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Omi Information n. 381 August 1999

The Vice-Province of Jaffna despite the Hardships Despite the hardships, the Vice-Province of Jaffna decided to celebrate in January 1998 the 150 years since the arrival of the Oblates. Fr Marcello ZAGO, Superior General at the time, had secured special authorization from the Sri Lankan authorities to go to Jaffna for the celebration, together with Fr Bernard QUINTUS, Provincial of Sri Lanka (Colombo) (seeOMI InfoApril „98). The people continue to endure similar enormous difficulties due to the war. One with their people, the Oblates of the Vice-Province go on with their work under the responsibility of Fr Jeevendra A. PAUL, the Provincial. He succeeded Fr Philipiah JESUNESAN, who was elected General Councillor for Asia-Oceania at the last Chapter. It is close to twenty years now that Sri Lanka, and more particularly the northern and eastern parts of the island, have been living under the trials of a civil war.... Newspaper figures show the conflict has caused close to 60,000 victims, and that the number of displaced persons is more than a million.... Writing about this conflict, Archbishop ZAGO said: “The war between the central government – dominated by the Singhalese forces in the South – and the Tamil rebel forces in the Northeast has one cause, or according to some, one pretext: the non-recognition of the Tamil Nation and its rights as a people and a nation. The Tamils are considered by the Sri Lankan majority as an ethnic minority that must adjust itself to the rest of the country. In fact, Tamils make up 17-20% of the population. They are a people/nation with their own very ancient culture, rich history, language, religion (traditionally Hindu), and territory inhabited for thousands of years, with a long history of political independence and their own particular social structures....” The administrative centralization wanted by Colombo, and the decision to accept only Singhalese as the official language, set off the conflict.... The clashes between the Sri Lankan Army and the “rebel” freedom fighters of the LTTE, the “Tigers” – many under 18 years of age, some hardly even 14 – became more and more severe. Until now all attempts for a solution, be they political, diplomatic or military, have failed.... To help us better understand this difficult situation, we quote from some recent news releases. The Newsletter of the Province of Sri Lanka (Colombo) reported last October: “The worst news in the current period was the ferocious battle waged at Killinochchi from 29th September which led to the loss of the defence salient of Killinochchi-Paranthan and the death of 1500 cadres on both sides.... The hopes of the return of normal conditions and civilian administration to the peninsula were shattered by the assassination of the mayor

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of Jaffna on September 11th.... A civilian plane returning to Colombo from Jaffna crashed into the sea on September 29th....” FidesService, April 16, 1999: “Bishop Joseph Rayappu of Mannar has protested against the army occupation of Madhu Church. In an April 5 letter to the President of Sri Lanka, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Bishop wrote: “I appeal to your Excellency to give proof of your noble disposition towards spiritual things and your praiseworthy commitment to respect minority rights and feelings, by immediately ordering the removal of the Armed Security Forces and all in military uniforms from the sacred area of the Madhu Shrine consisting of 400 acres.” The shrine... is situated on forest-land.... It has already provided shelter for 25,000 in the past seven years. The UN High Commission for Refugees designated it as an “open camp”: people affected by the war could take refuge there during the conflict and return to their homes at the time of a truce. The entire Madhu region has always been a non-violence zone. In mid-March, the Army took control of the Shrine revered by both Singhalese and Tamils.... According to some observers, the presence of the Army in the Madhu area is necessary as a safeguard against a possible attack by the LTTE.” We might add that Fr Anton THEVARAJ is assisting the refugees in a camp near Madhu. FidesService, May 7, 1999: “The Religious Alliance for Peace, formed recently to express the solidarity of religions in the pursuit of peace, met with the President, Ms Kumaratunga, to discuss peace initiatives. Previously, in February, the Alliance consisting of dignitaries representing Buddhist leaders and Christian clergy had met members of the political wing of the LTTE. Bishop Joseph Rayappu of Mannar co-ordinated this meeting. The President stated that the Government was willing for peace talks with the LTTE provided they give up their demand for a separate state and that a strict timeframe be agreed upon....” Returning to Jaffna In November-December 1995, together with the entire population, the Oblates had to leave the city of Jaffna, which was under the control of the LTTE, then bombed and taken by Government troops. They found “refuge” in the countryside and the forest, and some further south in the Diocese of Mannar. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux – 244 professed Sisters in their Jaffna Province – experienced the same trials. In April 1996, Fr Philipiah JESUNESAN, Provincial at the time, took the decision to return to Jaffna, a city to be rebuilt. A major and symbolic event was the opening of the Columbuthurai/Jaffna scholasticate in October 1997. Repair work at the juniorate was begun and in September, the juniorate which had been provisionally housed in Madhu, was reopened in Jaffna. Even the elderly Oblates, who had been taken to Madhu for awhile, were moved back to Jaffna. Fr JESUNESAN, wrote in September „97: “We have made the logical decision to return to Jaffna and re-institute our various communities, and thus be with the people who are coming back to their cherished homes. It is again a difficult time. I commend our men for their steadfastness, audacity and the readiness to venture out on their journey back home.... Now, we have the great task of re-building ahead of us, both on the community level and on the level of the mission....” This context gave real meaning to the 150th anniversary celebrations.

