At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
LK 1:39-41
We chuckle a bit about the distance and terrain. Mary was walking from Nazareth to Ein Karem, a distance of 150 km. She would have descended the big hill from Nazareth and crossed the plain, but soon would have encountered the Samarian hills and then the Judean hills. Or perhaps she went the way of the Jordan Valley and then up the steep hills to Judea. It probably took a week even if she was on a fast donkey. Furthermore, as she was 3 months pregnant and it was June, things were likely heated up. An ardent journey for a pregnant woman but perfectly “normal” for the time.
Mary and Elizabeth greet each other
Photo courtesy Wikipedia
We visited the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem, now in the south-western outskirts of Jerusalem. Tradition attributes the building of the first church here to Helena, the Emperor Constantine’s mother. She had identified the site as the home of John the Baptist’s father Zachariah. Crusaders later erected a newer church here. Lost again to the Saracens for centuries, it was the Franciscans who eventually built a modern church here in 1937, the one that we visited. Since a church dedicated to the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth has existed here since Constantine times, it is very likely that this indeed was the site of this very holy meeting. There was some very lovely artwork in this church including the painting above and those below.
Another church we visited nearby was the Church of John the Baptist. It was here reputedly where John the Baptist was actually born. We learned a lot about John the Baptist on this pilgrimage. He is the last prophet and hence links the Old Testament to the New Testament. People thought he was the Messiah including his followers so he repeatedly had to deny this and prepare the way for Jesus – the logos made flesh. One account has Mary and Elizabeth being 1st cousins, so John and Jesus were related. However this is not known for sure.
We definitely were feeling blessed and privileged to have seen these holy places first hand and to begin to understand the Bible and theology at a deeper personal level.
We go to Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle – turning water into wine at a wedding. It must have been a family wedding as outsiders would not normally have interfered in a wedding celebration. We walk up some narrow alleys and come upon a small church. We enter the chapel. Marie and I renew our wedding vows with 5 other couples in a ceremony led by Bishop Sylvain and Fr Susai. It is a magical experience and we feel renewed and very grateful.
As we head back to the bus, there is visible litter in the gutters and on vacant properties. We feel somewhat deflated as our concept of Jewish and Muslim culture is one of purity and cleanliness. Hey, this is the realty of city life almost everywhere these days.
We drive up a ridge to Sephoris – it is a Roman town that was the capital of Galilee in Jesus time. Strangely, it is not mentioned in the Bible, but Jesus must have been here as it is next to Nazareth. A monastery is built here in honour of the Virgin Mary who some believe was from here.
We walk down the main street of the town to see the remains of houses, some with beautiful mosaic floors. It is raining lightly. We tour a 2nd century CE Roman mansion. Also a beautiful 4th century Roman/Byzantine period synagogue.
In the PM we go to Nazareth Village. It is an authentically restored village as Jesus would have lived in. We meet a shepherd, a carpenter, a weaver, an olive press operator and others as we are led thru the outdoor village. Our tour guide is very entertaining and we learn a lot about what it was like to live in Nazareth at Jesus time.
We finish with Mass at the Basilica of Nazareth that is built over the house of Mary where the visitation occurred. There are large panels from each country depicting their dedication to the Virgin Mary, including Canada. We also visit the Church of St. James where St Joseph is venerated.
As we leave a Polish Mass gets underway.
Buffet dinner follows at our hotel. We are all feeling good, tired but nourished.
We leave Ottawa in a small snow squall. Toronto is clear and we meet our group. We are being accompanied by Archbishop Emeritus Sylvain Lavoie, OMI and Fr Susai Jesu, OMI. Our tour provider Maria Drueco is also with us. We are a group of 28 pilgrims. Mostly from Edmonton but some from Sask and Manitoba.
A small mishap. John and Christine from Arnprior board an earlier flight to Toronto. When they get to the gate for Tel Aviv, their bags have apparently not made it to this flight. After a tense search everything is resolved. A smooth flight to Tel Aviv on Air Canada in their newest B787 Dreamliner.
Leaving the plane, another mishap. Marie inadvertently leves her wallet on the plane. After another tense wait, they find it and bring it to her. Hey, we are pilgrims and these things happen.
We head for Nazareth with a tall concrete wall on our right separating the Jewish State of Israel from the Palestinian West Bank settlements. There are gaps so it seems artificial and not needed but this is Israel we learn.
