FORMATION UPDATE

While it is mid-summer and the formation houses of the province are relatively quiet, there are a few newsworthy items:

FIRST VOWS

Eight novices will profess their Oblate vows for the first time on August 1, 2002, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Alton, IL.  They recently completed the ministerial phase of their novitiate in Washington, D.C. 

Class of 2002

Quilin Bouzi

Efrén Castillo

Paul Benson (Canada)

Piotr Nowak (Canada)

Lewis Sauti Chilembwe (Zambia)

Porfirio García Rodríguez

Juan Ayala, Jr.

Fernando Velázquez (Baja Mission)

PERPETUAL VOWS

On Saturday, August 31, 2002, two scholastics will pronounce their perpetual vows as Oblates at the chapel of Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio.  JONATHAN CLOSNER (a native of San Antonio who will soon enter his last year of studies in Chicago) and VINCENT SAKALA (a native of Zambia who is studying in San Antonio) will make their final profession at a 10 a.m. Mass.  All who can make it are cordially invited.

DIACONATE ORDINATIONS

On September 6, 2002, Bishop Victor Balke of Crookston, MN, will ordain to the diaconate two scholastics from Oblate House of Theology in Chicago.  The ordination will take place in White Earth, MN, where WALTER BUTOR is completing his pastoral internship.  Also to be ordained is JONATHAN CLOSNER who completed his pastoral internship in the Philippines.