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Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate Introducing our Community of Oblate Novices 2007-2008
During his two years of Pre-Novitiate he worked at Our Lady’s Hospice for terminally ill patients, where he encountered the poor and abandoned with their many faces, for him it was a moment of personal growth and development and left him with a profound affection for the needy. He also did his C.P.E. at the University Teaching Hospital were he assisted the chaplain by providing spiritual and physical care to the patients. It was yet another phase of identifying himself with those in the agony of sickness and deepening his personal relationship with God and the needy. While at the Pre-Novitiate, he served at an Oblate parish as a catechist and assisted in organizing various youth activities. At Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate he hopes to deepen his personal relationship with Jesus Christ through liturgy and prayer. He also looks forward to gaining a profound understanding of the Oblate charism, virtues and the congregation as a whole.
He spent his first few years growing up in Toronto after which his family moved to London, Ontario. At the beginning of high school his family moved once more to Ottawa, Ontario, where Daniel’s family lives to date. In Ottawa, Daniel finished high school at St. Paul’s Catholic High School and earned a Computer Science degree at Carleton University graduating in the spring of 2003. Although Daniel was baptized in an Oblate parish by Fr. Antoni Bagsik OMI, it was not until he lived in Ottawa that he once more came in contact with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the Assumption Province as a member of St. Hyacinth parish. At St. Hyacinth Parish Daniel was a long time altar server and was a core member of the youth ministry team as a young adult. Daniel was a part of the local Youth Team of Our Lady (YTOL) team which met at St. Hyacinth Parish. It was on an YTOL retreat that he had the opportunity to discern the Lord’s call to religious life. After a wonderful year of Pre-Novitiate spent in Buffalo under the direction of Fr. Ron LaFramboise OMI, Daniel is now part of the 2007-2008 Novitiate class in Godfrey, Illinois where he is enjoying his community, the surrounding beauty of the Novitiate grounds and the spiritual journey of discovering God’s love for him.
During his Pre-Novitiate year Wilfred worked in a hospice and in a hospital for six months in the C.P.E (Clinical Pastoral Experience) program. At his parish he was the chairperson of the Vocation Club, a group which nurtures and helps its members to discover what God is calling them to do in life. He was also a catechist.His call to religious life started as a child when he was an altar server. It was after high school that he met some Oblate brothers who did pastoral work at his parish. Together with his parish priest, who is an Oblate, they helped him to get to know the Oblates. After discernment he applied to the Oblates and was accepted to start the Oblate formation program. Wilfred is grateful and thankful to God for all that He has done in his life.
Part of the discernment process of a vocation to religious life was developed in the many pilgrimages that David has participated in. World Youth Days have been a focal point in David’s spiritual development. Over the years he attended WYD 2002 Toronto and WYD 2005 in Koln Germany. In 2003, David was a pilgrim in a walking pilgrimage in his home province, with 12 other pilgrims, walking nearly 100 miles over a ten day period to a monastery. David is an avid sports fan. Being from Canada he has played hockey throughout his life. Music has also played a major role in David’s development over the years, most notably playing the saxophone in jazz bands and drums in his parish music ministry. The introduction to the Oblates occurred in 2004 when David entered spiritual direction with Fr. Gilbert Bertrand OMI. Over the years of direction David was introduced to Oblate life and community, participating in the various feast days and community events. In the year at St. Peter’s Seminary a call to religious life welled-up in David’s heart. David made the decision to join the Oblates in January 2007. David is looking forward to the new ways in which God’s love will be revealed this year.
Bernard’s vocation to religious life began as altar server when he was a young boy. As he was growing up, the call was also growing and it was for this reason that he made the bold decision as an adult to join religious life. Before joining the Pre-Novitiate, he worked with various youth groups in his parish, such as the Vocation Club, Youth Choir and Youth Alive Zambia to mention but a few. During his Pre-Novitiate he worked in the Hospice, taking care of chronically ill people. Besides working in the Hospice, he worked in the largest hospital in Zambia (The University Teaching Hospital). The major task he did in that hospital was to provide spiritual care and a few basic needs for the patients. Working in the parish was one of the other tasks he did in the Pre-Novitiate. He worked in a Diocesan Parish called Assumption Parish, which was right in the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka. This parish is the former Cathedral Parish of the Lusaka Archdiocese. While in the parish he taught catechism, organized retreats and social outings for the youth. For Bernard his entire experience in the Pre-Novitiate was profound and so enriching in the sense that it opened his eyes to the poor and gave him the chance of taking part in the Oblate charism. Bernard is in his Novitiate year at Godfrey. Where he has offered himself to deepen his relationship with Jesus Christ and to learn more about the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the founder St. Eugene de Mazenod, for him this is a year of transition and he looks forward to welcoming and embracing the challenges of growth.