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Communication still remains very difficult. Jaffna is not accessible by land, because the road remains closed. Sea and air links are risky and often disrupted. Moreover, special authorization is needed to use them. Fr ZAGO was granted this authorization in January „98, but Fr Clyde RAUSCH, General Councillor for Europe, was refused last November. Because of the military situation, the group of Oblates in Jaffna is almost totally cut off from the group in the Mannar area. Last March, the new Provincial, Fr Jeevendra PAUL, wrote: “The experience of the abiding presence of the Risen Lord was the source of encouragement, strength and renewal for the disciples. I wish that this season awaken in our hearts too a similar experience. The dark clouds of war, death and destruction that hover over us and our people should never be allowed to darken the vision of our life and mission....” Missionary activity and formation The March „99 Vice-Province Newsletter,Yazha-Thoni, reports: “The most important event of the year in the Diocese of Jaffna is the preaching of the Grand Mission. At the Bishop‟s request, five of our young and able Oblates are already in the field. Fr Celestine MASCARINGHE, who heads the team, and Frs Jacob YOGARAJAH, Wenceslaus GNANAMUTHU, Francis LOSHINGTON, and Robert PERERA are fully involved in this great undertaking. Fr Francis has joined the team after serving as a full-time preacher on our preaching band at Vavuniya. It is important to know that travelling to Jaffna makes everyone sick and frustrated.... We hear that Fr Robert is already at Trincomalee waiting for the next ship. We hope and pray that he gets a place on the ship soon.... “The Grand Mission means a lot of work both for the parish priests and for the missionaries.... Presently the Mission is being conducted at Point-Pedro Deanery, i.e. in the parishes of Mirusuvil, Eluthumadduval, Palai and Chavakachcheri.... Two Claretians and one Verbite are also on the team. We earnestly pray for the preachers so that they enjoy good health and spiritual strength so as to achieve the purpose of renewal in the whole Diocese....” The Vice-Province has maintained what were at first temporary foundations in the Diocese of Mannar. In 1981, there were two Oblates working in the diocese. Today there are ten, either in parishes, or at the preachers house in Vavuniya, and we must not forget the Father helping in the refugee camp at Madhu. The Vice-Province also has missionaries abroad, in Pakistan, Korea.... Fr M. Sebastian SANTHIAPILLAI is chaplain to the Tamils in Paris. He succeeded Fr S. Sebamalai THURAM, who now works among the Tamil refugees in Southern India. Fr Nicholapillai ARULNESAN, who will soon be 87, continues a work begun more than 20 years ago among the migrant workers in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. There are presently 17 scholastics in the Vice-Province. Eight are at the scholasticate at Ampitiya/Kandy and one in Rome. The others are at the Columbuthurai/Jaffna scholasticate. They attend courses at the Jaffna Major Seminary. In January the juniorate at Columbuthurai was able to send two pre-novices to the pre-novitiate at Maggona. The Vice-Province has eight novices at the novitiate in Bandarawela. And finally we might add

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that 14 of the younger Oblates were able to meet for a two day session at Vavuniya in February. Fr Norbert ANDRADI, Superior of the Ampitiya scholasticate, led the session.

General News E-mail address for the Information Service Since May 20, our Information Service has its own E-mail address:

infomiroma@pcn.net

A reminder that the address for the Administrative Services of the Congregation c/o the General Secretariat is:

omigen@pcn.net

The old address (at the server) was discontinued as of June 2. General House: Hospitality during the Holy Year Fr Hubert LAGACÉ, Superior of the General House, has asked that we publish the following notice concerning the different options for hospitality at the General House during the Holy Year: 1. All Oblates are welcome. They will be given absolute priority for lodging at the General House during the Jubilee Year, i.e. from December 1999 to January 2001. Since the number of available rooms is limited, reservations should be made at least two months in advance. 2. Honorary Oblates are also welcome according to the availability of rooms. However, reservations must be made during the two month period preceding the date of stay, not earlier. 3. The same holds for family members of Oblates (only father, mother, brothers and sisters). Reservations will be accepted only during the two month period prior to the expected date of stay. 4. The length of stay may not extend beyond ten days. This will permit us to welcome other pilgrims. 5. We regret that we will not be able to receive other persons, such as more distant relatives, cooperators or friends of Oblates. De Mazenod Experience, English group Fr John O‟DOHERTY (Indonesia) sent the following report: “From January to March, sixteen Oblates from eight countries took part in the De Mazenod Experience in Aix. Raul BIASBAS (Philippines), Simon THOO (Lesotho), Richard BEAUDETTE (St. Pauls), Mike DECHANT and John ZUNTI (St. Mary‟s), Robert LAROCHE (Manitoba), Sholto DOUGLAS (Australia), Loorthusamy SOWRIAPPAN (Cameroon), Bill MASON, John CASTRO, Bryan SILVA, James TAGGART (USA), Bosco PERERA, Ernest Premasiri FERNANDO (Sri Lanka), Chris RICHMOND, and Enoch SHOMANG (Transvaal). The animators were Ernest RUCH and René MOTTE from the Aix community, and John O‟DOHERTY. Fr Eugene KING, Vicar General, gave some input on the Mission element,

