Today as Br Sayyane is beginning his week-long spiritual retread to prepare himself for the final vows we also have heard the news that an Oblate, Fr Paul has passed away. One Oblate is going on retreat to encounter the Lord Jesus through prayer, reflection and time on his own while another Oblate is going to stand before the same Lord Jesus in his kingdom. It is a prophetic message for Br Sayyane that as an Oblate he is called to constantly search for the Lord in all his activities and moments of life. Before he left for his retreat he asked me for some recommendations in regards to reading he should do while on retreat. Of course there are heaps of spiritual writers, including such giants of faith like St Augustin, St Teresa of Jesus, St John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, but I recommended to Br Sayyane a couple of books written by the Late Fr Fernand Jette OMI. Fr Jette was our superior General a couple of decades ago. His great passion for Jesus and the Church was a mirror reflection of what we can find in the writings of St Eugene. Some Oblates even say that Fr Jette is the second father of our Oblate Congregation. During his 12 years as the Superior General he was tirelessly encouraging and challenging the Oblates to greater commitment to Christ and the Church. I am convinced that Br Sayyane will find lots of spiritual nourishment in his engagement with the richness and depth of Fr Jette’s Oblate identity. Please pray for this young man to have a faith filled retreat that can leave him with hunger for more. The hunger that can make him serve Christ and the people of God as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate.
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