Our hotel is comfortable. Nazareth is very hilly and a large city. Much bigger than in Jesus time. The streets are narrow. We stop for a chicken shawarma sandwich lunch, yum. As we leave the restaurant, the call to Muslim worship sounds. A man looks at me and says to slow down. It’s time to pray. I say we heard this too in Istanbul. He says that is a good place.
That night we celebrate Mass and enjoy awonderful buffet dinner complete with humus, mediteranean style lamb stew, beef, roast chicken and dozens of sauces and spices.
We sleep and sleep at last. Thanks be to God for this pilgrimage and safe journey.
Round Lake is about 2 hours west of Ottawa and is perched just east of Algonquin Park. The people there are very spiritual and friendly.
In the summer 1989, our extended family had access to a cottage on Round Lake. I can still see the waves lapping in to the sandy shore and feel the warmth of the sunset over the lake. Our parish priest Fr. John Burchat hails from Round Lake having grown up in this small community.
The other day I paid a visit to a friend there, Fr. John Bosco Gali, OMI. He is parish priest at St. Casimir’s RC Church, on the banks of the beautiful sandy shored Round Lake. It was his last day to be assigned there.
St Casimir’s Church, Round Lake
St. Casimir’s was founded in 1928 in Round Lake whose full-time population is listed as 516. In summer the numbers swell with cottagers and campers. The Parish is not without sadness. On March 20, 2011, a tragic fire burned down the rectory killing the popular Fr. George Olsen who was trapped in the basement: https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/eastern-ont-priest-believed-to-be-victim-of-fatal-fire-1.621568
The rectory was rebuilt and Fr. John Gali was assigned there as Parochial Vicar 5 years ago. Fr. John was born in South East India in Tamil Nadu State. He had a very traditional Catholic upbringing in a community of families whose faith was to promote at least one child to religious vocation. His family supported his call to serve God. He was ordained into the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on December 8, 1994. He came to Canada in 2011 as a member of the Assumption (Polish) Oblate Province of Canada.
Fr. John Bosco Gali, OMI (photo courtesy of Ecclesia*)
Marie and I had met him on a pilgrimage to Wilno, ON at St. Mary’s and had been trying to get together ever since, to chat. He is going to Poland on a one year sabbatical to learn the Polish language and culture. It was very gracious of him to fit me in on his last day. There were people coming and going. Despite that we sat down for an hour and had a chat over pizza. He raves about India and how strong the Catholic faith is there. Think of Mother Theresa he said and you will begin to understand the face of Catholicism there.
Fr. John likes being an Oblate in the Polish Province. They are a strong province with resources. His position will apparently not be back filled until November 2018 when another Oblate becomes available . The pastor at St. Mary’s, Fr. Roman Majek, OMI will be responsible for St. Casimir’s in the meantime. I was told by some parishioners I met that they will miss Fr. John dearly.
In front of the new rectory
Fr. John says living in Round Lake is not unlike living in the small village he grew up in. “It is so inspiring to journey with a traditional family community in St. Casimir’s Round Lake…It has been a great privilege and the blessing of God that the Lord offered me this opportunity, and I am grateful to God.”
God Bless you and goodbye for now Fr. John, St. Eugene de Mazenod, pray for us.
*(With information and quotes from Ecclesia, the Newsletter of the Catholic Diocese of Pembroke, Feb 2018 edition)
I am a lay Associate of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), Lacombe Province Canada. I was called to this through Marie’s contact with the Galilee Centre in Arnprior where I met my first Oblate priests – Fr. Jack Lau and Fr. Roy Boucher, some 8 years ago.
I recently took a course about the life of St. Eugene de Mazenod, the founder of the Oblates. I wish to discuss a few ideas here so that I don’t forget what I learned!
Eugene de Mazenod was born into a noble family in Aix-en-Provence, France in 1782. His family had to flee to Italy during the French Revolution, 1789 to 1799. Returning home, he had a conversion experience in church on Good Friday in 1807. It led him to become a priest, found the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and become Bishop of Marseilles. He died in 1861 with his last words practice charity, charity, charity. He was canonized in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. You can read his full biography here.
