HOME     ABOUT THE OBLATES    VOCATIONS     SEMINARY FORMATION    LEADERSHIP     MISSION IN USA     WORLD-WIDE MISSION     JUSTICE & PEACE    OBLATE ASSOCIATES     SHRINES/RETREATS     MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION     OBLATE HISTORY      ALUMNI      PERSONNEL/E-MAIL         DECEASED OBLATES      ARCHIVED NEWS   OMI LINKS   OMI WORLD WEB       

FATHER LOUGEN

AT ORIENTATION SESSION IN ROME

One of the expectations of new provincials in the Oblate Congregation is a trip to Rome for an orientation session for new Major Superiors.  The United States Provincial, Fr. Louie Lougen, OMI, arrived in the Eternal City on October 30 for the two-week session that brought together leaders from fourteen different Oblate Units throughout the world. 

Topics on the agenda included: government structures at the service of mission and religious apostolic life; personnel in function of mission and religious apostolic priorities; recruitment and formation of new members; management of resources and finances; and the mutual relationships between provinces and delegations.

Fr. Joe Phiri, OMI, the Delegation Superior of Zambia, was also in attendance.  Zambia is a delegation of the United States province.  Other participants with some U.S. connections were Minnesota-born Fr. Paul Marx, OMI (Superior of the Scandinavian General Delegation); Buffalo, NY, native Fr. Angelo Siani, OMI (Superior of the General Delegation of Japan); former member of the U.S. Southern Province, Fr. Gilberto Piñon, OMI, (Provincial of Mexico); and former pastor in Midland, TX, Fr. Victor Santoyo, OMI (Superior of the General Delegation of Peru).

Besides the almost daily sessions of input and sharing, the participants also had time to enjoy some of the wonders the Eternal City has to offer (basilicas, ancient ruins, and an occasional shop that specializes in world-famous Italian ice cream).