News & Views Assumption Province

Transcription

1 News & Views Assumption Province In this way, he hoped the sculpture would better relate to youth and students Page 19 A Message from the Provincial About a year ago, I shared with you a story about an oak tree which grew behind our garage at the provincial house. At that time, a professional tree remover decided to inspect the 100 yearold oak tree which had withered branches. This story reminds us about the parable of a fig tree that does not bring fruit (Lk 13, 6-8). As it was in the biblical story, the same happened to the oak tree which overshadowed our garage. It was left for a year to regain its life. Unfortunately after this period of time, the tree not only didn t show any new signs of life but completely withered. Contents Page 3 Holy Land Pilgrimage Page 4 Wilno Chicken Dinner Page 6 Br. Zapadka Jubilee Page 7 Fr. Gioppato Jubilee Page 8 Brampton Marian Feast Page 9 Br. Karchut s Vow Renewal Page 10 St. Maximilian Kolbe Groundbreaking Page 12 MAMI Edmonton Page 13 Come and See Page 14 Holy Rosary 100 th Jubilee Page 16 St. Peter & Paul Jubilee Page 18 Bible Contest Page 19 Thanksgiving Dinner Page 20 Fr. Nosowicz s 50 th Birthday Page 21 Unveiling Br. Anthony Statue Page 22 Fr. Ratajczak Update Page 23 Fr. Nyrek Update Page 24 Br. P. Patrick Update Page 26 Advent Retreat Preachers "Your destiny is to be apostles, and so tend within your hearts the sacred fire that the Holy Spirit lights there..." - St. Eugene de Mazenod -

2 Below, you can see a few pictures showing the process of removal of this tree, which can also symbolize passing away of material things. The month of November gives us an opportunity to ponder on the mystery of the passing world around us and upon our own spiritual life. Just recently, I heard the following statement that "today people live more by time than by a compass conscience", which means that we live more by what is happening around us instead of what is really happening inside of us. The process of preparation for the 200th anniversary of our congregation gives us this opportunity to go deeper in our spiritual life and see what are the driving forces that inspire our religious life and our ministry. 2

3 A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land In August 18 th 28 th, I took part in an international prayer meeting in the Holy Land. The gathering was organized by an ecumenical-prayer movement called Maranatha. The founder of this movement is Andre- Joseph Leonard, Archbishop of Brussels and Primate of Belgium. The Archbishop explained the goal of Maranatha as: Humanity is sick and in need of conversion. In working with a group of truly motivated lay people, it has become very important to me to start a prayer movement for the renewal of faith, to heal the heart and humanity. It is an international ecumenical movement to unite Christians of different denominations. We are convinced that only God can save us from the abyss and restore our hope. We named this movement Maranatha, inspired by the second to last verse of the bible: Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation John 22:20). The goal of this meeting was to pray for the healing of the hearts and for the support of Christians living there, who are a minority in Israel and do not feel safe. Vicka Ivankovic Mijatovic, a woman living in Medjugorje, was present at the gathering. She is one of the people who has apparitions of the Mother of God. Mary comes to her every day for the past 33 years. There were 550 people present from around the world. During the day we visited holy places. In the evenings, we would gather together and pray the rosary and celebrate the Eucharist. It was during this time, while we prayed the rosary, that Mary would reveal herself. There were more than 2,500 faithful present at the apparition and prayer in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. About 20 priests concelebrated, headed by bishop Maruzzo of Nazareth and Leonardo. Vicka said that the Mother of God was overjoyed by the crowd gathered and blessed everyone present. I would like to underline Vicka s focus during the apparition and prayer. You could see her joy, devotion to prayer and the incredible strength that only God can give. During our stay in Jerusalem, we celebrated holy mass in the garden of Gethsemane. It was celebrated by Archbishop Leonard in a very humble and focused manner. It is not hard to see in him a man full of culture and deep faith. After meeting him, I now know why he is hated by certain environments in Belgium. During the apparition itself, Vicka as always was surrounded by a crowd of faithful an standing facing the direction of Jerusalem. Everyone could see the joy in her face as Mary revealed herself. I thank God that I could participate in this pilgrimage. Visiting holy places where the most important religious events took place, where Jesus saved us from sin and evil, strengthened my relationship with Jesus and Mary. A new experience for me was meeting a visionary from Medjugorje. We know that the apparitions are not yet approved by the Magisterium of the Church. Seeing Vicka in full joy, true faith and serenity shows that this person is devoted to God. Her message communicated by Mary, which I was able to hear, is consistent with the spirit of the Gospel. It teaches humility and trust that Jesus Christ came into the world to bring salvation to sinners, of whom I am the first. 3