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and also reported on the General Chapter. Fr John Fuellenbach, SVD spent four days with us „throwing fire.‟ Throwing Fire is the title of his most recent book. The Ignatian style retreat with its Oblate content was directed by John O‟Doherty. The guest house at Notre-Dame du Laus welcomed the group for the three weeks of retreat. Frs Mike HUGHES (Anglo-Irish) and Ernest RUCH were also present for personal consultation. “Living in the house of the first Oblates, the place where St. Eugene lived, is always an important part of the Experience. But this year there was something „extra‟, namely dust and noise (due to renovations). However in the spirit of community life we endured these hardships for the sake of a better future. The changes and repairs to the ground level section of the building, the restoration to its original condition, will be very beautiful. If you want to know, come and see for yourself and take part in the De Mazenod Experience!” Renovation work at Notre-Dame de Lumières, where traditionally the Experience has made the Ignatian retreat, led to asking the Guest House at Notre-Dame du Laus to receive us. Laus is near Gap in the Hautes-Alpes. “Beautiful countryside, excellent atmosphere for a retreat, tremendous hospitality..., and for us Oblates there was a strong sense of “Home Coming.” As is known, it was in 1818 that Notre-Dame du Laus became the second community of the Missionaries of Provence. The Oblates remained there until 1842 when the diocese decided to take back the Shrine. In bidding the group farewell, the Rector of the Shrine said that their coming there for retreat would be a high point in the history of the Shrine, and he hoped that there would be other such occasions. We also note that twelve scholastics – eight from the International scholasticate in Rome and four from the Italian Province scholasticate in Vermicino also went to Laus for the retreat in preparation for perpetual oblation and diaconate. Fr Piero BONOMETTI and a group of Indonesian pilgrims were also at Laus in May.

Europe Germany : The Provinztag at Hünfeld Traditionally the Provinztag – an assembly of the German Province – is held every six years, six months after the General Chapter. Already last year, the Provincial Fr Alfred SCHELLMANN, had announced it for April 12-15, 1999 in Hünfeld, and set up a committee to prepare it: Frs Theo GILDEHAUS, Karl-Heinz VOGT, Josef KATZER, Martin BENNING, Thomas KLOSTERKAMP and Martin WOLF. A questionnaire was sent out to the Province. More than half of those under age 50 answered. The ratio is considerably lower for those above 50. Here are some of the answers. 75 to 80% of the confrères live in communities of more than six Oblates. The greater majority answered that they feel comfortable in their present work, but about half of them added they were open to other work. More than three-quarters said they feel at home in their community. The proportion of those who said they feel “spiritually at home” was only slightly less. Some think that the Province‟s future will not be “so good” because, they say, of the age pyramid, daily spiritual practice, individualism.... Some use adjectives like “disturbing” or

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even “ossified” to describe the state of the Province. Those under 50 are definitely more optimistic about the future than their elders. Regarding priorities, those over 50 point to parishes, parish missions, youth ministry. The younger members propose a broader spectrum of priorities in their answers. Those over 50 are also more concerned than their younger colleagues about the mission territories historically linked to the German Province, Namibia, South Africa and Paraguay. Yet some would readily accept that the German Oblates undertake a new mission. “This would give a new thrust, a new missionary impetus to the Province.” The Assembly was broken into four work groups: community life/witness as community, religious life, our mission, lay associates. The presence of Fr Wilhelm STECKLING – his first contact with his Province of origin since his election as Superior General – was much appreciated. In his address he said: “The question to ask is, „What mission for the German Province?‟ – A Province needs a clear, concrete and communicable missionary orientation. The young will ask: What are you doing? Where do you work? When we can answer: in this or that country, with this or that group of people, in such and such a kind of work, then we have a face and we are more than just a mere institution....” In a circular letter dated May 19, the Provincial drew some conclusions about this assembly. “We spoke very openly about the missionary orientation of the Province. That youth ministry linked with vocation ministry, be considered an essential missionary work, is something new.” The Provincial underlined that the presence of the Superior General had added a special note, and that this was the first time that a murmuratio had been held to prepare the upcoming consultation for the nomination of a new Provincial. Germany : 25 years working for the Weinberg After working in the communities at Hünfeld, Engelport and Schiefbahn, Bro. Berthold BURSCHEL received an obedience for Mainz in 1973 to help at the Weinberg, the monthly magazine published by the German Province. As he himself says, he prepares the soil for the grape harvest. (Weinberg means vineyard.) His work is well organized. In agreement with the parishes, an Oblate priest preaches at the Sunday Mass. Then Brother himself addresses the parishioners to present the magazine and encourage subions. This is done before setting out to visit them in their homes. In its October issue, Weinbergnoted that in 25 years Bro. Berthold had gathered 13,922 new subions. Germany : The new church at Kirchberg We are more used to speaking of the construction and consecration of churches in mission countries rather than in our own countries, remarked Fr Günther KAMES last September in the Weinberg. However, on June 20, 1998, Bishop Reinelt of the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen, consecrated the church at Kirchberg, near Zwickau in Saxony. This diaspora parish, which was entrusted to Frs Hans-Joachim LÜNING and Robert HALLER – who just died at the age of 76 – has 650 parishioners dispersed in the city of Kirchberg and 17 other localities in the vicinity. In Germany the diaspora refers to those Catholic communities set up in mostly Protestant regions especially at the end of the war

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as a result of the forced displacement of people. Thus, the proportion of Catholics in this diocese is just under 4%. The church is dedicated to Mary Queen of Peace. The construction was possible thanks to the work of volunteers, and to financial cooperation of the parishioners, as well as aid from other regions in Germany. “With this day, God calls us to build the Church, and to fill this church of stone with life, so that it may become more and more a community.”

