A Saint for Our Times

This past week, on January 24, the entire Salesian family, including the Oblates, celebrated the Feast of Saint Francis de Sales.  As our patron, all Oblates revere his goodness, faith and insights into the human heart, intelligence, the prolific body of written material on the devout life and his selflessness in caring for the spiritual journey of thousands and thousands of people.  

One of the traps of honoring any saint, though, is that we may find it easier to admire them than to imitate them.  Their lives and circumstances seem so removed from our own that we quickly distance ourselves from them.  Simone Weil,  a French philosopher, thoughtfully wrote, "It is not enough to merely have saints; we must have saints for our times."

While I agree with Simone Weil's insight, I believe Saint Francis de Sales IS a saint for our times, even though he died over 400 years ago.  One example of his relevance is a sobriquet attached to Saint Francis de Sales in the title, the Gentleman Saint.  It does not come from his position in society as a nobleman but his profound belief in the power of Christ's words in the gospel, "Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart."  Our patron believed the gentleness of Christ was the way not only for social interchange but also the way to confront conflict, violence and evil. 

Throughout his life, Saint Francis de Sales was immersed in a Catholic community grappling with the Protestant Reformation and the violent religious wars that resulted.  He was attracted to a group named the Acarie Circle, a Catholic group who desired to rekindle devotion to the Catholic faith in France.  Some members of the Acarie Circle proposed a militant vision that sanctioned the use of force and violence to accomplish this goal.  Saint Francis de Sales, while cordial and respectful of the Acarie Circle, was not attracted to this method.  Instead of a vision of coercion and force, he embraced the gentleness of Christ as the way to lead others to devotion and a relationship with God. 

In this belief, he developed a theology of non-violence seen in the first sermon he gave at his induction as Provost of the Cathedral Chapter in the Diocese of Geneva. Saint Francis de Sales  wrote, “It will be by charity that the walls of Geneva must be shaken; by charity that the city must be invaded and by charity that it must be recovered.  I propose to you neither iron nor powder whose odor and taste call to mind the infernal furnace.  I am not forming one of those armies who soldiers have neither faith nor piety.  May our camp be the camp of God whose trumpets proclaim with accents all of gentleness, this song, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of armies.  It is on this camp that you must fix your gaze...we will conquer only with prayer and love."

Violence is an overwhelming presence in our lives.  It impacts almost every facet of  our world and society, graphically illustrated by the horrific fact that in the first 24 days of 2023, there have been over 40 mass shootings in the United States.  Indeed, fear dominates as a response to this reality, and often, fear itself leads to violence.

The words of Christ that prompted Saint Francis de Sales to choose gentleness over violence must be rooted in every heart of faith.  As we cope with our world's disdain for peace, let us pray for peace and embrace a gentle heart and a gentle way to confront sin and violence in the spirit of Christ and the example of Saint Francis de Sales. 

Father Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

Be the Light of Christ

Today is World Day for Consecrated Life, and US parishes will mark it this weekend. Begun in 1997 by Pope John Paul II, the commemoration is intended “to help the entire Church to esteem ever more greatly the witness of those persons who has chosen to follow Christ by means of the evangelical counsels” - poverty, chastity, obedience - and “to be a suitable occasion for consecrated persons to renew their commitment and rekindle the fervor which should inspire their offering of themselves to the Lord” (John Paul, 1997).

The pope selected the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord for this event. This feast is known as Candlemas Day, when the church blesses all of the candles to be used in the year in parishes, homes, and places of worship. All disciples, by virtue of our baptism, are called to be the light of Christ. Our tradition teaches us that vowed religious life is an intensification of the baptismal call to live Jesus.

As the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales profess these vows, we look forward to this day which coincides with the anniversary of the death of our founder, Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS. His exhortation that we “reprint the Gospel” with our lives is an appropriate reminder for all of us, whether in religious, married, or the single life. Just as a small candle is lighted from the large paschal candle at every baptism, our lives are meant to be a flame of faith, hope and love to join with all the flames flickering throughout the world to set it ablaze with the love, peace and joy of Jesus.

Yes, this weekend we will have an opportunity to pray for those sisters, brothers and priests whose poverty, chastity and obedience inspired, taught, or animated us to be stronger and more faith-filled disciples. We also pray that each of us cooperates with the grace to deepen our commitment and renew the fervor of our own baptism for a world in great need of our light, which is the light of Christ.

Prayer for Consecrated Life

O God, throughout the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives of perfect charity through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We give you thanks for these courageous witnesses of Faith and models of inspiration. Their pursuit of holy lives teaches us to make a more perfect offering of ourselves to you. Continue to enrich your Church by calling forth sons and daughters who, having found the pearl of great price, treasure the Kingdom of Heaven above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Father Michael Murray, OSFS

Provincial Councilor, Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Parochial Vicar, St. John Neumann Parish, Reston, VA

Feast Day Celebrations

Feast Day in India

Father John Dolan, OSFS, celebrates with Father Mathias Kumar, OSFS, and Brother Anand Jerald, OSFS, who made his Perpetual Profession as an Oblate during the Feast Day Mass!

Feast Day in India

Feast Day in India

Oblate Fathers John Dolan and Mathias Kumar.

St. Francis de Sales High School, Toledo, OH

St. Francis de Sales High School, Toledo, OH

St. Francis de Sales High School, Toledo, OH

St. Francis de Sales High School, Toledo, OH

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia, PA

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia, PA

Father Vince Smith, OSFS, and Jim Greene distributed food to students. The aprons were borrowed from the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales.

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia, PA

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia, PA

Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS; Father Bob Bazzoli, OSFS; Father Vince Smith, OSFS; Father James Macnew; Father Jack Kolodziej, OSFS; Brother Jim Williams, OSFS; Father Joe Campellone, OSFS; Father Tom Gallagher, OSFS; Mr. Brian King.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, High Point, NC

IHM celebrated with a beautiful Mass with the school children in attendance followed by a reception.  Father Baiju Paul, OSFS celebrated the Mass with Father Tom Norris, OSFS concelebrating.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, High Point, NC

IHM celebrated a beautiful Mass. Father Baiju Paul, OSFS celebrated the Mass with Father Tom Norris, OSFS, concelebrating.