4 St. Mary s Parish Annual Chicken Supper Towards the end of summer vacation each year and just prior to the Labour Day long weekend of September, the parishioners of St. Mary s Parish in Wilno, Ontario, begin preparations to host a huge crowd of visitors who gather for the Annual Chicken Dinner. The meal is served on the Sunday afternoon of that weekend to a crowd usually numbering between 1900 and 2000 people. It is a homecoming of sorts for former parishioners and children of families who have moved to neighbouring cities for school or work and they come back home to work at the meal; to volunteer their time; to visit with family or just for the fabulous home-cooked meal as part of tradition. Planning for this event begins almost as soon as the previous year s meal concludes and much work has taken place by the convener and volunteers from the parish along with the parish priest. The Chicken Dinner is a tradition which has occurred every year for over 75 years. It had relatively modest beginnings initiated by the parish priest around the year 1936 to celebrate the bounty of God s blessings at harvest time. It was meant primarily as a gathering for parishioners of the then St. Stanislaus Parish. They brought what they could to share and celebrate amongst each other. After the destruction of St. Stanislaus Church by fire in 1939, the then pastor, Fr. Edward Wilowski, initiated the event as a means of raising funds for the construction of a new edifice for worship which would become St Mary s Church, formally dedicated as Kosciol N.M.P. Krolowej Korony Polski. Parishioners were expected to bring for donation all of the materials that would be needed to feed visitors who would pay for their meal. Of course, the building of the church and the infancy of the event were taking place during very difficult times in world history. The Great Depression as well as World War II meant that people had little of their own but yet the means was found to share with others. Each family was expected to bring a certain quota, for instance: five chickens, a bag of potatoes or carrots, cabbages, desserts, etc. Initially, it was not just a meal of chicken; other meats were also contributed and it wasn t until later that it was established as a Chicken Dinner. The fundraising aspect of the meal has not changed over the years and it still remains as one of the major sources of income for the parish. Parishioners continue to contribute as much as possible today for the 4

5 meal in produce they have raised through the year or financially. Games of chance and draw tickets that feature articles or prizes have also been given as donations. It is not just the physical structure or financial well-being that is built and nurtured through this workingbee. Fr. Wilowski was a wise person who must have realized there was more to the four and five days when people gathered to volunteer their time and work in the basement of the church. It is the spiritual church and the social life of the community that is fed by the sweat and time so freely given by the two hundred or so volunteers. In some cases they are the sixth and seventh generations of the original families of Polish-Kashub settlers that immigrated to this area in the 1850 s. They work side by side with more recent Polish and non-polish residents sharing more than just their time but perhaps a word or two in each other s language along with a song or two. Visitors arrive early on this day, many as early as 10 am for the Mass which is regularly celebrated in Polish. The meal starts at 1:00 pm and continues until 6:00 pm and volunteers don t leave for home until all is cleaned up afterward. Many visitors have been attending as a family tradition for as long as they remember. Some drive in for the weekend from neighboring cities; Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Ottawa, Montreal and occasionally even from the U.S.A. By the time the event concludes around 8:00 pm, many of the volunteers have now been present in the church basement over a period of four or more days; working, laughing, sharing and giving back of the bounty they believe has been given them in God s generous blessings. Visiting clergy, as well as new pastors who come to St. Mary s are surprised if not shocked by the community in action : God s Spirit, alive in the people of Wilno and of St. Mary s Parish. 5

6 Silver Jubilee of Brother Roman Zapadka OMI On September 7 th, 2013 Bro. Roman Zapadka OMI celebrated the 25 th anniversary of his First Vows. We wish Bro. Roman many God s blessings on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee. May the Good Lord grant him an abundance of graces and our Blessed Mother always protect him. Thank you Bro. Roman for your very important ministry with the sick and abandoned. It is your service and presence among them that gives them hope and comfort in their time of need. Br. Roman Zapadka OMI renewing his vows 6

7 Golden Jubilee of Father Peter Gioppato OMI On September 8 th, 2013 Fr. Peter Gioppato OMI celebrated the 50 th anniversary of his First Vows. We extend our deepest gratitude to Fr. Peter for his service as pastor of Holy Angels Parish. His hard work and dedication are appreciated not just by his parish community but by all his Oblate brothers. We wish Fr. Peter many of God s graces and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in his personal and religious life. Fr. Peter Gioppato OMI with his family 7

