Fall V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province. Six New Oblate Novices

Transcription

1 Fall 2014 V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province Six New Oblate Novices

2 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine 2 Oblate Events Our lead article is on the reception of six new novices, a joyful occasion for the Oblates. Tom Donlan who gave a valuable presentation on Salesian Spirituality to the assembled Oblates last June in Detroit presents some of his main ideas in an interview. This issue contains also the obituaries of two beloved Oblates, Fathers Bob Mossett and Clark Kelley. October 10 is the feast of Blessed Louis Brisson, the co-founder of both the male and female congregations of Oblates. October brings the anniversary of death also of Venerable Mother Mary de Sales Chappuis, VHM, who urged Father Brisson to found our congregation. On her deathbed on Oct. 7, 1875, she foretold the intense suffering he would endure in founding the Oblates but made him promise to persevere. When he promised, she said, I can die because the Oblates have been founded. God will be served by them. It will be as though Our Lord were walking the earth again. Venerable Mother Chappuis and Blessed Louis Brisson, pray for us. Editorial Staff Cover: the cake that greeted the new novices and their guests at the post-reception party. Created in a Kroger bakery in Toledo, Ohio. Mission Statement The mission of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales of the Toledo- Detroit Province is to Live Jesus according to Salesian spirituality in our personal and communal lives, and to share this spirituality with the People of God. Bondings Bondings is published regularly for the members and friends of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Toledo-Detroit Province. Its purpose is to enhance and develop the bond we have through our common faith in Jesus Christ and Salesian spirituality. Bondings is free of charge to anyone on request. Send your name and address (or that of a friend) to the Provincial Office or call Provincial Office 2043 Parkside Blvd. Toledo, OH Editorial Staff Father Roland Calvert, OSFS Father Tom Helfrich, OSFS FAITH Catholic 1500 E. Saginaw St. Lansing, MI Chairman Rev. Dwight Ezop President and CEO Patrick O Brien Editorial Director Elizabeth Martin Solsburg Art Director Patrick Dally Graphic Designer Janna Stellwag

3 Six New Oblate Novices by Father Roland Calvert, OSFS Six men from the two North American Oblate provinces were received as novices at a ceremony held in Sacred Heart Chapel, Brooklyn, Mich., on August 2, Father Ken McKenna, Provincial of the Toledo-Detroit Oblates, presided. The six men hail from a variety of places: Chris Allen (Philadelphia, Pa.), Jim Cummins (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Jordan Gorzalski (Plymouth, Mich.), Craig Irwin (Toledo, Ohio), Joe Katarsky (Jackson, Mich.) and Joseph Mc- Daniel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada). At the beginning of the ceremony, Father McKenna asked, Brothers, what do you desire? The six answered, Help me to Live Jesus at every moment. Let me learn through the practice of the Spiritual Directory to love as Christ loved. The Spiritual Directory is the rule given to the Visitation Sisters in 1610 by St. Francis de Sales Father McKenna gives Joe Katarsky the Book of Constitutions and Spiritual Directory Fall

4 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine The new Novices (l to r): Jim Cummins, Craig Irwin, Chris Allen, Joe Katarsky, Joseph McDaniel, Jordan Gorzalski 4 and adapted by Father Louis Brisson for the Oblates. A highlight of the ceremony is the reception by each novice of the Book of the Constitutions and the Spiritual Directory, which they will study in depth during this year. Father Mike Newman will serve as Novice Director and Father Ed Ogden will assist him. The congregation sang Psalm 84, Happy are they who dwell in your house, O Lord. St. Jane de Chantal and her fellow sisters recited this as they began their own novitiate in Fr. Newman described the novitiate as a year of quiet reflection in which the novice deepens his relationship with God, his fellow novices and the Oblate community as he prepares to take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

5 On the morning of the reception ceremony, Oblates and others had gathered at St. Anne s Church in Monroe, Mich. for the funeral of Father Bob Mossett (see obituary, pages 8-9). There was symbolic meaning in one man completing his Oblate journey while six others began that journey the same day. The Oblates of the North American Provinces give thanks to God for the gift of these vocations. We pray, as the closing prayer of the reception ceremony stated, that the same Spirit who animated De Sales may also guide these novices (and all Oblates) to love what Francis loved and to practice what he taught. Novices and Father Mike Newman, Novice Director (3rd from left), with Sisters of the Toledo, Ohio Visitation Fall

