In Celebration of St. Francis de Sales

Transcription

1 Winter 2016 V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province In Celebration of St. Francis de Sales Feast Day January 24

2 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine 2 Spiritual Giants January is an important liturgical month for Oblates because of St. Francis de Sales feast day on Jan. 24, but also because of the feast of St. Léonie Aviat on Jan. 10. St. Léonie and Blessed Louis Brisson co-founded the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales. On one occasion, Mother Aviat said of herself, I am the smallest servant of God. But she became a spiritual giant in the fields of education and social justice as she guided her young congregation. Another time she stated, Let us live in the present moment to receive all the graces it brings. Each present moment, she said brings all the light we need. In the lead article of this issue we see that the present moment was important to De Sales as it is to Pope Francis. In this country the Oblate Sisters first came to Childs, Md., where they established Villa Aviat in They have run Mt. Aviat Academy there for many years. We wish them God s blessings on their foundress feast day. St. Léonie Aviat and St. Francis de Sales, pray for us! Editorial Staff P. 7: Sacred Heart Window, Holy Rosary Chapel, Adrian (Mich.) Dominican Sisters. P. 11: Photo by Jody Webster. 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 Graphic Designer Janna Stellwag

3 Francis, Bishop of Geneva and Francis, Bishop Of Rome In the Spring 2014 issue of Bondings, Father Jim Greenfield, Provincial of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Oblates, wrote an article pointing out the remarkable similarity of the current Holy Father s writings with those of St. Francis de Sales. Here are some of the quotes from Francis, the bishop of Geneva, (and writings about him) and quotes from the current bishop of Rome, which show the similarity. The Poor: Above and beyond our plans and programs, we are dealing with real men and women who live, struggle and suffer, and are often forced to live in great poverty, deprived of all rights. To enable these real men and women to escape from extreme poverty, we must allow them to be dignified agents of their own destiny... At the same time, government leaders must do everything possible to ensure that all can have the minimum spiritual and material means needed to live in dignity and to create and support a family, which is the primary cell of any social development. Pope Francis, Address to the United Nations Love the poor and love poverty, for it is by such love that you become truly poor. As the Scripture says, we become like the things we love. Love makes lovers equal. Who is weak and I am not weak? says St. Paul and he might also have said, Who are the poor and I am not poor with them? Be poor in conversing with the poor and speak to them as companions. But be rich in assisting them by sharing some of your more abundant goods with them. St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Part Three Winter

4 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine Contemplation: A century ago another notable American was born, the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. He remains a source of spiritual inspiration and a guide for many people. In his autobiography, he wrote: I came into the world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness. In the image of the world into which I was born. That world was the picture of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God and yet hating Him; born to love Him and instead filled with hopeless, self-contradictory hungers. Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for the Church. He also was a man of dialog, a promoter of peace between peoples and religions. Pope Francis, Address to the U.S. Congress Contemplation, Theotimus, is but a loving, artless, unremitting, mental preoccupation with the things of God. It comes to this: when love is wedded to meditation, it gives birth to contemplation; we meditate to awaken love, we contemplate because we love. St. Francis de Sales, Love of God, Book Six God s Creation: In the first creation account in Genesis, God s plan includes creating humanity. After the creation of man and woman, God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good. (Gen.1:31) The Bible teaches that every person is created out of love and made in God s image and likeness we were created in the heart of God, and for this reason each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. Pope Francis, Encyclical on the Environment Look with great devotion at the Creator of the world. See how at creation, God first meditated on the goodness of his works separately, one by one, as he saw them produced At length when the entire universe was finished, 4