America St. Paul’s (Canada) : Historic Church Restored Dawson City, at 500 km northwest of Whitehorse, not far from the Alaskan border, is the northern most city of the Yukon. It was famous a hundred years ago when the Klondike and surrounding region attracted thousands of gold prospectors. The population then was more than 30,000. Today it has just over 1,500. The Oblates have been there since 1898. The Catholic community, in the care of Fr Timothy COONEN, its pastor, numbers thirty or so families. In a March „98 article in Oblate Missions, Fr Terry CONWAY tells about the restoration of “One of Dawson‟s jewels,” Old Saint Mary‟s church. The second-floor auditorium of a school built in 1904 was turned into a church in 1920, and it still serves as a church today. Thanks to the help of the Catholic Church Extension Society and the Yukon Territorial Government, and a host of many benefactors and friends, the restoration was undertaken and successfully completed. On June 12, 1996, Bishop Thomas LOBSINGER of Whitehorse, blessed the restored church. Fr Pandosy’s trees In 1847, 23 year old scholastic brother Charles PANDOSY (1824- 1891), a native of Marseilles, arrived in Oregon with the first group of Oblates. He was ordained a few months later. A “Friday FAX” from St. Paul‟s Province recalls that he loved to garden. When he arrived in the Okanagan, he brought seedlings with him and showed people that the area they lived in was good for tree fruit farming. One of Fr Pandosy‟s original trees survived until the very cold winter of 1949. Today, a graft of that tree is still growing at the Agriculture Research Station in Summerland, British Columbia. Celebration of Creation by the Squamish Saint Paul‟s Indian Church in North Vancouver was built in 1884. It is the oldest one in the area. Saint Paul was chosen as patron because of Fr Paul DURIEU (1830-1899), the future Vicar Apostolic of British Columbia and first Bishop of New Westminster. Fr Dennis ALEXANDER is the present parish priest. At the request of the Squamish Nation, Archbishop Adam EXNER of Vancouver, was the celebrant of the blessing of the refurbished church and surrounding property. The ceremony was a “celebration of creation,” which opened to the beat of traditional Squamish drums. Accompanied by the Squamish Princesses, the Archbishop proceeded to bless the exterior of the church, the bell which dates from 1881, the old cross from 1900,

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then he stopped for a prayer at the memorial for the war veterans. There was another ceremony at the totem. “The church gardens – about 40m by 10m – are formed by three ponds. The Pond of Creation represents the Creator. There is a waterfall between the Pond of Creation and the Pond of Transition, which represents Jesus coming into the world to teach us a better way to love our Creator. The procession then moved to Adam’s Bridge, representing Jesus, the new Adam, the bridge between God and humanity. The lower pond, Tranquillity, represents the work completed in us by the Holy Spirit.” Bishop Exner also blessed a statue of the surrendered heart of Mary, depicted as a native Squamish woman. Squamish traditions and chants had a special place in the Mass. The closing song was the traditional Paddle Song of the Squamish People. The Baja California Mission in Northern Mexico Desert and mountainous areas cover the greater part of the Mexican Baja California Peninsula. The population is concentrated in the North on the United States border, especially in the two cities of Tijuana (2 million people?), and Mexicali which has about one million. This is where Oblates of the former Western U.S. Province founded what was to become the “Baja California Mission in Northern Mexico.” The foundation at Mexicali is the oldest. It dates from 1971. Today, there are three Oblates in charge of the La Sagrada Familia parish, which is really a “community of communities.” It is made up of poor worker families gathered around eight churches. Fr William ANTONE, the parish priest, is also Superior of the Mission. “The construction of the new church is progressing very nicely, reports the March OMI USA. They now have a roof.... Pews have been received from Mary Immaculate parish in Pacoima, California. Much of the local funding comes from the sale of tamales and coffee after the Sunday masses. The Oblates have plans to begin three more churches this year.” Fr Roberto CALLAHAN, age 73, is the parish priest at St. Eugene de Mazenod parish near Tijuana. The Oblates accepted to build up this new parish. Thousands of families in the area are struggling to make a living in sprawling shanty towns nestled around maquiladoras. These are foreign-owned factories which “provide employment with wages that compete with the world market (less than one US dollar an hour).” In an interview by the Italian review Jesus (Jan. „99) the Bishop of Tijuana, Romo Muñoz, explained that Tijuana is “the city with the highest rate of growth in Mexico. It increases by 80,000 new inhabitants every year. It is impossible both politically and civilly to deal with this growth.” He also noted that Tijuana is “the busiest crossing point in the world.” Each year there are 30 million “crossings” here on the border between the United States and Mexico.... The Casa Estudiantil de Mazenod, one of the three pre-novitiates in the United States Province, has been located here in Tijuana since 1990. Fr Jaime FEE and Bro. Peter VASQUEZ are the formators. Describing last year‟s group of pre-novices, Jaime says they were all born in Mexico, but had lived in such places as California, New York, Mexico,