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Oblates gathered to celebrate the Feast Day.

The Oblates in Toledo enjoyed a celebration with Bishop Thomas. He shared a reflection on the Pope's Apostolic Letter and enjoyed Evening Prayer and a festive meal.

Father Tom Gallagher, OSFS; Father Ed Rauch, OSFS; Father Jim Dalton, OSFS, Father James DeGrassa, Pastor at Resurrection Parish; Brother Jim Williams, OSFS; Father Vince Smith, OSFS.

Oblate Fathers. Reji Joseph, Stan Dombrowski, William Davis, Hugh McGuigan, Paul Dechant, Patrick O’Connor, Tony Gilborges and Frank Hanlon.

DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

Father Jim Greenfield, OSFS, and Bishop Al Schlert joined students for a “Senior Salesian Soirre.”

Father Judge High School, Philadelphia, PA

Administrative assistant, Sandy McGee, wearing and holding up the special t-shirts made for "Salesian Week."

Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, DC

Mother Anne Francis Ng'ang'a, VHM, and Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS.

Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, DC

Dr. Barbara Edmondson, President, Mrs. Nori Ponzio, Principal, Mr. Nick Grant, Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS, Sister Mary Berchmans Hannan, VHM, President Emerita, Father Michael Vannicola, OSFS, Presider and Olivia Kane, Director of the St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center.

DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

Bishop Al Schlert joined local Oblates for dinner in celebration of the Feast Day.

Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, DC

Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, DC

Faculty member, Mrs. Jermaine Dawson at the Main Reception Desk with the "you get more flies with honey..." candy bowl.

St. Paul VI Catholic High School, Chantilly, VA

St. Paul VI Catholic High School, Chantilly, VA

St. Paul VI Catholic High School, Chantilly, VA

St. Paul VI Catholic High School, Chantilly, VA

St. Ann's Catholic School, Naples, FL

Saint Mary's High School, Stockton, CA.

Father Ken McKenna, OSFS, and Mathew Issac, Chaplain at St. Mary's High School.

St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, VA

Father Michael Murray, OSFS, concelebrated Mass with Father Don Heet, OSFS, and Father John Crossin, OSFS.

St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, VA

Reception after Mass.

Saint Mary's High School, Stockton, CA.

Father Mike Depcik, OSFS.

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Father Joe Newman, OSFS

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Nativity Preparatory School, Wilmington, DE joined Salesianum in celebrating the feast day.

St. John Neumann Catholic Community, Reston, Va

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Mr. Jonathan Dick, OSFS.

Our Mother of Consolation School, Philadelphia, PA

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Oblates in Toledo gathered to enjoy a Feast Day Mass and celebrations.

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Father Joe Newman, OSFS

Saint Mary's High School, Stockton, CA.

Father Ken McKenna, OSFS, Mr. Michael Wright, Principal of Saint Mary’s High School, Father Mike Depcik, OSFS, and Matthew Issac, Chaplain at St. Mary's High School.

DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

Bishop Al Schlert joined students for a “Senior Salesian Soirre.”

DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

Bishop Al Schlert joined students for a “Senior Salesian Soirre.”

Students from St. Francis de Sales School, Toledo, OH, traveled to Delaware to visit and bond with Salesian brothers at Salesianum Schoo, Wilmington, DE to celebrate the feast week of Saint Francis de Sales.

Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE

Feast Week: Ice Cream Sundaes!

Saint Mary's High School, Stockton, CA.

Father Ken McKenna, OSFS, Father Mike Depcik, OSFS, Mr. Michael Wright, Principal of Saint Mary’s High School, and Mathew Issac, Chaplain at St. Mary's High School celebrate with St. Mary’s students.

Our Mother of Consolation, Philadelphia, PA

OMC 8th graders wrote and shared various essays and/or poems on Saint Francis de Sales, Blessed Father Brisson, OSFS, Saint Leonie Aviat and other members of the Salesian family.

Our Mother of Consolation, Philadelphia, PA

OMC 8th graders wrote and shared various essays and/or poems on Saint Francis de Sales, Blessed Father Brisson, OSFS, Saint Leonie Aviat and other members of the Salesian family.

Our Mother of Consolation, Philadelphia, PA

Brother Robert M. Carter, OSFS, 1952-2023

Brother Robert M. Carter, OSFS

Brother Robert M. Carter, OSFS, in his 35th year of religious life as a professed member of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, died on January 25, 2023.

Brother Bob was born in Philadelphia in 1952, the son of Norman Carter and Catherine Byrne Carter.  He was a proud parishioner and student of Incarnation Parish and Grade School in the Olney section of Philadelphia. Brother Bob entered the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and professed first vows on August 13, 1988.  He made perpetual profession on May 6, 1995.

Over the years, Brother Bob faithfully served on the staffs of Brisson Seminary (Center Valley, PA), Paul VI High School (Fairfax, VA), Divine Word College (Washington, DC), the Newman Center at George Washington University (Washington, DC) and Buckley and Annecy Halls (Childs, MD). Brother Robert M. Carter, OSFS is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Edward Joseph Carter.  He is survived by brothers Norman Carter (Patty) and Kevin Carter (Kathleen) in addition to his nieces and nephews. 

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, beginning at 11:30 AM at Our Lady of Light Chapel, 1120 Blue Ball Road, Childs, MD 21916. The Viewing will precede the Mass from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM. Interment will take place at the Oblate Cemetery following the Mass.  Attendees should be fully vaccinated and boosted from COVID-19.  Social distancing and masks are required.

In memory of Brother Bob’s life and legacy, donations may be made to the Oblate Development Fund, P.O. Box 87, Childs, MD 21916-0087 or www.oblates.org/support-us

Francis & Me: Kathy Wickham

Kathy Wickham: Parishioner of Holy Family Parish, Adrian., MI

Kathy Wickham

“Let us think only of living today well, and when tomorrow comes, it also will be today and we can think about it then.  In all this, we must trust and be resigned to God’s providence.” - Saint Francis de Sales

I often struggle to live in the present.  My neat little plan for today can easily launch me into tomorrow.  A request for a favor, assistance or a listening ear sends me in an unplanned direction.  If I’m honest, reliance on my will for how the day should go often brings little worries and anxieties.  The writings of Saint Francis de Sales teach us God cares about what’s happening right now.  