The charism of the Oblates is a love of Church and desire to evangelize the poor about the immense love Jesus Christ has for each and everyone of us. In the process we are evangelized ourselves: Evangelizare pauperibus misit me
St. Eugene taught us “We must strive first of all to lead people to act like human beings, and then like Christians, and finally, we must help them to become saints.” Oblates live in community where they strengthen each other in faith, in charity, enriching each other from discovery of God and of Christ who lives and works in us and in the world. As a lay associate I get to know many Oblates, learn from them and strive to live my life in a way that is in harmony with this charism.
It is indeed a privilege, honour and blessing. What attracted me to the Oblates is their accessibility – as missionaries, they are among the people. In an Oblate gathering you would not automatically know who are the priests and who are not! Secondly, they are Christ focused. My personal relationship with Jesus Christ is extremely important to me. Thirdly, there is an emphasis on life long formation (learning) and conversion (perfecting my relationship with God and Jesus Christ).
Mary Immaculate is our patron saint and model. Lastly there is hospitality, something magical that happens at every Oblate gathering. I wish to borrow a few words from Fr. James Behrens a Trappist monk as they gave me insight to write this posting about the Oblates. He says:
“God reveals himself through the communal ritual of eating and drinking. Through the Eucharist, we believe God remembers himself for us. He is brought to our midst and once again nourishes us with his very flesh and blood. We consume his life and he becomes, very intimately, a living part of us. When we leave the sacred table and reimmerse ourselves in the mundane routines of life, we bear God within us. The body and blood of Jesus is indeed food for our journey through life.” (Living Faith, June 3, 2018)
Thank you St. Eugene for your apostolic zeal and the gift of the Oblate charism – love, patience, acceptance of differences and a focus on the poor which the world needs now more than ever. And, most importantly, being nourished ourselves on the journey to sainthood.
The highlight was Kyle and Ashley’s wedding in May in Winnipeg. Everything went superbly. Family and friends enjoyed sharing the special day with the newly weds and wished them a long and happy marriage.
Prior to that we spent the winter in Fort Myers and had more visits with family and friends than in Arnprior. The weather was superb.
On our way home we went on a Panama Canal Cruise that was fun and interesting.
The summer in Arnprior was great. We had some interlock work done at the front. Marie played bridge while Dave golfed. Swims in the river followed by patio dinners were frequent.
In September we went to Pembroke for Fiddlefest. Then it was off to Pickering in for our annual Oblate Associate retreat.
Dave led an Oblate Associate formation session in the fall for Marie and two others. Marie led a series of yoga classes at Galilee that Dave and others attended. Kyle and Ashley came home for two whirlwind visits. All the family got together.
Before we knew it, we were on our way to Florida again, but not before another fab cruise in the Caribbean.
We truly thank God for all his blessings and gifts in 2017.
So now it’s time to get ready for what 2018 has in store.
This was the theme and focus of our annual Oblate retreat this year. It was held at the beautiful Manresa Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering, Ontario run by the Jesuits. Spending time together like this is a welcome break from the ongoing busyness of daily life.
There were some 29 Oblates, associates and affiliates present from the Ontario District of OMI Lacombe Canada. The three and a half day retreat was led by Fr. Bonga Majola, OMI. Originally from South Africa, Fr. Bonga, of Zulu heritage, is currently attached to the Aix-en-Provence Prayer House in France. His ministry includes the De Mazenod Experience and renewal of the Oblate charism through focus on the life of our Order’s founder St. Eugene de Mazenod.
“The world needs the Oblate charism more than ever.”
Fr. Bonga Majola, OMI
In a series of masterful reflections interwoven with writings of St. Eugene, scripture references, quotes from Pope’s Francis and JPII, relevant constitutional and other important Oblate texts, a centering focus on Jesus Christ, silence during the mornings and a call to action from the 36th General Chapter, we were engaged from start to finish in an intensely personal experience.
We started with the Parable of the Sower of seeds from MT 13:1-23. Those who hear God’s word but do not understand it are like seeds sown along the path that are snatched away by the birds. Those who receive the seed on rocky soil receive it with joy but they quickly fall away when trouble or persecution begins. Those who receive the seed in thorny soil are distracted by life’s worries and wealth, so that God’s spirit in them is choked out. Those who receive the seed on good soil, produce a good crop that yields many many times what was sown.
