Jubilee Celebration in San Antonio

Each year, in three different places in the United States Province, a special jubilee remembrance honors Oblate priests and brothers who are celebrating, during the course of the year, 25, 40, 50 and more years of religious profession and/or ordination to the priesthood.

The Immaculate Conception Chapel at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX, was filled and overflowing onto the outside stairs on the evening of April 5, 2005, for such a celebration.  The pre-celebration estimate was that there would be at least 700 guests.  The actual number had to have been greater.

Father John Schwider, OMI, celebrating 65 years of priesthood, was the principal concelebrant at the Mass.  Now retired at the Madonna Residence in San Antonio, “Padre Juan” served the faithful in Mexico for most of his priestly ministry.

The homilist at the Mass was Father Roy Snipes, OMI, celebrating 25 years of priesthood.  He is the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Mission, TX, one of the first parishes established by the pioneer Oblates in the Rio Grande Valley.

In his inimitable style, Fr. Roy compared our lives as Oblates to “dogs in a bowling alley,” open to both the joys and perils of our Oblate ministry.  But like good “dogs,” we are always tuned to the voice of the Master who invited us and continues to call us in new ways.  As is his custom, he managed to find words to a Country Western song to back up the theme of his words.

On hand to celebrate Eucharist with the Oblates were two local bishops: Archbishop Patrick Flores, retired Ordinary of San Antonio, and Bishop Bernard Popp, retired Auxiliary of San Antonio.  Bishop Michael Pfeiffer, OMI, of San Angelo, TX, dropped by later to celebrate with his Oblate confreres.

Oblate Provincial, Fr. Louis Lougen, congratulated the jubilarians and thanked them for their combined service of more than 600 years as priests and more than 900 years as professed Oblates.

Scholastic Hipolito Olea, OMI, holds the book for jubilarian Fr. John Schwider, OMI