Father Brisson Beatification Issue

V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province Fall 2012 Father Brisson Beatification Issue 1

Thank You We Oblates thank God as our founder, Father Brisson, was beatified in Troyes, France, on Sept. 22. Venerable Louis Brisson became Blessed Louis. The next step is canonization, and we ask your prayers for that to become a reality. We thank the staff of FAITH Catholic for their assistance in designing and printing this issue of Bondings. A special word of thanks to Jennifer Bis, the graphic designer who did much of the layout. A FAQ often asked of Oblates is: Didn t St. Francis de Sales found your order; where does Father Brisson fit in? Francis was the co-founder of the Visitation Sisters in 1610 with St. Jane de Chantal. He hoped to found also an order of male religious but died in 1622 before the dream was realized. In the 19th century, Father Brisson, a French diocesan priest, urged by the Good Mother, fulfilled the dream. He founded the Oblate Sisters with St. Léonie Aviat in 1866 and then the Oblate Fathers/ Brothers in 1872. So the answer to the FAQ is: St. Francis de Sales is our patron; Father Brisson is our founder. - Editorial Staff 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. Provincial Offices 2034 Parkside Blvd. Toledo, OH 43607-1597 419.724.9851 www.oblates.us Editorial Staff Father Roland Calvert, OSFS Father Tom Helfrich, OSFS FAITH Catholic 1500 E. Saginaw St. Lansing, MI 48906 Chairman Rev. Dwight Ezop President and CEO Patrick O Brien Editorial Director Elizabeth Martin Solsburg Art Director Patrick Dally Cover Photo: Beatification Mass with Cardinal Amato (center), the Pope s representative; Father Aldino Kiesel (far left), OSFS, Superior General of the Oblates. 2 Father Brisson s Beatification by Father Mike Newman, OSFS Graphic Designer Jennifer Bis Courtyard and gardens of the Visitation Monastery in Troyes, France. O n Sat., Sept. 22, 2012, Father Brisson, founder of the Oblate Fathers/Brothers and Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales, was beatified in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in Troyes, France. Beatification, which is one step away from sainthood, means that Father Brisson may now be venerated and honored in the Diocese of Troyes, as well as among the Oblates. Fifty-nine American Oblates attended the beatification, as did many Oblate Sisters, religious from other Salesian groups and lay members of the Salesian family. For all of us who attended, the beatification ceremony and its accompanying events allowed us to enter again into the story of Father Brisson, a man whose heart, like his famous clock, beat in rhythm with God. The events of the beatification began on Fri., Sept. 21, 2012, with an evening vigil in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in Troyes. The vigil allowed all those present to enter into a spirit of prayer as we remembered Father Brisson s life. There were moments of contemplative prayer fostered by the repetition of Taizé hymns that wafted up into the vaulted ceilings of the Gothic cathedral. There was a reenactment of Father Brisson s life done by the children of Troyes that was at once serious but also a bit comical. Father Aldino Kiesel, OSFS, Superior General of the 3