8 On the second Sunday of September, the annual celebrations for the Feast of Our Lady of Ludzmierz took place in Brampton. This year s festivities coincided with the 50 th anniversary of the coronation of Our Lady of Ludzmierz. The jubilee mass was celebrated by and the homily was preached by Monsignor Andrzej Baczynski from Poland. The Feast was preceded by Brampton s Marian days, which began September 4 th, During the celebrations, a film entitled The Millennium Project in Brampton was screened, showing the devotion to Mary which has strongly evolved in the Brampton community. Daily prayers during the Marian Tridium were accompanied by a Marian procession with candles and concluded with the Apel Jasnogorski. The feast celebrations began on Saturday with prayers at Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton. There was also a theatrical performance which brought us closure to St. Maximilian Kolbe. Saturday s events were concluded with a Marian midnight mass, celebrated by Bishop Matthew Ustrzycki. On Sunday, during the festive high mass, we blessed seeds to sow and concluded with another procession around the church. Music was provided by the parish choir Quo Vadis, the children s choir Hosanna, the music group Camarata and the brass band from St. Maximilian Kolbe parish in Mississauga. During the homily of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Msgr. Baczynski explained the history of the devotion to Our Lady of Ludzmierz and its meaning. He also stressed that it was the love for Mary, love for our native country and love of our ancestor s heritage that built this beautiful church in Brampton. Following the celebrations, visitors and parishioners took part in a parish picnic in Our Lady of Ludzmierz park. Fr. Wojciech Kurzydlo OMI Feast of Our Lady of Ludzmierz in Brampton 8

9 Brother Dawid Karchut s Vow Renewal The renewal of vows ceremony was a quaint and solemn celebration at the Madonna retirement house in San Antonio with many local Oblates and other guests in attendance. Fr. Art Flores presided. The school year has gotten off to a rapid start and it's full steam ahead. I am also directing a young Oblate associates group at San Juan de Los Lagos parish here in San Antonio. My ministry as notary at the archdiocesan marriage tribunal office began last week and is rather exciting. I will be reviewing second instance cases next semester. I also began doing research for my Master s Thesis on the sacramentality of marriage, which I plan to complete this May. Plans for next year: The perpetual vow retreat would be August 5-25, 2014 in Aix en Provence. If everything goes well my internship program would take place in 2014/15. Typically, it runs from the first week of September to the first week of May. I will have two semesters to complete my studies after internship. Usually, perpetual vows are professed at the end of August to beginning of September after internship. Diaconate ordination in November and priestly ordination in May or June. All this in the same school year following the internship. Please keep me in your prayers! 9

10 St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Catechetical Centre Groundbreaking Many of the last working farms of Mississauga closed their doors years ago, but the soil is still being turned in search of good fruits. On September 15th, St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish began the preparation for its extraordinary Jubilee year with a soil turning ceremony for its new Catechetical Centre. The Centre will add to the other rooms in the Church in assisting in the teaching of hundreds of children and youth for First Communion and Confirmation, preparing parents and godparents for their childrens Baptism, hosting the RCIA program and the tens of participants every year, and offering more space for marriage preparation, parish organizational meetings, society gatherings and special presentations to the faithful. Our church building has been a patient witness to our vibrant faith community. Currently with four priests and a deacon, eight Sunday Mass celebrations in two languages, and nearly 14 thousand families, we ve come a long way since the Holy Name of Mary High School gymnasium and Fr. Bak going through the phone book looking for our first parishioners. 2013: Mr. Henry Lopinski, Mayor Hazel McCallion,Pastor Fr. Janusz Blazejak, Provincial Fr. Marian Gil 1983: Pastor Fr. Stan Bak, Mayor Hazel McCallion, Provincial Fr. John Mazur Our Catechetical Centre will continue in our tradition of spiritual formation. This formation has not just been for the practicing laity, but we have seen several calls to ordination and the consecrated life in the last 34 years of the parish, many adult baptisms and many more returns to full communion with the Church. Everything has worked together to turn the soil and give us new opportunities for growth. The nature of the Oblates, their work with and patience for the poorest, and their terms of service in our parish have meant that they have encouraged us to be good stewards of our community. They have come with fresh perspectives and ideas from other parishes, countries and continents. And our love for them is clear. Our parish has a definite missionary flavor, and many have been guided to our doors to participate in the faith life, by the simple fact that we ve had a workshop for unwed couples or talk about a saint. We re also grateful that the city has been very accommodating on street processions, building adjustments and parking enhancements. (An interesting fact to note, our mayor, Hazel McCallion was present at our church groundbreaking in 1983, as she was 30 years later for our Catechetical Centre!) The hope with everything we do is to respond to God s love with fruitful praise and worship. In addition to the Catechetical Centre, our community has set a few goals that will help us grow and to focus. We ve planned a historical book to remember our founding families and the work put into building our community in the past 30 years. We re planning several preached retreats and a special children s retreat for Lent, pilgrimages, and additions to our property. In addition to writing and art contests surrounding the impact the parish has had on us in the next months, we will also evolve our web site and offer more materials to groups and individuals for use in their faith lives and for our parish organizations. 10

