By Artie Pingolt, president, Missionary Oblate Partnership

Thursday, August 8 saw a number of individuals thanked, commended and celebrated at a gathering of Missionary Oblate Partners at Benson House in San Antonio.

Initially designed to formally welcome fellow Partner Lou Studer, OMI as the new president of OST, the event also included moments of special recognition to four Partners:

*Ann & Mike Lewis, for their leadership gift to the Oblates of Ukraine.  OMI-Ukraine has created an icon from a piece of an exploded bomb for the Lewises as a thanks and a remembrance.

*Renee Benson, for her leadership gift to support both the Partnership Mission Fund and support of foreign Oblates coming to the USA for formation.

*Vivian Vance, awarded the Partnership’s Joseph Gerard, OMI Award for her persistence and long-standing support. Thanks to Clyde Rausch, OMI for creating the icon of Gerard for the award ceremony.

Emmanuel Mulenga shared a greeting from Provincial Ray Cook, OMI,  presided at mass and the crowd of 35 Partners & Oblates listened to Billy Morell’s homily on “the vocation of being an Oblate Partner.”

Mass was followed by another amazing potluck supper that featured Charlie Biediger’s famous ribs and brisket, GeeGee Whitehurst’s meringue puffs, plus several individual dishes brought by each Partner.

Thanks to the Oblate community of Benson House for graciously agreeing to host the group and to their staff person Manny Gloria for coordinating all logistics!