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U.S. OBLATES GATHER IN NASHVILLE |
| "Music City USA" was the site of the Second
Convocation of Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate from the United
States Province, held from October 20until October 24, 2003. The
Nashville, TN, meeting had as its theme the Immense Hope Project that the
Oblates throughout the world have been working on for nearly two years. Capuchin Franciscan, Fr. David Couturier, was the facilitator of the meeting. The goal was to produce a "Directional Statement" that will give shape to the missionary presence of the Oblates in the United States over the next several years. Around 240 Oblate priests and brothers discussed a text that attempted to bring together ideas flowing from numerous meetings of Oblates throughout the United States over the past two years. By the last day of the meeting, the U.S. Oblates were ready to accept a many times revised statement and pass it on to the Provincial Administration. The next step is for the Provincial Administration to begin formulating the specific strategies that will concretize the directional statements. This will include further consultation with the province members. There were a number of guests at the meeting, including two members of the Oblates' General Administration: Fr. Loudeger Mazile, General Councilor for Latin America, and Fr. Tom Singer, General Councilor for the United States. Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI, of San Angelo, TX, joined his Oblate confreres for the meeting. Fr. Chris Pulchny, Provincial of the Oblates' Assumption Province in Canada was also in attendance. Fr. Jim Kohmetscher from the newly formed Province of Brazil and Fr. Ron Carignan, the superior of the Delegation of Zambia joined their United States brothers for the convocation. Fr. Ron was accompanied by Fr. Joseph Phiri, the first Oblate to be ordained in Zambia. Fr. André Ripoche represented the U.S. mission in Tahiti. On the first night, Bishop Edward Kmiec of the Diocese of Nashville joined the assembly for its opening prayer and dinner. The Directional Statement summing up not only the work of the assembly but also the U.S. Oblates' hope for the future is found at the link below.
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