UNITED STATES PROVINCIAL COUNCIL APPOINTED

Father Wilhelm Steckling, OMI, Oblate Superior General, and the Oblate General Council in Rome, have appointed the remaining members of the United States Province's Provincial Council for a three-year term.  They will assume their responsibilities on February 17, 2005.

In August of 2004, the Superior General announced the names of the new U.S. provincial, Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI, and two administrative councilors, Oblate Frs. William Morell and William O'Donnell. 

After the Oblate General Chapter concluded in late September, 2004, the Superior General consulted the members of the province to surface their preferences for the remaining members of the Provincial Council.

The newly named councilors are the following: Fr. William Antone, OMI (Pacific Area); Fr. Warren Brown, OMI (Councilor-at-large); Brother William Johnson, OMI (Councilor-at-large); Fr. Allen Maes, OMI (North Central and South Central Areas); Fr. Thomas Ovalle, OMI (Southwest Area);  Fr. Richard Sudlik, OMI (Northeast and Southeast Areas).

Fr. Bill Antone is a native of Washington state and has served for many years in parishes in Southern California and in the Oblate mission in Baja California.  Recently, he moved from Mexicali to the colonia of La Morita, a suburb of Tijuana.  He was ordained in 1980.

Fr. Tom Ovalle is from San Antonio, TX, and has served in formation and vocation ministry, as well as a pastor.  Ordained in 1977, he was serving as director of the Christian Renewal Center in Dickinson, Texas, when appointed to his new post.

Fr. Allen Maes is from Chester, Illinois.  Ordained in 1968, he has been involved in vocation and formation ministry, as well as serving on the staff at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville.  He has been area councilor for the South Central US area since the US province was formed in 1999.

Fr. Dick Sudlik also was involved in vocation and formation ministry, and served a variety of parishes in the Southeastern part of the U.S.  A native of Buffalo, NY, he was ordained in 1972.  Like Fr. Maes, he was an area councilor in the Southeastern Area since the formation of the US province.  He will move his office from Miramar, FL, to Lowell, MA.

Bro. Bill Johnson is from International Falls, Minnesota.  He professed his vows as an Oblate in 1968 and is presently serving as director of King’s House of Retreats in Belleville, IL.  He too has served in formation and vocation ministry and was Director of Marriage and Family Programs at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.

Fr. Warren Brown, from Midland, Texas, was ordained in 1982.  He is the interim president of Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio and Professor of Canon Law at the same school.  He has also served as Rector of the Cathedral in Brownsville, TX. 

Both Bro. Johnson and Fr. Brown will retain their current positions while serving on the Provincial Council.

The new administration succeeds that of Fr. David Kalert, OMI, provincial; Fr. Charles Banks, OMI, vicar-provincial; Fr. David Ullrich, OMI,  Administrative Councilor, and area councilors Frs. Jose Arong, OMI, Salvatore DeGeorge, OMI, Joseph Hitpas, OMI.  Frs. O’Donnell, Maes and Sudlik were also part of the previous administration.

Provincial: Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI

Councilor-at-Large: Fr. William Morell, OMI

Councilor-at-Large: Fr. William O'Donnell, OMI

Councilor-at-large: Fr. Warren Brown, OMI

Councilor-at-large: Bro. William Johnson, OMI

Pacific Area Councilor: Fr. William Antone, OMI

North Central/South Central Councilor: Fr. Allen Maes, OMI

Southwestern Councilor: Fr. Thomas Ovalle, OMI

Northeastern/Southeastern Councilor: Fr. Richard Sudlik, OMI