Juan was involved in the young adult ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish for three years. He worked for The Kroger Co., a grocery store chain, and for the Houston Independent School District as a teacher assistant for nearly 5 years. It is there where he began to develop an interest in the field of education. He was blessed with a three year scholarship to the Catholic University of St. Thomas, where he obtained a B.A. in bilingual education. His teaching experience paved the way for his vocation discernment for Oblate life. In the summer of 2004, he was introduced to Oblate life during his “Come and See” weekend at the Oblate House of Theology in Chicago. This weekend was hosted by Fr. Andy Knop, OMI. For then on, Juan began his application process for Oblate life. Juan enjoys playing basketball and any sport that does not involve skates. His hobbies include watching movies and talking to people. He has just recently become an uncle and his niece’s name is Giselle. Juan is a home body and loves to spend time with his loved ones. He is enjoying the transition by extending his family with his fellow formation brothers and many Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
After these experiences, he joined the Oblate Pre-Novitiate. While in the first year of his Pre-Novitiate, he worked at the Jon Hospice with the terminally ill patients for one year. As part of his first and second year in the pre-novitiate, he also completed a CPE program at the University Teaching Hospital which is the biggest hospital in the country. In his second year at the pre-novitiate he did pastoral work at an Oblate parish under the patronage of Mary Immaculate. At the parish, he was a Co-coordinator of Catechism and spearheaded youth activities. He has come to the USA for one year of novitiate. His goals are to understand God, himself and further deepen his love for Jesus Christ. Furthermore, he wants to deepen his understanding of the Oblate way of life.
For five years Gabriel studied Philosophy in the Diocesan Seminary of Tijuana. During this time of study of philosophy, he worked in his parish in different ministries. For three years, he shared the Word of the Lord on Sundays by preaching and bringing the Blessed Sacrament to different chapels. In 2004, Gabriel came in contact with the Oblates through one of his classmates, Daniel Pedraza. He began to participate in the La Morita mission, the Oblate Mission in Tijuana, by helping establish a new chapel. In January 2006, he joined the Pre-Novitiate program in Tijuana. During this time, he worked with the Teen Group in La Morita. He was also a part of the Oblate Affiliate Program in La Morita. In August 2006, he moved to the Pre-Novitiate program in Buffalo, NY. He studied at D’Youville College for one semester.
Contact Information Novitiate telephone number: (618) 466 2233 Name Birthday Email Wilfred Mvula Aug 18, 1984 wilfredmvula@yahoo.com Gabriel Sobrevilla Sept 6, 1975 sobrevillaalvarado@hotmail.com Paul Chinyemba Sept 23, 1985 chinyembapaul@yahoo.co.uk Bernard Suzah Sept 26, 1983 bsuzah@gmail.com David MacPhee Nov 2, 1978 macpheedavid@hotmail.com Tony Nkhoma Jan 28, 1983 tonynkhoma@gmail.com Daniel Janulewicz April 11, 1981 djanulew@hotmail.com Juan Gaspar April 19, 1977 juan_manuel_gaspar@yahoo.com |
Paul
C. Chinyemba was born in Lukulu, western province, Zambia. He belongs to
the Luvale tribe. He is the first born of the family followed by three
sisters and a brother. He attended both his primary and junior education at
Lukulu Basic School. He eventually moved to St. Columbus Secondary School
where he graduated from high school. At his parish he was involved in
various youth activities. He was also a youth leader, catechist and leader
of the Vocation Club. 
Daniel
Janulewicz was born on April 11, 1981 to Wanda and Janusz Janulewicz in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the second born child, preceded by his
older sister Helena, and followed by his brother Emil and his sister
Felicia. 
Wilfred
Christopher Mvula was born in Lusaka, Zambia, central Africa. He has
nine siblings and he is the third born of ten children (six boys and four
girls). Wilfred graduated from high school in 2003. He then did a course
in psychosocial counseling. Upon completion of his course he worked for a
few months as a counselor, before joining the Pre-Novitiate. He also worked
as a registration officer with the Electoral Commission of Zambia. 
David
MacPhee is a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Last year he was
studying at St. Peter’s Seminary, London Ontario. In the years previous to
the decision of religious life David was involved with youth work in the
Archdiocese of Halifax. He was a parish youth minister for a year and has
volunteered in youth activities since 2001. During the year in the parish
David was involved primarily with the Life Teen program. 
Bernard
Suzah is a Zambian by nationality. He comes from a family of eight two
brothers and five sisters. Bernard is the sixth born in his family and
presently he is the only one pursuing religious life in his family. 
Juan
Manuel Gaspar hails from the Oblate parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary, in
Houston, Texas. He comes from a family of nine, his parents, Juan and six
brothers: Jose, Ricardo, Alfredo, Alberto, Fernando and Miguel Gaspar. His
father, Benjamin Gaspar died in 2002, leaving his mother Maria to raise and
nurture the family. Juan graduated from the University of St. Thomas and
worked as an elementary school teacher for three years prior to joining the
Bishop Fallon Pre-Novitiate Community in Buffalo last year (2006).
Tony
Nkhoma comes from the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka. He has five
sisters and one brother. After graduating from high school, he did volunteer
work as a secretary at his home parish for one year. While at the parish he
worked with the children as they are called the holy ones. While working
with the children at the parish, the Missionaries of Charity asked him to
identify children who were single or double orphaned and those who were
vulnerable whom the Missionaries of Charity could support. At this time he
developed a great passion for children. He was also the chairperson of the
vocation group and the Junior Legion of Mary for two years at his home
parish. It was while he was member of the Junior Legion of Mary that trough
this experience Tony’s devotion to our mother Mary became stronger. It was
while working at the parish with different groups that Tony started
discerning his vocation to religious life.
Gabriel
Sobrevilla Alvarado was born and raised in Tijuana, B. C. Mexico. He
comes from a family of three sisters and two brothers. For a period of five
years, Gabriel was in a youth group run by the Missionaries of Charity
Fathers. During these years he grew in his faith and zeal for apostolic
life. He participated in many missions in his own city and others cities
like Mexico City and Toluca. He also participated in missions to foreign
countries like Haiti, Santo Domingo and Unites States.