The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate join people across Turtle Island in observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and reflecting on the tragic and ongoing suffering brought about by Canada’s residential school system. As Oblates, we recognize and repent for the central role our...
Dear Oblates and Associates, It has been two weeks that we landed in Rome and made our way to the Centro ad Gentes in Nemi, about an hour out of Rome. The Centro overlooks Nemi Lake, a small lake situated in an extinct volcanic crater. Over...
The 37th General Chapter of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is currently being held in Nemi, Italy from September 14 to October 14, 2022. Find out more with these daily updates and "Chapter Chats" provided on the OMI World website: Chapter Daily Report Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day...
On August 27, 2022, Muskeg Lake Cree Nation hosted a group of 45 (mostly) settlers, reflecting on the theme of “Decolonizing Ourselves: Healing Haunted Histories.” The event’s title was drawn from the book by Elaine Enns and Ched Meyers, Healing Haunted Histories: A Settler Discipleship of...
A group of Lay Associates will participate in the Chapter, from September 14 to 18. Their main task is to present a report on September 17. Published on the OMI World website...
Pictured left: Icon of the Sacred Heart 2017 in collaboration with Romeo Crow Chief of Siksika Nation written by Andre J. Prevost The next round of four courses begins in September 2022, offered online from 4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoons Introduction to First Nations...
[vc_video link='https://youtu.be/pl_QrsNYOq4'] We asked Fr. Fabio Ciardi, OMI, the Director of the General Service of Oblate Studies, what the most significant General Chapters in our history are, according to him. Following is the transcription of the video. 37th General Chapter! That means that we have already organized 36...
How the Church became truly global Pictured left: Mass in Kuru, Nigeria (Friedrich Stark, Alamy Stock Photo) Quick: Name the countries with the most baptized Catholics. You might guess Brazil (172.2 million) or the United States (72.3 million). You might miss Mexico (110.9 million) and the Philippines...
The last few months have been full of events. Throughout the month of May, we attended the cross cultural orientation course, in Tamale, at a center run by the SVD’s and the archdiocese of Tamale. Together with three Nigerian Carmelites and one lay missionary woman...
DOWNLOAD PDF HERE For many years, when I was a young adult, I used to work at a summer wilderness camp in the forests of northern Saskatchewan. Part of my job was to take groups on multi-day outwardbound hikes, traversing all sorts of terrain enroute to...
On Monday August 15, 2022, the community of the General House together with some visitors, gathered around the statue of the Oblate Madonna in the Chapel of the General house to celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption and to mark the 200th anniversary of the...
DOWNLOAD PDF [caption id="attachment_15231" align="alignleft" width="300"] Fr. Constant Kienge Kienge, OMI Procurator General to the Holy See[/caption] To become “pilgrims of hope in communion” is the call of our 37th General Chapter and the starting point of the whole dynamic of this General Chapter. To lead us...
[vc_video link='https://youtu.be/sO0BhMphBtM'] We pray for small and medium-sized businesses; in the midst of economic and social crisis, may they find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities. Pope Francis – August 2022 As a consequence of the pandemic and the wars, the world is facing a grave...
I will never, ever forget those beautiful words our Holy Father Pope Francis said to me after he offered me the gift of a rosary, “Thank you for serving the poor.” What makes me happy is he recognized that our parish is a place for...
In this interview with Vatican News, Bishop Anthony Wieslaw Krótki O.M.I. of Arctic Canada’s city of Iqaluit, in Nunavut Territory, reaffirms the significance of the Pope making an Arctic stop to meet Inuit residential school survivors, and says, “His Holiness is telling us he loves...
UNITED STATES Br. Richard Coté, O.M.I (Historian/Archivist) St. Joseph the Worker Shrine, Lowell, MA This year marks the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the first Oblate missionaries to the United States in 1847 in what was then known as The Oregon Territory. At that time Oregon included the present states of Oregon...
POLAND Martine Caffo (Oblate lay associate from Aix-en-Provence) The European Regional meeting of the 2nd Oblate Lay Associations Congress was held in Kokotek, Poland in parallel to the main Congress which was held from May 27-29, 2022. Martine Caffo, a pensioner from Aix-en-Provence shares her experience. I went...
PDF Version Canadian Oblates’ Statement re: Johannes Rivoire The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Notre Dame du Cap Province and Lacombe Province, have continually called for Johannes Rivoire to face his accusers, and are encouraged that the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has made a request for extradition....
"This lake, with all its diversity, thus became the site of an unprecedented proclamation of fraternity; not a revolution bringing death and injury in its wake, but a revolution of love. Here, on the shores of this lake, the sound of drums, spanning the centuries...
"This place is a house for all, open and inclusive, just as the Church should be, for it is the family of the children of God, where hospitality and welcome, typical values of the indigenous culture, are essential. A home where everyone should feel welcome,...
"I have been waiting to come here and be with you! Here, from this place associated with painful memories, I would like to begin what I consider a pilgrimage, a penitential pilgrimage. I have come to your native lands to tell you in person of...
25 juillet 2022, OTTAWA - Réagissant à l'arrivée du Pape François sur le sol canadien hier matin, le Père Ken Thorson et le Père Luc Tardif, Provinciaux Oblats des deux provinces qui ont géré 48 pensionnats autochtones, ont publié la déclaration suivante au nom des...
DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE July 25, 2022, OTTAWA – In response to Pope Francis’ arrival on Canadian soil yesterday morning, Fr. Ken Thorson and Fr. Luc Tardif, Oblate Provincial of the two provinces which operated 48 Residential Schools, issued the following statement on behalf of OMI...
Pictured left: Women from Canada's First Nations gesture in St. Peter's Square after an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in this April 1, 2022, file photo. (CNS photo/Yara Nardi, Reuters) By Colleen Dulle Published on the America Magazine website Pope Francis’ highly anticipated visit to Canada...
Pictured left: Elder Fred Kelly, a spiritual adviser to the First Nations' delegation that met with Pope Francis, prays for the pope during a meeting with Indigenous elders, knowledge keepers, abuse survivors and youth from Canada, along with representatives of Canada's Catholic bishops in the...
Pope Francis will make a historic visit to Canada, where he will meet with many Indigenous Peoples across the country and issue an in-person apology for the Catholic Church's involvement in the residential school system, which for nearly 200 years waged a cultural war on...
Pictured left: First landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World by Dioscoro Puebla. It should be no surprise that the Age of Discovery would have produced a Doctrine of Discovery. How uncomfortably that doctrine sits in our history now presents the Church and...
DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE Historic visit to Rome builds on a year of partnership between the two organizations, highlighted by a commitment to expand access to residential school records. WINNIPEG – The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (The...
ROME -- Pope Francis on July 13 appointed three women to the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops, fulfilling a pledge he made earlier this month that for the first time in the office's history, women would be granted a voice in the department tasked with advising the pontiff on...
PILGRIMS OF HOPE IN COMMUNIONS: A REFLECTION [caption id="attachment_11027" align="alignleft" width="150"] Sandra Prather, HOMI[/caption] About ten years ago, my husband, sister and I walked three hundred and seventy kilometres of the Camino de Santiago. Carrying backpacks, sleeping in a different village or town each night, for three...
PRZEMYSL, Poland -- Prevented by war from meeting in Kyiv, 40 Ukrainian Catholic bishops from around the world met in Poland, less than 10 miles from the border with their homeland, in early July. The meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Eastern-rite church had...
Thanks to the good Lord, St. Eugene de Mazenod and the Regions and units that participated in the preparation, the 2nd Oblate Lay Association Congress went ahead as planned from 27 to 29 May, 2022. It had been postponed because of Covid last year and now...
OBLATE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE IT’S HERE! The General Service of Oblate Communications is proud to announce our new website dedicated for the 37th General Chapter. www.omiworld.org/general-chapter/ The website showcases the desire of the Pre-Chapter commission to get the whole Congregation, excited, informed and involved in the preparation for the 37th General Chapter. The website...
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION From May 30 to June 1, the Global Oblate Fundraisers (GOFs) gathered at the St. Bonifatiuskloster, in Hünfeld, Central European Province, to share ideas and experiences and to reflect on ways to enhance their work in support of Oblate Units. The meeting started with updates...
National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on the summer solstice, June 21. It’s a special occasion to learn more about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Learning about Indigenous Peoples, places and experiences is a step...
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” (Eccl 3:1) These beautiful words from the Book of Ecclesiastes sum up for me the amazing celebration of thirteen new Oblate Associates, who made their first commitment on Sunday, June 6, 2022...
The Indigenous delegation to Rome and Pope Francis’ apology is one more step toward truth and reconciliation. Another step will evolve through the Papal visit to Canada. In anticipation, members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle (OLGC) invite you to pray individually and in groups...
MEDIA RELEASE - May 23, 2022 Download PDF here As we recognize the one-year anniversary of the discoveries at the former Kamloops Residential School, we are once again reminded of the tragic and horrifying legacy of abuse and suffering brought about by Canada’s Residential School System. The Missionary...
Letter from the Superior General for the Feast of St. Eugene de Mazenod DOWNLOAD LETTER IN PDF FORMAT: ENGLISH / FRANÇAIS Dear Brother Oblates, and all our Sisters, Brothers, and Young People who live the Oblate charism, The life and charism of St. Eugene continue to inspire many...
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Today we will talk about Judith, a biblical heroine. The conclusion of the book that bears her name—we have listened to a passage—summarizes the final part of the life of this woman, who defended Israel from its enemies. Judith is...
Papal Visit - An Announcement from the CCCB The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is pleased to share with you that the Holy See has confirmed that Pope Francis will make a pastoral visit to Canada from July 24 to 29, 2022. The Pope’s visit will...
On December 13, 2021, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary received long-awaited GOOD NEWS! Pope Francis recognized the miraculous healing of Angel Marie Degamo, from the Philippines, obtained through the intercession of Marie Rivier. The Foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, Mother Marie...
Pictured left: Pope Francis kneels at the feet of South Sudan President Salva Kiir at the conclusion of a two-day retreat at the Vatican for the African nation's political leaders, in this April 11, 2019. file photo. The pope plans to visit South Sudan July...
Here you will find the third in a series of animation materials in preparation for our 37th General Chapter. The first one was prepared by Fr. Warren Brown, OMI and the second, by Fr. Chicho Rois, OMI. These documents are based on the theme of our Chapter – “Pilgrims of Hope in Communion” and are...
The Red River Metis went to Rome looking for the restoration of their communities, their culture and their churches. “From our side, we’re not looking for money,” Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand told The Catholic Register as he visited a cemetery for Canadian soldiers outside of Rome...
After cancellation (or postponement) in both 2020 and 2021, the Convocation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the United States Province finally took place on April 18-20, 2022. But the format of the Convocation was much different from the one postponed because of...
