with affirmation and successes, there can also be some disappointment. As I read through the passage from St. Jane de Chantal, I recognized the spirit of Visitation in her words. I see this passage come to life almost every day as I watch students gently support each other through the college process. It begins in our college counseling class as we work on each piece of the application, and it continues all the way through until the matriculated colleges are revealed on student kilts. It is the genuine, loving, and gentle care that the students share with each other that ensures a strong foundation and the tools the students take with them to the next exciting stage of their lives.

---