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Veracruz and Chiapas. Age wise, they are in their upper 20‟s and 30‟s. This is “a factor we try to respect in the call to personal responsibility and the exigencies of entering into real contact with Oblate history as a group of missionaries in the Church.” “There is no doubt that we are with the materially poor and the many poor in knowing who Christ is. The city jail bespeaks subhuman conditions of incarceration. There is also pastoral care for a colonia, a mission subdivision of the local parish: liturgy, catechetics, youth, family visitation. Three other members minister with Fr Callahan in St. Eugene‟s parish, where thousands of families live in humble homes, made of orange crates and garage doors, on mud roads, without a church yet. Our pre-novices are with them on the ground floor of a new faith- community.” Puerto Rico Mission to be entrusted to the Peru Oblates The Council Chronicle of the U.S. Province, dated 15-21 March reports: “The Peru province (sic) has agreed to assume the responsibility for the ministry in Puerto Rico. The U.S. Province will be asked to continue some financial assistance, as it has done in the past.” The May OMI USA gives more details in an article signed by Fr David KALERT, Provincial of the United States: “The transfer of the mission will take place officially on September 8, 1999, the feast day of the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre.... The Oblates from Peru are dedicated to committing three Oblates for the first three years.” Fr Victor TORRES will be the first to arrive. As of December 31, the Peru Delegation, where Fr Victor SANTOYO is Superior, had 13 Oblates in initial formation. The Delegation is part of St. Peter‟s Province (Canada). Fr Kalert gives special recognition to Fr Pablo HUGHES, who has been a part of the mission from the beginning – for almost 25 years – and to Bro.Valmond LECLERC, who has also worked tirelessly for seven years with the people of the parish and the poor in the surrounding area. Cuba : Rebuilding the churches and the faith It is now a year and a half since the Oblates from the Vice-Provinces of Mexico and Haiti have been at work in Cuba. They are now five. Fr Gilberto PIÑON is Superior of the Mission. Fr François THOMAS, from Haiti, as well as two Haitian scholastics still await their visas. Remember that the sea between Haiti and Cuba is only a hundred kilometers across. In keeping with the initial plan, the Oblates are in charge of three parishes in three different dioceses. These parishes, like many others, have been without a priest for many years, and they impatiently hope for other Oblates to come to their aid. In the Diocese of Matanzas, the Oblates care for the San Francisco Javier parish at Marti; in the Diocese of Cienfuegos, the Ariza parish at Abreus; in the Diocese of Santa Clara, the parish of San José y Nuestra Señora del Carmen at Yaguajay. Procedures with the communist civil authorities and Cardinal Ortega are well under way for another. The Cardinal Archbishop of Havana would like to entrust the Oblates with a parish about thirty kilometers from the capital, where they could set up their central house and a formation house.

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Some news on the situation has been received from Fr Pablo FUENTES. In the December Weinberg: “Religious ignorance is widespread. The formation of catechists is most urgent. They would be not only for the children, but also for the youth, for young adults and for couples. There is a need to renovate churches that are threatening to collapse and to build others....” In the November Nosotros: “We have yet to finish the church roof. It is a tile roof, but a temporary tin covering has been used. In another church which I visit on Sunday, only the facade is standing. In the beginning there were only four people coming, now there are twenty or so.... More people are coming to church than ten years ago. So, we are busy rebuilding temples as well as the faith.... People lack all sorts of things, but there is no misery in Cuba where poverty is socialized.” These remarks from Pablo were gathered by Fr Angel VILLALBA, a Spanish Oblate who is a missionary in Texas.

Africa-Madagascar Kenya : Many children, a vibrant liturgy It is just over two years since Oblates from Canada came to help in the Diocese of Meru, Kenya. This Mission is under the responsibility of the Oblate Conference of Canada. Fr Leo MANN, Provincial of St. Mary‟s, is the “liaison Provincial.” There are presently three Oblates in Kenya, Fr Kenneth FORSTER, from St. Paul‟s, who is the Mission Superior, and Frs Harold KAUFMANN and William STANG, both from St. Mary‟s. They have had several visitors whose reports have reached us. Fr Ray L‟HENAFF, former Provincial of St. Paul‟s writes: “One thing that impressed me was the number of young people. Especially when you see them at the schools in Timau. There are children all over the place.... There, every child is in a uniform and the different schools have different uniforms.... Bill has such a gift in this area. In his own gentle way he attracts the children to himself. He knows everyone of these young students by name....” “The liturgy was another thing that really impressed me. For the morning Mass the children at Timau all had their uniforms on and the Church was packed. The children would get up and do the readings, lead the singing, play the drums – every day they would take turns.... They love their singing, dancing, and moving around. It‟s not just confined to the children, it‟s all the people of the church. They sing with their whole bodies....” From Peter GALLOWAY (Transvaal) : “All along the way Ken and Bill had been telling me about their difficulties in starting the mission – one being the initial decision as to which language to learn. They decided to learn Kimeru, the local language, as opposed to Swahili, more widely spoken in Kenya but not the first language of the local people. There is no written grammar of the Kimeru language, making it much more difficult for Westerners to learn. About a third of the verbs are exceptions!” “The countryside at Kionyo is beautiful, situated in the foothills of Mount Kenya. It is surrounded by tea plantations, as well as coffee on a smaller scale. These are owned mainly by small growers. Pickers take the tea a basket at a time to a central point, from

