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Communion of Saints

2/26/2015

At the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka

What could be a better way to be inspired and strengthened in one’s vocation that learning about another person who walked this way of life in a saintly way? Today we had such an opportunity, to learn about an Oblate, Cardinal Thomas Benjamin Cooray OMI, Archbishop of Colombo. He was the first Sri Lankan appointed to the College of Cardinals. The life of that saintly Oblate summarizes the tradition of our Oblate missionaries. When he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Colombo in 1945 he chose as his episcopal motto “Ministrare non Ministrari” – to serve and not to be served. Two years later when he took over the archdiocese after the death of his predecessor he was the sixth consecutive Oblate bishop of Colombo. At the same time he was among the first fruits of the more then century missionary endeavors of the Oblates in Sri Lanka, who came to this country in 1847, sent by St Eugene de Mazenod. Over those years they worked very patiently to establish the local Church. Until Fr Corray was appointed Bishop all previous Oblate bishops of Colombo were Frenchmen, his appointment meant that the Sri Lankan Church was becoming stronger and was producing her own priests. For us Oblates what is important is to cultivate the growth of the local Church. What gives us joy is seeing the local boys taking over the leadership of their Church. When bishops of a mission territory don’t need to be chosen from among the Oblates because their local clergy is strong enough, it puts smile on our faces. It means that we have accomplished our mission. Cardinal Cooray was to be the last Oblate bishop of Colombo. Like his Oblate bothers very patiently he led the local Church through the transition process.

We could learn about that from one of his close collaborators, Archbishop Emeritus Oswald Gomis, who was ordained a priest and bishop by Cardinal Cooray and later succeeded him as Archbishop of Colombo. Archbishop Gomis made an interesting observation that Oblates gave a number of bishops to Sri Lanka and that the places where Oblates were bishops have become the places with the biggest number of Catholics in this country.

However the day wasn’t only about learning it was also about the Communion of Saints as we made our way to the Tewatta Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka in Colombo. In the early days of World War II Archbishop Jean Marie Masson OMI, the last Frenchman to be metropolitan of Sri Lanka, made a vow in 1940 to the Blessed Mother to build a Marian shrine in her honour if the country was saved from the ravages of the war. Cardinal Cooray kept the vow made by Archbishop Masson and started to build this beautiful basilica, slowly but steadily in spite of the criticisms. Some were asking, why build a huge basilica instead of building houses for the poor? The Cardinal not only purchased lands for the poor, but also built houses for them. Amidst all the work, he completed the construction of the National Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka. After his death in 1988 he was buried under the Basilica. The Crypt is also the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Our whole group gathered in the crypt to pray at the grave of our saintly Oblate Cardinal and to celebrate Eucharist. It was such a spiritual moment when we entered the crypt and immediately walked to the grave of Cardinal Cooray. As I was looking at our Sri Lankan Oblates I could see their deep attachment and fraternal love for the man who wasn’t simply an outstanding Church figure but who was always an Oblate among his Oblate brothers. As a young Oblate he consecrated himself to the Virgin Mary. Then he wrote: “I salute thee O sure refuge of sinners whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desire of the divine Wisdom; and for that receive the vows and offerings which my lowliness presents to thee, I Thomas Benjamin, a faithless sinner I renew and rectify today in thy hands the vows of my baptism, I renounce forever Satan ….O faithful Virgin meekness in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the incarnate Wisdom Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain by thy intercession and thy example the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in heaven. Amen”.