The scope and shape of a summertime papal pilgrimage to Canada is beginning to take shape, though no official itinerary has been put forward. Vatican advance teams scouting possible locations have been reported in Québec City, Iqaluit and Edmonton. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is...
During the first Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter's Square in over two years, Pope Francis highlights the importance of honouring the elderly, and calls for young people to be educated about life and its stages. [vc_video link='https://youtu.be/2VpDgQz-O_s'] Pope Francis continued his series of reflections on old...
Here you will find the second in a series of animation materials in preparation for our 37th General Chapter. The first one was prepared by Fr. Warren Brown, OMI. These documents are based on the theme of our Chapter – “Pilgrims of Hope in Communion” and are meant for...
Order of Nunavut recipient, Lechat died March 29 at 102 Pictured left: Father Robert Lechat (centre) was awarded the Order of Nunavut for his work to preserve the Inuktitut language, in 2015 (Photo courtesy of Lorraine Brandson) Louis Tapardjuk remembers Father Robert Lechat as a priest who...
O, What a beginning, and what an end? Thanks be to God! Despite working closely with his grace Archbishop Richard Smith at various levels and through many meetings with Indigenous peoples, I never expected that I would be part of the larger delegation going to Rome to...
Dear Brothers, We cordially greet the whole Oblate world from Ukraine! Regardless of the presence of war in Ukraine, the Oblate spirit is still zealous. As Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, we stand by the people who gather in our churches. Some of our churches and monasteries...
Michael W. Higgins is principal of St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia and senior fellow at Massey College. He is currently writing a book on Pope Francis. Who can deny the traumatic impact of the discoveries of unmarked graves at Kamloops Indian Residential...
A General Chapter strengthens the bond of our unity and allows the members to participate in the life and mission of the Congregation. “The Chapter is a privileged moment of community reflection and conversion, discerning God’s will in the urgent needs of our times and...
[vc_video link='https://youtu.be/bVFw4h3MCMc'] Let us pray this month for health care workers. The pandemic has shown us the self-giving and generosity of health care workers, volunteers, support staff, priests, and religious men and women. But the pandemic has also exposed the fact that not everyone has access to a...
"I feel an obligation to be the voice of this suffering people and to be a simple witness to the reality being lived by our people in Ukraine." Pictured left: Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, right, joins in the consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the...
Father Johannes Rivoire is facing a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest WARNING: This story contains distressing details. The leader of the Inuit delegation met privately with Pope Francis on Monday has called on the pontiff to personally intervene in the case of a fugitive Oblate priest accused...
Pictured left: Traditional palms for Palm Sunday and Easter are seen in Krakow, Poland. "The Felician Sisters originated in Poland, so many of our traditions come from our Polish roots, "writers The Life panelist Sr. Maryann Agnes Mueller. (Dreamstime / Thomas Jurkowski) Panelists were asked to...
On Friday, March 25, 2022, Pope Francis will consecrate Ukraine, Russia, and all of humanity to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as part of ongoing efforts to end the violence and bloodshed currently taking place in Ukraine. In the words of Pope Francis, "At this...
WINNIPEG - A Catholic religious order that operated some residential schools in Canada says it will open its archives in Rome to researchers. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate has agreed to grant the Winnipeg-based National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation full access to records in...
JOINT STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 22, 2022 DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ PDF ICI In advance of the historic delegation of Indigenous Peoples to the Holy See, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate are continuing efforts to ensure all...
Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle received gratefully the recent announcement of the upcoming visit of First Nations, Inuit and Métis delegations with Our Holy Father Pope Francis at the Vatican. The Canadian Catholic Bishops, Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami...
Pictured left: Oblates in Kyiv pray before the Blessed Sacrament As Russian troops continue their devastating invasion of Ukraine, a missionary Catholic priest describes his community’s efforts to carry on offering spiritual and material assistance to parishioners in Kyiv. “Oblates do not leave people, even until the...
Dear Oblate JPIC coordinators and animators, Receive our greetings in Jesus and Mary Immaculate, hoping that everything is moving ahead well in your pastoral work in this time of much challenge and hope. We come once again to reaffirm our support for your missionary efforts in favor...
We pray for Christians facing new bioethical challenges; may they continue to defend the dignity of all human life with prayer and action. Pope Francis – March 2022 Let us pray that we may give a Christian response to bioethical challenges. It is evident that science has progressed,...
We are facing a war with unforeseeable consequences for the world. International condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is almost unanimous, but the bombings, even striking civilians, are becoming increasingly tragic. May the voices of peace grow louder and more widespread. Today, more than ever,...
One of the places most affected by the war has been the city of Chernihiv, where we have an Oblate house. Located on the border with Russia and Belarus, the city of Chernihiv has been overrun by enemy forces since the beginning of the invasion...
The Letter of Superior General to the Congregation on the Anniversary of the Papal Approval of the Constitutions and Rules DOWNLOAD PDF - ENGLISH / FRENCH Dear Brother Oblates, and all our Sisters and Brothers committed to living the Oblate Charism, We celebrate with great joy and gratitude...
St Eugene de Mazenod: “The Other Side of Struggle” February 17, 2022 is the 196th anniversary of the Papal approbation of the Constitution and Rules of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. That is included in this video series presenting the whole story of the life...
FEBRUARY 2022 We pray for religious sisters and consecrated women; thanking them for their mission and their courage; may they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times. Pope Francis – February 2022 This month, we will pray in a special way for religious sisters...
Caritas Internationalis calls on people of goodwill to support the fight against human trafficking and urges governments to strengthen protective and supportive services for the victims. As the Church observes the eighth World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, on February 8, Caritas Internationalis...
Pictured left: Fr. Vincenzo Bordo, OMI blesses the coffin of a homeless person at the local morgue. Seongnam, South Korea - A few years ago Fr. Vincenzo Bordo, OMI was visiting his beloved homeless friends on the streets of Seongnam, South Korea. A man approached him...
Do you want to experience a mature, healthy, dynamic spirituality? Read Ronald Rolheiser, priest, theologian, teacher, author of 16 books and 2,000 columns, and a retreat leader and prolific speaker. Whether you are a devotee of Rolheiser or a Rolheiser neophyte, his Essential Spiritual Writings will convince...
On February 1, 2022, the Superior General received the consent of the Council for the appointment of Fr. Ken Thorson, OMI as the Provincial of OMI Lacombe Canada Province for the second term. Le 1er février 2022, le Supérieur Général a reçu le consentement du Conseil pour la nomination de Père Ken Thorson, OMI comme...
Pope Francis presides over Mass on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on 2 February, which also marks the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life In his homily on Wednesday evening, Pope Francis took his cue from the feast of the Presentation of...
Pictured left: Pope Francis is pictured with officers of the Canadian bishops' conference during a meeting Dec. 9, 2021, at the Vatican. Among those pictured are Bishop William McGrattan of Calgary, Alberta, vice president of the conference, and Bishop Raymond Poisson of Saint-Jérôme and of...
As Christians hold a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine, Pope Francis prays that world leaders will work towards peace as political tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine. At the conclusion of his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis asked the faithful "to pray for peace...
In his Message for the World Day of Social Communications, Pope Francis says listening is an indispensable first step in human communication, and a dimension of love. After focusing last year on seeing reality and conveying it to others, Pope Francis in his 2022 Message for the World Communications...
We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution; may their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family. Pope Francis – January 2022 How is it possible that many religious minorities currently suffer discrimination or...
Pictured left: People in St. Peter's Square attend Pope Francis' recitation of the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking the square at the Vatican Jan. 16, 2022. (CNS photo / Vatican Media) VATICAN CITY — God likes to intervene behind the scenes and without fanfare, always...
The Treviso-based Foundation “Oltre il Labirinto” (“Beyond the Labyrinth”), created to welcome, care for, protect and promote the inclusion of young people with autism, is relaunching its project “Farm4Autism”. The President, Mario Paganessi: Laudato si’ continues to inspire our work. There is no concern, respect...
Pictured left: Pope Francis speaks as Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, looks on during a meeting with representatives of bishops' conferences from around the world at the Vatican in this Oct. 9, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) VATICAN CITY — All Christians are...
In recent years, there has been a noticeable growth and interest in the charism, spirituality, and mission of the Oblates. The Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies is, therefore, responding to this by providing the opportunity to study some of these aspects in greater depth. If you...
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Mariannhill, South Africa The Holy Father has appointed as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Mariannhill, South Africa, with special faculties, the Reverend Fr. Neil Augustine Frank, O.M.I., until now provincial superior of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
For over 60 years, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools has presented the annual Knights of Columbus Carol Festival - this festival is a hallmark of our school division, and it draws over 2000 people to TCU Place every year. We were unable to put on the...
With Christmas just around the corner, this is an especially busy time for Fr. Doug Jeffrey of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. Recently, Fr. Doug spoke with Northern Pride about the goings on at the church this holiday season, COVID-19, as well as how he spends...
Meeting with Oblate Missionary Cooperators of the Immaculate (COMI) on Saturday morning, Pope Francis encouraged them in a symbolic way to become like yeast: small, hidden, but full of faith, and “the larger the dough to be leavened, the richer the quality of the leaven must be”. He...
What’s still unfinished in your life? Well, there’s always a lot that’s unfinished in everyone’s life. Nothing is ever really finished. Our lives, it seems, are simply interrupted by our dying. Most of us don’t complete our lives, we just run out of time. So, consciously...
TÉLÉCHARGEZ VERSION FRANÇAISE The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate today announced further collaboration that will grant the NCTR full access to critical residential school records in the Oblate archive in Rome, Italy. The Oblates operated 48 residential schools...
DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION / TÉLÉCHARGEZ VERSION PDF: ENGLISH / FRENCH Thirty years ago, in July 1991, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Canada apologized to the Indigenous peoples of this land at the Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage in Alberta, for the significant part they played in the...
WHY THIS BOOKLET? "We achieve unity in our life only in and through Jesus Christ. Our ministry involves us in a variety of tasks, yet each act in life is an occasion for personal encounter with the Lord, who through us gives himself to others and...
Download letter in PDF - ENGLISH - FRANÇAIS Dear Brother Oblates and my Sisters and Brothers who live the Oblate Charism, Happy feast day! The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary brings us great joy. Through Mary’s intercession we are renewed in our missionary oblation at...
The CCCB have prepared excellent educational resources to accompany the Advent videos and scripts entitled: Indigenous Peoples and the Church: Walking Together Toward Healing and Reconciliation The resources are based on the theme of the weekly Advent video to encourage further learning and discussion as we prepare...
Here is the video prepared on the occasion of the 140th foundation anniversary of our community - the International Roman Scholasticate. We thank God for continuously sustaining our community for the past 140 years and still continue to be grateful for the years to come....