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where it is collected for processing. They work for what most of us would consider a pittance – $1.75 per day, says Ken. Something to consider the next time you enjoy a cup of tea. Some of the tea fields are owned by the church, which helps them to be self-sufficient....” In the March „99 St. Mary‟s Province Newsletter Ken FORSTER speaks about the life of the Church: “Many seeds have already germinated and are bearing the fruit of joy and hope. Our catechists have had an opportunity to attend two sessions of formation, each one week in duration, with other catechists of the diocese. We are very grateful for the efforts of the Consolata Fathers in developing this program. We are unable to provide this training because of the language barrier. These sessions are very inexpensive (about $12.00 each, per week, including food). The catechists, who until now have been unable to attend, return filled with enthusiasm. We are working with the catechists offering marriage preparation sessions and beginning an RCIA process.... “We are confident that many young men would want to join us in our mission if we had a formation program to welcome them.... The three of us have requested the Canadian Region to seriously discern and generously offer some younger Canadian Oblates to join us. We know that this is a very difficult request.... But we feel that we cannot even begin to foster Oblate vocations in Kenya if we do not have some younger Oblates who, having been immersed in Meru culture and language, will be able to walk with and accompany young Kenyan Oblates.” “The Church in Meru is young and the youth need and want the direction and teaching of the Church. I have made a commitment to celebrate Mass in three of the high schools in the area once a month. This was requested by the youth themselves, not by the teachers or principals. We have also started to have occasional Masses in the eight primary schools in the parish....” Last year in July, Fr Leo MANN wrote this about the future: “On May 13, Bishop Silas Njiru of Meru signed a contract with the Oblates. Ken and Bill will be the parish priests in Kionyo, and Fr Solasius (a Kenyan diocesan priest) will stay with them at least until December 1999. Fr Protasio (another diocesan) will stay at Timau until June 1999 so that Harold can follow a language course.” Lesotho : News briefs – The Villa Maria Novitiate celebrated the 60th anniversary of its foundation last year. The first novice master in 1938 was Fr Henri THOMMEREL (1883-1971), a French Oblate. In the Province newsletter, Bro. Urbain MAILHOT recalls how the land had been sold to the Oblates by a Protestant minister.... This explains why the novitiate is flanked by two imposing schools belonging to the Evangelical Church of Lesotho. The present novice master is Fr Gérard LALIBERTÉ. – Two scholastics from Lesotho were scheduled to go to the Senegal Delegation for their year of regency. After some time learning French, they will be able to go the missions for pastoral experience.

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– Fr Gilbert TRUCHON, who has been in Lesotho since 1952, has been awarded the golden medal of the Legion of Honor by the French government. Fr Truchon did much to set up the Foyer de Charité at Mahobong in the Diocese of Leribe. – Ten candidates entered the pre-novitiate at Maryland where Fr Emilianus TSASANE is in charge. The pre-novitiate year started on April 1.

Books: Africa / Asia Jean-Pierre BWALWEL (Congo) : Famille et habitat.... (Family and Habitat. Ethical Implications of Urban Explosion. The case of Kinshasa.) Publication of a doctoral thesis by Fr BWALWEL, presented in OMI Info, April „98. Peter Lang, Bern-Berlin-New York-Paris-Vienna, 1998, 407 pp. Yousuf GILL (Pakistan) sent the Oblate Library a 200 page book in Urdu on the theme Church and Evangelization. Mick NGUNDU (Congo), editor : L’Engagement politique des fidèles... (Political Involvement of Christ‟s Faithful according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law). Publication of the Acts of the First Canon Law Days of Kinshasa, organized by the Catholic Faculties and the Institut de Mazenod, June 14-15, 1997. Baobab, Kinshasa, 1999, 72 pp. Jacques OMPEY (Cameroon) : Pourquoi honorer Marie? (Why Honor Mary?) 34 pp. Vice-Province of Japan : 50th Anniversary Celebration. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Oblates‟ arrival in Japan (Cf. OMI Info Jan. „99), the Oblates published a magnificent album with numerous photos in both Japanese and English. Following the letters of congratulations, there is a brief history of the Oblates in Japan and Korea, articles by members of the Vice-Province, some articles from or about other Oblates, and finally about twenty articles by Japanese Christians. Frs William MAHER, Jan van HOYDONCK and Raymond BOURGOIN were the editing committee. 112 pp. Jaroslaw ROZANSKI (Poland) : Misje w kraju Betsimisaraka (A mission in Betsimisaraka). After a recent visit to Madagascar, Jaroslaw presents this book on the nearly twenty years of mission work of the Polish Oblates in this country. Abos, Poznan, 1998, 260 pp. Dino TESSARI (Indonesia) : Beato Yoseph Gerard. A brief life of Blessed Joseph Gérard in Indonesian. Tarakan, 1998, 96 pp. Logos Vol. 36, Nos. 1 & 2, publishes two studies: one by Ramanie Jayatilaka on “Globalization and Rural Women. A Case Study of Two Villages in the District of Galle.” The other by Yoga Rasanayagam: “Globalization and Flexibility of Female Labour. Case Studies of Selected Villages in the District of Kurunegala.” Centre for Society and Religion, Colombo, June and July 1998.

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Anniversaries

Episcopal Ordination 1.8.1969 Most Rev. Jean Pasquier, Bishop of Ngaoundéré (Cameroon)

75 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 02.08 3974 Fr. Joseph Lyons USA 12.09 4133 Fr. Gabriel Lesage France

70 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 15.08 4697 Fr. René-Alfred Schneider France 15.08 4729 Fr. Raymond Shevenell St-Joseph 15.08 4808 Fr. Gaetano Liuzzo Italy 15.08 5028 Fr. Manuel Recalde Argentina 15.08 5231 Fr. Jean-Baptiste Guthans France 08.09 4750 Fr. André Nottebaert Belgium-North 08.09 4756 Fr. John Hennessy St. Paul’s 29.09 4987 Fr. Jean Philippe Manitoba