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AOFC

2/25/2015

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AOFC – does it sound unfamiliar? It stands for Asia-Oceania Formators’ Conference. Every two years Oblates from Asia and Oceania who are involved in formation our future missionaries come together for some reflection and training. To be able to train future priests and bothers one needs to be prepared to undergo an ongoing training himself. Faithful to this expectation, this time we have gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was a joyful moment to meet some of my Oblate brothers whom I met in Manila, Philippines two years ago. However we haven’t flown to Colombo to have a party but to attend some serious spiritual business. The local Oblate were most hospitable and welcoming us to their home country. On the day of our arrival we were driven to the place where two Oblate communities are located: the home of the elderly Oblates and the Juniorate. I am purposely writing the home of the elderly Oblates as it is not a retirement home. Some of our missionaries from there are still involved in various ministries in the city of Colombo. I think that by locating the Juniorate next to the home of the elderly Oblates was a perfect decision. In Australia we don’t have Juniorates anymore. They are basically boarding high schools for the boys who are considering joining Oblates. Here in Colombo these youngsters have such a marvelous inspiration from the missionaries who have given decades of their life to serving the poor. Although both communities have got different dynamics but the young students visit the elderly Oblates for some talks, sharing or simply to assist them. Those committed Oblate missionaries are like a well full of stories of the Church growth in this country over last centuries. Listening to those missionaries is better than reading the best books.

As for the most of the Oblates attending AOFC it is our first time to Sri Lanka we were given a taste of the local rich culture as the students from the Oblate Juniorate put on a performance showing us not only traditional Sri Lankan dances but their pride and enthusiasm for their homeland.

Now it is the time to go on with the daily sessions of the conference.

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1st Sunday of Lent - Homily

2/20/2015

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          Last Wednesday we began Lent. It’s not going to be the first Lent in our life but I’m wandering if we know the purpose of having Lent.
          Lent focuses on Baptism. Our catechumens who want to be baptized will be baptized at Easter, so it is the final step in their preparation. We who have been baptized, by acts of penance like prayer, fasting and almsgiving are preparing ourselves to renew our baptismal vows.
          My Dear Sisters and brothers!
          If we made a catholic map of the Earth it would have thousands of shrines like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, Santiago de Compostella, Guadalupe and many others. However each of us should also acknowledge and underline the place where we were baptized; where the waters of baptism washed away our sins and gave us new life as children of God. The place where you were baptized is one of the most important places in your life journey. It is your shrine. Every time I go to Poland I go to the baptismal font in my parish church. It is a highlight of my visit to the old country. I kneel down in front of the font, I place my hand on it and I pray: “My God I wish I could fully understand the miracle which happened here on 13th of July 1975 when I was baptized.” I learnt to do that from Saint John Paul II. When he came to his home town as Pope he was to lead a service in his home church. When he entered the church he surprised everybody because instead going to the presidential chair prepared for him he went to the baptismal font, he knelt on the floor and embraced the font as if it were his best friend or his mother.
          That’s why we have Lent so that, as we prayed in the first reading, we could understand the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection and reflect it in our life.
          We, who are participating in the Eucharist on this First Sunday of Lent 2015, aren’t historians researching the past events but we are the people who, like Noah from the first reading, have experienced the saving hand of God. We could say that Noah was lucky to escape the damaging flood but the truth is that Noah was blessed to escape the plague of sins which was spreading before the Great Flood. St Peter refers to these events when he says in the second reading: “The Great Flood is a type of Baptism which saves you now.”
          At the end of Lent we will have Easter but Easter isn’t about a past event when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, it is acknowledging that the great thing we recall at Easter still happens when we are baptized. Our baptism was another Easter when we died with Jesus to sin and rose with him to new life. Each Lent is like the moment Noah had when he stood at the door of the Ark remembering sins overcome by God in the waters of the Great Flood and looking forward to new life which was to be shared with God; the life in obedience to God which is the only life where we can find lasting happiness.
          That’s why, at Easter, those who are going to baptized first will be asked to reject Satan and profess their faith. We who have been baptized won’t be baptized again but we will be also asked to reject Satan and profess our faith in Christ Jesus. It is easy to say six times: “I do” but before we say “I do” let’s think if we do this in our daily life. If we didn’t cooperate with God’s grace to practice our catholic way of life daily, it would be better for us to keep our mouth shut at Easter instead of saying “I do” which would be lying before God and his Church. It would be an abuse to Jesus’ death and Resurrection and it would be an abuse to our baptism too.
          To avoid this situation we have been given: prayer, fasting and almsgiving to be practiced, to connect us with Jesus more closely. They are grace-giving-events. That’s why they aren’t just for Lent. We should practice them on regular basis, with a bigger involvement in Lent.
          To be a good catholic means to let God change us. And God does want to help us. He gives us prayer, fasting and almsgiving. He gives us confession. But he doesn’t want to force us to accept them. However if we do accept them and if we do practice them we will have not only a good Easter but we will have a great true catholic life.