The following are the words the Holy Father Francis addressed to the members of the Secular Institute of the COMI (Cooperatrici Oblate Missionarie dell’Immacolata), whom he received in audience this morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the...
Pope Francis addresses a message to participants at the Ecclesial Assembly opening Sunday in Mexico City bringing together representatives of the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean. He encourages them to start by listening to each other and being courageously open to new horizons. Pope...
Once a Religious Sister phoned me to inquire if I could spare some time to anoint and give communion to the father of one of their Sisters. She said, “We’ve been looking for a priest, and preferably one who could speak his language, but no...
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis decried societies which rush indifferently past the poor, often judging them instead of helping them, as he celebrated Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica attended by 2,000 indigent people. During his homily, Francis also made an made the appeal against what he...
ROME — People need to be passionate about serving others and caring for those who suffer, Pope Francis said. "Lord, we entrust to your heart the vocation of care — let us make every person who approaches us in need feel special," he said in a homily to medical and...
Indonesia - Triennium 40th Anniversary of 'Wisma de Mazenod' Oblate Scholasticate Celebrating its 40th anniversary of the Oblate Scholasticate of the Province of Indonesia has been doing a Triennium Program since the year 2019 with so many activities. [caption id="attachment_13919" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Wisma De Mazenod Oblate Scholasticate,...
Thanks to the beautiful collaboration between the Oblate communities working with students – mainly Chavril-Sainte Foy, Fontenay 49 and Aix-en-Provence – the ministry with students and young professionals is developing. This summer, we had our first weekend in Aix-en-Provence, which completed three video meetings that...
A joint ecumenical delegation of The United Church of Canada (UCCan) and For the Love of Creation (FLC) will virtually attend the United Nations Climate Change COP26 being held October 31 – November 12, 2021. This delegation has the unique opportunity to follow the negotiations, connect with national and international climate...
Pictured left: Novice master, Fr. Frank Kuczera, OMI welcomes the guests to the renewed novitiate After two years and millions of dollars, the renovation of the historic Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in Godfrey, Illinois has been completed and the building was blessed and re-dedicated on...
MEDITERRANEAN PROVINCE Eugene de Mazenod, Founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, in his exile in Italy, was in Palermo (the capital of the Italian island of Sicily) for almost 4 years, from 6 January 1799 to 11 October 1802. Since 2014, on the initiative of Vincenzo David, with...
OTTAWA, October 27, 2021 – The Catholic Bishops of Canada are grateful that Pope Francis has accepted their invitation to visit Canada on a pilgrimage of healing and reconciliation. The Holy Father’s full statement on the matter can be found here. In anticipation of this visit, the...
Norah McMahon a parishioner of St. Joseph’s, an Oblate parish in Ottawa, initiated an effort there to surround the upcoming COP26 meetings (Oct. 31-Nov. 12) in Glasgow, with prayer. Norah’s vision – is that we each in our own way pray in union with earth for...
On Saturday, October 16 2021, a Memorial Mass for Father Frank Morrisey was celebrated at Paroisse Sacré-Coeur d’Ottawa. Many of you may have tried to connect via the You Tube link provided earlier this month. Given that the sound recording failed, we thought you might be...
October: Missionary Disciples We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavour of the Gospel. Pope Francis – October 2021 Jesus asks us all, and you as well, to be missionary disciples....
Pictured left: Father Garry LaBoucane (left) celebrated the Mass, assisted by Deacon Rennie Nahanee of the Squamish First Nation, at St. Paul's Indian Catholic Church September 26. "I see this as reconciliation between the Church and our native people," Deacon Nahanee said (Photos submitted) [caption id="attachment_13765"...
Pictured left: From left to right, Fr. Martyr and Fr. Cator in Port-au-Prince, September 2, 2021. As Haiti slowly recovers from an earthquake that killed thousands, Fr. Albert Cator's story is inspiring amazement and thanksgiving. There’s no doubt that the hand of Mary was there,”says Fr. Ellince...
Graydon Nicholas accepts the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ apology for more than a century of wrongs by Canadian Catholics in residential schools and hopes it will lead to a papal apology on Canadian soil. “It was a bit of a long time coming, but I’m...
We, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week, take this opportunity to affirm to you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, that we acknowledge the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. Many Catholic religious communities and dioceses participated in this system,...
OTTAWA -- A day set aside to remember how Canada’s Indigenous communities suffered under this country’s residential school system will take on added meaning this year when the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30 becomes a federal statutory holiday for the first time. Many Catholic...
Pope Francis highlights the importance of inclusiveness and fraternity in his 2021 Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, stressing that an ever wider "we" will help renew the human family, build a future of justice and peace, and ensure that no one...
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate are currently accepting applications to fill a Social Media Communications Specialist position, focused on delivering increased awareness in support of its mission and ministries. DOWNLOAD PDF HERE JOB OVERVIEW Reporting to a member of the Leadership Team, the role of the Social...
Leaving Nothing Undared with St. Eugene de Mazenod A four-part enrichment series focused on the life, spirituality, and mission of St. Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who also inspired the formation of a charism family of laity around the world. The...
She calls it nutshimit. For Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue, it is the place where she longs to be, the place where she was born. It is the place she seeks in her dreams. The word nutshimit has many meanings: "in the country," " in the bush," or "on the...
On September 1, Martin Luther University’s Centre for Public Ethics, the Baha’i Community of Canada, Citizens for Public Justice and Centre Oblat – A Voice for Justice, sponsored the event, A Faithful Election Conversation 2021. It was a thoughtful exchange between representatives of Canada’s four major...
A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration of prayer and action for our common home. Together, the ecumenical family around the world unites to pray, protect, and advocate for God’s creation. During the 2021 Season of...
Sr. Nathalie Becquart, a member of the Xavière Sisters in France, is one of the two new undersecretaries for the Vatican's office of the Synod of Bishops. Before becoming a sister, she studied economics and business and worked as a consultant in marketing and advertising. Becquart played a large role...
Pictured left: People hold candles during a prayer vigil for the Synod of Bishops on the family attended by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 3, 2015. Francis has said he wants to strengthen the synod process not just for the...
As Pope Francis meets with the members of the Laudato si' Movement, climate scientist Gregory Asner explains that science can offer tools to Catholic faithful in the effort to research and combat climate change. “Laudato si’ speaks to people in ways that a scientist cannot. Pope Francis...
At 8:29 a.m. on Saturday, August 14, 2021, a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti’s Tiburon Peninsula, about 150 kilometres west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Much of the damage occurred in the towns of Jérémie and Les Cayes. The force of the earthquake was felt...
HAITI Dear Oblates and friends, As you have certainly heard in the news, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck Haiti this morning at 8:30 AM. Several hundreds of people have been reported dead and missing. A lot of material damage have been reported. The epicenter was...
Last year, I watched Orange Sky Day play out on Instagram from a lake on the other side of the country. In a deck chair I scrolled through countless images of the uncanny wildfire sky, with caption after caption reminding me that this dusky light...
[caption id="attachment_13064" align="alignright" width="300"] Fr. Jean-Hérick Jasmin, OMI - Director, General Service of JPIC[/caption] INTRODUCTION In recent years, the OMI-JPIC General Service has shown that justice and charity are two effective pastoral attitudes of the Oblates in their commitment to the poor in our regions. Also, as...
On July 15, and then on July 18-23, 2021, Fr. Fabio Ciardi OMI invited the participants to the Workshop for Post-Novitiate Formators, to explore the Charism of Saint Eugene de Mazenod. “I will not give you fish, but rather I will teach you how to fish”. That’s how...
DOWNLOAD HOMILY IN PDF Homily delivered by the Superior General Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI during the Closing Eucharistic Celebration of the Formation Workshop for OMI Post-Novitiate formators “And how should men who want to follow in the footsteps of their divine Master Jesus Christ conduct themselves if they, in...
August: Church on the Way Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel. Pope Francis – August 2021 The specific vocation of the Church is evangelization, which isn’t proselytism,...
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The words spoken at the Consecration of the Mass resonate deeply in our souls. This is my Body which will be given up for you. This is the chalice of my Blood…which will be poured out for you. At every Mass, we...
Pictured left: Pope Francis greets an elderly woman as he meets with people in Asunción, Paraguay on July 12, 2015 (CNS/Paul Haring) When Pope Francis celebrates the first-ever World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly on July 25, he will be elevating a theme that he...
Just because something is politically-correct doesn’t mean that it might not also be correct. Sometimes we have to swallow hard to accept truth. Some years ago, I served on a Priests’ Council, an advisory board to the bishop in a Roman Catholic diocese. The bishop, while...
The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life announces the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly under the theme "I am with you always". The First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated on Sunday 25 July, announced the Vatican’s Dicastery...
General Administration [caption id="attachment_12977" align="alignright" width="300"] Since then the house is 'empty' but the community has continued to live![/caption] Greetings from the Aix-en-Provence Foundation House community! We would like to share with you some news from us. March 18, 2020 was the date set by the French government to...
Pictured left: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Sarita, TX The verse from John 15:5 echoed through my heart on June 27th at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Sarita, TX for several reasons. The first reason was that we finally reopened our retreat house in Sarita on the...
A Day of Prayer for migrants established by the Italian Episcopal Conference calls on Christians to become messengers of peace and teachers of civilization. In the first five months of 2021, more than 630 men, women and children drowned in the central Mediterranean Sea as they...
Several years ago, a colleague of mine suffered a crushing disappointment. Her instinctual temptation was towards anger, towards shutting a series of doors and withdrawing. Instead, wounded in spirit, she asked herself the question, what is love asking of me now? In answering that, she found that...
We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship. Pope Francis – July 2021 The Bible says that whoever finds a friend has found a treasure. I would like to invite everyone to go beyond...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2021 DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ VERSION FRANÇAISE ICI WINNIPEG - The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) welcomes the decision by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to expedite access to critical residential school records. The Oblates operated 48 residential schools in Canada,...
Pictured left: Cardinal Gérald C. Lacroix of Québec distributes Communion to an Innu woman on First Nations Sunday at the Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré June 27. Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations hopes a meeting with Pope Francis in...
[caption id="attachment_12928" align="alignright" width="300"] OST President, Scott Woodward (R) with one of the men at the facility[/caption] Consistent with a goal of empowering lives through education, Oblate School of Theology (OST) partnered with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Ministry of...
June 24, 2021 DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ VERSION FRANÇAISE ICI We are two Catholic religious communities of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (commonly known as the Oblates) and were involved in operating many of the residential schools throughout Canada. The Oblates operated...
Pictured left: Sister Marie Zarowny, president of the Sisters of St. Ann, said the sisters will "collaborate in finding the truth" at residential schools. The sisters taught at a handful of residential schools, including Kamloops from 1890 to 1970. (Sisters of St. Ann photo) Two Catholic...