Sœur Françoise-Bernadette Beuzelin, Mother General of the Oblate Sisters. Visitation sisters receiving Communion at the Visitation Monastery in Troyes. The chapel was so crowded that the Oblate Sisters sat in the cloister with the Visitandines. 4 Oblate Fathers, gave a reflection on Father Brisson s life, which was then followed by Eucharistic adoration and benediction. The beatification of Father Louis Brisson, OSFS occurred on Saturday afternoon in the cathedral. More than 300 Oblate priests from around the world concelebrated the liturgy, which was presided over by Cardinal Angelo Amato, SDB, the representative of Pope Benedict XVI. The high point of the liturgy occurred when Cardinal Amato read the Apostolic Letter from the Pope declaring Father Brisson to be Blessed with a feast day on Oct. 12. Following this, the official portrait was unveiled in the cathedral to thunderous applause. The beatification festivities continued the following day in Plancy, Father Brisson s hometown. In the Stadium of Plancy-l Abbé and under a windy, gray sky, Bishop Marc Stenger, the bishop of Troyes, celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving. The people of Plancy were incredibly hospitable and provided lunch to all. After the Mass, tours were offered of Father Brisson s house and of the local church in Plancy where he was baptized. In a very real sense the Visitation Order, especially through the Good Mother, Mary de Sales Chappuis, VHM, formed Father Brisson into an ardent disciple of Salesian spirituality. It was only fitting, then, that the final Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated in the chapel of the Visitation Monastery in Troyes where Father Brisson had celebrated Mass with the Visitation Sisters for nearly 40 years. Following the Mass, the sisters gave tours of the monastery grounds including the bedroom and tomb of the Good Mother, the monastery parlor where Father Brisson and the Good Mother often met and where Jesus appeared to Father Brisson regarding the founding of the Oblates, and the monastery s expansive gardens. Scholastic Ryan Cronshaw, OSFS, and Brother Dan Wisniewski, OSFS, receive Communion at the Beatification Mass. The beatification festivities concluded at the Oblate Sisters Motherhouse in Troyes with an International Symposium on Father Brisson s ministry and spirituality. Sponsored by the International Commission for Salesian Studies (ICSS), it allowed Salesian scholars such as Dr. Wendy Wright, Father Joseph Chorpenning, OSFS, Sister Ann Elizabeth Eder, OSFS, and others to reflect on Father Brisson s life, ministry and contribution to the universal Church. The Oblate Sisters provided tours of their Motherhouse, which included various items belonging to Father Brisson, as well as his tomb and that of St. Léonie Aviat. One of the final stops on the tour of the Oblate Sisters Motherhouse was to see Father Brisson s astronomical clock. In truth, its tick resembles that of a human heart. And, as Father Brisson once said: On hearing [the clock tick] it necessarily follows that each beat of my heart must beat in unison with the rhythm of God s Heart... My whole life must become a prayer. Everything in my life, yes, even to the least molecule, is inspired and contained in Jesus Christ. I live in Him, He lives in me. We ll go along together to the end, as Christ promised, I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance (Jn. 10:10). Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS, pray for us. Courtyard and gardens of the Visitation Monastery in Troyes. For all of us who attended, the Beatification ceremony and its accompanying events allowed us to enter again into the story of Father Brisson, a man whose heart, like his famous clock, beat in rhythm with God. Collect from Father Brisson s official Mass text Let us pray: God of infinite goodness, you gave the Priest Louis the apostolic fervor of a lively faith and an ardent charity. Grant us, through his intercession, the grace of following in the footsteps of Christ as joyful and courageous witnesses to his Gospel. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. 5