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Have faith and get set on fire! Lent is here!

2/18/2015

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There is a story from the time of the desert fathers about two men living in the wilderness in order to grow closer to God. Abba (Father ) Lot is visiting Abba Joseph and says: “Abba, I try to live according to the holy rule of life. I fast a bit, I pray and meditate a bit, and I observe silence. I do my best to keep my thoughts pure. Is there anything else I could do?” The old Abba Joseph got up, stretched out his arms to heaven and his fingers set on fire like ten burning torches. After a moment of silence he said to the younger man: “If you really want to, you can turn into a flame.”

Lots of us today have gone to our local churches to receive ashes on our heads. One would have to have a great deal of imagination to compare ashes to confetti which are scattered on newlyweds but our faith gives us more than just a great imagination, our faith enables us to see in the ashes a call to repentance, to direct our whole life towards God. Such a step can only be taken when we realise our own poverty and limitations. In the old days some people who were struggling to provide enough food would add ashes to dough when they were making bread. In this way they had more of it. Those who are poor in spirit receive ashes as they realise that humility is the essence of Christian faith. Humility doesn’t taste good but without humility we run out of spiritual food before we stand at the gates of heaven, like the poor would have run out of their food if they hadn’t had ashes among the ingredients for bread.

“If you really want to, you can turn into a flame.” St. Eugene de Mazenod once said to his Oblates, “There is no room for smouldering wicks, I want you to burn or get out!” At the beginning of Lent every Catholic should keep repeating those words. We cannot afford to be average we are called to burn brightly for God’s glory and to bear witness before men and women of our society.

Are you like this?

Or like this?

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What a joy!

2/17/2015

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Welcome to the pre-Novitiate

For us Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Australia it is going to be hard to put on long faces as we enter Lent. The last day before lent 2015 was not only a big joyful celebration of the 189th Anniversary of the Papal Approval of our missionary family which saw Oblates gathered together to sing Lord’s praises for calling St Eugene de Mazenod to found the Oblates and for calling us to share in Eugene’s passion for Christ and his Holy Church. However our joy has been even more increased as we welcomed Josh who has begun his pre-Novitiate. Pre-Novitiate is the first stage of the formation which a candidate is given when he joins the Oblate Congregation. In the midst of the Oblates gathered at the Provincial House in Melbourne Josh acknowledged that he believes that the Lord Jesus is calling him to follow in the footsteps of St Eugene de Mazenod. In a faith-filled talk Josh told us of his journey which has brought him to ask to be allowed to undertake formation to become an Oblate of Mary Immaculate. He is at the outset of an exciting journey. After hearing his testimony we all prayed for him so that he could be always open to the guidance and working of the Holy Spirit.
Looks like we are going to have a very joyful season of Lent this year.

Josh shares with Oblates at the Provincial House of his journey which has brought him to begin his pre-Novitiate.

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189th Anniversary of Papal approval of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

2/17/2015

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St Eugene de Mazenod knees before Pope Leo XII as he presents to the Holy Father the Oblate Constitutions and rules