11 We started this preparatory year with a presentation by the Franciscan Fathers on the life and charism of St. Maximilian Kolbe. In St. Francis way, Kolbe looked at the brothers who God gave him and then he used them to the best of their abilities. It became clear that Maximilian Kolbe turned the soil by his actively overturning what he saw as wrong in the world and building anew on fallow ground. Maximilian Kolbe s life was an example that every step we take actually leads to God if our hearts and hands are open to God s will. The one unifying image was: since God acts all around us, all we need to do is cooperate and miracles will happen! In our coming year and always, we ask for your prayers that we may be blessed stewards of God s Word and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in building a fruitful place in Mississauga. Adalbert Andrew Opala, Member St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Council 11

12 MAMI Fundraising in Edmonton We, the Friends of the Oblate Missions in Edmonton, to the extent of our capabilities and thanks to the big hearts, generosity and prayers of our members, are able to help 20 missionaries around the world. Already this year, we have sent over $20,000 and we still hope to help more people in need in the next few months. As you can see on the pictures, the ladies have to work very hard, but thanks to God, we don t lack any energy or enthusiasm! 12

13 Come and See Weekend On the weekend of October 4-6 there took place another "Come and See" weekend for young men to experience the life and ministry of Oblates. This time we gathered at our joint pre-noviciate house at Bishop Falon Residence, adjacent to Holy Angels Parish in Buffalo. The community of the pre-noviciate consists of superior Fr. Richard Sudlik, OMI, assistant Fr. Quillin Bouzi, OMI and six young men discerning and studying philosophy at D'Youville College. For the "Come and See" weekend, four vocation directors; three from the US Province, and myself, from Assumption Province. All of us came accompanied with young men in the process of discernment of their vocation. Together we had 9 young men from all over North America including one from our Oblate parish in Canada. The weekend consisted, as it usually does, with prayers together and lots of community interaction of the young men with pre-novices which really is a crucial part where the peer to peer ministry happens. The next "Come and See" will be be at the same location, at the pre-noviciate house in Buffalo. We will have it on the first weekend of April Young men from our communities pondering their vocation are invited to participate. Young men are also able to visit the pre-noviciate at any time during the year. If you have such a case, please let me know or contact them with me to arrange the encounter with our prenovitiate community. Assuring you of my prayers and pleading for yours in the intention of vocations and our young people. In Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate. Fr. Mietek Burdzy, OMI 13

14 100 th Anniversary of Holy Rosary Parish in Edmonton Hanging above the main doors of Holy Rosary Parish in Edmonton, is a banner with the following words: TRWAJMY W WIERZE OJCÓW/REMAIN IN OUR FATHERS FAITH. This was the theme chosen to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the parish and it has allowed parishioners to reflect upon their beginnings, to celebrate their present and to look upon the future with much hope and promise. Preparations leading up to the Jubilee of the parish were both physical and spiritual in nature. Throughout the course of the year, the church was beautifully renovated for the parish centennial. This would not have happened without the many generous donations from parish and Polonia organizations, and to endless donated manpower hours. Spiritual preparations of the parish began on September, , just prior to the 100th anniversary celebrations, with a seven day Holy Mission. This mission, led by Fr. Tomasz Krzesik, OMI, was very well received. It provided an opportunity for spiritual renewal, and a new understanding of Christian identity. A Jubilee mission cross was erected at the back of the church on the last day of the Holy Mission. Then, on October 6, 2013, a warm and sunny autumn day, past and present parishioners, along with their pastor, Fr. Andrzej Sowa, OMI and assistant pastor, Fr. Jozef Sikora, OMI, joined together with Archbishop Richard Smith, as main celebrant in a Mass of Thanksgiving. Concelebrating in the Mass were Fr. Provincial, Marian Gil, OMI, former priests of Holy Rosary Parish Fr. Roman Majek, OMI, Fr. Kazimierz Kozicki, OMI, Fr. Władysław Karciarz, OMI, Fr. Stanisław Błaszkowski, Fr. Casimir Krystowiak, OMI, as well as a number of guest Polish priests from the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton. 14