We explored St. Eugene’s pain of a broken family and his aimless life until he has that encounter with the crucified Christ on that Good Friday in 1806. He realizes in all his brokenness that he is loved unconditionally by God and has been redeemed by the blood of Christ. He starts to heal, is completely transformed and decides to devote his life to the glorification of God and the salvation of souls with a preferential option for the poor. The seed of the charism given to St. Eugene by God is reaching out to the poor. Due to the lack of family stability in his childhood, Eugene had a strong need for loving family relations which led him to establish the community of the Oblates. A community that would:
“Help people to be human beings, then to be Christians, then to be holy and finally to become Saints”
Along the way, St. Eugene had to carry many crosses – his impulsive strong personality, his need to be loved, jealousy he sometimes aroused in others, personal rejection and powerlessness. What are the crosses I must bear? If Christ went through such immense suffering on the cross – so can I!
I realize Eugene’s life is a template for my own – broken, in need of healing, an encounter with Jesus Christ, healing, a desire to know God, to seek holiness and even a striving to become a saint. If Christ is not at the centre of my life, why not? We discussed the importance of community and our need for love and support to help each other in our journey from brokeness to sainthood. We acknowledged that problems exist in Oblate community life much like problems exist in other communities and among married couples. We need to first recognize our own brokenness and seek healing before we can reach out and help others in their brokenness. We must ponder the meaning of scripture before we can be credible witnesses and affirm others.
As members of the Mazenodian Family our call to action are the priorities expressed at the 36th General Chapter in 2016, namely:
Mission and the new faces of the poor
Mission with youth
Formation for mission
Mission and interculturality
Mission and social media
Mission and finance
I left with a feeling of peace, gratitude and greater acceptance of myself and others. I feel renewed having realized again that Jesus really does love me. I felt more capable than ever of passing his love on others in my life and of being more accepting of others’ differences. Much gratitude and appreciation was expressed by all to Fr. Bonga for his youthful witness, for his joy and for his skillful guiding of us on this intensely personal renewal experience. The charism of St Eugene lives on in each of us by dwelling on the seed of life, the water of baptism and the softening of our hearts through love of the cross.
Thank you Fr. Bonga, St. Eugene and all my Mazenodian family brothers and sisters for this wonderful renewal experience. I can hardly wait until next year’s retreat.
I would like to thank my wife Marie for journeying with me and helping me find the right words to capture this Oblate retreat experience.
We were very honoured to attend a living history event at the Galilee Renewal Centre in Arnprior on August 8. About 30 canoeists, including Indigenous, Jesuits, English, French, men and women, dropped in on their way from Midland to Montreal on a pilgrimage to mark Canada’s 150th Anniversary celebrations.
The 2017 Canadian Canoe Pilgrimage is a project inspired by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) with the hope of encouraging intercultural and interreligious dialogue and learning. Participants, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are immersed in each other’s customs and traditions. Through this immersion, the goal is to foster deep respect, trust, dialogue and hopefully friendship, the building blocks for reconciliation.
The canoe route taken is a traditional First Nations trading route that was travelled by early European settlers such as Samuel de Champlain and Jean de Brébeuf, who were welcomed and guided by the Indigenous Peoples of this land. The route follows a similar one paddled by 24 young Jesuits in 1967. Members of the Jesuit and Oblate religious orders, their lay volunteers and many others across Canada are actively helping to implement the Calls to Action described by the TRC.
About 40 guests were treated to the participative Kairos Blanket Exercise as a means to learn about the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada. Bob, an Indigenous elder from Toronto with a Phd., first led us in a smudging ceremony to purify our bodies, auras and energy. Then we were invited to walk slowly around on adjoining blankets as actors described specific historical events like:
what Turtle Island was like (Indigenous name for North America before colonization)
the era of European discovery and colonization of Canada
proclamation of the first Canadian Indian Act in 1873
establishment of Residential Schools for Indigenous children after 1880
U. N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007
PM Harper’s apology to First Nations peoples of 2008
Towards the end of the exercise, those still walking found themselves greatly reduced in number and, the blankets had shrunk and were separated from each other. This was a grim reminder of the impact colonization and Canadian history has had on Indigenous peoples, from their cultural perspective. We then participated in a talking circle where everyone was invited to reflect on what they had just learned and how they felt. Much compassion, need for forgiveness and commitment to improving relations was expressed, even tears It was a well-balanced and poignant educational experience.