My Pastor and Spiritual Director occasionally reminds me of the importance of discerning what is mine to do today.  Remembering his words, prayerful thought awakens the realization of Divine presence. In that moment of deeper thought I’m reminded that I am not God and collaboration with Him inspires my best efforts.   My “yes” to His Will resigns me to a path of humble service to do what I can in the circumstances before me.  Frustration becomes gratitude when the weeds of self-reliance are exposed and I adjust my expectations as God rearranges my day.  In his gentle way, Saint Francis de Sales teaches me the importance of cultivating virtue, to persevere and patiently, calmly start again when I fall short. 

Time is limited, and precious and sometimes not generously shared.  In a recently viewed reflection, the speaker said, “Mother Teresa of Calcutta says our giving is holy when it hurts a little.”  God’s timing may not be convenient but it is always purposeful and perfect. When I choose to keep an open heart and mind to live intentionally, I become an instrument in His plan and holy moments play out.  The gentle or not-so-gentle nudge of the unexpected direction the day takes offers many graced gifts along the way.  I’m learning there is no day void of such gifts when lessons in Salesian Spirituality help guide the journey.   

Heavenly Father, thank you for being with me in whatever this day may hold.  Guide my heart, mind, words and hands with everyone in my path and all that I do.  

May God Be Praised

How to Live Jesus!

Artwork by Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS

I write this reflection from Baton Rouge, LA where I am preaching a Parish Mission at St. George Parish.  The parish Music Director, Joseph Smaldino, worked with the parish Director of Adult Faith Formation, Karen Fawley, Pastor Father Paul Yi and the Parish Staff to develop the Mission Theme.  We are reflecting on Making Ordinary Time Extraordinary by Living Jesus.  It is always a great gift to discover how many people have been touched by Salesian Spirituality.  I even met a couple, the Daigles, who belonged to Our Lady of Good Counsel, an Oblate parish in Vienna, VA, before moving to Baton Rouge.

Saint Francis de Sales said, “Many are satisfied with carrying the Lord on their tongue, recounting His marvels and praising Him with great ardor; 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. 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.” (Sermons 2; O. IX, p. 22)  As much as we might love the Lord or speak about Jesus, it is by good works, carrying the Lord in our arms, that He is known. It is by Living Jesus that He is known and seen.  I like to put it this way: Love is known when it is shown.  Jesus is known when He is shown by our words, deeds and attitudes.

My mother’s version of this was, “Don’t tell me you love me. Clean the toilet. Do the dishes. Give me flowers that you pick from our garden or buy from the store. Tell me you’re sorry and show me that you mean it.”  In other words, show me that you love me.  I believe that is the message that de Sales conveys by telling us that we must carry the Lord in our arms by good works.  Mother Frances de Sales de Chappuis, the Good Mother, said it this way, “Imprint the Gospel in your flesh and blood.”  So I ask, “Do we? Do I?”

I see it in little and big ways.  A wife walks by the side of her husband who uses a walker, ready to assist him if necessary but supporting his independence as much as possible.  A couple holds hands while sitting together or walking down the street.  On the day of my writing this reflection, a man fell before our session and people immediately got up to see if he was alright and to offer a hand to help him stand up.  People volunteer to assist others in need, like one of our confreres who has gone to Florida twice to help with hurricane relief.  Students go on mission trips during their breaks, like the students I would take to Appalachia when I was a University Chaplain,  the students from Salesianum who recently served in Central America, or the people who volunteer at De Sales Service Works in Camden, NJ. Love is shown when people stop to visit with or eat with one of our sisters and brothers who are homeless.  People bring meals to assist a family in need, drive others to appointments or offer to sit with a spouse suffering from dementia or on hospice so that the caregiver can have some relief.  Where do you see someone carrying the Lord in their hands?  Where do you help Jesus be known because He is shown in your good works?

A number of years ago I worked with a man whose daughter went to Bishop Ireton High School, a high school in Alexandria, VA that was administrated by the Oblates for many years.  He and his wife went to a Live Jesus! event.  While they were registering, they heard a woman behind them read one of the banners.  Instead of “Live Jesus” she read “Jesus, Live!”  She saw that sign and proclaimed that the day would be better than she had thought it would be.  She was going to see Jesus alive that day.  Well, after we laughed, our conversation reflected on the fact that when we carry the Lord in our arms by our actions, our words of support, our prayers, an email or a phone call and….you fill in the blank, we live Jesus in ways that help Him to come alive.  Our Salesian Spirituality makes a real and practical difference in people’s lives. 

I find this both comforting and challenging.  The comfort comes from the fact that Jesus is as near as our hearts, our minds and our very bodies.  The challenge comes from the fact that living Jesus, carrying Him in my arms by doing good works, stretches me to look and see where those works are needed and then to actually do them.  And so I ask myself:

•  “How can I carry Jesus in my arms by good works?” 

•  “Where do I see Jesus?”  

• “Where can I live Jesus so that He is seen by others?” 

When we do these things, the ordinary becomes extraordinary because the One whose name is engraved on our hearts, Jesus, is made visible for others to know and see Him.  Live Jesus and make Him alive in our midst so that His love can be known by being shown.  May God be praised!

Father Paul Colloton, OSFS

Superior, De Sales Centre Oblate Residence

Childs, MD

The Bond of Cousins

Father Jack celebrating the Fouth of July with his cousins ( July 4, 2022).

This week the universal Church celebrated the feast of Saint Francis de Sales.  Next week (January 31), we will remember Saint John Bosco.  He was so influenced by the teachings and philosophy of the Gentleman Saint, that when he founded a religious order, he named it the Society of St. Francis de Sales (popularly known as the “Salesians” of Don Bosco).   

Cousins celebrating Easter in 1972.  Father Jack is the little guy in the suit jacket!