15 The church, filled to capacity for this momentous and joyous occasion, was a testimony of the parishioners deep faith and love. A large screen was set up in the church hall for the overflow crowd to allow everyone to participate in the celebration. In his homily, Archbishop Smith spoke of the uniqueness of Polish Catholicism, of the strong ties that the Polish people have to the church and of how their deep faith is inseparable from their traditions, heritage and daily life. He reminded all gathered to continue to bear witness to their faith and to follow the example of deep devotion displayed by their countryman, Blessed John Paul II, whose statue stands in front of the church. Archbishop Smith also spoke of a visit to Poland, where, at an outdoor Mass during a rain storm, the faithful knelt in the mud during the consecration, and how moved he was by their example of strong faith, reverence and devotion. Close to 500 people, including Fr. Mieczysław Fidyka, a former priest at Holy Rosary, Fr. Tomasz Krzesik, OMI, Fr. Andrzej Stendzina,OMI, Fr. Adam Lech, the chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton and five Polish diocesan priests, gathered at the Polish Hall for the sold out Gala Banquet immediately following the Jubilee Mass. One parishioner, Mr. Joe Fridel, had something special to celebrate. His father was one of the founders of the parish and his parents were the first couple to be married at the church back in Archbishop Smith was given the honour of cutting the first piece of the anniversary cake. Entertainment during the banquet was provided by the Lowicz Polish Folklore Ensemble and the Watra Polish Highlanders Dance Ensemble. Barbara Filipowski 15

16 100 th Anniversary of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Welland The 100 th anniversary of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Welland was celebrated on October 6 th, 2013 with a very solemn Mass of Thanksgiving for the first hundred years and a banquet. Below are a few pictures from the event and an article written about the parish and its history, in the Welland Tribune prior to the event. 16

17 Sts. Peter and Paul Parish withstand the test of time WELLAND - A Roman Catholic parish in south Welland celebrates its 100th anniversary this weekend. It s a proud milestone, many say. It s a miracle, others believe. Sts. Peter and Paul parish, 300 Chaffey St., is one of the city s ethnic faith communities. Masses and other liturgies are celebrated in Polish and English. The Polish community here in town goes back to the early 1900s. The local historian and author William H. Lewis provided an account of their history in Volume 3 of his trilogy, Aqueduct, Merrittsville and Welland, A History of the City of Welland. Here s an excerpt that helps set the scene for the pioneering Catholic parish: The original members of what was to become Welland s Polish community arrived in , not from Europe, but from the United States. Some were from Buffalo, where a large Polish population was located, and others from Detroit. Later, in 1910, the first settlers arrived from Europe. Many of the immigrants obtained jobs in the town s industries, especially Page-Hersey and to be near their work, took up residence in the neighbourhoods south of Ontario Rd. Welland s second Roman Catholic church, Sts. Peter and Paul church, was established on Beatrice St. in the early years of the 20th century for those in the area of Polish background In the 1950s, Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Elementary School was opened, a stone s throw from the church, which had become an anchor in the tight-knit, blue collar, ethnic community. Polish and English-speaking priests of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) have ministered at the church since its beginning, and members of the Felician Sisters and lay teachers staffed the school. There are many red-letter days in the parish s history, which is well documented on the website A historical section from 1913 to the current year provides a detailed record of all facets of church life: baptisms, funerals, weddings, Confirmation, First Holy Communion, meetings and more. It s an amazing compilation, one that has required hundreds and hundreds of hours of meticulous updating, no doubt. Many Wellanders will remember that St. Pete s, as it is called with fondness, went through a top to bottom interior renovation in Here s an entry (April 23) from the website: The official signing of the contract with Bromac Construction for the renovation took place. The masses were then celebrated in the parish hall while construction took place. Then, on Sept. 22, the official blessing of the renovated church was held during the 10 a.m. mass with Bishop John O Mara officiating. It was a day of great pride and celebration for the parish community. But, tragedy struck less than three months later. The website describes it in large red letters: The church was destroyed by a devastating fire. Words in smaller type announce: Parishioners were grateful that the tabernacle and some artifacts were salvaged. Longtime and new parishioners were saddened by the blow. And many, many neighbourhood residents and others across the city who weren t attendees shared in their sorrow. It was a rallying time. The parishioners would not accept the fire being the end of their cherished place of worship and community. On Jan. 25, 1997, parishioners met to discuss what the future held in store. In July, parishioners and architect Raffaelle Belevedere met with the city s committee of adjustment to obtain permission to rebuild the church with relief from zoning bylaws of parking space and yard space. On July 29, 1997, the parish received final approval from the committee to rebuild the church. On May 9, 1998, the sod-turning was held and on Dec. 13, more than 350 parishioners and guests filled the new church for the official blessing at 11 a.m. mass. Though the new church is just around the corner from the one destroyed by the inferno, a new building had risen from those ashes, many people said. Many, many donations some large, others small contributed to making the project a reality. One that is documented on the website attests to the spirit of community that had engulfed the project: In November 1997, nearby All People s United Church hosted a turkey dinner for the St. Pete s building fund. The dinner was sponsored by its Community Outreach Program Ecumenical (CORE) and showed the generosity of our neighbours in supporting the building of our new church, the website entry says. The dinner raised $2,010. Many Catholics were surprised that a new church would be built in Welland during a time of empty pews and declining attendance and participation in church life. But the faith of the Sts. Peter and Paul parishioners was strong and their wishes prevailed. The parish is served by Oblate Father Stan Bijak and a permanent deacon, Gerry Demers. The 100th anniversary is being observed this weekend. St. Catharines diocese Bishop Gerard Bergie will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11 a.m. Sunday for the first 100 years of Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Welland and for many more God s blessings to come. An anniversary dinner, where close to 200 people are expected to attend, will follow at Riverstone Event Centre, River Rd. Article written by Joe Barkovich, Welland Tribune, Opinion Column, October 5,