5 God s meditation changed, as it were, into contemplation. The different parts, when considered separately by way of meditation, were good but when looked at with one single glance, all of them taken together by means of contemplation, were found to be very good. St. Francis de Sales, Love of God, Book One Present Moment: We are speaking of an attitude of the heart, one which approaches life with sincere attentiveness, which is capable of being fully present to someone without thinking of what comes next, as one which accepts each moment as a gift from God to be lived to the full. Jesus was completely present to everyone and everything, and in this way he showed us the way to overcome the unhealthy anxiety that makes us superficial, aggressive and compulsive consumers. Pope Francis, Encyclical on the Environment The imitation of Christ is of all-importance within a Salesian context Of great value is living the present moment. We give to passing time the value of eternity by seeking always to do God s will In one of the last chapters of the Love of God Treatise, Francis says (following St. Paul): Whatever you do in word or work, do all in the name of Jesus Christ. He follows with the injunction, Whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do all for the glory of God. William C. Marceau, CSB, Salesian Insights Winter

6 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine I Why I Joined The Oblates n a previous issue, we included the statements of seven Oblates about the origins of their vocations. Four more Oblates deal with the question below. The first three are priests who celebrated their 60th anniversary of profession as Oblates this past year. 6 I was baptized at Immaculate Conception, Toledo s South Side Irish parish, proudly known as the bloody fifth for its history of 5th Ward defense of workers rights and nationally publicized labor riots. The pastor was known as Citizen Sawkins for his ability to mobilize his parish to actively engage in arts, civic projects and church activity. Within one block of my home, there were nine homes that had a priest or nun in the family. Certainly, there was a mystique about a religious vocation. In mid-grade school, we moved west to Gesu. The thought of a religious vocation became ambivalent. Eight Oblates taught at Central Catholic H.S. They were quite different from what I had expected. They worked together, lived together, prayed together and seemed to get along together. They were known as tireless workers (the eight shared two cars). Within a school of two thousand, they seemed to have no favorites, socially, ethnically, economically, athletically or academically. Oblates were all things to all. Midway through my sophomore year, I said to myself, I want to be like that. Where they go, I will go. What they do, I will do. I thought of what Jesus said, No one follows me who does not find a hundred brothers and sisters. In my junior year, I was brave enough to talk with Father Ed Smith who became my mentor. He died young (53) and I found that his confreres thought as much of him as I did. Father Jim Cryan, OSFS, Toledo, Ohio I grew up in Niagara Falls, N.Y. I attended Sacred Heart School for my elementary education and then went to Bishop Duffy H.S. It was during my junior year there that I decided to become an Oblate priest. A number of people had talked about vocations and I gradually moved toward that decision. The Oblates were good teachers and I admired that. I played baseball (outfield) and some basketball and they were good coaches. So, in 1954, I went to the Oblate Novitiate at Childs, Md. Later I received a B.A. in English from Niagara University and studied theology in Washington, D.C. Most of my ministry was in teaching at DeSales Catholic in Lockport, N.Y. and parish ministry there for twelve years. It was a good decision I

7 made all those years ago. The best thing about being an Oblate priest has been the opportunity to serve God and others. Father Frank Schimscheiner, OSFS, Sylvania, Ohio A major life decision always is complex and has many sources. Certainly my parents, family and teachers, as I grew up in Providence, Md., had laid the groundwork to help me reach that moment. At times, a single person can help the different influences coalesce. For me that person was Sister Therese Elizabeth, an Oblate Sister of St. Francis de Sales, from whom I took piano and French lessons in 1953 and 54 when I was in high school. She was the final nudge God gave me toward the religious life. I went to the Oblate Novitiate at Childs, Md. (only a few miles from where I d grown up) in June I knew in a general (and admittedly vague) way that I wanted to deepen my relationship with God and help others. Sixty years later, I m still happy about that decision. Father Roland Calvert, OSFS, Adrian, Mich. When I began my studies at St. Francis de Sales H. S. in Toledo, I was fascinated to encounter priests and brothers as well in different settings than Sunday Mass. Beyond the classroom, it was great to see and relate with those Oblates at athletic events, dances and, most delightfully, in organized and casual encounters after school. I grew up very comfortable with priests and had been interested in the prospect of becoming a priest from an early age. The Oblates presented an entirely new and fresh model of priesthood. They were happy men and though I confess I didn t like all of them, I sure liked them in general. Bob Hermley and John Marran were my greatest influences. But curiously, it was encouragement in my senior year from a visiting Benedictine priest, whose name I don t even recall, that really proved to be my tipping point. Give it a try, he said. If it doesn t work out, at least you ll know. That was 1967 and I like to say I m still giving it a try, very grateful I took the plunge way back then. Father Tom Helfrich, OSFS, Clarklake, Mich. Winter