Because we share a common patron and were founded around the same time, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and the Salesians are often confused.  While there are some similarities and connections, we each have our own charism and mission. Using a metaphor we are all familiar with, I tell people that our two religious communities are like “spiritual cousins.”  

I grew up in a large Polish and Irish family with lots and lots of cousins.  I still see many of them on a regular basis and I consider them not only family, but friends. Many memes and social media posts remind us of the importance of our extended family.  One image reads, “Cousins are like the stars – you can’t always seem them, but you know they are always there.”  Another quote reminds us that, “cousins are a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.”  But my favorite poem states, “side by side or miles apart, cousins will always be connected by the heart.”

I like this saying most because Salesian Spirituality is all about the heart.   When we invite Jesus into our lives, he begins to live in our hearts and in our actions.  Our devotion to the Lord and our faithful friendship with others help us to put the Gospel into practice.  In all of our relationships, we can connect as sisters, as brothers, as cousins.   We can see in all people a common humanity and dignity that helps us to love God by loving one another.     

The many religious orders that follow the spirit of Saint Francis are all focused on his call to live like Jesus (Vive Jesu).  Like cousins who are related but also unique, each group will emphasize a different aspect of the life, example and teaching of the gentle bishop of Geneva.  Each community will point to a particular virtue or message of our spiritual father. 

All of the followers of Saint Francis – lay, religious and clergy – are connected by the heart.  All of us respond, in our own heart, to the call to holiness.  Each, in our own vocation, try to live the devout life.  Like any family, we are not always successful.  We may argue and struggle and sometimes not get along, but we recognize our common bond.  Saint Francis told us “we have no bond but the bond of love.”  May all of our bonds – those of family and friends – sustain and strengthen us in our journey through life.

Reverend Jack Kolodziej, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Nineteenth-Century Salesian Pentecost

The year 2022 marked a major milestone for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.  It was a Double Salesian Jubilee which celebrated the 450th anniversary of the birth of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal and the 400th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales.  The latter was observed by a historic international conference held at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome which brought together for the first time the dozens of religious congregations and lay and priestly associations that are under the patronage of Saint Francis de Sales.  The Jubilee Year culminated with Pope Francis issuing an Apostolic Letter on Saint Francis de Sales on the exact date of the 400th anniversary of the saint’s death (December 28, 2022).  Another key event was the publication of the book The Nineteenth-Century Salesian Pentecost.  Father Joseph Chorpenning, OSFS, is one of the four co-authors of this groundbreaking volume.

Published by Paulist Press, this is the newest volume in The Classics of Western Spirituality series.  The series is considered the most important and most frequently referenced English language resource on spirituality and previously included Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction (1988).  The series aims to make available in English translation the principal texts of the Western spiritual tradition.  

During the nineteenth century, much of Europe experienced social and political upheaval and turmoil.  France began this turbulent century with the loss of thousands of priests (exiled or killed in the Revolution), churches closed, the growth of religious cults and political unrest.  Catholic leaders, including, though not limited to, Pierre-Marie Mermier, MSFS, Saint John Bosco, Caroline Carré and Henri Chaumont, Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS, Saint Leonie Aviat, OSFS, and Mother Mary de Sales Chappuis, VHM, looked to the past to uncover what was successful in sustaining and renewing Catholicism.  Along with others, they were inspired by Saint Francis de Sales and found in his Christian humanist approach the avenue to rebuild Catholicism and move away from a fear-based pastoral approach.  De Sales’ teaching of the “little virtues,” the ability to achieve holiness by faithfulness to the obligations and duties of one’s state of life, and the cultivation of spiritual friendships were the inspiration for this rebirth.

“There was a significant reigniting of the Salesian tradition that aimed to revitalize and reenergize the Church,” Father Chorpenning explained.  Because of this reliance on Salesian tradition and the founding of religious and lay communities under the patronage of Saint Francis de Sales, this period has been dubbed a “Salesian Pentecost.”  

“This was a defining moment in the spiritual life of the Church and thus this name (Salesian Pentecost) is so apt.  At Pentecost, there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, giving them the courage to devote themselves unstintingly to mission and ministry.  A comparable phenomenon took place with the recovery of the Salesian spirit in the nineteenth century,” said Father Chorpenning.  

Weaving narrative together with recently made available primary sources, prominent Salesian scholars, Joseph Boenzi, SBD, Suzanne C. Toczyski and Wendy Wright join Father Chorpenning in sharing the origin stories of these communities: Oblate Sisters and Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesian Cooperators and the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales.  

Based on research into the original sources in French, Father Chorpenning’s contributions focus on the story of the founding of the Oblate Sisters and Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.  Leveraging his deep dive into these foundational sources, Father Chorpenning offers new insights into the story of the Oblates’ founding.  Historical and explanatory narrative connect extensive passages in English translation from the writings of Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS,  Saint Leonie Aviat, OSFS, and Mother Mary de Sales Chappuis, VHM, allowing the reader to “hear” the unique voices of these Oblate founders, who gave new life to the Salesian tradition through the recovery of the lives and spirit of Saints Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal. 

One of these sources was Brisson’s Life of the Venerable Mother Mary de Sale Chappuis.  Using this text, Father Chorpenning explores Mother Chappuis’ relationship with Brisson while he was chaplain and she superior of the Visitation Monastery in Troyes and her primary role in founding the Oblate Sisters and Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. 

“I wanted to make sure she (Chappuis) received her due and Brisson’s biography is our most important source of information about her… She is such a major figure and who knows if she will ever receive the recognition that she so richly deserves,” Father Chorpenning said.

The Nineteenth Century Salesian Pentecost is a fascinating story of this unique period in church history, with a new perspective on our Salesian saints and founders and the incredible impact of the life and teachings of Saint Francis de Sales.  

You can purchase The Nineteenth Century Salesian Pentecost on Embraced by God.