Fr. Ken Forster, Provincial Superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Lacombe Canada Province celebrated an outdoor Mass for everyone under the stately white pines. He emphasized forgiveness, committment and forging ahead in mutual reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous peoples. Our day finished off with a scrumptious spaghetti and meat ball dinner provided by Galilee. We marveled at the healthy appetite of the young paddlers and for their answering the call to reconciliation, forgiveness and committment.
We all went home more aware of our own history and of the need to support ongoing dialogue of mutual reconciliation based on hope and forgiveness. We felt energized by the vitality of today’s youth in taking up this social challenge. Improving relationships and building trust among all Canadians and in particular with Indigenous peoples is every Canadian’s business. Our sincere thanks to the Galilee organizers, the paddlers and the contributors to this living history event of great educational value.
It is interesting to revisit methods used by Christian missionaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries as they spread the good news message of Jesus Christ to indigenous peoples.
Here we are not pointing out abuse scandals that have been exposed for example in the Canadian Residential School program. Rather, about cultural and colonial superiority and absence of respect for local religious traditions that were evident in the way the Christian faith was propagated in this era.
Lesotho is a landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa. In the 19th century it was besieged by and welcomed Protestant and Catholic missionaries. One of the Catholic missionaries was Blessed Joseph Gerard, OMI (Oblate of Mary Immaculate). He sought to save the souls of the indigenous Basotho people by using the techniques of the day.
Today we talk about enculturation – adapting the message, rules and practices of Christianity so a local culture can see parallels with their own beliefs. This can work surprisingly well as the recent Book of Mormon play so aptly taught us.
In a candid and frank assessment, Fr. Bernhard Albers, OMI tells the story of Blessed Joseph Garrard’s strengths and weaknesses in his missionary work in Lesotho. This article made me both laugh and cry. It also reinforced for me that something really is happening here – the very successful work of the Holy Spirit.
This is one of the powerful messages Marie and I took away from our 2016 OMI Lacombe, Ontario District annual retreat with Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI. “If you consider Jesus’ life, he lived it robustly, enjoying people, hospitality and even wine. When it came to his death, he was not rescued by God. Rather, he freely gave it up. Three days later he was resurrected offering us redemption from our suffering. You have to go through the nasty middle part to get to the glorious end, just like Jesus did.” counselled Fr. Ron.
Jesus’ life is thus a metaphor for our lives. We too will suffer and die. However if we believe in Him, we too will be redeemed and have eternal life. (John 3:16 and 36). How then should we live our life? Robustly like Jesus. How then should we die? Freely and happily like Jesus.
The Oblate Cross
This metaphor explains a lot of things – like why bad things happen to good people, why there is so much suffering, death and evil in our world. Why abortion and assisted suicide are morally wrong. Where is God in all this pain we often ask? God is in the victim says Fr. Ron. e.g., in a helpless baby; in a child who dies of cancer or is tragically killed in an accident; in an aging person who is ill and suffering much pain.
When we let our lives flourish, yet are willing to give them up, a big challenge becomes finding the correct balance between “giving our lives away in sacrifice” and “letting our lives flourish.” Jesus led the perfectly balanced life where he loved to be with the poor and heal them yet enjoyed the good things in life such as being anointed with expensive perfume by Mary Magdalen (John 12:1-8).
Mary Magdalen anoints Christ’s feet
Conversely, if we die embittered and angry unlike Christ, we will not only not be rescued but we also will not be redeemed nor receive eternal life. The purpose of life then becomes not just to seek unity with God but also to prepare oneself for a happy death.
The secret of the cross: God does not rescue – He redeems.
Thank you Fr. Ron and all my Oblate brothers and sisters. This was a powerful message on how to live and how to die.
We chuckle a bit about the distance and terrain. Mary was walking from Nazareth to Ein Karem, a distance of 150 km. She would have descended the big hill from Nazareth and crossed the plain, but soon would have encountered the Samarian hills and then the Judean hills. Or perhaps she went the way of the Jordan Valley and then up the steep hills to Judea. It probably took a week even if she was on a fast donkey. Furthermore, as she was 3 months pregnant and it was June, things were likely heated up. An ardent journey for a pregnant woman but perfectly “normal” for the time.
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