6 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine De Sales Spirituality Of Gentleness Interview With Dr. Tom Donlan 6 Where did you grow up? I grew up in Highland Falls, N.Y. Where did you study for your Ph.D.? I earned a Ph.D. in European History from the University of Arizona in My doctoral dissertation was titled: The Reform of Zeal: Francis de Sales and Militant Catholicism during the Wars of Religion. Could you summarize your findings? Francis life and work is best understood, I believe, within the larger context of the French wars of religion when so many Catholics responded to Protestantism with fear, hatred, and violence. Francis primary project was a multi-faceted reform of this Catholic militancy. He hated heresy and was drawn to a punishing asceticism in his youth, but Francis came to feel that Catholic combat against Protestantism and sin amounted to a misguided zeal inconsistent with Jesus teaching. In his reform, Francis promoted nonviolent strategies (dialogue, education, preaching) for engaging Protestants and discouraged bloodshed and demonization. Francis also taught a patient, tolerant attitude toward one s self and one s imperfections. In all things, then, in emotions, thoughts, as well as the treatment of others and oneself, Francis urged douceur (French for gentleness or nonviolence). This Salesian critique of religious violence, I believe, is one of the most positive and important reforms within the history of Catholicism. De Sales had a crisis of faith while at the University of Paris. How do you understand that episode? To understand the crisis, I believe we must understand the religious currents to which he was exposed in childhood and early adulthood. During the first ten years of life, Francis experienced a Catholicism defined primarily by interpersonal bonds of love and support. His mother, in particular, modeled for him a relational, tender kind of piety. In the second decade of his life, Francis lived in Paris, perhaps the most militant of Catholic cities in Europe. Here the Sorbonne, leading clergymen, and lay Catholics cultivated a hatred for Protestants, fear of God s punishment, and a profoundly pessimistic world view. For a

7 time, Francis absorbed the anxiety and uncompromising spirit of this militant Catholicism. As he lamented his own deep sinfulness, he grew increasingly fearful of eternal punishment. Eventually, over the course of several weeks and months in 1587 and 1588, Francis came to believe and feel that, much like his own mother, God was in fact patient, slow to anger, and overwhelmingly committed to the redemption of sinners. This crisis helped open his eyes to the power of Mt. 11:28-29 in which Jesus affirms the gentle nature of the divine. Come to me, all who find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Mt. 11:28-29 What are some of the contemporary lessons we can learn from Francis spirituality of gentleness? Salesian douceur overlaps nicely with the approach of Pope Francis. Both St. Francis and Pope Francis urge Catholics to maintain a spirit of confidence and joy in the face of the troubles and sins that afflict the world and our own personal lives. Both view religious violence as a regrettable, destructive form of impatience that insists on purifying the world through extraordinary means, failing to trust that God s grace can transform the world quietly, subtly and gently. Tom Donlan (second from left) with Oblates at the Detroit Assembly June 24, Fall

8 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine Father Robert Mossett, Osfs ( ) Father Bob died at Rosary Care Center in Sylvania, Ohio, after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He graduated in 1954 from Salesian High School in Detroit and received a B.A. from Niagara University in biology in 1961 and degrees in theology and an M.S. degree in ecology from the Catholic University. He was ordained in His ministry included teaching at various high schools and pastoring at several parishes. He was the pastor of St. Anne s Church in Monroe, Mich. from 1999 until his retirement in His funeral liturgy was at St. Anne s on Aug. 2, 2014 with Father Ken McKenna, OSFS as celebrant and homilist. 8 From the Oblate Community Newsletter: Bob s homilies bore the imprint of solid and persistent spiritual work. His interior life was first shaped by Salesian Spirituality and then by AA s 12-steps, and through it all there was prayer, especially lectio divina. His legacy was explored at his retirement dinner. Parishioners were asked to share the first words that came to their minds when they thought of Bob. The responses included: spiritual guide, friendly, witty, easy to talk to, wisdom, teacher, helpful, and singing priest (as he often sang his Christmas homily). Bob will be remembered by his parishioners as a wonderful pastor motivated by an openness to the Holy Spirit and a great love for Jesus Christ. He will be remembered by us as a humble, gentle confrère who loved God and embodied well our spirituality and mission.