Spreading Our Wings and Taking Flight: Lives of Surrender and Love

As you have probably noticed lately, we have been making a big to-do about the release of an Apostolic Letter, Totum Amoris Est, issued by Pope Francis on the 400th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales.  At this point, you might be asking yourself: “Why are the Oblates so excited?  Why are they making such a big deal about this?”  I will provide you with an honest answer.  While Francis de Sales is a highly quoted, beloved and a brilliant, yet relatable Doctor of the Church, he doesn’t get the same kind of attention some of the other giants do, saints like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Francis of Assisi.  Honestly, we are okay with that.  Those are all great saints, ones that Francis de Sales himself happened to love but when our saint gets his moment, we seize it.  

We seize it because of our mission to share this spirituality and this moment provides us with a special opportunity to do just that.  We share that spirituality because it has changed the world, the Church and each of us Oblates.  It has made us much more keenly aware of the Love of God.  It has given us a simple, yet clear path to say “yes” to Him.  It’s something that we want to share because we want you to experience the presence of God in your life.  Francis de Sales is not the reason that God’s love is accessible.  He has shown us in “his method” how accessible God’s love has always been.  As Pope Francis wrote: “It was a method that renounced all harshness and respected completely the dignity and gifts of the devout soul.”

The devout soul has its own personal relationship with God, one that calls for our “yes.”  As the Holy Father reflects on the teaching of Francis de Sales, he writes: “It is up to us to take flight or to remain on the ground.  Even as he bestows his grace, God would not have us rise without our consent.”  So as Francis tells us in the Treatise on the Love of God, we have a choice to follow the lead of God’s inspirations or to reject them.  In the words of Pope Francis: “Each person is responsible for cooperating with his or her own fulfillment, with spreading his or her wings with confident trust before the gust of God’s wind.”   

To spread our wings with confident trust means that we know that God’s wind will lift us, that we will soar.  Sometimes we have a hard time trusting that this will happen.  We grow in that trust, we live in that trust with what Francis de Sales calls devotion.  The Pope tells us that devotion from a Salesian perspective is something very real and practical, “…a style of life, a way of living immersed in our concrete daily existence” that “embraces and discovers meaning in the little things.”  

Why do the little things matter?  Sometimes we might be tempted to say that even if they did in the past, the world is too askew now for any change to come from them.  We are tempted to give up, to think that our little actions in no way matter.

Pope Francis reminds us why they do.  He does it by highlighting how much the world changed in the time of Saint Francis de Sales.  As a young man, de Sales went to Paris and found a place and a people devastated by the Wars of Religion.  When he returned many years later, he found as the Pope calls it “[a] whole world athirst for God.”  “…[H]e sensed an authentic ‘epochal shift’ that demanded a response.”  What is fascinating is that the dear saint had an epochal shift himself, from interior spiritual torment in his youth to interior peace.  He encountered Jesus Christ which led him to proclaim in the Treatise that “Nothing sways the heart as much as love.”

Thus, why Francis de Sales can speak to us…He does so with authenticity.  He found his peace through what Pope Francis calls a “steady cultivation of lived experience.”  He did this in the same way the saint encourages us to do even now, to cultivate an interior life, an interior peace that “does not separate us from the world but teaches us how to live in it and appreciate it.”  

As Francis de Sales came to know and love God in a powerful way, he surrendered to the Lord.  He spread his wings, and the wind of God sent him soaring.  That love, that peace that he sought so desperately as a young man, he found in his daily encounters with the Lord, in quiet prayer, in little actions, in friendship and in charity.  Pope Francis emphasizes a fundamental Salesian teaching: devotion and charity cannot be separated.  Francis de Sales showed how making loving God his way of life led to his love of others.  “Today he bids us set aside undue concern for ourselves, for our structures and what society thinks about us, and consider instead the real spiritual needs and expectations of our people.”

If we embrace and discover meaning in the little things, we will realize how they make a major difference.  Our dear saint learned that in his own life.  He spread his wings with a confident trust and God lifted him to soar.  We can do the same and the amazing thing, the almost unbelievable thing, is that the accumulation of little acts of devotion and charity transform the world.  We have spent our lives seeking to pass that simple message on to you.  Now, we are hoping that through the authenticity of your own life, you might continue to pass this on as well.  Just remember, though, it will come in the way you authentically witness, how in the simple, daily ways you show the epochal shift, how the soaring comes in spreading your wings every day and allowing God’s wind to take you where you need to be and to the people you are called to encounter.

The Light Continues

The liturgical season of Christmas wrapped up this past Monday with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  This feast should remind us of our own baptism.  The light that came into the world at Christmas is the same light that fills our souls when we are brought into the Church.  This light continues to brighten as each of us grow in our communion with God throughout our lives. 

The Gospel proclaimed on Christmas day was the Prologue of Saint John (Jn 1:1-5) where the Evangelist tells us that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Throughout the weeks of Christmas, I have meditated on this image.  Reflecting on light has been important for me this year since it was a holiday filled with a lot of sadness, death and funerals.   

My Oblate brother and friend, Reverend Joseph Jocco, died on the morning of December 24.   My brother-in-law’s mother (Geri Peek) passed away on December 26.  Colleen Dougherty, the mother of a former student and colleague (Shane Dougherty) lost her battle with cancer on December 31.  On the feast of the Lord’s Baptism, a friend and mentor (Sister Jeanette Lawlor, CSFN) died after a brief illness.  It seemed that from the very first hours of the feast to the very last celebrations of the season, death and darkness were prevailing. 

The challenge this Christmas was to see God in these moments and in these sad situations... even in the clouds, amidst the confusion and among the questions we all have about life, death and our time on Earth.

I know I am not the only one experiencing loss and sorrow during the “most wonderful time of the year.”  Many people experience loneliness, depression and loss during the holidays.  When we are confronted with the shadows and darkness of life, the lights of Christmas can sometimes be a reminder of our emptiness rather than a renewal of our spirit.   

The good news for Christians is that we recognize God is at work in the world - in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, in sunshine and clouds.  In all seasons and circumstances, God is with us, Emmanuel.

At Christmas, God gave us the greatest gift, His Son.  We believe the Savior was born and lived so that we could continue to live.  The modern calypso carol “Mary’s Boychild, Jesus Christ” beautifully announces to us, “Hark, now, hear the angels sing, a new king’s born today... and man will live forevermore because of Christmas Day!”  

