Where your road leads you
Some days I still marvel at the fact that I am pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Ottawa. It sometimes even borders of disbelief! The journey to here has been a long and convoluted one.
After high school, I entered the diocesan seminary in Edmonton, my home diocese. I spent three years at the University of Alberta getting a degree and then went on to study theology at Newman Theological College. Growing up in Vegreville, I had some passing acquaintance with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. My hometown was named for an Oblate missionary, Fr. Valentine Vegreville, OMI. Several families in Vegreville had relatives who were Oblates, and they would often visit family and celebrate in the parish. Being an altar server, I often served Mass for them. However, there was never any real strong connection to the Oblates or any great desire to become one. I was focused on the diocesan priesthood.
After the first year of Theology at Newman, the Oblates of St. Mary’s Province moved their scholasticate to St. Albert and the scholastics of St. Paul’s Province moved from Ottawa to Edmonton. Suddenly, I was surrounded by Oblates, studying with them, sharing recreation and meals and getting to know the members of the scholasticate communities. However, I was still convinced that wasn’t the life for me, even stating at one point that “the last thing I would ever be is an Oblate”. God has a great sense of humour!
Halfway through my fourth (final) year of theology, I made the decision to leave the seminary and ended up farming for four years. During that time, the Oblates I came to know during our years studying together continued to remain in touch. They often stopped at the farm for a visit while driving along the highway and made sure that I knew I was always welcome to stop by for a meal or a visit if I was in Edmonton. As time went on, I began to feel called once again to ministry. Reflecting on that inner draw, I realized two things about the Oblates: their sense of community, their way of living together and the obvious joy they had in being together were very attractive and something that I wanted in my life. The fact that they ministered in remote places, among the poor, were missionaries was also a plus. I remembered my fascination as a child reading the stories of missionaries in the early centuries of our country and around the world. I became more and more attracted to the Oblates and the Oblate way of life.
One day, while visiting in Edmonton, one of the young Oblates asked me a question – a very direct one: “When are you going to give in and join us?” My response was a bit cheeky: “When are you going to give in and give me the application forms?” I went home to the farm that evening with an envelope full of paper!
After some praying and reflecting, I decided to fill out the applications and send them in. As they say, the rest is history; before I knew it I was in the novitiate and now forty years later I am an Oblate serving at St. Joseph’s in Ottawa, after 31 years in Northern British Columbia and the Yukon and a few years in Edmonton. I’ve learned never to say “never” and to always be ready to follow the road wherever it may lead, as it leads to a life I could never have imagined for myself.
By Richard Beaudette, OMI