18 St. Mary s Bible Contest On Sunday, October 6th, St. Mary s Parish Hall was the site of a Bible Contest co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Barry s Bay and Area Council 6894, and St. Casimir s Council of Round Lake. Father Wojtek Blach of St. Mary s co-ordinated the contest which saw a total of thirteen teams and their supporters compete in rounds of questions pertaining to the gospel of St. Matthew. Judges Fr. Coulas of St. Lawrence s, Fr. Moses of St. Martin s and Fr. Bosco of St. Casimir s evaluated the answers to the questions posed. Eventually after three rounds, the top three teams received monetary prizes from the Knights of Columbus. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants. Pictured during the presentation of the prizes are Fr. Blach, Raymond Borutski the Grand Knight of Council 12218, first place winners of $250 Steven and Virginia Platt, second place winners of $150 Todd Holt and Gudrun Wegner, third place winners of $100 Carmel Rumleskie and Terri MacLeod, and Bill Flegg the Grand Knight of Council 6894 Arthur and Lillian Shulist pondering on answers to questions Helen Burchat and Steven Pecoskie 18

19 St. Casimir s Parish in Round Lake On 13 th October, Sunday, the Thanksgiving Week, St. Casimir s Church community at Round Lake celebrated their Annual Supper event in a grand manner. People look forward to this event annually as it brings the community together to celebrate joyfully as a thanksgiving to the Lord for all blessings received throughout the year. This event also enables the Catholic community to raise funds for the various needs of the Church and community. It is a wonderful experience to witness to the community spirit of togetherness, co-operation, generosity and kindness of all the members in carrying out this event. G. John Bosco,OMI 19

20 Fr. Jacek Nosowicz celebrates his 50 th Birthday On October 24 th, 2013, Fr. Jacek Nosowicz OMI celebrated his 50 th birthday. We wish Fr. Jacek an abundance of God s graces on this special occasion. May our founder St. Eugene de Mazenod always intercede for him and may our Blessed Mother keep him in her care and guide him through his personal and religious life. God bless you, Fr. Jacek! Sto lat! Fr. Jacek s cupcake cake was so large, he had to make a lap around the table to blow out the candles!! 20