Through His Son, God gave us the assurance that as hard as it is, as difficult as it may make life, death will not have the final word.

The Word was made flesh and still dwells among us – in our family and friends, in the love we share and in the spirit of those we have lost. 

So even though the Church concluded the season of the Incarnation this past week (even though the decorations and music have mostly disappeared), the Word will continue, the light will keep shining and Christ will keep being born into our lives – because of Christmas Day!

Reverend Jack Kolodziej, OSFS

Provincial

Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

You Are Not the Center of Anything, Except...

Father Bob Bazzoli, OSFS, and I were ordained together on June 4th some 34 years ago. His parents and my mom (my dad died too early) would often go out to dinner on Saturday nights when Bob was at St. Joachim Parish and I at Salesianum School. One Saturday, his sisters were interlopers and joined us for dinner on June 4th.

Naturally, I thought we were celebrating the anniversary. When I realized we were celebrating his mom’s birthday, I explained my surprise (I never remembered her birthday) to which one of his sisters exclaimed (jokingly, I hope), “It’s not always about you, John.” Honest mistake.

There are times when we want things to be about us, our way, our idea, and our plan. We feign openness to another’s idea, but we really want them to affirm us, perhaps “pat us on the back.” We may not own up to this, as we perceive others constantly seeking attention, wanting to be the queen of the universe, the king of the world. At times, we may think we are the center of everything.

While driving a few Sundays ago, I was listening to a lecture (I’m a geek) on Richard Rohr’s idea of our first half of life (building a name, career, credentials) and the second half of life (soul-centered not ego-centered). I cannot remember the exact context, but it probably had to do with stop reaching for this award or that accolade. He simply proclaimed, “You’re not the center of anything, except the heart of God.”

We, you, I are at the CENTER of God’s heart. In that pulsating, life-giving heart of God, we can be found. We marvel at God’s creative action in all the wonders God created, none greater than the human person who possesses God’s very likeness and image. Of all the beauty in this world, the only thing God wants back is us! We come from God and spend our lives returning to God.

We are the CENTER of God’s heart. From this cherished position, God invites us daily into relationship. We are always in the presence of God. We may leave God’s presence for this want or some fleeting, selfish desire, but God remains waiting, smiling, and loving us. Saint Augustine spoke of this tiny “God-shaped hole,” a place inside our hearts that only God can fill. In another place he wrote, “You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.” To realize that “the one who nothing greater can be imagined,” as Saint Anselm proclaimed, has us as the CENTER of his heart is absolutely incredible. Stay with this for some time. If we resonate with this, humbly accept this gift, live our life from this acknowledgment, I would think our desire to be the center of anything else is meaningless or at least pales in comparison. It leads us to a “letting go” of what we thought mattered to a “falling into” the LOVER known as God who keeps us at the CENTER of His heart. It allows us to see that everyone else enjoys this gift. Then, we can appreciate the dignity of others, all others, no one excluded. But God loving us and we loving God is not enough. Saint Francis de Sales explains that the true nature of love is to be ecstatic, to go outside the two lovers, to a third thing which is each other.

We are the CENTER of God’s heart. Own this and let it empower you to embrace the other as God’s center, too. Let go of the differences that too often alienate, judge, demonize, assure us of being right and just loved. God’s love is infinite and always available. Saint Catherine of Siena had it correct, God is pazzo d’amore, crazy in love with us. To borrow from Prince, “Let’s go crazy, too.” For when we love, we are God-like for GOD IS LOVE.

Father John Fisher, OSFS

Pastor, Our Mother of Consolation Parish

Philadelphia, PA

Live Jesus! Virginia 2023

Morning of Lenten Reflection & Renewal through the lens of Salesian Spirituality

Live Jesus! 2023 is a half-day Lenten morning sponsored by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The reflection, fellowship, and prayer are based upon the humble and gentle spirituality of Saints Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal.

Artwork by Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS

"Be At Peace," is this year's theme. Attendees are invited to reflect on the many paths to peace.

Saint Francis de Sales tells us, “Inside each of us is a beautiful garden. We need to cultivate and prune it in order to give glory to God and be of service to others. Let us daily do this in peace, and thus experience the peace that only God can give.” Don't miss this opportunity to gather in prayer and fellowship to reflect on the peace that only God can provide.

Why Should I Attend Live Jesus!?

Salesian  Spirituality helps believers develop a deeper relationship with God through Jesus by defining a lifestyle centered on the little virtues: gentleness,  humility,  patience,  gratitude,  perseverance, and simplicity.  This special event is an opportunity in Lent to retreat from our fast-paced world and turn to the quietness of our hearts.  

SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2023

St. Paul VI Catholic High School, Chantilly, VA

8:00 AM Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM Welcome/Opening Prayer

9:15 AM Keynote Presentation

“Be At Peace” - Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS

“Crooked Paths to Peace” - Sister Susan Louise Eder, OSFS

“Finding Peace Amidst Everyday Busyness” - Tom Opfer, Ph.D.

11:30 AM Celebration of the Holy Eucharist

How Can I Live Jesus?

How Can I Live Jesus?

 “To Live Jesus is to have – in Francis de Sales’ words – the name of Jesus engraved on one’s heart. To allow Jesus to live, one does not simply learn about Jesus or pray to Jesus or even imitate Jesus. One surrenders the vital center of one’s being – one’s heart, as understood in the holistic biblical sense, to another living presence. 

The Pauline dictum, ‘I no longer live but Christ lives in me,’ is at the core of the distinctive Salesian inscription.  Jesus was for the two early seventeenth century founders of the Salesian tradition (St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal) a presence to be experienced, a reality to be lived.” (Letters of Spiritual Direction, page 10)  

Vive Jesu, or Live Jesus, is the Oblate motto. It was the guiding principle in the life of St. Francis DeSales and appeared on his own coat of arms. On the Oblate Shield, the motto is situated in the center of the Rising Sun, which symbolizes the Risen Christ. Living Jesus is what the Oblate way of life is all about. 

As in all spiritual traditions, Salesian Spirituality defines a way of life and a lifestyle centered on certain values.