8 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine Father Thomas O'Neill, OSFS Father Tom died peacefully at Rosary Care Center in Sylvania, Ohio on Sept. 21. Tom was born in Philadelphia and joined the Oblates in He studied philosophy, theology and mathematics earning degrees from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. At the time of his death, he was 67 years professed and 58 years ordained. After ordination, he taught at DeSales H. S. in Lockport, N.Y. and then served as principal of Judge Memorial H.S. in Salt Lake City, Utah, and later principal of St. Mary's H.S. in Stockton, Calif. From , he taught math and was Academic Dean at St. Francis de Sales H.S. in Toledo, Ohio. Tom was recognized as an outstanding teacher. His funeral Mass was celebrated in Gesu Church in Toledo, Ohio on Sept. 23 with Father Ken McKenna, OSFS as the celebrant and Father Dave Whalen, OSFS the homilist. 8 From Father Whalen's Funeral Homily: In June of 1957, Oblate Thomas Patrick O Neill was ordained a priest in St. Anthony s Church in Wilmington Del. The following September, I entered my freshman year at DeSales Catholic High School in Lockport, N.Y. A year later, in September 1958, the young Father O Neill with the somewhat strange Philadelphia accent, which it seemed all the Oblates at DeSales had, and the sophomore (with, what the Oblates thought to be an equally strange western New York twang), met to explore the world of geometry. While it was not intentional, I tended to follow Tom in his ministry as a teacher, administrator and priest. Tom was the first Oblate principal in Salt Lake City s Judge Memorial. I followed him some years later. Tom went to St. Mary s in Stockton and I, as Principal then in Salt Lake, went to meetings at St. Mary s in Stockton from time to time and learned what it meant to organize one s day as an administrator. Tom returned to Toledo where he taught young Knights at St Francis. He was a master teacher if ever there was one. In time, Tom s health began to deteriorate and he moved to the Rosary Care Center. I became Provincial and would visit him and, if the light was on, Tom could tell me just about everything I did in his math classes or perhaps better, did not do. As the years went on though, as we all know, the lights began to dim

9 one at a time. He remembered less and less, but was still the gracious host for all who stopped by to say hello. As the dementia became more encompassing, Tom slowly began to back off the active stage of life, without any big to-do about it, and gradually began his journey back into the hands of the God from whom he came. Swift journey home Tom, swift journey home and may God be blessed! Jim O'Neill, Tom's brother, paid tribute by mentioning the film It's A Wonderful Life : A wonderful life, a life of service that was Tom's life. In the eyes of the world, he wasn't rich. But he was rich in the eyes of God. Jim mentioned his great culinary gifts: When he came home, he took over the kitchen. Mom loved to invite the family for dinner. I did the dishes but found that Tom already had taken care of the pots and pans as he cooked! Jim spoke of Tom s final years at Rosary Care Center: He became the official greeter sitting outside the main door. Jim praised the Rosary Care staff and especially the second floor nurses where Tom lived: Whenever I called, he would always say how well he was being cared for. Rosary Care was his home. Thank you! Father Tom was one of the best teachers I ever had. How anyone could make calculus fun I will never understand. He was a role model for many Not a day has gone by without my thinking about him, and our thoughts and prayers will be with him always. Jamie Standzicki, MD, St. Francis de Sales H.S., Class of 1985 Father O'Neill inspired many of us to live better and pursue excellence. His legacy will continue on through the men who were blessed to be his students. Adam T. Perzynski, PhD, St. Francis de Sales H.S., Class of 1994 Winter