21 Unveiling of Monument in Honour of Brother Anthony Kowalczyk On a cold Sunday afternoon, October 27 th, 2013, a monument of Brother Anthony Kowalczyk OMI was unveiled in Edmonton. Due to low temperatures and first snowfall of the season that morning, the Liturgy of the Word and speeches were held in the building of the former St. John s College, where the Venerable Brother Anthony lived and worked for 36 years. In 1976, the Oblates sold the land to the University of Alberta, which opened it as an affiliate. Since 2005, it is known as the Campus Saint-Jean. The celebration was organized by Dr. Frank McMahon, a past student of Saint-Jean College and the first rector of Saint-Jean University. The Liturgy of the Word was led by Archbishop Richard Smith. In his homily, he emphasized the heroic virtues of Venerable Brother Anthony, which were confirmed in March of this year by Pope Francis. The Archbishop also spoke about the contribution of Oblates in evangelization and in the development of francophone education in Western Canada. The liturgy paid homage to the Oblates who, in 1908, founded a juniorate to shape young candidates for religious life. Fr. Jacques Joly OMI, a graduate of the college, spoke about the vision and method of operation. Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk represented the province of Alberta; he commented on the importance of this event that brought together two ethnic communities. Following the speeches, the crowd moved outside. Mr. Danek Możdżeński the artist and sculptor from Edmonton, unveiled the statue. As a child he had heard about the holiness of Brother Anthony from his father and even visited his grave. The artist explained that in the statue he tried to portray Brother Anthony as a young man, shortly after his tragic accident at the sawmill in which he lost his right forearm. In this way, he hoped the sculpture would better relate to youth and students. In the 1980 s, Danek had created a carved relief 6 meters long, which depicted the life of Brother Anthony. This relief was done for a Catholic school named after Frere Antoine. Archbishop Richard Smith blessed the statue. The ceremony was attended by Oblates and parishioners from Holy Rosary parish and Our Lady Queen of Poland parish, Oblates from Lacombe Province and religious Sisters. Also in attendance were graduates of the college with their families, some students, the university choir and many francophone residents of Edmonton. Knights of Columbus from Brother Antoni Kowalczyk Assembly 3367 kept guard. The ceremony ended with the singing of the hymn Salve Regina. 21

22 Father Pawel Ratajczak Update September and October at the General House were months marked by many special occasions, but the following three events stand out especially in my memory. The first of September s notable events was at the beginning of the month, when Bishop Angelito Lampon OMI visited the General House to preach a retreat to the General Administration. His visit formed another chapter of the story of the persecuted Church, which I began in my last article. Bishop Angelito is the successor of Bishop Benjamin de Jesus, who was martyred in February of 1997 while serving his flock in the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo, in the southern part of the Philippines. The Islamist extremists who target Catholics in that part of the Philippines have already tried, several times, to assassinate Bishop Angelito. When Bishop Lampon does pastoral ministry in his vicariate, he has to travel with several Marines from the Philippine Army for protection. I had a chance to speak with Bishop Lampon, and discovered his very humble, simple and joyous personality. However, the thought that this person this Bishop this Oblate brother of ours - might someday shed his blood for the Gospel, was never far from my mind during our encounter. The second event, which stood out especially in the month of September, was Pope Francis vigil for peace in Syria. This prayer took place on Saturday, September 7 th, during the vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, which this year was superseded by the 23 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. The atmosphere during the vigil was truly special: St. Peter s Square was filled, but not crowded, by about 100,000 people. There were many young people, and a large number of Italians, confirming the notion that Pope Francis is drawing many Italians back to a more regular practice of the faith. There were also many priests and religious. The liturgy itself was profound, with the recitation of the Rosary, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Psalms. If you can, try to imagine Eucharistic adoration with tens of thousands of people, all in a prayerful atmosphere it was special indeed. I try to pay attention to the logistics and organization of large events, and I have to say that the vigil was well organized especially considering the fact that it was only announced one week before! The month of October brought with it the beginning of the academic year at the Gregorian University. I have seven courses and one seminar, and as with all graduate programs, there is much independent reading to be done. The courses are interesting, and cover many aspects of spiritual theology: spiritual direction, the theology of the Fathers of the Church, pastoral psychology, the spirituality of the laity, the role of friendship in Christian spirituality, etc. The academic work takes place almost exclusively in Italian. Since I did not have Greek in my seminary studies, I am obliged to take a basic course in this language: now I know where the saying It s all Greek to me (that is I can t understand anything ) comes from. The weather in Rome is still summer-like, with temperatures during the day topping 23 degrees, but with cool nights. I hope to have another update for you in the next edition of News and Views. Bp.Angelito Lampon OMI Vigil for Peace 22 Georgian University

23 Father Pawel Nyrek Update I would like to welcome all those with whom I can communicate by News and Views. I have been living in Dartmouth for two months and soon I will finish the first semester of my studies in St. Mary's University. After this first semester, I will be attending lessons with Mrs. Theresa, our sacristan, who previously was an ESL teacher. She will help me while I am waiting for the second semester. I have four different classes in St. Mary's. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I have a profile class of writing and reading (in the morning), and academic vocabulary and grammar (in the afternoon). On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have listening and speaking (in the morning) and conversation (in the afternoon). If I pass the final test, my future semester will be exclusively prepared for those, who want to go to the university for graduation program of specific major, and it is available only for level 6 students. If I am not staying for the weekend in Dartmouth with Father Gilbert, I leave for a replacement to the different parishes, and during that time I can get to know Nova Scotia. I must admit that these two months (September and October) were very nice; only three or four rainy days. I do not have the courage to say that after two months my English changed completely, but certainly right now it is better, and after a year it can be really good. I hope to meet you all in January on Study Days, and now I am sending greetings from myself and Fr. Gilbert. God bless you. Paweł 23

