Every single one of us here has commonly and out of community been chosen and sent to the preach the Gospel to the poor. Hence our proud heritage, our partial definition and our full blessing. After 7 years of enjoyable and challenging parish ministry, I’ve been in the full-time ministry of preaching since 1970. I’ve been surely privileged to travel this country and a few times abroad, and I think I have a sense of the slightly intimidating call and work of preparing and preaching. And one thing of which I’m certain - whether our gift and assignment is as full-time parishes men or full-time itinerant breaking of the word, preaching is one reality we all hold in common; it cuts across the board. There’s no legitimate dichotomy or tension between full-time itinerant preaching and that which takes place in the privileged daily parish preaching. Announcing the Good News is as demanding from any perspective and in any locale.

 

When our Founder and his modest community of 40-50 Oblates decided way back in 1841 to go beyond the confines of a local diocese in France to the missions of the Northwest, it was to preach the Gospel. " (Oblate Preaching - Fr. Louis Soullier’s Letter of Feb 17, 1895. - 3rd Superior Gen.) "It was preaching that occupied Oblates almost exclusively at our beginnings and for several decades thereafter. According to Francis George who while being Vicar General wrote a summary and commentary on Fr. Soullier;’s letter: "According to Fr. Soullier what makes the missionary, before all else, is preaching, which is a kind of teaching with evangelical authority and power". Based on that reality, it’s clear, brothers, preaching is in our Oblate blood.

 

Soullier continued his exposition of the dignity of preaching by recalling that Christ left "three sorts of sacraments": the Eucharist, which gives us Christ’s flesh; baptism and the other sacraments, which give us Christ’s grace; and lastly, preaching, which gives us Christ’s truth. In the act of preaching, the truth of Christ’s words becomes present in his Church. A preacher’s words are like sacramental species: they are signs which divine institution renders a necessary and efficacious means of grace. The word of God in a preacher’s mouth is not of less dignity than the body of Christ upon the altar, since the word of God also makes the Lord vitally present to his people."

 

From the Cavalry of Christ preaching that Word up and down the ranchitos of the Rio Grand, to the mountains of Teuantepec or the sprawling mega city of Mexico City, to the Philippines and to desert plains and villages of Zambia, Oblates from our own Area of Texas have gone willingly to carry and share the Good News.

 

The entire retreat movement within the Archdiocese of San Antonio began in the 40's in the humble dorms of St. Anthony’s under the leadership and guidance of men like Cozad, Sexton, Conway and Blackburn. St. Joseph’s ground breaking took place in the mid 50"s. Due to the vision and inspiration of men like John Hakey, Tom Cody and Jim Pfeifer, two Retreat Centers were built. From San Antonio to the bayou’s of Louisiana came Ave Maria in Marrero with Hank Simoneax and Bill O’Connor in the mid 60's, as was Christian Holiday House in ‘67 under the keen eyes of again O’Connor and Kilday. Later came Ed Kruzwinski, John Hakey and myself.

 

For a number of years we staffed and staffed well San Juan Retreat Center with creative men like Petru and Lyons. We continue to energetically staff Christ the King in San Angelo, Cornelius Scanlan the first director, followed after an interim by Andy Wueste, and presently John Castro. Neither can we forget John Collet, who amid his spiritual direction of diocesan seminarians in Dallas still finds the time for direct retreats and to preach retreats for priests and religious.

 

Leb Shomea founded in the early 70's by Tom Marcoux and Kelly Nemeck,  preaches in another way and at another depth, in the at times stripping word of silence and solitude. Both Dickinson and the Oblate Renewal Center here continue to offer powerful and worthwhile experiences of spiritual renewal for groups across the board, from ME and EE, to silent directed retreats, ACTS, retreats for deacons, priests and religious brothers and sisters, family enrichment, spiritual direction, hispanic outreach, the inter-denominational and ecumenical retreats abound.

 

We can recall the Schuckenbrock’s, Sokolski’s, Joyce’s and Walsh’s and O’Toole’s, to the McGee’s and Horan’s, Clark’s, Fogarty’s and Gauthreaux’s . And if one were to say - but our own men aren’t engaged in many of the programs they host - that’s correct. But the ministry of retreat/renewal houses is also the ministry of providing the space and environment for others to likewise share the word.

 

I’ve said it above - preaching is in our Oblate blood, all our Oblate blood. Oblate School of Theology is all about what Soullier said above: "... preaching, which gives us Christ’s truth." When we preach, we teach; when we teach, we preach. Although I’m leery to mention names for fear of leaving brothers out, I’m doing so to raise a consciousness regarding the importance and esteem of academic preaching:

 

The Kippes’and PD’s, the Watson’s and Fristz’s; the McNally’s and Mabrey’s; the Doyon’s, the Sackett’s, Montlbano’s, Hannon’s, the Vrazel’s, Morell’s, the Guidon’s, Wright’s, Hemrrod’s, Brown’s and Marek’s, the Perez’s and Young’s.

 

You men in full-time parish ministry and preaching, the same goes for you: the Schimnowski’s, Levy’s, Ovalle’s, McKenna’s, de Leon’s, the Canas’ and Cain’s and Davis’, the Houlahan’s, Ward’s, Lajo’s and Lasseigne’s, the Barret’s, Lange’s and Mathew’s - and of course - you - whose name I didn’t mention.

 

The Congregation was founded upon the charism of preaching; this Area of the US Province was founded by men whose missionary life was constituted by preaching. And we continue to carry on that tradition in a very active and complementary way.

 

Finally, there’s the story told of St. Francis - maybe you’ve heard, and if so, maybe a reminder will count for something. One day Francis told his brothers that the were going into town to preach. They went, spent more than an adequate time in the town, but never said a word. Upon their return one very curious brother gathered the courage to ask their beloved leader what happened? "I thought we went into town to preach." Came the response: "And we did. Sometimes you even have to use words."

 

Within this context we cannot possibly forget throughout all of our Southwest history the many good Brothers within our ministry and community who may never have spoken a word in a pulpit, but preached a strong, vibrant and touching word: The Winkler’s, Dion’s an Gormely’s, the Boonman’s, Herrera’s and Phil’s, the Fortino’s, Hardesty’s and Palazzo’s, the Baltazar’s, Kepler’s and Kepingler’s, the Ahern’s, Weber’s, Tucker’s and Hofford’s.

 

Yes indeed, brothers, preachers are we all. It’s in our blood.