These values are broad themes that both enrich ones personal relationship with Jesus and also serve as the foundation for any ministry in which Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and their lay colleagues collaborate. 
The following values are integral to Salesian Spirituality. While this list is not exhaustive, these values are woven throughout the entire fabric of Salesian Spirituality. These values include:

• You are called to be holy

• Develop, maintain and deepen a prayerful life

• Live an intentional, reflective Life

• Embrace the particulars of your state and stage in life

• Live in the present moment

• Respect yourself; respect others

• Treat people right

• See the glass – and life - as half full

• Little things mean a lot

These values distinguish the Salesian model of ministry – a framework for living, loving, working, laughing, mourning and praying together – from other approaches for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

Our ability to live – or our failure to live – in conformity with these values have a profound effect upon our individual lives and upon the climate and culture of the ministry in which we work together.

Rev. Michael Murray, OSFS

Is This Who We've Waited For?

“Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe, after all we've projected

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl

Just a child

Is this who we've waited for?”

These are the opening words of the song “How Many Kings,” written by Jason Germain and Marc Martel of the Christian Rock group known as Downhere.  The song presents the discovery of the infant Jesus as a surprising revelation.  Where is the king?  Where is the mighty warrior?  What am I doing here and why did I make the effort to find Him if this is all there is?  But this is precisely the point; there is more to come, a lot more.  The light of the star only opened the mind of the Magi; it is up to them to open their eyes and see with faith the wonder of God in their midst.

The light of the Star of Bethlehem is symbolic of God’s inspiration that awakens our minds and enlivens our hearts.  In Book 2, chapter 9 of the Treatise on the Love of God, Saint Francis de Sales writes, “Inspiration comes down from heaven like an angel.  It strikes straightway on the poor sinner’s heart and arouses him so that he is lifted up out of his iniquity.”  God always makes the first move, inviting us to find and love Him.  We sense it as “stirrings” within us, writes DeSales.  It doesn’t come with the exigency of a trumpet blast, but simply and gently as a newborn reaching for us, stimulating a flutter in our stomachs and smiles on our faces.

Is this what we have waited for?  A small baby and gentle stirrings?  Not only would Saint Francis de Sales answer in the affirmative, but I also think he would say that it is essential because it allows for a voluntary reception of God’s grace.  Grace will never overwhelm or coerce us.  If we are to love God, we must remain free to choose to accept or reject His inspiration to love and to place our faith in His son born lowly and small.

Is this who we have waited for?  The only way to get a personally convincing answer to this question is to respond to the “stirrings” that God’s inspiration implants within us.  When the Magi returned home, did they leave God’s inspiration behind?  Did their brief encounter open their eyes of faith so they could see that they had to continue to follow the star, the inspiration of God, for the rest of their lives?  What about us?  God’s stirrings are within us, right now, in fact.  Those stirrings lead us to God’s son.  It is up to us to open our eyes in faith and see the one we have waited for is indeed in our midst!

Father Robert Rutledge, OSFS

Holy Infant Catholic Church

Durham, NC

Everything Pertains to Love

Those who follow and seek to immerse themselves in the spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales received a gift from Pope Francis on December 28, 2022.  On that date, Pope Francis published the Apostolic Letter, Totum Amoris Est, (Everything Pertains to Love) on the fourth centenary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales. 

In sending this Letter to the Oblates around the world, our Superior General, Father Barry Strong, OSFS, wrote:

“At his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis reflected on the mystery of Christ’s birth and continually drew inspiration from Saint Francis de Sales. During this period of catechesis, he noted that the manger teaches us ‘the perfect renunciation of all goods’ since such a rustic crib combines ‘tenderness and austerity, love and sorrow, sweetness and harshness.’”

Within this context, he (Pope Francis) announced the Apostolic Letter. He remarked, “It is entitled, ‘Everything Pertains to Love,’ taking up a characteristic expression of the holy bishop of Geneva.  In fact, this is how he wrote in the Treatise on the Love of God, ‘In the holy Church everything belongs to love, lives in love, is made by love and comes from love.’ And may we all go down this road of love, so beautiful.”

Having read the document, I know I will have to review it many times to reap the fullness of what Saint Francis de Sales and Pope Francis wrote.  I found the Letter both inspirational and practical in that the insights of Saint Francis de Sales can lead every soul into a healthy, nourishing relationship with God, allowing them to become living expressions of the Love of God in the world. 

A learned Oblate finished reading the Letter and commented, “I have a favorite section from the Letter.  It is, ‘For him, (Saint Francis), Christianity was not to be confused with a facile escapism or self-absorption, much less a dull and dreary obedience…Indeed, ‘there are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter’, and while we can understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, ‘slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith begin to revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress.’”

A friend from Denver, a liturgist, musician and author, wrote me stating, “My favorite line of the document is this, attributed to Saint Francis de Sales, ‘Nothing sways the human heart as much as love.’ That’s a meditation all in itself.”

There is so much to reflect upon in the Pope’s Letter that I’m sure others will share their reflections in the coming months.  If you’re interested in reading it, you can find it here.

I read the entire document in one sitting.  Now I’m going to return to it one section at a time.  I’m sure it will inspire future reflections from me in this newsletter.  I’d love to read yours. 

Father Jack Loughran, OSFS

Provincial

Toledo-Detroit Province

The Shield of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

The Shield of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales captures several elements of Oblate identity. Because the Oblates are dedicated to the Blessed Mother under the title - Our Lady of Light, the shield is light blue.

There is no corpus shown on the cross since each Oblate is to be the Body of Christ on the cross at the center of the shield. The cross recalls the wearing of the Profession Cross which every Oblate receives on the day of First Profession. 

Jesus offered himself on the cross as the perfect oblation to the Father. Through obedience he died and became the source of our salvation, our shield and our resurrection. He is the Rising Sun which appears over the cross on the shield. 

V+J, meaning Vive Jesu or Live Jesus, is the Oblate motto. It was the guiding principle in the life of Saint Francis de Sales and appeared on his own coat of arms. The motto is situated in the center of the Rising Sun, which symbolizes the Risen Christ. Living Jesus is what the Oblate way of life is all about. The small Cross shows the "way" this is achieved is through total self-abnegation. This was the life-long goal of Saint Francis de Sales - and it is the raison d' etre of our Oblate life and work.