By Darcie Lich - Oblate Associate Creator God of love and justice, comforter of those who mourn, we turn to you acknowledging the actions of our Church and our nation. We have asked forgiveness and committed to work for healing and reconciliation. But we are painfully...
TÉLÉCHARGEZ DOCUMENT EN FRANÇAIS ICI Who are the Oblates? a. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate are members of a Roman Catholic religious community of priests, brothers and lay associates. Founded in France in 1816 by St. Eugene de Mazenod, their first foreign mission was to...
Statement from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate regarding news from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation (Kamloops Indian Band) of the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Download PDF here ...
By Darcie Lich - Oblate Associate Creator God of love and justice, comforter of those who mourn, we turn to you acknowledging the actions of our Church and our nation. We have asked forgiveness and committed to work for healing and reconciliation. But we are painfully...
Novalis recently published a collective work that gives laity a voice in their experience of the Church and their vision of the future of the Church. We welcome this significant contribution to the issues facing the People of God. Novalis remains firmly rooted in the...
Either he doesn’t know the background noise in this video makes it almost impossible to understand what he is saying, or he is too lazy to redo the video or there is something else going on. Those are thoughts that may cross your mind after...
Pictured left: Ismael Moreno, S.J., (center) the director of Radio Progreso/Fundacion Eric, joins demonstrators in El Progresso, Honduras, protesting the election of President Juan Orlando Hernandez in January 2018. Funding from Canada's Development and Peace agency for his media and human rights ministry had been...
Liberal MP John McKay doesn’t give a damn whether he’s in cabinet or not. But he does give a damn. In an extraordinary 24-year career riding Parliament’s backbenches and chairing committees in government and opposition, McKay has steered legislation through Parliament to make sure Canada’s foreign...
Laudato si' webinar no. 7 (Organized by the OMI General Admisnitration) "The Transition of Religious Congregations to Integral Ecology" Introducing the Laudato si' Multi-year Action Platform Date: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 17h00 (5:00 p.m.) CET / Rome Presenter: Bro. Alberto Parise, MCCJ (JPIC Director and member of the General Secretariat of Mission -...
Pentecost 2021 DOWNLOAD PDF - English / Français Send forth your spirit and renew the face of the Earth (Ps. 104) Greetings and blessings on the Feast of Pentecost, As Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle, focused on the work of reconciliation between Indigenous and all Canadians, we want to...
The focus of the course is to provide a brief historical background and an update on the state of the reconciliation process, and to frame the present pastoral and theological questions and challenges as well as the progress made since the final report of the TRC and...
A message from the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle on Bill C-15: "...
VATICAN CITY - Throughout history and across the globe, lay catechists have been revered as saints, and many were martyred for their refusal to renounce their faith and their vocation to teach the Christian faith to others. Formally instituting "the ministry of catechist" with a document published May...
Dear Oblates and Friends, I hope you continue in the joy of the Easter season and also in remembering Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in this month of May! I would like to communicate that after a successful surgery, and a month of recuperation in the...
People spend many hours taking their kith and kin from one hospital to another in autos, and bikes, as the people cannot get an ambulance or any other vehicles. Once they reach the hospitals, the hospital administration washes its hands, saying there are no beds...
On Thursday April 29, Fr. Frank Salmon, OMI received the St. Joseph’s Award at the Catholic Missions in Canada Gala. Established in 1990 by Catholic Missions In Canada, the St. Joseph’s Award recognizes and honours missionaries whose dedication, is a light for the world and salt...
Fr. Rodrigue Vezina, OMI was an Oblate who died on October 29, 2019 in Richelieu at the age of 87. The towering and historic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Attawapiskat was destroyed in a spectacular fire on April 21, 2021. There is a lot of...
Pope Francis has called for a global prayer marathon for the entire month of May, praying for the end to the pandemic. “The initiative will involve in a special way all shrines in the world” in promoting the initiative so that individuals, families and communities all...
Patti-Anne Kay and Fr. Peter Doherty, OMI find Easter parallels in COVID suffering but recall it was at Pentecost that the fullness of the Resurrection was realized. Let us go about daily activities with a renewed sense of focus, purpose, and appreciation. The COVID-19 pandemic struck close...
Pope Francis calls for urgency in joint efforts on the path towards protecting our planet, in two separate video messages for Earth Day 2021. Commemorating the 51st Earth Day on Thursday, Pope Francis sent two video messages reminding everyone of the importance of working together to...
REGISTER TODAY: KBE Teaching & Sharing Circles Summer Session begins May 18 Register today for a KBE Teaching & Sharing Circle – interactive, Zoom-based sessions that build positive relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through truth, sharing, and open dialogue. This summer, six public sessions will be offered,...
Montreal, April 13, 2021 — As Catholics in Canada and around the world were celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday, we learned from the Agence France-Presse (AFP) report that seven consecrated persons—five priests and two nuns (including two French citizens)—were abducted in Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb of Port-au-Prince,...
2021 - Dr. Maurice (Moe) Schroeder Dr. Maurice (Moe) Schroeder, MD'76, who is an ordained Oblate priest as well as a physician, lived and worked in Peru from 1978 to 2017. His first five years in this country were spent at a rural mobile clinic in the...
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate continue to play a significant role in many of the most difficult missions around the world. We are well known and highly regarded in the Church for our availability. Although, with good humor, we like to joke that we...
De Mazenod Outreach ministry will operate a local farm to grow food for Hamilton's poor Hamilton— April 8, 2021 — Today, the De Mazenod Door Outreach program announced the launch of the De Mazenod Farm, yet another initiative to help the poor and marginalized in inner-city...
Some good news and a huge thank-you! Yesterday some folks came and counted and carried all the donations that arrived in response to the "40 Cans for Lent" project that was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. According to our volunteers the parish donated 1,460...
April: Fundamental Rights Let us pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis, that they may see their sacrifice and their work bear abundant fruit. Pope Francis – April 2021 Defending fundamental human rights...
What we inaugurate tomorrow evening with the Sign of the Cross at the opening of the Holy Thursday liturgy is not just the beginning of the Mass of the Lord's Supper, but the opening of a three-day-long celebration of Christianity's most sacred solemnity: the Easter...
For Saint Eugene, Holy Thursday marked two important events: his first communion and his private vow of saying “yes” to God on this night when Christians keep watch with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and Jesus said “yes”. This year, for those unable to...
An article by a missionary sister who now works at the Oblate retreat centre in Edmonton relates how, in the year 2000, a Canadian company arrived in Tundayme, Ecuador. For ten years, it carried out a strategy of land appropriation that was characterized by cover-ups...
Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge has said the only way is the synodal way Embracing a synodal model of the Church is “messy” but it offers the only path to a “future that’s worth having”, says a leading Australian bishop. Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, the president...
Fr. Alexandre Taché, a well-known canonist and a former Procurator General of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate passed away from this world in Richelieu, Quebec, Canada on February 7, 2021. Alexandre Taché was born on June 13, 1926 in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce parish in Hull, Diocese of Ottawa...
Pictured left: Rebecca Roughneen (right) Personal Profile For many religious communities, the coronavirus pandemic has been a time to discover the importance of an online presence. It’s something that the Oblates of Mary Immaculate have been wrestling with for some time, and has come into sharper focus...
General Committee of Oblate Brothers Saint Joseph is the protector of the Congregation and the patron saint of Oblate Brothers. Thus, the General Committee of Oblate Brothers would like to offer the Congregation and the entire Mazenodian family an opportunity, between March 19 and May 1, 2021...
We gather in the mystery and depth of the cross, the intersection of life and love, of pain and perseverance, of injustice and determination, of tenderness and solidarity, of Ongoing Care and Co-Creation. (+). [caption id="attachment_12312" align="alignright" width="100"] Fr. Jack Lau, OMI[/caption] We invite you to join...
In January of this year, I visited the Immaculate Heart of Mary Oblate Novitiate in Godfrey, IL to begin photo documentation of the renovation and restoration of the nearly 100-year-old building which sits on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The elegant structure was originally...
There is a common thread linking three important interventions of Pope Francis regarding interreligious dialogue, and Islam in particular. It is a magisterium that indicates a road map with three fundamental points of reference: the role of religion in our societies, the criterion of authentic religiosity,...
Pictured left: Pope Francis is flanked by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi upon his arrival at Bagdad's international airport, Iraq, Friday, March 5, 2021 (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) BAGHDAD (AP) — Pope Francis arrived in Iraq on Friday to urge the country’s dwindling number of Christians to...
[caption id="attachment_12238" align="alignright" width="176"] Deacon Joseph Phuong, OMI[/caption] This year’s Tết (Lunar New Year Festival) was very special for me. Through the Vietnamese embassy in Sri Lanka, I learned that the Vietnamese living here often organize a common celebration of the Tết in Colombo or Kandy....
The Senate has amended Bill C-7. If these amendments pass the House of Commons, it will make it much easier for vulnerable Canadians to access assisted suicide and euthanasia putting them at increased risk. The amendments are: 1. Allowing people to write advance directives that...
Canada’s bishops are continuing to study federal legislation that provides legal protections for Indigenous communities in the form of internationally recognized rights. Bill C-15, which would incorporate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into Canadian law, passed second reading Feb. 17. The...
Lenten alms-giving to Canada’s Catholic international development agency is getting turbo-charged by religious orders. From Ash Wednesday until Pentecost Sunday (May 23) a handful of religious communities will match new monthly donation plans dollar for dollar, up to a total of $130,000 to aid Development and...
Continuing his catechesis on Christian prayer, Pope Francis reflects on why and how we should pray in all the events of everyday life. In last week’s General Audience, Pope Francis spoke about how Christian prayer is “anchored” in the liturgy. In this week’s audience, streamed live...
Note on the morality of using some anti-COVID-19 vaccines from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - CLICK HERE Note of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy for Life "Vaccine for all. 20 points for a fairer and healthier world"...
Pope Leo XII formally approved our Constitutions and Rules on February 17, 1826. To this day, revised and adapted over the past 195 years, they remain “a privileged means for each Oblate to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ “(C # 163). The Preface...
Over the past months, the Oblates and Associates of OMI Lacombe Canada Province have been participating in our synodal process “Forward Together”. During the first round of small group gatherings, we were invited to tell our stories – stories of Oblate life, of significant moments...
Pope Francis has decided to institute a Church-wide celebration of a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Starting this year, it will be held on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. Following...
An online event to launch the new Centre for Faith, Reason, Peace, and Justice included a panel discussion with Myron Rogal, coordinator of Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Saskatoon; Dr. Chris Hrynkow, director of the new centre; Darcie Lich, religious education coordinator for...