65 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 02.08 5823 Fr. Bernard Julien St-Joseph 02.08 5913 Fr. Jean-Joseph Vallieres USA 02.08 5917 Fr. Herménégilde Charbonneau St-Joseph 15.08 5824 Fr. Georges-Honoré Lemieux St-Joseph 15.08 5846 Fr. Engelbert Machinia Germany 15.08 5849 Fr. Ernesto Favero Italy 15.08 5851 Fr. Kazimierz Labinski Poland 15.08 5857 Fr. Paul Ischler USA 15.08 5923 Fr. Alphonse Hammond St-Joseph 15.08 5924 Fr. André Dorval St-Joseph 15.08 6102 Fr. Antonio Crisci Italy 15.08 6252 Fr. Alphonse Marchal France 15.08 6253 Fr. Guillaume Mathieu France 28.08 5938 Fr. Marcel Bolduc USA 08.09 5939 Fr. Georges Debruyne Belgium-North 08.09 5941 Fr. Kees Verspeek N.-D.-du-Rosaire 08.09 5944 Fr. Albert Detremmerie Belgium-North 08.09 5949 Fr. George Buckley USA 08.09 5956 Fr. Charles Gilles USA 08.09 5959 Fr. William Leising USA 08.09 5967 Fr. Robert Kilroy USA 08.09 5970 Fr. Robert Colfer USA 08.09 5971 Fr. Louis Marien Belgium-South 08.09 5985 Fr. James Sullivan Australia 08.09 5996 Fr. John Wall Anglo-Irish 08.09 6224 Fr. Bernard Boyce Transvaal 22.09 5976 Fr. Wilfred Scott St. Paul’s 29.09 5998 Fr. Thomas Magee Anglo-Irish 29.09 6001 Fr. Vincent Denny Anglo-Irish 29.09 6286 Fr. Arsène Caby France 29.09 7540 Fr. Joseph Guilbaud St. Paul’s

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60 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 02.08 6955 Fr. Jean-Paul Chicoine St-Joseph 02.08 6958 Fr. Charles Moreau USA 02.08 6962 Fr. Francis Mitchell Haiti 15.08 6932 Fr. Jean-Louis Arel N.-D.-du-Rosaire 15.08 6933 Fr. Philippe Montgrain St-Joseph 15.08 6934 Fr. Paul Pellegrin France 15.08 6967 Fr. Noël Lefebvre St-Joseph 15.08 6968 Fr. Paul Lebel Manitoba 15.08 6971 Fr. Alfred Lagacé N.-D.-du-Rosaire 15.08 6973 Fr. Alphonse Prince St. Mary’s 15.08 6975 Fr. Arochiasamy Michaelsamy Jaffna 15.08 7036 Fr. Marcel Keller France 15.08 7050 Fr. Gerard Coleman Transvaal 15.08 7078 Fr. Régis Carret France 15.08 7093 Fr. Louis Anthonypillai Jaffna 22.08 6980 Fr. Joseph-Marie Quirion St-Joseph 05.09 7051 Fr. John O’Brien Transvaal 08.09 6984 Fr. Francis McCarron USA 08.09 6989 Fr. Willem Geijs Holland 08.09 6990 Fr. George White USA 08.09 6991 Fr. William Smith USA 08.09 6994 Fr. Roger Vivier Belgium-South 08.09 6995 Fr. Fernand Moyse Sri Lanka 08.09 6996 Fr. Frans Claerhout Central So. Africa 08.09 7001 Fr. Edouard Wouters Belgium-South 08.09 7003 Fr. Alfons Kusters Holland 08.09 7004 Fr. Kees Nijsten Holland 15.09 7015 Fr. Patrick McMahon Natal 15.09 7019 Fr. Myles Byrne Anglo-Irish 15.09 7020 Fr. Patrick Cronin Anglo-Irish 15.09 7024 Fr. John Ryan Anglo-Irish 29.09 7029 Fr. Charles Mazé France 29.09 7030 Fr. Auguste Luneau France

50 Years of Priesthood (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 06.08 7862 Bishop Edmund J. Fernando Sri Lanka 06.08 7865 Fr. J.B.Clinton Anandappa Sri Lanka

50 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 02.07 9441 Bro. Jacques de Laage France 02.08 8682 Fr. Joseph Trifiro St-Joseph 02.08 8684 Fr. Myles Cyr USA 02.08 8685 Fr. Real Bourque USA 02.08 8690 Fr. Francis Demers USA 02.08 8693 Fr. Irénée Aubé St-Joseph 02.08 8694 Fr. Bernard Belley USA 15.08 8654 Fr. James Wynne USA 15.08 8655 Fr. James Kohmetscher Recife (USA) 15.08 8656 Fr. Alfred Zaby Namibia 15.08 8657 Fr. Justin Huelsing USA

