Young OBLATES PROFESS FIRST VOWS

 
     
 

Guatemala City, Guatemala,  and Godfrey, Illinois, were the settings for the first profession of vows of 3 new members of the United States Province.

 

  

GUATEMALA CITY

 

On July 16, 2003, Antonio Ponce and Gelasio Chandomi completed their novitiate in Guatemala and professed their first vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and perseverance  before United States Provincial, Fr. David Kalert, OMI.  The profession of vows took place in St. Cecilia Church, the parish entrusted to the Oblates just a short walk from the novitiate. The principal concelebrant and preacher at the vow liturgy was Fr. Armando López, OMI, Provincial of México.

 

Also professing vows were José de Jesus from Brazil, Quimi Morales from Peru, and Antonio Molina from Spain.

 

The novitiate team in Guatemala consists of the novice director, Fr. Santiago Lyons, OMI, and Fr. Emilio Trottemenu, OMI.

 

Gelasio, an Oblate Brother, will continue his studies in English as a Second Language  in Chicago, IL, where he has been accepted as a student at DePaul University.  He will be a member of the Oblate House of Theology community in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

 

Antonio will travel even farther north to resume his studies for the priesthood at St. Paul University in Ottawa, ONT, Canada.  Several Oblate provinces in Canada are involved in a move of St. Charles Scholasticate, formerly in Edmonton, AB, to Ottawa.  Antonio will be part of that new community.

 

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Fr. Kalert and Bro. Antonio Ponce, OMI.

Fr. Kalert and Bro. Gelasio Chandomi, OMI.

Fr. Santiago Lyons welcomes the congregation.

Gelasio pronounces his first vows.

Antonio pronounces his first vows.

l-r: Newly professed Oblates: Gelasio Chandomi (US); José de Jesus (Brazil); Antonio Molina (Spain); Antonio Ponce (US); Quimi Morales (Peru).

Fr. Dave Kalert with the newly professed.

Fr. Jim Allen with newly professed.

Fr. Kalert with US missionary in Guatemala, Fr. Peter Weiss, OMI.

Fr. Kalert discussing a new assignment with Coco.

 
 

GODFREY

On  August 1, 2003, four novices completed their novitiate at the inter-regional Oblate novitiate in Godfrey, Illinois, three of them for St. Peter's Province in Canada, and one for the United States Province.  Fr. David Perrin, OMI, Provincial of St. Peter's Province accepted the vows of Quang Van, Michael Coyne, and Chad Glendinning.  Over 30 of their Oblate brothers were in attendance.

U.S. Provincial, Fr. David Kalert, OMI, accepted the vows of Marco Antonio Ortiz, a native of San Antonio, TX.

Quang, Mike, and Chad will also be members of the new scholasticate community in Ottawa.

Tony will join the Sexton House of Theology in San Antonio and begin his theology studies at Oblate School of Theology.

The novitiate team at Godfrey consisted of Fr. Louie Lougen, OMI, novice director, along with Frs. Leo Leblanc, OMI, and Rudy Nowakowski, OMI.  Fr. Leo concludes six years at the novitiate and will move to a new ministry as Associate Pastor at Mary Immaculate Parish in Pacoima, CA.  Fr. Rudy will become the director of Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre  in  Mississauga, ON.

A new member of the novitiate team will be Fr. Syl Lewans, OMI, from St. Mary's Province in Canada.

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Novice Director Fr. Louie Lougen, OMI, presents the novices.

Fr. David Perrin, OMI, Provincial of St. Peter's Province, preaches the homily.

Quan's vows.

Mike's vows.

Chad's vows.

Tony's vows.

Some of the concelebrants.

The novitiate staff, l-r: Frs. Louie Lougen, Leo LeBlanc, Rudy Nowakowski.

Concelebrants sing the Salve Regina.

Bro. Tony Ortiz, OMI, with provincial, Fr. David Kalert, OMI

Tony with his parents, Carmen and Jorge Mota from San Antonio.

l-r: Chad, Tony, Quan, Mike.

The Novitiate Community.

The newly professed and their visiting families.

Frs. Charlie Banks and Rich Hall.

Frs. Art Flores and Gari Ruthenberg.

Scholastic Bro. Hipólito Oléa and Bro. Andy Lawlor.