In an article published in the magazine "La Civiltà Cattolica", Cardinal Michael Czerny reflects on the meaning of "synodality" in the Church and in Pope Francis' magisterium. Synodality is not “a mere decision-making process”, but “a fundamental feature of the Church’s identity, says Cardinal Michael Czerny,...
Rome, January 25, 2021 Dear Brother Oblates, On this 205th anniversary of the foundation of our religious Family, I hereby convoke the XXXVII General Chapter. It will begin on September 14, 2022, the Feast of the Exaltation of Holy Cross, at the “Centro Ad Gentes” property of the Society of...
TÉLÉCHARGEZ VERSION FRANÇAISE ICI Vatican City, 18 January 2021 To all consecrated persons, We draw close to you on the eve of a day dear to us, and to all consecrated men and women. A day dedicated to our wonderful vocation that makes God’s love for men, woman...
A new survey on the impact of Covid-19 which aims to get a sense of how clergy and lay people are coping after months of varying restrictions has been launched by the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education at Dublin City University. Covid-19 and Church-21 is a...
In preparation for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which will be held from January 18th and January 25th, 2021, the CRC is delighted to have two consecrated persons, Sr. Gill Goulding, CJ, and Sr. Pauline Boilard, MIC, share their journeys and involvement in ecumenism. Through these testimonies,...
France - On Sunday, January 17, 2021, in Pontmain, France, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to four children. It happened in the context of the war between France and Prussia, when many of the young men from the village of...
January: At the service of Human fraternity Let us pray that the Lord may give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters of other religions and not fight each other, and praying for one another, open ourselves to all. Pope Francis...
ARTICLE DISPONIBLE EN FRANÇAIS - TÉLÉCHARGEZ ICI I am privileged to minister regularly with the director of recovery ministries, Chris Estus, at our local United Methodist Church in San Antonio ,TX. Chris is a candidate for the pastorship with the United Methodists and will hike 2,193...
The Coronavirus pandemic has never spared even the poor on the streets of Hong Kong. Now, poor and abandoned families are growing in number through the ill effects of Covid19. In To Kwa Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong, near the Church of Notre Dame, a parish run by the...
Pictured left: A migrant tries to warm himself at the Lipa camp in Bihac, Boznia and Herzegovina, January 1, 2021 (ANSA) In a blog post for the Catholic Migration Commission, Cardinal Michael Czerny describes the importance of 'Fratelli tutti' as applied to the plight of migrants...
Pictured left: Original Levis House built in 1916 The renovation and restoration of the historic Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in Godfrey, IL is underway with demolition of the dormitory wing now complete and interior construction and restoration in progress. [caption id="attachment_11999" align="aligncenter" width="700"] In the rear...
Dear Friends especially for Lay Associations coordinators across the world, both Oblate and Lay . We are 200 days away from the 2nd Lay Congress and we have great news about a new blog www.omioikia.wordpress.com that we have launched to become a place of interaction and sharing amongst all Lay...
Francis offers the Church's social doctrine as a "compass" to foster peace Pope Francis in his message for the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace called on the international community and every individual to foster a "culture of care" by advancing on the "path of fraternity,...
To say that legislation on the rights of Canada’s Indigenous peoples was overdue is more than an understatement. It is a tragedy. So it is with prayerful optimism that we acknowledge the long awaited Bill C-15 in the House of Commons, which aims to bring Canadian...
On the recommendation of the Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews and Interfaith Dialogue of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), and the approval of the Conference's Executive Committee, the CCCB - Canadian Rabbinic Caucus bilateral dialogue released a new resource...
Healing of the Earth DOWNLOAD - PRAYER FOR HEALING, TRANSFORMATION AND RECONCILIATION We the Body of Christ, are called to live in solidarity with all peoples. We are called to respect, protect, defend and nurture the oneness of all of God’s Creation. God made this Earth as...
Pope Francis encouraged every effort, big or small, to foster peace amid the crises unfolding in Iraq and Syria, and to help Christians remain. Highlighting the desire of refugees to return to their homes, the Pope appealed to the international community “to make every effort to...
The Christmas season is often associated with warm emotions - joy, hope and anticipation - but for some, it can also be a time of loss, sadness and grief. The holidays may be a stark reminder of broken relationships, financial struggles, health concerns and general...
The Internal Committee for Mission Download the PDF - FRENCH - ENGLISH Dear brother Oblates and all those who live the charism of St. Eugene, Our Superior General, Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI, has given the privilege of writing this letter to the Congregation on this blessed feast of...
The Canonization of our Founder St. Eugene de Mazenod, on December 3rd, 1995, was a great feast here in Rome. It was a day of joy for the Oblates, lay associates, and friends of Oblates. In this video, some of those Oblates who were present...
For a life of prayer The heart of the Church’s mission is prayer. Prayer is the key for us to be able to enter into dialogue with the Father. Every time we read a short passage from the Gospel we hear Jesus speaking to us. We have a conversation...
Bl. Francisco Esteban and companions Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Martyrs History of the Cause The diocesan inquiry began in Madrid, Spain, between March 11, 1999, and January 11, 2000. The Spanish layman, father of a family, Candidus Castán San José (1894-1936), was added to the group of the...
Download the calendar in PDF Fr. Peter Stoll, OMI, the General Councillor for Asia-Oceania and the liaison for lay associations, has sent us the Calendar of Masses to be celebrated for the intention of MAMI members throughout the Congregation. It was on the occasion of the publication...
At the Interchapter meeting in Obra, Poland in July 2019, the plan for the second Oblate Lay Associations' Congress was launched, and the Superior General and Council has fixed the date of the Congress to July 16-18, 2021. Here is an introductory video: ...
I am pleased to present the proper calendar of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for the new liturgical year 2020-2021. DOWNLOAD THE ORDO 2020-2021 HERE In it, you will find useful information, especially about our liturgical celebrations and a reminder of some important events in the...
Pictured left: A priest incensing the tomb of Oblate Father Michael Rodrigo, who was shot dead on November 10, 1987. Oblates have started campaigning for his canonization on his 33rd death anniversary. (Photo: omi200.wordpress.com) No one has taken responsibility for the murder of Father Michael Rodrigo...
Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence is at the heart of the epochal change we are experiencing. Robotics can make a better world possible if it is joined to the common good. Indeed, if technological progress increases inequalities, it is not true progress. Future advances should be oriented towards...
Pictured left: Left: Sr. Addie Lorraine Walker, a School Sister of Notre Dame, gives a keynote address Oct. 30 at the National Religious Vocation Conference's 2020 convocation. Right: Sr. Maxine Kollasch of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary gives a convocation workshop...
Examples of Oblates directly assisting the people in the regions they serve, a tradition started by our Founder, have abounded during the current pandemics. These examples tell us inspiring individual stories. But they have also offered help in other more subtle, less visible ways, not...
“I knew I had to quit when my 15-year-old daughter would say, ‘Mom, don’t go to work and cry again.’ ” That quote was just one data point in Francis Maza’s PhD thesis for his Doctor of Ministry at Toronto’s University of St. Michael’s College. Maza...
Pictured left: People pay tribute at night in front of Notre Dame Basilica on October 29, 2020 in Nice, France. A man armed with a knife fatally attacked people in the church, located in the heart of the city. (Photo: Arnold Jerocki / Getty) Despite the...
The following article features the work Irish-born member of the Oblate Community – Fr. John Flynn, OMI during the outbreak of the Spanish Flu. You can read more about him here. AUSTRALIA Over the past few months, the world has grappled to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. During...
Women in leadership roles in the Church We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church, without falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism. Pope Francis – October 2020 No one has...
A 25th anniversary is an important milestone in life. A person who has turned 25 years old is someone who, in principle, is already mature, ready to begin their life work and to start their own family. Therefore, society fixed specific generational changes around the...
Pictured left: Pope Francis greets Evgeny Afineevsky, a documentary filmmaker, at his general audience at the Vatican in this Aug. 28, 2019, photo. (CNS photo/Vatican Media via Evgeny Afineevsky) In a new documentary that premiered in Rome yesterday, Pope Francis appeared to endorse civil unions for...
Pictured left: Our Lady of Peace Mission Cairn Sign at TWP 242/RR 43. (Photo credit: Stephanie Dittrich) [caption id="attachment_11735" align="alignleft" width="300"] Our Lady of Peace Mission Cairn Site in 1939. (Photo credits to Glenbow Archives - 1939)[/caption] The historic site where the first permanent mission of the...
In the last seven months the upheaval brought by the pandemic has been constant, and deeply disruptive. We are plagued by uncertainty about the future. Planning for the short or long-term feels like an exercise in futility; we simply don’t know where things (case numbers,...
St Patrick Church ministry partners with local investors to provide housing for Hamilton’s poor Hamilton— October 14, 2020 — Today, the De Mazenod Door Outreach (DMDO) ministry announces a new housing initiative to help the poor and marginalized in inner-city Hamilton. With the help of local investors,...
After 400 years of living together can we not do better? Why do we know each other so poorly? On September 28, 37-year old Joyce Echaquan, mother of seven, member of Atikamekw First Nation of Manawan, died amidst dehumanizing racist insults in a hospital in...
A personal update from Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI For the past 15 years, I have had both the privilege and the responsibility of being the President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. I stepped down from that position last week, handing the...
Fifty years ago, we watched the birth of the Dene Nation. We were a scrappy bunch of rebels trying to protect what was ours. This is the story of how a great northern people took control of its destiny. At Grandin College, the assembled Dene, Métis,...
After an extended process, Oblate School of Theology has announced the next president of the school. Dr. Scott Woodward began his term as president of the Oblate School of Theology on September 8th, 2020. His official installation will take place on Friday evening, October 23rd. In...
UKRAINE On September 5, the Catholic Church in Ukraine experienced a solemn event – the proclamation of a new sanctuary – The Shrine of Our Lady of Tyvriv and the martyrs for the faith. It was an event that brought great joy for the Oblates of the Delegation as...
Pictured left: Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith greets elder Tony Arcand before celebrating Mass with the Sacred Heart parish community on Sept. 20 (Lincoln Ho, Grandin Media) https://www.facebook.com/sacredheartyeg/videos/246392740029792 Sacred Heart parishioners say they are grateful for the pledge to restore the First Nations church in Edmonton even as...
ANGLO-IRISH We are delighted to present a Virtual Lourdes Pilgrimage beginning Saturday 19th of September to Wednesday 23rd of September. Even though Covid-19 has prevented our pilgrimage from travelling to Lourdes this year, the Oblate Pilgrimage invites you to join with us online. Using the theme “Bringing...
"These I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer...
For at least 70 years, two images of Saint Eugene de Mazenod were apparently lost. In the 1950s, Fr. Józef Pielorz, OMI made an album with all the images of Eugene de Mazenod that he could find. However, he could leave us only two photographs on...