Today we celebrate the anniversary of the approval of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate by Pope Leo XII. On February 17, 1826 the Holy Father acknowledged that what inspired St Eugene de Mazenod to establish a community of Missionaries and to devote themselves to the service of the Church which was ruined in the post-revolutionary France, was of the working of the Holy Spirit. When Eugene was leaving France to go to Rome to ask the Pope for his approval he could have been easily discouraged by that enterprise which he was undertaking. At that time the Holy See decided not to approve new religious orders as it was believed that the Church had plenty of them. The only thing that the pope would do was giving a word of encouragement to a new group. Eugene knew that, he also knew that he couldn’t impress the Holy Father with a flourishing Oblate Congregation as after 10 years it had only 22 members, some of them still in training. However Eugene was taking with him his deep faith that the Oblates were established not because it was his dream but because it was the will of Jesus Christ. When he arrived in Rome he was just another pilgrim among thousands but the heart of that 44 year-old priest from a small region in the Southern France was so filled with love, passion and conviction that the Pope could not help thinking that he was talking to a man of God. In the eyes of Eugene Pope Leo saw the fire of the Holy Spirit. Today as we Oblates recall that blessed day when the Pope Leo XII approved the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate as a new religious congregation we pray so that each Oblate could be passionate about Jesus and passionate about the Church like St Eugene de Mazenod was. We pray and we dream so that people looking at us could see in us the fire of the Holy Spirit which the Holy Father saw in our saintly Founder.

Tomb of Pope Leo XII who approved the Oblates. Basilica of St Peter, Vatican

When the Pope’s advisers were deliberating on Eugene’s petition to have Oblates officially approved, St Eugene himself was spending most of the day praying in a church in Rome. The church of Church of Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli is a local shrine of Our Lady so we can say that he was spending that day in the presence of the One he had chosen as the Patroness and the Mother of the Oblates.
I am always deeply touched when I think about those long hours Eugene prayed in that church when our future was being decided. I believe that the papal document approving the Oblates has got not only the Pope’s signature on it but it is also profoundly soaked with the prayers of our Holy Founder – Eugene de Mazenod.

Interior of the Tomb of Pope Leo XII who approved the Oblates. Basilica of St Peter, Vatican

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6th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Homily

2/14/2015

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            Last week we had a popular feast day? Do you know what I mean? Valentine Day on February 14. What do people celebrate on this day? The day of romantic love. I think that the popularity of the Valentine Day can make even devoted Catholics to overlook another feast day which occurs around this time? This time I mean February 11; the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. On that day in 1858 Our Blessed Mother appeared to a young girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes in France. If anyone of you has been to Lourdes should agree with me that it is such a holy and prayerful place. After I went there I have understood what one of our Oblates once said that Lourdes is the place where one can pour out his heart before the Virgin Mary. No one can imagine Lourdes without Mary but no one can imagine Lourdes without the sick either. Since the beginning Lourdes has drawn multitude of women and men suffering from various ailments. When you go to Lourdes your eyes are opened to the realm of heaven but at the same time you are exposed to many humans who bear cross of pain and suffering.

            My Dear Sisters and Brothers!

            Last Sunday we read in the Gospel about people from all corners of Galilee bringing their sick to the Lord Jesus. This Sunday we see Jesus touching a man who was considered a walking corpse as leprosy was slowly eating away his body. Of course witnessing miracles like those can make us exited, but let’s take from those two passages of Mark’s Gospel, I mean last Sunday and today, the scene of Jesus Christ standing in the midst of those who suffer. That’s where he belongs to. In the Letter to the Romans we read: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

            As I mentioned last week when I spoke about the euthanasia that when God is removed from the picture the suffering human being becomes a burden, a vegetable, a creature dehumanised or lacking dignity due to illness or the old age. Only when we look at our suffering brothers and sisters through the eyes of faith, through the eyes of Christ we can see that they can offer us more then we can offer them.

            A few days ago I saw a movie called “Still Alice”. It is the story of a respected linguistics professor who at the age of 50 starts developing a rare hereditary form of early-onset Alzheimer's. Her condition deteriorates badly. When she realise what lies ahead of her she makes a secret plan. On her laptop she records a message for herself to take her life when she will be incapable of remembering basic things. The plan fails. You could even feel sorry that it fails as he condition looks so bad. Then Alice’s youngest and wildest daughter comes to the picture. The girl is asked to look after her mum and that what gets her out of her own, little and selfish world. Her mum who is no longer able to have a proper conversation brings out of the girl the good heart.