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15.08 8658 Fr. Gennaro Pacelli Italy 15.08 8659 Fr. Alcuin Henger USA 15.08 8660 Fr. James Pillar USA 15.08 8662 Fr. William Clark USA 15.08 8663 Fr. Virgilio Bonatti Manitoba 15.08 8664 Fr. Vittorio Gazzola Italy 15.08 8665 Fr. Natale Lessio Italy 15.08 8667 Fr. André Jodoin St-Joseph 15.08 8668 Fr. Nicola Ferrara General Adm. 15.08 8669 Fr. Léo-Paul Nobert N.-D.-du-Rosaire 15.08 8702 Fr. Gilles Comeau St-Joseph 15.08 8704 Fr. Liguori Belzile St-Joseph 15.08 8779 Fr. Lino Maddalena Italy 15.08 8852 Fr. Paul-Antoine Hudon Grandin 15.08 9255 Bro. Clément Charest St-Joseph 15.08 9258 Bro. Antonio D’Amico Italy 15.08 9467 Bro. J.-Maurice Cantin N.-D.-du-Rosaire 08.09 8708 Fr. Leo Casey St. Paul’s 08.09 8709 Fr. Vincent LaPlante St. Paul’s 08.09 8710 Fr. Pierre Chevroulet Thailand 08.09 8714 Fr. John Mahoney Japan 08.09 8716 Fr. Lode Nagels Belgium-North 08.09 8717 Fr. Raymond Crowe USA 08.09 8722 Fr. Antoni Lesz . Polish V.P 08.09 8728 Fr. Allan Noonan St. Paul’s 08.09 8729 Fr. Clarence Lavigne St. Peter’s 08.09 8730 Fr. Joseph Navaratnam Philippines 08.09 8733 Fr. Rajmund Grzesik Poland 08.09 8734 Fr. Jan Severins Belgium-North 08.09 8736 Bishop Hubert O’Connor St. Paul’s 08.09 8739 Fr. John McCann St. Paul’s 08.09 8741 Fr. Jan Jop Poland 08.09 8745 Fr. Lester Kaufmann St. Mary’s 08.09 8746 Fr. Gaston Alwines Sri Lanka 08.09 8748 Fr. Joseph Kane St. Peter’s 08.09 8749 Fr. George McLean USA 08.09 8751 Fr. John Wells St. Peter’s 08.09 8752 Fr. Brunon Wielki Poland 08.09 8757 Fr. Jean Gaudin France 08.09 8758 Fr. Alexis Fuseau France 08.09 8854 Fr. Robert Kelly St. Paul’s 08.09 8985 Fr. Ignace Vermeersch Cameroon 08.09 8986 Fr. Pierre Ven France 08.09 8999 Fr. Rik Demol Belgium-North 08.09 9004 Bro. Paul Le Verge France 08.09 9216 Fr. Louis Hernot France 08.09 9378 Fr. Bernard Rivoal France 29.09 8764 Fr. Jean-Marie Toussaint France 29.09 8953 Fr. François Péron Thailand 29.09 8987 Fr. Jean-Marie Chuffart France

25 Years of Priesthood (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province)

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25.08 11842 Fr. Eliseo Mercado Philippines 02.09 11711 Fr. Jabulani Nxumalo General Adm. 22.09 12092 Fr. Gérard Jacques France 28.09 12108 Fr. Ryszard Sztylka Polish V.P.

25 Years of Religious Profession (Date) (No.) (Name) (Province) 01.08 12251 Fr. Manuel Villarreal USA 01.08 12253 Fr. James Loiacono USA 01.08 12309 Fr. Dennis Alexander St. Paul’s 08.09 12269 Fr. Boniface Patrick Bastian Sri Lanka 08.09 12270 Fr. Gerard Rosairo Sri Lanka 08.09 12271 Fr. Thomas Pillai St. Peter’s 08.09 12272 Fr. Claude Justinian Perera Sri Lanka 08.09 12273 Fr. Modestus Fernando Sri Lanka 08.09 12278 Fr. Shelton Perera Sri Lanka 08.09 12299 Fr. Norbert M. Andradi Sri Lanka 08.09 12305 Fr. Joachim Thaninayagam Grandin 08.09 12313 Fr. Pawel Panicz Polish V.P. 08.09 12314 Fr. Czeslaw Motak Poland 08.09 12315 Fr. Roman Nisiewicz Assumption 08.09 12448 Bro. Andrzej Kaczmarek Polish V.P. 29.09 12327 Fr. Antonio Camelo Italy 29.09 12328 Fr. Giovanni Soddu Italy 29.09 12329 Fr. Giuseppe Giordano Italy 29.09 12330 Fr. Sante Ronchi Italy 29.09 12333 Fr. Alfredo Feretti Lourdes (Italy) 29.09 12334 Fr. James McMahon Anglo-Irish 29.09 12335 Fr. Brian Maher Anglo-Irish 29.09 12430 Fr. Dermot Monaghan St. Peter’s

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Official

Suffrages for our Deceased

July 1999 (No. 56-64)

Name Born Vows Ordained Date In Fr. Léopold Thibault (St-Joseph) 1911 1934 1939 19/05/1999 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Fr. Patrick Cott (Anglo-Irish) 1916 1935 1940 21/05/1999 Dublin Fr. Louis Bruyéron (France) 1908 1927 1933 01/06/1999 Marseille

Bro. Leopold Stolz (General House) 1913 1931

02/06/1999 Hünfeld Fr. Cornelius Herlihy (St. Peter’s) 1911 1931 1936 05/06/1999 Ottawa Fr. Kees Rentmeester (Holland) 1909 1930 1935 08/06/1999 Hoogerheide Fr. Sylvester Pheku (Lesotho) 1936 1960 1965 10/06/1999 Roma (Lesotho)

Bro. Don Marcelline Kuruwita (Sri Lanka) 1920 1954

15/06/1999 Kohuwela Fr. Roch Ducharme (Manitoba) 1928 1948 1954 16/06/1999 Sherbrooke

OMI INFORMATION is an unofficial publication of the General Administration of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

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