Pictured left: Father Ron MacDonell, a Scarboro missionary from Nova Scotia, writes on a whiteboard in July 2019 as he leads a workshop in St. Ignatius, Guyana. Based in Brazil, the Canadian is a linguist who helps indigenous people in the Amazon region improve their...
Sunday afternoon August 30 a fire spread from a work room behind the sanctuary at Sacred Heart Church of the first Peoples in downtown Edmonton. The building was vacant for an hour when about 2:30 pm a passerby saw flames through the windows and called...
Saga of a Missionary Bishop By Bishop Denis Croteau, OMI The eldest boy of twelve children of a Québec asbestos miner and his wife, a devoted homemaker, Denis Croteau heard God's call to the priesthood at a very early age. After classical studies, an Oblate Novitiate at...
Bro. Harley Mapes, OMI has informed the membership of OMI Lacombe Canada that, as of August 20th , 2020, the purchase of the property at Battleford, SK (now St. Mary’s Residence) was completed by the Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation. I hear this...
Pictured left: Deacon Rennie Nahanee (left), who retired from the Archdiocese's First Nations Ministry office this summer, will continue working with the office on a contract basis. Despite recent progress on First Nations and Church reconciliation, there is still a lot to do, he says. ...
Understanding this current change will require a more sophisticated concept of church as people in God and worship as people in God at prayer "Disruptive innovation" is not a common term in theological and liturgical discussions. It comes from Clayton Christensen's 1997 book The Innovator's Dilemma....
The Maritime World The life of sailors or fishermen and their families is very difficult. Sometimes they are victims of forced labor or are left behind in distant ports. The competition of industrial fishing and the problem of pollution make their work even more complicated. Without the people of...
Are we ready to follow the lives of four refugee children fleeing on their own to America from Honduras? I was not prepared to accompany them. This video documentary should not be watched by children not because we see images of violence or sex on...
These courses form part of the Oblate Studies curriculum, consequently the experience of St. Eugene de Mazenod and his charism and tradition will be used to illustrate the class-but always with the invitation to all participants to apply the material to their needs and situations...
Pictured left: (L-R) Fr. Humphrey Milimo, Christopher Streetman, Juan Javier Ruiz, Jan Pawel Szaflarski, Fr. Frank Kuczera A small, Covid-masked crowd gathered at Christ the King Chapel on the grounds of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL on August 17,...
ONE AFTERNOON IN WYOMING, I sat on a hilltop. The wind seemed not only to blow the grasses but also the sunlight itself, sweeping it into my skin, a warm jangle. I was having some downtime in a high place. Having slowed, I could see...
Denver Newsroom, Aug 14, 2020 / 04:00 am MT (CNA).- Last Tuesday, Julie Tegho and her husband Hicham Bou Nassif were enjoying an ordinary day at their local mall in Beirut, Lebanon. Without warning, they felt what seemed like an earthquake, followed by a mighty...
On May 20, 1839, one of our first Oblates died in Vico (island of Corsica) France: Father Dominic Albini, OMI. Vico’s people began to say in the streets “The Saint is dead, the Saint is dead!” In a few hours, everyone in Corsica knew the news, even at...
Pictured left: Rev. Susai Jesu, pastor of Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples in Edmonton, offers the final blessing July 29 at the conclusion of this year's Lac Ste Anne Pilgrimage. Lincoln Ho, Grandin Media The screens, small and big, will be turned off as...
Pope Francis writes the preface to a new book entitled ‘‘Communion and Hope’’, and encourages everyone to rediscover solidarity amid the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. In a book preface released on Tuesday, Pope Francis reflected on the lessons Christians have learned from the Covid-19 pandemic. “Communion...
[caption id="attachment_11323" align="alignleft" width="201"] Fr. Mark Dean, OMI[/caption] An icon written in the time of the Covid-19 Pandemic During the time of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I painted an icon… The work on this icon began on Holy Thursday, April 9th, 2020. The last brush stroke was made on the...
Harvey Spak is a former Oblate Scholastic who studied in Lebret until 1966 when the Scholasticat du Sacré-Coeur moved from Lebret to St. Norbert. He discontinued with the Oblates after one year in St. Norbert. Afterwards, Harvey explored his roots as a Catholic of the...
I started experiencing my first pandemic in March 2020. While serving seven years in refugee camps and poor countries of the Global South, I never personally knew the ravages of malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, or Ebola. My family was never faced with the frustrating reality of...
A virtual retreat for members of religious communities with Ron Rolheiser, OMI Sponsored by Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Habits of the Heart - And the Renewal of our own Religious Lives Monday, July 20 - Friday,...
Pictured left: The grotto structure under development will be ready in the coming days (Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff) A church in Meadow Lake is creating more ways for people to connect with their faith and find peace during the pandemic. Father Douglas Jeffrey, OMI of Our Lady...
Catholics are getting ready to play a role in the post-COVID look at what went wrong in long-term care, but that response is divided between a walk-softly approach and others demanding radical change. Canada has had more than 5,800 long-term care homes hit with COVID-19 outbreaks...
Montreal, June 19, 2020 – George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Chantel Moore, Rodney Levi and Regis Korchinski-Paquet died violent deaths in the past three months in incidents involving police. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor were members of Black communities in the United...
Rev. Eduardo Vasquez has visited Manila's slums to minister to the poor, and distribute food and face masks. ''It is not enough to rely on faith alone,'' he said. Pictured left: Rev. Eduardo Vasquez and a fellow priest, Rey Amancio, offering prayers for the dead in...
I was at St. Mary's parish in Regina, SK from 1978 to 1984. In the old parish records there was the name of Fr. Augustine Suffa, O.M.I. Recently a story about the 1918 to 1920 Spanish Flu (which killed 50 to 100 million worldwide) mentioned...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
A look at a home for the elderly in Kenya during pandemic Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa balance caution with prevention Pictured left: An elderly man washes his hands with soap to protect against coronavirus infection at the Cheshire Home for the Elderly located in the Kariobangi...
Prayer is a 'fight' with God, pope says at audience VATICAN CITY — True prayer is a "fight" with God in which those who think they are strong are humbled and faced with the reality of their own mortal condition, Pope Francis said. The story of Jacob wrestling...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
It could be a year or longer before churches in Canada can begin welcoming large numbers of worshippers, said a member of the country’s Special Advisory Committee on COVID-19. Dr. Robert Strang said church-goers should expect limitations of 50, maybe a maximum of 100 people in...
Pope Francis this morning spoke of his “great concern” at “the disturbing social unrest” in the United States following “the tragic death of George Floyd,” which he attributed to “the sin of racism.” “We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
This week we share two remembrances of the late Fr. Frank Morrisey, OMI. The first is from Fr. Lawrence Frizzel, a former classmate of Fr. Frank. The second is from Michael Swan, associate editor of the Catholic Register. Father Francis Morrisey, OMI - Requiescat in Pace By...
I grew up in a close family and one of hardest things I ever did was to leave home and family at the age of seventeen to enter the novitiate of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. That novitiate year wasn’t easy. I missed my family...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
Pictured left - Pope Francis leads his general audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, May 20, 2020. Continuing his series of talks on prayer, the pope said that while one may feel insignificant in the grand scale of the universe,...
More than 200 Catholic sisters from across Canada want Ottawa to deny a bailout to the oil and gas industry and invest in building a cleaner, low-carbon economy after COVID-19. A letter from the nuns is scheduled to land on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s desk May 25,...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
All our fellow human beings - are in the midst of facing a mighty challenge. It would be superstitious to believe that prayer will find a vaccine and banish the menace of the contagion. But God's companionship as we face the challenge is essential to...
Michael Swan, in the Catholic Register, on the statement released by the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle last week, highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on isolated First Nations communities. Canada’s bishops and their Indigenous partners in the Guadalupe Circle are calling for “a decarceration plan” —...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
“In the prolonged silent prayer we make each day, we let ourselves be molded by the Lord, and find in him the inspiration of our conduct” (OMI Rule of Life, 33). The practice of Oraison was an important part of St. Eugene’s daily prayer during which he...
Today, in this Easter season, Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle, releases a reflection on the Covid-19 pandemic. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle is a Canadian Catholic coalition of Indigenous people, bishops, clergy, members of lay movements and male and female institutes of consecrated life...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what’s taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
‘The Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel’, as we read in Gaudium et spes. How do we interpret the signs of these extraordinary times? Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ asks...
1990 Role of Law Award Recipient Rev. Francis Morrisey, OMI Podcast Series 1 Episode 1 - Recorded on April 21, 2020 Father Francis Morrisey is a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A professor at St. Paul University for many years, he is...
Oblates and Associates are responding across the country, creating new means to meet new needs of the time. Here are a few stories about what's taking place across the Province. Throughout these weeks, we hope our sharing helps us to maintain connection, bridge the distances,...
Vatican City, Apr 22, 2020 / 07:00 pm MT (CNA).- The Vatican has released a free online prayer book to help Catholics seeking divine assistance amid the coronavirus crisis. The 192-page book is available for download on the website of the Vatican’s publishing house, the Libreria...
Pictured left: Cardinal Francis George, OMI, speaking at the Lumen Christi Institute. Throughout his time as Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal George was a strong supporter of the Institute. (Photo courtesy of Lumen Christi). Central to the vision of Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., who blessed the founding...
A new section on the OMI Lacombe Canada website entitled “Safeguarding'' is now available. The page will give easy access to those looking for information on the steps taken by OMI Lacombe Canada to ensure the safe and ethical practice of our ministry. A copy...
In the face of the global pandemic known as COVID-19, OMI Lacombe Canada Provincial Council has created a COVID-19 Working Group. This group will seek to empower and support Oblates and Associates in responding faithfully and creatively to the particular needs of this time. The Working...
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — Pope Francis has named the head of the missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in the Philippines as bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo in Sulu province, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Saturday. The appointment of...
Pictured left: A parishioner in Worcester, Massachusetts, picks up palms April 5 outside Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Palm Sunday during the coronavirus pandemic. (CNS/Reuters/Brian Snyder) This week is the most important week in Christianity, a series of holy days that together tell the Christian account...
As the coronavirus continues to ravage the English-speaking world, Austen Ivereigh interviews the pope about his personal response to the pandemic, and the church that must emerge on the other side of the crisis: Toward the end of March I suggested to Pope Francis that this...
Archbishop Richard Smith on the Lac Ste Anne cancellation. ...
Reflections on resurrection from participants of the October 2019, Amazon Synod As the coronavirus spreads across the world, we are reminded yet again of our interconnectedness on this, our Common Home. Where one part of the human family is hurting, others are sure to follow in...
The Vital Grandin Centre in St. Albert, AB on the north end of Edmonton, has been a part of our Oblate story in Canada since 1877, when the Grey Nuns graciously gifted the property to the first bishop of the diocese, +Vital Grandin. It was...