The branch to the right of the shield and cross is an olive branch. It is the symbol of peace which for the Oblates is achieved through gentleness and an inner strength which comes only through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The olive branch also represents central and southern Europe where the Oblates originated and first served doing parish and school work.

The branch to the left of the shield and cross is the branch of an orange tree. It symbolizes the first Oblate mission outside of France in South Africa along the Orange River in Pella. It is the symbol of Oblate mission work in every age and in every corner of the world. 

The Latin sentence at the bottom of the shield is another motto of the Oblates: Tenui Nec Dimittam. It means “I have taken hold and I will not let go.” It is from the Biblical Songs of Songs, a favorite book of Saint Francis de Sales. The actual rendition of the verse is “We have found the Lord, our Beloved and we will never let go.”

We Oblates have found the Lord and we will not let go.

… two words that speak volumes. Yet ,we constantly ask “How do I live Jesus?”

Saint Francis de Sales dedicated his life to answering that question. From his way of life and through his teachings, this gentle man offers practical wisdom and an inspired message of common sense known as Salesian Spirituality. 

Oblates love sharing De Sales’ gentle spirit.  It is the heart of what we do.  Today, we will share some of our story. You will find in Saint Francis de Sales a friend who understands life and offers gentle ways to live your call to holiness. Oblates believe that when we live each day well, we are living holy lives.

Prayer

O God, help me to Live Jesus. 

Grant me the grace to practice Salesian virtues in my everyday living.

Amen

Live Jesus! Virginia 2023 Speakers

“Be at Peace”

Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS

Artist, Author, Storyteller and Retreat Director

There are few better ways to discover inner peace and hold onto peace than through BEAUTY. Saint Francis de Sales said we pray best in the presence of beauty because beauty- seeing it, hearing it, or creating it- places us directly in the presence of God. In his keynote address, Brother Mickey will share images of beauty that show the endless variety of ways in which God is present to us through beauty- whether it be the French Alps, your favorite piece of music, your grandchild’s hug, or the homeless stranger on the street. Our common love of beauty connects ALL people heart to heart in the heart of Christ.

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“Crooked Paths to Peace”

Sister Susan Louise Eder, OSFS

Saint Francis de Sales considered peace of heart to be of the highest value. It is woven throughout his writings and demonstrated by his life. His dear friend and spiritual daughter, Saint Jane de Chantal, traveled a crooked path to find this peace of heart. Sister Susan Louise Eder will lead us along this path with Jane and with Saint Leonie Aviat, foundress of the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales. These two remarkable women will model for us a life of peace and joy in the midst of interior and exterior struggles. Let us allow them to guide us to peace of heart.

Sister Louise Eder, OSFS, is the Principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Towson, MD.

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“Finding Peace Amidst Everyday Busyness”

Dr. Tom Opfer

We live busy lives and constantly attempt to balance multiple tasks. We need to live St. Francis de Sales teachings each and every day by serving as examples for others and through our constant interactions and connections with one another, bringing Christ’s peace to the world. In this talk, Tom will help remind us of the Salesian virtues of gentleness, gratefulness, and giving and how we find peace in a busy world by living these virtues.

Dr. Opfer ‘96 is the Principal of St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, VA.

Pope Publishes Apostolic Letter on Saint Francis de Sales

On December 28, the 400th Anniversary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales, Pope Francis issued his Apostolic Letter, Totum Amoris Est ("Everything Pertains To Love"), in which the Holy Father reminds us that the spirit of Charity cultivated by Saint Francis de Sales is now entrusted to us.

Pope Francis also invites us to spend Christmas with Saint Francis de Sales.
Read his remarks in his General Audience on December 28th, the 400th Anniversary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales.

Read Articles Celebrating the Pope’s Apostolic Letter, Totum Amoris Est (“Everything Pertains to Love” ). Click on the buttons below:

The Holy Family and My Family

Tomorrow, as our Christmas celebrations continue, the liturgy observes the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  This is a day to remember the special role the Holy Family had in God’s plan for salvation.  It is also a time to reflect on our own family life.  It’s a day on which we can think about how we can strengthen communication between all family members, how to heal family wounds and walk with one another in daily life.

In my office in Wilmington, I have pictures of my family.   I have my parents, sisters, nieces and nephews.   I also have an image of my religious family - St. Francis, St. Jane, Blessed Louis Brisson and our Oblate founders.  There is one picture of a nun who is not a member of the Salesian family or of the Visitation Order.   That photograph is of my great aunt, Sister Rosalette Szamburska, CSFN (a member of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth).   The Sisters of the Holy Family are called to extend the Kingdom of God’s love by imitating the spirit of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They do this in many ways, but their primary mission is to care for families.  

The picture of Sr. Rosalette reminds me that I am part of many families.  I have my family of origin and my religious family.   Even though the Oblates have a unique charism, I realize that all religious families learn from one another.  St. Bernard of Clairvoux, a Cisterian monk, often said: “I admire all religious orders.  I belong to one of them by observance but to all of them by charity. We all need one another.  The spiritual good which I do not own and possess, I receive from the others.” The life and prayer of all religious communities lift up the entire church.

I have learned from the Sisters of the Holy Family since I was a child.  Sister Rosalette would visit my home when she was back in Philadelphia and she was a visible witness that women and men could dedicate their lives to serving God and the Church and still be a part of their original family. 

After high school, I attended Holy Family College, was taught by the sisters, and saw first-hand the value they placed on education, family and faith. Today I continue my relationship with many members of the CSFN community. They remind me that our common way of life is a way that we can connect with families and with one another.  

As we celebrate the Christmas season, a season of family and faith, let us take time to focus on our own vocation.   Christianity is all about connections and relationships. Saint Francis de Sales reminds us that we all have a vocation, we are all called to do God’s will and to put the Gospel into practice.  My hope is that we can see in our religious communities, our parishes and our families the ways we can do this each day. By living, loving and learning from one another, we can make Jesus present on the earth again. We can make the world holy.   We can make our family holy.