Commentary On the Beatification of Blessed Louis Brisson There is so much I could say about this pilgrimage, but the pervading experience for me was a renewed and vast sense of solidarity with all of the Salesian family. The last and most powerful experience was a Mass of Thanksgiving that was offered the night before I left. It was held in the Crypt chapel of the Motherhouse of the Oblate Sisters. As Oblate Sisters from Africa processed up to the altar (where St. Léonie Aviat and Blessed Louis Brisson are buried on each side), they sang a song of thanksgiving, carrying the bread, the wine and the prayer intentions of the people they serve. I felt a powerful connection to these sisters and those they served, even though I barely know them. As I looked around the crypt, I saw all those present: Oblate priests, brothers and sisters, and a great number of laity, too! We are indeed one body in Christ and the special charism of the Salesian family within the Body of Christ was palpable in that moment. - Father Geoff Rose, OSFS. Jackson, Mich. I met angels on this trip to France. One was in a train station in Paris when I first arrived. I was late getting in and had missed my ride to Troyes from Paris. As I stood looking very confused, a man approached, asked in English if I needed help, gave me directions how to get to the train to Troyes and disappeared. The other angels were a group of Oblate sisters from Africa who presented the gifts at two Masses that were part of the beatification celebration. They danced and sang the gifts to the altar in a way that nearly moved me to tears. - Father Bob Schramm, OSFS. Toledo, Ohio The phrase Salesian family took on a new depth of meaning for me during the events surrounding Father Brisson s beatification. Fellow Oblates from around the world, Oblate sisters, Sisters of the Visitation, clergy and laity who filled the Cathedral of Troyes all testified to the power and influence of a man imbued with the spirit of St. Francis de Sales. Together we spanned ages, cultures, languages and generations to share one faith and one goal: Live Jesus! - Father John Kasper, OSFS. Lafayette, Calif. The well-prepared international event for the Beatification of Père Louie was a joy and a deepening awareness of our Oblate global belonging beyond our little work in this corner of the world. We are but a piece of something far larger that Père Louis Brisson started. Meeting Oblates and Oblate sisters from Haiti, Benin, South Africa, India, Ecuador, our European provinces and America too, was exhilarating: all of us with so much in common from the heritage of Blessed Père Louie! Praise God from whom all blessings flow. - Father John Graden, OSFS. Niagara Falls, N.Y. Carlos Peñaherrera was the miracle needed for beatification; his crushed foot was completely restored. What a wonderful surprise to meet Carlos Peñaherrera, whose fractured foot was healed years ago through the intercession of Father Brisson. Beatification requires a miracle - and this miraculous healing was the cure accepted by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for Father Brisson s elevation to Blessed. The healing must have been spiritual as well as physical, because Carlos is a humble man of visible devotion with such an affable personality and joyful countenance that you could not help but smile whenever you were around him. - Father Ken McKenna, OSFS. Toledo, Ohio The city of Troyes was itself a powerful testament to the impact of Father Brisson s life and work. While walking its streets I encountered Oblate sisters from Ecuador, parishioners from an Oblate parish in Italy and Oblate fathers from India. We may not have shared a common language, but we shared a common genealogy. My connection to Father Brisson tethered me to a much larger world than I had appreciated. During the beatification, the international impact of Father Brisson s life was made visible in the city of Troyes. - Scholastic Joseph Newman, OSFS. Toronto, Can. The highlight of my time in France for the beatification occurred on Mon., Sept. 24, 2012, when I was concelebrating at the Mass of Thanksgiving in the Visitation Monastery in Troyes. As I concelebrated the Mass, I began to think deeply about how much Oblate history is enclosed within this Visitation Monastery. It was from this chapel that Father Brisson celebrated Mass with the sisters for nearly 40 years. It was in this chapel that he prayed daily and wrestled with God and himself regarding many things. And today, 104 years after his death, here I am sitting in this chapel doing the very same thing: concelebrating Mass with the sisters, fellow Oblates, and laity, and wrestling with God and myself over many things. It was a transcendent experience that I won t forget. - Father Mike Newman, OSFS. Toledo, Ohio 6 7

A Sacred Place for the Oblates The plaque marks the spot where Jesus stood as he appeared to Father Brisson. P ictured above is the large upper parlor of the Visitation Monastery in Troyes, France. It is a sacred place of great historical significance for the Oblates. Father Brisson had become chaplain for the Parlor: this is the cloistered side. convent in 1844. The superior was Mother Father Brisson would have been on the Mary de Sales Chappuis, VHM, known as other side of the grille. the Good Mother. She began telling Father Brisson that God had given her a strong message he was to found a religious order for priests and brothers. This made him angry and he stubbornly refused to listen to her words. Repeatedly he told her, I can t do what you want! In this parlor Mother Chappuis asked, What if it is God who wants this to happen? Not if someone is raised from the grave will I surrender to this! he shouted. She left the parlor and Father Brisson later wrote what happened at this point: 8 My first reaction was a feeling of resistance. Now it has happened. Now I have to give in. After about seven minutes, I opened my eyes and there I saw the Lord on the other side of the grille, about two yards from me. My first reaction was a feeling of resistance. Now it has happened. Now I have to give in. But my resistance also grew stronger. Maybe this is just an illusion, and I began to examine the image more carefully. I stared at the feet and sandals. I didn t dare look him in the eyes right away. I examined him the way a painter studies a model. I did not want to be misled. I wanted to be certain that what I was seeing with my own eyes was genuine and real. Slowly my gaze moved up and then I was looking into the face of the Lord. He said nothing. He looked strict and displeased with me. And I had absolutely no doubt that he was now asking me to do what the Good Mother wanted. I fell to my knees. I surrendered completely. Without a word. I experienced a profound peace and great tranquillity. Passage from Louis Brisson by Dirk Koster, OSFS, pp. 55-56. 9