The Corona virus spreads disease by copying itself from one person to another resulting in sickness and isolation. At Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples we are spreading good news with technology’s ability to copy itself to people all around Canada. Since the time of...
Though written for a US audience, Russell Moore reminds us that now more than ever, we must remember that human life, no matter the stage, is sacred. Christianity teaches that every single human life is valuable, even during a pandemic When it's suggested that lives should be...
A growing and perhaps unexpected awareness for us at Qu'Appelle House of Prayer (Day Three of Self Isolation) is the potential of this time to be connected in ways that we don't always experience when not practicing physical distancing. Physical separation need not be social...
Some Oblates experience the call to the religious life, to a life of service and community, but not to the priesthood. Though small in number in our congregation, Oblate brothers witness to something fundamental about our vocation. The 33rd General Chapter Document (1998) reminds us...
Greetings, On the feast of Saint Joseph, the General Committee of the Oblate Brothers wishes to send you this letter. Saint Joseph is the protector of the Congregation and the patron of the Brothers Oblate. The New Testament talked only about St. Joseph’s dreams while sleeping. Joseph...
On Tuesday, March 17th, people in Red Deer and across North America celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, regardless of whether they are actually of Irish descent. It is therefore ironic that one of the Irish Canadians who accomplished a great deal in central and southern Alberta has been...
Greetings to all of you my brother Oblates and to the members of our Oblate family. I am here in Brazil in visitation and the Oblates here, also send their greetings. I send a short message now regarding the coronavirus COVID-19. I think it is...
Throughout the world many are suffering because of the Covid-19 virus. In these days of uncertainty and fear, we offer you this brief prayer. Let us pray for each other and for all people, remembering in a particular way those already sick, and those who are...
Like many others, I was deeply distressed to learn of the recent revelations concerning Jean Vanier. He was a person whom I much admired and about whom, on numerous occasions, I have written glowingly. So, the news about him shook me deeply. What’s to be...
Watch the story of Taylor Hyatt, a staff member for Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet TVNDY, and a lifelong advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities: TVNDY is a progressive, non-religious organization consisting of persons with disabilities and supporters who oppose euthanasia, assisted suicide, and other end-of-life...
When B.C.’s Catholic schools decided to recognize contributions to Catholic education with a new award, it was obvious who the inaugural recipient should be: the religious order for which the award was named. The Sisters of St. Ann, who have devoted lifetimes of service in education,...
Download the PDF Introduction: The source for Oblate statistics is the database of members in the General Secretariat at the General House, updated and adjusted with reports which come in from the various Oblate provinces, delegations and missions. The records of first vows, final vows, ordinations, departures...
Pictured left: Drummers from the parish of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Aboriginal Church perform at St. Boniface Cathedral. WINNIPEG -- The Paradis brothers — Francois and Edmond — somehow knew they were destined for the life of an Oblate missionary. Of course, having an uncle, Fr. Alphonse Paradis,...
The new year of 2020 began with my arrival in Nairobi with Ken Thorson, OMI for my first visit to the Kenya Mission. As I began to travel around the various parishes our members serve, the mental images I carried from National Geographic and other...
Speaking after the Angelus, Pope Francis said indifference to the Holocaust is 'not admissible'. Pope Francis has stated that in the face of the huge tragedy and atrocity of the Holocaust, "indifference is not admissible and memory is a must". Speaking after the Angelus yesterday in St...
Pictured left: Facilitator Michelle Miller, Oblate Frs. Fernando Velasquez and Ken Thorson prepare to address the group. 25 Oblates (five each from U.S. and from the three provinces of Canada) gathered at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Canada, the third week of September 2019...
Pictured left: Ursuline Sisters in Thailand: Sr. Jantana Wonsankakorn says that her experiences of living with elder sisters has created a feeling of being one family. This month, panelists from Australia, East and West Africa, Spain and Thailand reflected on some of the issues involved in...
The Oblates of the Province of OMISA are devastated at the death of Fr. Jozef (Jef) HOLLANDERS. Fr Jef seems to have been strangled to death in a robbery at the parish in Bodibe, near Mahikeng in the North West Province on Sunday night, 12...
But Francis also offers a sober analysis of a number of global problems and challenges in annual address to ambassadors Early in his pontificate Pope Francis acknowledged that an essential part of his mission as Bishop of Rome is to confirm his brothers and sisters not...
The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be celebrated 18 to 25 January 2020 on the theme "They showed us unusual kindness" (Acts 28:2). The resources in English and in French can be freely downloaded from the Canadian website for the Week of...
And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. 'But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. (Lk 1:28-29) Pondering In the world of separation and divorce, one is greeted by much...
In the spring of 2012, during a time of discernment for new ministry, Fr. Tony O’Dell and I visited St. Patrick parish, in the inner city of Hamilton, ON, “incognito” for a Sunday Mass. At some point I said to Fr. Tony, “If we come...
The members of the Saskatchewan District gathered at Queen’s House in Saskatoon December 6 and 7 for their “Community Days”. Oblates and Associates came together to pray, share life, catch up on the news and celebrate our Feast Day (a couple of days early!) District Superior...
Montréal, le 12 décembre 2019 – Dans le cadre de la présente année internationale des langues autochtones, proclamée par l’Organisation des Nations Unies en 2019, le conseil Église et Société de l’Assemblée des évêques catholiques du Québec (AECQ) publie un document intitulé Prier en langue...
ad vitam - The webzine of consecrated life in Canada The Canadian Religious Conference is proud to launch its new publication, ad vitam, a webzine and a window into consecrated life in Canada. Featuring articles and audio-visual media, ad vitam proposes theological and pastoral reflections on...
Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate Bishop in Western Canada Biography Bishop Ovide Charlebois was born in Oka in Québec, Canada, on February 17, 1862. He was educated at the College de L’Assomption (Quebec) and Ottawa College. Joining the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1883,...
On Wednesday, November 20th, I was happy to join with the International Scholasticate community for mass. It was good to be back in the scholasticate chapel, where I prayed each morning and evening through 1994-1996. My next door neighbour during those years was Fr. Callistus...
Dialogue and reconciliation in the Middle East Let us pray that a spirit of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation emerge in the Middle East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.Pope Francis – November 2019In the Middle East, concord and dialogue among the three monotheistic religions...
The homily given by Fr. Fabio Ciardi, OMI during the Holy Mass at the General House in Rome on November 1, 2019 For us Oblates November 1 is an important day: every year it takes us back to Aix-en-Provence. If January 25 marks the beginning of...
Pictured left: Father Juan Antonio Guerrero (Credit: CNS photo/courtesy Society of Jesus.) The Vatican announce November 14, 2019, that Pope Francis named Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero, general counselor for the Society of Jesus, to lead the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, which had been headed...
As we journey towards the 2nd Oblate Lay Associations Congress - July 2021 Fr. Peter Stoll, OMI Councillor for Asia-Oceania Region Portfolio Lay Associations in the Internal Mission Committee To begin, I quote from the Introduction written by Fr. Louis Lougen OMI, the Superior General, to the revised Directory...
Pictured left: Archbishop Murray Chatlain said the attention brought to the Amazon Synod can only help conversations with the Indigenous peoples. (Kyle Greenham, Grandin Media file photo) The recent Amazon synod gave voice to Indigenous worldwide and that can only bode well for northern Canadian dioceses...
Vatican City — The Synod of Bishops for the Amazon is calling Catholics to an ecological conversion in their personal lives and in the church throughout the world, a theologian participating in the synod said. A church that walks together, as the word "synod" implies, "is...
Those hoping a recent change in the leadership of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops would lead to a change of heart about Pope Francis visiting Canada to apologize for the Church’s role in Canada’s former residential school system for indigenous people will have to...
Missionary spring in the Church In this extraordinary missionary month, let us pray that the Holy Spirit engender a new missionary spring in the Church. Pope Francis – October 2019 Today, a new impulse to the Church’s missionary activity is needed to face the challenge of proclaiming Jesus...
Neither the Liberals nor Conservatives get high marks from Deacon Rennie Nahanee, a member of the Squamish First Nation in B.C. Chrystal Désilets likes to remain hopeful when she hears promises flow from the mouths of would-be MPs on the campaign trail. But too often, particularly surrounding...
Pictured left: Archbishop Donald J. Bolen of Regina, Saskatchewan, speaks at a news conference with indigenous leaders from North America in Rome, Oct. 17, 2019. Members of the delegation spoke about their own challenges and connections to indigenous people from South America who are meeting...
[caption id="attachment_9761" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Front row, (L-R) Fr. Bogdan Osiecki, Fr. Luc Tardif, Fr. Alfred Ravelomampisandraibe, Fr. Gérard Tsatsélam, Bro. Steven Montez, Fr. Rémi Lepage, Fr. Ken Thorson, (Middle row, L-R) Fr. Jarek Pachocki, Fr. Louis Studer, Fr. Mark Blom, Fr. Daniel Janulewicz, Fr. Andrzej...
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION A new edition of Oblate Missiologists has been prepared for the October Extraordinary Mission Month requested by Pope Francis: Oblate Missiologists: A Workbook 2019. Seventeen authors from our five regions have contributed, and the editor, Fr. Harry WINTER, has added appendices on our six...
Pictured left: Brazilian Bishop Wilmar Santin of Itaituba speaks at a press briefing following a session of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican Oct. 10, 2019. Also pictured is Cristiane Murray, vice director of the Vatican Press Office. (CNS/Junno Arocho Esteves) Vatican...
Pictured left: The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will reveal the names of 2,800 children who died in residential schools at a ceremony in Ottawa on Monday. Visitors to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg can view a new exhibit called The...
Cornwall, Ontario – The Plenary Assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) elected the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg, as its next President, and the Most Reverend Raymond Poisson, Bishop of St-Jérôme, as its next Vice President. [caption id="attachment_9727" align="alignleft" width="113"] Archbishop...
Why is St Thérèse a patron saint of the missions? St Thérése’s Feast day is October 1st December 14, 1927 St. Thérése of the Child Jesus was proclaimed the special patron saint of missionaries, like St. Francis Xavier, although she never left her monastery. This is due to...
When Fr. Susai Jesu, OMI moved into the rectory at the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples in Edmonton’s inner-city core as the new pastor in August 2017, it was as if St. Eugene moved in with him – or at least his spirit. A...
In video message, Pope Francis warns world leaders at the UN summit that time is running out and urges them to take more decisive action Pictured left: Greta Thunberg, the 16-years-old climate activist from Sweden, attends the 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York. (Photo by...
Pictured left: Pope Francis talks with women religious during a Sept. 25, 2019, meeting at the Vatican with delegates of Talitha Kum. Pictured with the pope are Claretian Missionary Sister Jolanda Kafka, president of the International Union of Superiors General, and Comboni Sister Gabriella Bottani,...