            Let’s go back to Lourdes. As I said before, it is the place where you see the sick, a lot of them. However what you notice very quickly is that there is no sick person left alone. Each has got an angel, a volunteer who spends most of his or her time looking after the sick person. Interestingly the majority of the volunteers are the young people. They pay for their airfares to go to Lourdes to spend their holidays serving the sick; an unusual way of spending summer, isn’t i? But I believe that they discover what the daughter of Alice discovered. The sick are not burdens or vegetables; they are the precious means God uses to bring the best out of us.

            Look at the cross of our Blessed Lord. How much good has come out of his suffering! In fact we would have no chance to get to heaven without his suffering. I am sure that you and I will be surprised to discover, when we make our final journey to the gates of heaven, how many people got there because of the suffering of others.

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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Homily

2/7/2015

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            First I would like to recall the words of Job from the first reading. Let’s remember that these words come from a man who has lost not only his property but who has just learned that all his children: 7 sons and 3 daughters died in a tragic event: “Months of delusion I have assigned to me, nothing for my own but nights of grief. Lying in bed I wonder: “When will it be day?” Risen I think: “How slowly evening comes!” My eyes will never again see joy.”

How much pain and suffering we can hear here!

            My Brothers and Sisters! If Job lived in Belgium most likely he would be offered euthanasia to shorten his mental and spiritual suffering. Do you think that I am exaggerating? A couple of years ago a Dutch woman was euthanized for severe depression although she was in a good physical health.

Euthanasia, literally “happy or good death” means “an act or method of causing death painlessly, so as to end suffering.” Sounds beautiful, does it? However do you know where euthanasia is legal right now? Of course Belgium, and two other countries: Netherlands and Luxemburg. Can you think what they have in common, I mean these three countries? They are not big countries; the Netherlands is the biggest with its population of 17 million while Luxemburg has got only 500 thousand residents. At the same time they are among the wealthiest countries in the world. How come that they need to kill their sick and elderly citizens? Can’t they afford providing them with care and painkillers? I don’t think so. They are not lacking medical resources like Africa does, but they are lacking faith. The Netherlands is considered one of the most secularised countries in Europe and the Belgium is not far behind. It is the matter of lack of faith. When God is pushed out of the picture the human being becomes a vegetable, a burden, a creature dehumanised or lacking dignity due to illness or the old age. The first thing people do after they have denied God his right to guide their hearts and minds is stripping another human being, usually the most vulnerable ones: the sick and the aged, off the their right to be loved and cared until their natural end.

Here, in this situation we hear the words of St Paul form the second reading: “Preaching of the Gospel is the duty which has been laid on me.” Don’t just think that Paul means increasing numbers of members of the Church. St Paul reminds us that the Gospel is hope, joy and peace for all people.

Those who were blessed to be old enough to listen to talks in the Fifties and Sixties should remember Fulton Sheen, an American Bishop, who would run his weekly show on TV presenting various topics of the Catholic Faith. Can you remember the title of the show which attracted non-Catholics as well? Life is worth living. Not only when you are fit, healthy and handsome but also when you need others to move around as your strength is failing you. That’ is what we Catholics want to offer to the whole world: LIFE IS WORTH LIVING.

            Those who say that euthanasia is an act of mercy and compassion simply lie. Then they accuse us, Christians, for being cruel and not understanding people’s suffering. But if you feel guilty for not supporting euthanasia think of this: now in the Netherland one in 30 deaths is from euthanasia. I don’t believe that all those people choose to die because they are in unbearable pain that cannot be managed by 21st century medicine. How many of them choose euthanasia because they have been abandoned by their families, told that they are a burden or that they are selfish expecting to be looked after when they are “useless”?

The son of the woman I mentioned at the beginning never paid much attention to the discussion about voluntary death in his country. “I was like just about anyone else here in Belgium: I didn’t care at all,” he said. “If people want to die, it’s probably their choice. It didn’t concern me.” It didn’t, until he got a message one day after his mum was killed, to collect her body. Think for yourself if you can afford to be silent and indifferent in this matter.

To finish I would like to explain when medical treatment can be refused or stopped. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read “Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of ‘over-zealous’ treatment.”