10 BONDINGS The Quarterly Oblate Magazine Heart of Hearts: A Collection of Essays by Joseph F. Power, OSFS Book review by Father Roland Calvert, OSFS Heart of Hearts contains seven essays by Fr. Joseph Power, OSFS ( ). He was one of the leading scholars of Salesian spirituality until his tragic death in a car accident. Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS, editor, has chosen seven of his most significant articles and talks. 10 The title refers to the fact that the heart is central in De Sales spirituality. Francis says explicitly in the Introduction to the Devout Life (III, chapter 23) that his deepest wish is to engrave and inscribe on each heart the sacred maxim, Live Jesus! The heart of hearts is the heart-center of each person, that place from which spirituality flows. It is the deepest part of a person where one s truest identity can be found and where God is revealed. The second essay is called Images for A Busy Life. It addresses the fact that nearly all of us are immersed in great busyness, almost finding life a rat-race at times. Francis himself complained of this often. He stated to St. Jane in one letter that the daily demands of so many people seemed almost a conspiracy! An important essay follows on the two wills of God. Francis teaches that we go back and forth between these wills throughout our lives. The first is the signified will revealed in the commandments of God and the Church, the evangelical counsels and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. This is God s will to be done. The other is the will of God s good pleasure. This is revealed in the daily happenings of life from the smallest events (a mother caring for her child) to the greatest (the death of someone I love or my own death). This is Fr. Joe Power, OSFS God s will done and it is my calling to accept this will. The material in this book will help both the ordinary person trying to lead a good spiritual life, as well as scholars of Salesian spirituality. Throughout his life, Father Power reached out to both of these groups. Wendy Wright in her foreword says: Joe Power may have left us too soon but his vision of disseminating Salesian wisdom in its manifold expressions has long outlived him. Heart of Hearts is a valuable book that will help continue his noble ministry. This book is available from Embraced by God ( telephone: ).

11 Favorite Salesian Sayings Half an hour s meditation each day is essential except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed. St. Francis de Sales It all started with a new position at work that was clearly not my idea, added to the already full calendar of family, ministry, hobbies, exercise, socializing and the like. The demands on my time went off the charts. What s a Salesian Daughter to do? Ask our wise sage and saint, Francis de Sales, for words of spiritual wisdom, of course. His answer came in the quote above. The annual retreat of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales was held at Camp de Sales. I arrived on Friday evening worn out and completely exhausted. To everyone s amazement by Saturday afternoon the spirit of joy had settled on our group and lightened the yoke of life s burdens not only for me, but for all of us, as we spent time in prayer and meditation reflecting on the topic of the retreat, The Virtue of Joy. What a gift. Since the retreat, making more time for meditation has become a priority applying a simplified Lectio divina method we learned and practiced. It fits nicely into a meditation hour when life becomes too busy. Karen Stein, Ann Arbor, Mich. One day we all will be together in the unending freedom of love that knows no other boundary than its boundlessness. St. Francis de Sales I had never heard this quote from St. Francis de Sales until reading it in Father Koster s biography of our founder. Reflecting on his words motivates me to expand the horizon of my heart to live in such a way that God s vision of seeing myself and all people as belonging to one another is how I aspire to live my life. The one day of which De Sales speaks begins here and now when I act out of this awareness. In our world today, political leaders are determining who counts who is accepted or not wanted in their countries. In our religious and social circles, we also have our ways of making assumptions of who belongs. But the way of Jesus is open and boundless in charity toward all. I want to begin this new year living Jesus without placing judgment boundaries but choosing to show others the inclusive love that Jesus lived. And when it is time for me to cross the boundary of this life into eternity, may I be caught up in that great communion of boundless love and praise with each of you! Sister Karen Mohan, VHM, Minneapolis, Minn. Winter

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