Pictured left: Isidoro Jajoy, a shaman from Columbia's Inga tribe, blesses people in Bogota, Aug. 14 during a preparatory meeting for the October Synod of Bishops for the Amazon. (CNS/Manuel Rueda) The upcoming synod on the pan-Amazon region, a broad geographic area ranging over a number...
Pictured left: Archbishop Donald Bolen was recently interviewed by Canadian Catholic News about the upcoming Synod on the Amazon. He also spoke about the Synod and what it means for the Church in Canada at a Development and Peace event Sept. 14 at St. Thomas...
Those who turn ordained ministry into occupation 'lose the heart of ministry, lose the gaze of Jesus who looked upon all of us and told us Follow me' Pictured left: Pope Francis celebrates Mass in the chapel of his Vatican residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, Sept....
Pictured left: Sr. Helen Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille, who has worked in prison ministry and against the death penalty for decades, is pictured in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Jan. 21, 2016 (CNS/Paul Haring) St. Joseph Sr. Helen Prejean is known...
The 2019 Federal Election Guide, prepared by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops' (CCCB) Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace and published in the name of the Permanent Council, has been formatted for online sharing and includes hyperlinks directing the reader to further resources on...
Let us pray this month that politicians, scientists and economists work together to protect the world’s seas and oceans. Pope Francis – September 2019 Oceans contain the bulk of our planet’s water supply, and also most of the immense variety of living creatures, many of them are...
Pope Francis begins a three-nation visit to Africa later on Wednesday. It will be his fourth visit to the continent since he became the head of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013, compared to the two his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, made during his eight-year papacy. The...
Father Ken Thorson prepares to tackle challenges for historic missionary order [caption id="attachment_9511" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Rev. Warren Brown, General Councillor of Oblates US/Canada Region, blesses new members of OMI Lacombe Provincial Council: Fathers Ken Thorson, Richard Beaudette, Leszek Kwiatkowski, Jaroslaw Pachocki, Susai Jesu and Brother Harley...
Last Wednesday the first ship arrived to Naujaat and it brought the tomb stone for Fr. Louis Fournier, OMI. Last night, with some parishioners, we installed it on his grave. In Naujaat, the ground is solid rock so we don’t dig graves here. We put...
[caption id="attachment_9493" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Back row (L-R): Fr. Humphrey Milimo, OMI, Brandon Garcia, Mateusz Brzezinski, Prasad Marapogu, Musonda Chota, Mateusz Garstecki, Moses Khisa. Front row (L-R) Bro. Pat McGee, OMI, Christopher Din, Chomba Kangwa, Henry Zayamoe, Fr. Frank Kuczera, OMI.[/caption] Oblates and friends gathered at the...
On August 15th 2019, Oblates, Oblate Associates, parishioners, family and friends gathered at Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples in Edmonton for the installation of the new Provincial and Council of OMI Lacombe Canada. Fr. Warren Brown, General Councillor of the Canada/US Region presided and...
Pictured left: Sisters Phyllis Pawluk and Cecile Kimak say devotion to Mary at the St. Albert Pilgrimage has helped through life's tribulations. Cecile Kimak and Phyllis Pawluk are close. They share everything, including a devotion to the Virgin Mary that continues to help the Edmonton-area sisters survive...
Fumoleau came to the Northwest Territories in 1953, worked closely with the Dene Rene Fumoleau, a well-known priest, photographer and storyteller with a long history in the North, has died. Fumoleau had been living with dementia. He passed a few minutes before midnight on Tuesday, according to...
Br. Joseph Nzioka Kyuli, OMI - an OMI Lacombe Canada Oblate of the Kenya mission has professed his final vows today in South Africa where he has been studying theology. Frs. Fidele Munkiele and Cornelius Ngoka were present for the celebration. God bless you, your family,...
June 29 & 30 I arrived in Poznan on June 29 and was happy to be met at the airport by Fr. Lukasz Krauze, a cheerful Oblate who teaches homiletics at the Polish Scholasticate, and who accompanied me on my visit to Poland in October 2017....
Pictured left: Rev. Alfred Groleau, OMI applies oil to the casket of Bishop Vital Grandin. The remains of Bishop Grandin, Rev. Hippolyte Leduc and Rev. Albert Lacombe - three pioneers of the Church in Western Canada - have been laid to rest in new graves. The...
Pictured left: Rev. Jack Herklotz, the pastor of St. Charles Parish, will be moving to B.C. as the Oblates leave the north Edmonton Church. Credit Kyle Greenham, Grandin Media With vocations to the priesthood declining — and a call to renew their mission in Canada —...
[caption id="attachment_9290" align="aligncenter" width="937"] Congretional representatives of the Wisconsin Religious Collaborative, from left, are Srs. Jean Steffes, Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes; Sue Ernster, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration; Beverly Heitke, Sisters of the Divine Savior; Rose Jochmann, Sisters of St. Francis of...
Day 9: Regional Priorities After two days of retreat, it was once more time for the inter-capitulars to engage in dialogue regarding the implementation of the calls of the 36th General Chapter. The inter-chapter focuses not only on what has been achieved in the three years...
Day 3: Discussing the Regional Reports The third day of the Inter-Chapter had the Latin America region presenting to the session on their region. Frs José Ariel MARTINEZ and Jésus FUERTES presented the joys and the challenges of the Latin America region. The social problems and human...
CHRI Radio recently interviewed Fr. John Malazdrewich, OMI, pastor of Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish in Aylmer, Québec. ...
POLAND Rule 128e of our Constitutions and Rules directs that, “Between Chapters, the Superior General in Council, in plenary session, will call at least one meeting of the Provincials with the Central Government. After consulting the Provincials, he will determine the details of the convocation and...
An estimated 3,000 people attended the June 28-July 1 Catholic Family Life Conference at Lac Ste. Anne, setting a new record. A steady downpour could not dampen the spirits of thousands of Catholic families. For fathers, mothers, children and relatives, the annual Catholic Family Life Conference at...
Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network The Pope Video is a global initiative developed by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) to assist in the dissemination of the Holy Father’s monthly intentions related to the challenges the humanity faces. Every month Pope Francis invites us to follow him in...
Whether it’s a pilgrimage or a family vacation or simply a day trip, there are plenty of interesting spots across Canada to visit this summer that are linked to the history and heritage of Catholicism. The list is long, but we are offering a few suggestions...
The mandate of the Mission Co-operative Program is to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ in developing countries by: Providing food, clean water, clothing, medical and dental care and supplies, tuition, school supplies, and literacy training to those in need in developing countries; Supporting the...
The Oblate Committee for Mission with Youth met from May 28 to June 5, at the General House in Rome. Representing each Region were: Fr. Christian FINI (Coordinator), Fr. Claudio CARLEO (Africa-Madagascar), Fr. Antonio D’AMORE (Europe), Fr. Marcin SERWIN (United States-Canada), Fr. Patrick OLIVEIRA (Latin...
It's National Indigenous People's Day! Check out this gc.ca site to learn about the day and see what's happening near you....
A tribute to Fr. Frank, whose ministry has been to bring hope to those on the periphery through his expertise in Canon Law. Watch this video produced for Fr. Frank's Lifetime Achievement Award by the Catholic Healthcare Association. ...
Dedicated individuals from Italy, Germany, Ireland, Poland, United States, Rome and Canada (members of the Global Oblate Fundraisers [GOF]) met in Saskatoon June 9 – 12. Members from Australia were unable to attend. The GOF, a service of the General Administration in Rome working with...
Surrounded by family and friends and his oblate community, Cosmas Kithinji Kubai OMI, was ordained a priest in a joy filled celebration on June 8th at the minor seminary in Nkubu, Kenya . The next day he celebrated his mass of thanksgiving; his first mass,...
Papal diplomats are also warned not to backstab the pope Pictured left: Pope Francis is greeted by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, at a meeting with papal representatives (Vatican media) Apostolic nuncios should focus on proclaiming the Gospel and shun abuses of power and corruption...
No Room in the Inn has raised $1,028,493.15 since it was started by the Edmonton District Council of Churches It started with Edmonton churches asking “How can we help?” The answer has been No Room in the Inn, an annual ecumenical appeal that over 20 years has...
Every year, Fr Morrisey delivers the Canon Law workshops at the Oblate Retreat Centre, Wistaston Hall, Crewe for those of us in Ireland, Britain and Scotland. We are always appreciative for the knowledge, wisdom and understanding that Frank imparts to all of us at these...
Pictured left: Sr. Rita Woehlcke, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia and vice president of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious, or NACAR, works with facilitators to articulate NACAR's purpose at the group's board meeting in November 2018. (Courtesy of NACAR) If current...
The pope expressed 'spiritual closeness and prayer' to representatives of various faiths jointly commemorating D-Day Pictured left: Veterans hold the Union Jack as they pay their respects during a ceremony marking D-Day at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayeux in Bayeux, Normandy, France, June 6,...
A letter from Fr. Cornelius Ngoka, OMI, marking the conclusion of the year of Oblate Vocations. ...
Enjoy an article from Oblate Connections Ireland. The article among other things mentions Con Scollen’s great respect for Indian languages. In Leon Doucet’s memoirs he speaks of Scollen: Doucet relates, “I had to go to Saint-Paul-des-Cris and Brother Scollen, who spoke Cree very well, had to accompany...
General Administration With the consent of his Council meeting in Plenary Session on May 9, 2019, the Superior General has appointed Fr. Mokone Joseph RATHAKOA as the Superior of the OMI General House in Rome, and Fr. Henricus Asodo ISTOYO as the Superior of the Eugene...
In Naujaat, Nunavut, for the past few years, Fr. Daniel Szwarc, OMI has encouraged the young people to reflect on the tragedy of drug use and the high suicide rate in Nunavut to help the youth to make better choices and support those suffering from...
The second year of the existence of the courses in Oblate Studies at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio is drawing to a close. What a gift this has been! Our first Master of Arts Spirituality (Oblate Studies) student to have completed the degree...
When the sun rises in this remote region of northern Kenya at 6 a.m., it is a new dawn for Missionary Sr. Lilly Manavalan. Her day starts with a trek for over an hour across a deep valley to reach the streets where she can...
Dear Brother Oblates and all our Brothers and Sisters living the Oblate Charism, The feast of St. Eugene de Mazenod always brings us the renewed desire to live more faithfully as he insisted: with charity among us and zeal for the salvation of souls. May this...
Vanier's friends, who wanted to honor his memory, did so by highlighting various aspects of his life that touched them An intimate funeral for Jean Vanier took place on May 16 at Trosly-Breuil in the Oise region where he founded l'Arche in August 1964. Jean Vanier, who...