A person has the right to meet a natural death in peace. We are not obligated to use extraordinary means to maintain life at any cost. Christian faith holds that death is not the end of human existence; rather, it is a transition to a new, glorious life with the risen Lord. Christians also believe that the evil of suffering can be transformed into something good when it is joined to the redemptive suffering of the Lord Jesus.

Living does make sense and dying does make sense when there is Jesus Christ in the picture.

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February 2nd - World Day of the Consecrated Life

2/3/2015

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In 1997 St John Paul II declared the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2) as the World Day of the Consecrated Life. Just what is "consecrated life?"

That's a consecrated woman

More consecrated women

there are also consecrated men

for example Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Consecrated Life has various expressions. Firstly we think about religious men and women, members of religious institutes, congregations, orders. These communities with their different charisms serve God and People of God. In addition to these religious institutes, there are secular institutes. Their members do not live in a religious community. Rather, they live separately, in his/her own family or even in a fraternal association.

it is not dressing up but their various habits express the variety of gifts (charisms) the Holy Spirit gives to the Church

if you don't make a fuss about yourself you will find plenty of happiness in a religious institute

The religious find strength in their communities

The members of institutes of consecrated life seek to live the Gospel and witness to it for their entire lives and by the actual gift of their lives. They have professed (vowed) to follow the evangelical counsels (chastity, poverty and obedience). They experience and talk about God as their sole Love (that’s why they have taken vow of chastity). God is their sole treasure (that’s why they have taken the vow of poverty). God is their sole meaning of life (that’s why they have taken the vow of obedience). These men and women are called to be a sign of God’s presence, who offers new life, in the midst of the world. By witnessing with their lives, they seek to embody, in the midst of the world, the spirit of a life devoted to preparing for the Kingdom of God.

I vow chastity, poverty, obedience and perseverance for life. So help me God.

temporary vows leading up the final profession for life

In 1996 Saint John Paul II called bishops to Rome to reflect on the beauty and challenges of the Consecrated Life like Pope Francis did last year when he invited bishops to Rome to reflect on the beauty and challenges of families. As the conclusion of the series of meetings in 1996 Saint John Paul II wrote a letter to the Catholic Church Vita Consecrata (Consecrated Life). In his letter he voiced questions people ask when they see monasteries, convents, nuns, religious brothers or religious priests: “Many people today are puzzled and ask: What is the point of the consecrated life? Why embrace this kind of life, when there are so many urgent needs in the areas of charity and of evangelization itself, to which one can respond even without assuming the particular commitments of the consecrated life? Is the consecrated life not a kind of "waste" of human energies which might be used more efficiently for a greater good, for the benefit of humanity and the Church?” To answer these big question the Holy Father recalled some words of a great saint: Teresa of Avila, by the way this year we celebrate 500 years since her birth. St Teresa who was a Carmelite nun once wrote: “"What would become of the world if there were no Religious?"

Thank you Dear Sister for your witness over so many years. We now that you follow Jesus

The Pope went on saying: “Beyond all superficial assessments of its usefulness, the consecrated life is important precisely in its being unbounded generosity and love, and this all the more so in a world which risks being suffocated in the whirlpool of the ephemeral. "Without this concrete sign there would be a danger that the charity which animates the entire Church would grow cold, that the salvific paradox of the Gospel would be blunted, and that the ?salt' of faith would lose its savour in a world undergoing secularization". The Church and society itself need people capable of devoting themselves totally to God and to others for the love of God.
The Church can in no way renounce the consecrated life, for it eloquently expresses her inmost nature as "Bride".”

There comes a bride of Christ. To be love by Christ an to love him one doesn't need to be perfect

Today as we celebrate the World Day of the Consecrated Life I would like to recall the words of my favorite nun: St Therese of the Child Jesus who after deep prayer and reflection wrote: “I have found my place in the Church, and you gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love.” Although the vows which we religious men and women have taken mean a renunciation of worldly things but those vows enable us to unite our hearts with the burning heart of the Church who receives love from Jesus and loves him back. If you feel that it is something that touches your heart it may mean that our Blessed Lord has given you a vocation to be a religious sister, a religious brother or a religious priest. Be brave it is a happy life.