9 From Charles (Chip) Mossett s eulogy for his uncle at the funeral: Our Grandma Schulze passed away as my uncle was giving her the last rites. We all watched in amazement and awe at his spot-on timing. I know we were all thinking, Wow! This guy is good. He later admitted that it had never happened to him before. He officiated at the funeral of our dad (his brother), our mom, and possibly the toughest of all the funeral of our brother Rob who passed away in January 1980 just shy of his 12th birthday. My brother Rob was my uncle s namesake. My dad had such admiration and respect for my uncle that he always promised that if he ever had a son he would name him Robert. I am proud to say my oldest son has carried on the name of Robert in our family. My uncle was a key part of helping us get through the devastation of losing a son, a brother, his own namesake, his nephew. Through all the tough times I always watched in awe how he was able to do these things, how he was able to help so many people through so much heartache. I always wondered, Who is helping him and how is he able to keep himself so composed? I know to all of you this may sound silly, but at some point I realized that his unquestioning faith in God was helping him through. It was his faith in God that helped him help so many people. I know for most of you who know him as Father Bob, it only made sense that he would help you through these events. But I look back now and realize Uncle Robert made a very difficult task appear easy. This is the first family funeral I have attended that I won t hear those reassuring words from Uncle Robert. But we will all be forever grateful to have had him with us for each of these events through the years. From Father McKenna s Funeral Homily: I know Father Bob did not want me to mention him in this homily. All of us Oblates are buried together in the same section of Resurrection Cemetery in Toledo and at the resurrection of the dead, I don t want any trouble with Father Bob. But I cannot end this homily without saying that Bob was for me and for us one of these least among us. I can t help but think of his life and his ministry when I hear those five chapter headings from Richard Rohr s Adam s Return: Life is Hard You are not important Your life is not about you You are not in control You are going to die. Like John the Baptist, Father Bob prepared for us the way of the Lord through his preaching, his counsel and his kindness. He showed us what facing life s challenges looks like when we face them with faith in God and love for Christ. And so we say to you, Father Bob, in the words of Jesus in Matthew s Gospel: Well done, good and faithful servant.... Come, share your master s joy. Fall

10 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine Father Clark Kelley, Osfs ( ) Father Clark died on August 14 at Hospice of NW Ohio following a fall and broken hip. He was unable to rebound from the fall and subsequent surgery. He celebrated his 50th year as a priest this year and would have celebrated 60 years as an Oblate next year. He taught at Oblate schools in Philadelphia, Detroit and Southgate, Mich. He spent 40 years teaching and as chaplain at St. Mary s H.S. in Stockton, Calif. until his retirement in From the funeral homily of Father Ken McKenna, OSFS at St. Pius X Church in Toledo, OH, August 18, 2014: A childhood like Father Kelley s leaves scars. He knew that his anxieties and insecurities were difficult at times for others. I think that is why he asked to be buried in purple vestments. But he also knew through Salesian spirituality that our weaknesses, our abjection, the cracks in 10

11 our armor, are the vulnerable points where we most readily encounter the Risen Christ. They are our roads to Emmaus. God enters through the wounds. Or as Salesian scholar Wendy Wright wrote: To love our abjection is to see that the true place of transformation is not in our gifts but in our weaknesses. It is to know ourselves wounded yet beloved. Father Kelley knew himself wounded and struggled to believe himself beloved. I m comforted knowing he finally sees that he always has been more loved than wounded he was so loyal to us Oblates, the only family he had. 1987: Father Kelley with Mandy Spurgeon, Stockton, Calif. In a profile from Sacerdote, a publication of the Diocese of Stockton, Calif. produced by Msgr. Skillin, Clark told of being sent to a Seventh Day Adventist boarding school in Washington State at age fifteen in He had been taught that Catholicism was evil, but came to doubt this while writing a history paper at the school. Clark then walked to the nearest Catholic church and stood in front of it for two to three hours. He truly wanted to go inside but for so many years had feared encountering Satan in that church that he couldn t move. Enough! He slowly walked to the door. His heart was pounding. He put his hand out and touched the door handle and then stepped inside. Immediately, he realized he was home. Fear fled and he spent a few minutes praying, asking God s help. Clark left the Adventist school and in 1948 enlisted in the Navy. While there, he received instructions in Catholicism and was baptized, conditionally, and confirmed. He began thinking about the priesthood and, finally, chose the Oblates because they had the least slick promotional literature. After his four years in the Navy ended, he came to the Oblate Novitiate at Childs, Md. in 1953 and took his first vows there as an Oblate. Comments from St. Mary s H.S. Facebook page: RIP Father Kelley. I think he was everyone s favorite teacher. (Lori Nisken Jones) Such a great man. (Molly Johnson) Such a presence at St. Mary s since the time he arrived. He touched generations of hearts and minds. (Nancy Sitter) Loved Father Kelley. (Sharon Patricia) Very sorry to hear about this. One of the best teachers I ever had. I love that man. (Rich Matheson) Fall

12 V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province 2043 Parkside Blvd. Toledo, OH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANSING, MI PERMIT NO. 689