24 Brother Paul Patrick Update Several days ago, Fr. Provincial requested that I write a short message to the Province detailing my placements for the summer of 2013 and what the future year holds for me at the International Scholasticate. Following the completion of my exams at the end of June and a short one week vacation, I travelled to Aix-en Provence in France in order to participate in the de Mazenod Experience with other Oblate scholastics from Europe and the North American region who are preparing themselves for Perpetual Oblation. Along with a fairly large group of scholastics, quite a few of whom were from Poland, I had the opportunity to examine the life of our Founder and the beginnings of our Congregation through presentations, group discussions and day trips to some of the first Oblate missions in France. It was a rich experience, not only in terms of being able to experience firsthand what we had previously studied in noviciate charism classes, but also to be able to share this experience with other young scholastics from diverse countries and discuss common issues and Oblate themes among ourselves within small groups. Following the conclusion of this experience, I travelled to Lourdes, France, where I had the opportunity to work with the Youth Services at the Shrine for a little under one month. It was an unforgettable experience, and an especially graced filled one for me, since it was my first time at Lourdes. In practical terms, as part of the Youth Services team, I was tasked with organizing liturgies at the Grotto, leading youth groups, guiding tour groups of pilgrims from Italy, and volunteering in the baths of Lourdes. It was a very profitable experience and a quite enjoyable one, made so by some familiar faces, such as O. Wojciech Kowalewski and O. Piotr Piasecki who formed the leadership of the Youth Services. Finally, during the month of September, I will have the opportunity to participate in a 30 day Ignatian retreat along with the other scholastics of the International Scholasticate in Rome who are preparing themselves for perpetual oblation in Holy Mass at the tomb of St. Eugene Pilgrimage to OMI Missions 24

25 At the conclusion of the retreat, I will return to Rome, where theological courses will resume at the Gregorian University the beginning of October. With regards as to what my final scholastic year ( ) holds in store for me at the International Scholasticate, I would like to highlight a few salient points. Concerning my theological studies, I will be entering my final year of studies at the Gregorian University and will complete them with the culminating exams at the end of the 2014 spring semester. As you know, throughout my time at the International Scholasticate, I have been preparing myself for perpetual oblation, and God willing, in May 2014 I will profess my perpetual vows in the chapel of the General House in Rome. I would like to thank Fr. Provincial and all of you for your prayers and continued support over the years, and would like to assure you of my prayers for all of you, both on a daily basis, and in a very special way during the month of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. I would like to especially ask for your fraternal prayer during my upcoming retreat and following academic year, as I prepare myself for perpetual oblation. Paul Patrick OMI 25

26 Advent Retreat Preachers Fr. Adam Szul OMI was born in Lancut, Poland on November 2, 1968 to Anna and Zdislaw. Fr. Andrzej Szul Western Canada Fr. Adam was involved in the life of the church from the start serving as an altar server and attending summer Oasis camp. Although he had to help with farming the family land, Fr. Adam knew he wanted to become a priest from early childhood. Even more specifically a missionary in Madagascar! He entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate seminary in Obra and was ordained on June 18, After two years of priestly ministry in Poland, Fr. Adam began learning French and in 1997 landed on the red island of Madagascar. He spent 7 years ministering to the Malgasy people in the bush, but since 2006 has fulfilled the role of the Delegation s Bursar and resides in Antananarivo. "I was born in Poznan in 1968, but my parents lived in Obra, so my whole life has been associated with the Oblates. After completing primary school I entered the Minor Seminary of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Markowice ( ). In September 1987, I began my noviciate in Kodeń, which ended in 1988 when I made my first religious vows. Following the noviciate, I began studying philosophical theology in the Major Seminary of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Obra. I graduated in On September 8, 1992, I made my perpetual vows and was ordained deacon on June 21, 1993 at the hands of Archbishop George Stroby. On June 18, 1994 I was ordained a priest by Bishop Eugeniusz Juretzko. Following my ordination, I was sent by my Provincial to Kiev. I worked until Since September 2012 I have been responsible for a parish in Połtawa, and beginning September 1, 2013, I will take on St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Lwów. This is a pioneer parish because Oblates have never worked in Lwów before. Fr. Pawel Tomys Toronto District 26