Oblates Invite Men to “Come and See” January 12-14
Oblate Vocations
The Oblate’s first, “Come and See” event for 2018 will take place during the weekend of January 12-18, in San Antonio.
According to Oblate Vocations Director, Fr. Richard Hall, these “’Come and See’ weekends are designed to: “Help young men discern a call to religious life as a priest or brother. It’s for them to see actual on-going ministries so they can get a picture of what Oblate life is all about. “
During meals and free time, the guests will be free to chat informally with Oblates about their experiences in foreign and domestic missions. They’ll also got together with Oblate scholastics and hear first-hand about life in formation from the pre-novitiate in Buffalo, to the novitiate in Godfrey, Illinois, to the scholasticate in San Antonio.
In this photo from a 2016 “Come and See ” weekend, Oblates and visitors enjoy hearing the vocation stories of the young men in Oblate formation
At a previous “Come and See” weekend, visitors prepared clothing for the homeless alongside Oblate Associates from San Juan de los Lagos Parish.
Throughout the weekend the seminarians will spend time with the visitors. Fr. Hall says the aspirants can readily connect with the seminarians who are about the same age, and are also still in their discernment process. The young men should feel comfortable asking the seminarians questions such as, “What’s it really like to live in Oblate formation?”
That is what “Come and See” is all about: discernment and giving the aspirants more information to throw into “their cooking pot, as Fr. Hall calls it. “We help young men discern whether they have a call to religious life as a priest or brother, it’s for them to see actual, on-going ministries get a picture of missionary life. They participate in community prayer, mass, talking with Oblates and hearing their stories, anything we can give them to add to their cooking pot and enrich their ‘stew’ of experiences to provide clarity regarding whether God is calling them to religious life, diocesan priesthood, or marriage.”
Spaces are going fast but for those interested it’s not too late! Men wishing to attend this “Come and See” Weekend should contact one of our Vocation Directors ASAP! It’s a great opportunity to find out if God is really calling you to a Missionary Vocation.
For Information and Reservations Contact:
Midwest Area
Fr. Harold Fisher, OMI
618-394-6454
hfisher@snows.org
Southwest Area
Fr. Richard Hall, OMI
210-342-9864 Ext. 441
rhall@omiusa.org
Pacific Area
Fr. Jesse Esqueda, OMI
626-975-3446
Jesqueda@omiusa.org
Eastern U.S.
Fr. Tuan N. Pham, OMI
978-458-9912 Ext. 40
tpham@omiusa.org