NOVICE DIRECTOR NAMED

On September 1, 2004, the Oblate Superior General and the General Council approved the appointment of Fr. James Deegan, OMI, for a three-year term as Director of Novices at the Inter-Regional Novitiate in Godfrey, IL.

The appointment of a new leader for the novitiate formation team was required due to the recent appointment of the current Director of Novices, Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI, as Provincial-elect of the United States Province.

A Minnesota native, Fr. Deegan served once before as the Director of Novices in Godfrey in the early 80's.  Ordained in 1971, he worked for several years as a hospital chaplain.  He joined the novitiate staff in 1979 and left there in 1984 to become Vocation Director in the former Central U.S. Province.  He served as Provincial of the CUSP from 1987 until 1993.  After a year of sabbatical, he was the director of Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, MN, until 2002.  Mostly recently, he has been ministering as the associate pastor of St. Casimir's Parish in St. Paul, MN.

He will take over his new responsibilities in Godfrey on November 1, joining the other team members, Fr. Syl Lewans, OMI, and Fr. John Collet, OMI.