New Oblate House in Jackson, Mich. Favorite Salesian Sayings The Oblates should be determined men! - Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS P ictured above is the new Oblate residence on Loren St. in Jackson, Mich. We decided to leave our former house of 40 years and move into this senior-friendly residence. Generous contributions from parents and others associated with Lumen Christi Catholic High School, as well as benefactors from our other Jackson-area apostolates, have enabled us to make this important move to accommodate the special needs of older Oblates. Special thanks to Mike Bullinger for overseeing the construction, architect David Fleming for providing the blueprints, and Gordon Swihart Construction for their work on the addition. The residence will be home to Oblates working full and part-time at Lumen Christi. Lumen has built a proud heritage in academics, the arts, sports and faith since it opened in 1968. Father Joseph Coyle, OSFS, was its founder and the first Oblate principal. Father Richard McLernan, who taught science for many years at Lumen, and Father Jim McHugh, the Director of Camp De Sales, moved into the new residence in late April. Fellow Oblate priests John Lindsay, Geoff Rose and Andy Dunne are expected to join them when the 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom addition is complete. The house will also serve as a gathering site for area Oblates including Father Tom Rieden, 10 The back addition to the Loren St. house. who served as principal of Lumen for many years, Fathers Rich Eberle and Lehr Barkenquest ministering in local parishes, and the Oblates at Camp: Fathers Paul Grehl and Paul Ruddy. Blessed Louis Brisson could never have foreseen that his dream in founding a new congregation of priests and brothers would extend to Jackson, Mich. But the many Oblates who ministered in the Jackson area since 1968 have made that dream a reality even beyond the vision of our founder. Though I was never a resident at DeChantal Hall, our house of studies in Lewiston, N.Y., visits there during my college years were always wonderful and gatherings in the chapel especially sacred. There was a long French quote from Father Brisson carved in wood at the top of the wall all around that chapel, a catalog of qualities that should characterize each of us if we wanted to get serious about being Oblates. Since I was minoring in French, translating that long directive held a special fascination. Somehow those simple words, hommes déterminés, have stayed with me over the years. In challenging times, in dull and monotonous times, in times of uncertainty and discouragement, that simple message still rings out very personally. Oblates are supposed to be determined men, Tom. Hang in there. Just take another step.... I ve been determined to do just that. - Father Tom Helfrich, OSFS. Adrian, Mich. Without our trials, we would, perhaps, have been disposed to continue to increase our numbers in only one place. But the wind of the tempest, in dispersing what was sown to the four corners of the earth, will make it germinate far and wide for a more fruitful blossoming of our Salesian apostolate. - Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS The anti-clerical government in France threatened to undo all of Father Brisson s work. Oblates (both male and female) were forced to leave France and found communities elsewhere. It must have seemed a disaster at first, but soon Father Brisson saw God s hand in the dispersal. God can bring good even out of evil. Like the early Christians forced out of Jerusalem, they went to the four corners of the world preaching God s word. Each of us will have negative experiences in life. Father Brisson s optimism is instructive in helping us see God s hand even in events that may seem a disaster. God s love surrounds us at all times in all circumstances. - Father Roland Calvert, OSFS. Adrian, Mich. 11

V+J Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Toledo-Detroit Province