Reflections
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Nothing is Small in the Service of God
This week my young niece and nephew will be performing in a youth version of the Broadway musical Seussical through their summer camp. How does this Dr. Seuss classic connect to Salesian Spirituality and the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales?
Inside the Cloister
During my visit to Annecy, France, I was given the unusual privilege of visiting the cloistered community of the Sisters of the Visitation. There was something both challenging and beautiful about witnessing women who had placed their entire lives in God’s hands...
Serving and Encountering Christ
When we see brokenness around us, people living on the street, or drug addicts in a daze, we may think there is little we can do. How can the practice of encounter make a difference…
Capacity to Love
How do we grow in love of God and neighbor? This week, Oblates gathered for a retreat to examine this question. When considering your own vocation, how do you answer this question…
The Language of Love: Sisters of the Visitation
When Sr. Clare Chantal, VHM, arrived in Annecy, France, she didn't know she would find her true calling. What changed her life and what happened when she encountered Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal?...
Summer Sunflowers & Salesian Spirituality
Sunflowers are a symbol of the summer but also of our spiritual life. How can this strong and towering flower help us in our spiritual life?…
No Limit
Life can make us aware of our limitations, as I experienced when exhaustion set in upon arriving in France for the Major Superiors Meeting. We often look for ways to push past our limits, like coffee for example, but St. Francis does not encourage us to seek a limitless life. What does he teach instead?…
For Love of God and Neighbor
Some of the most powerful witnesses to faith are not found in grand victories, but in quiet acts of courage. As I visit France, I find myself reflecting on the Martyrs of Compiègne, whose love of God and neighbor conquered fear itself…
Apostle of Hope & Joy
If Mary Magdalene had remained silent, we would be very poor in hope and joy. Jesus entrusted to proclaim the good news of the resurrection to the disciples. Through her actions she shows us three essential dimensions of Oblate ministry which can be lived out by all…
Reflections of an Old Oblate
Life unfolds in seasons, each bringing its own challenges, transitions, and gifts. As we journey through life, what can we learn about letting go, belonging, and remaining faithful to who we are? How can we continually let God in and follow His call?…
Continual Newness
From a young Oblate professing vows for life to a veteran Oblate reflecting on decades of religious life, one truth remains constant: God is never finished with us. How is God continuing to shape and transform us, no matter our age or stage of life?…
Summertime: Vacations and Visitations
The best summer memories are often made not in the places we visit, but in the people we welcome. How might the Feast of the Visitation (observed each year on July 2) teach us to make every encounter a moment of God's presence?...
Looking Forward in Faith
Change brings a choice: cling to what is familiar or trust where God is leading. As the Oblates go through change and ask for God's guidance, the story of Lot and his family come to mind. How does it remind us of the importance of looking ahead in faith?…
The Call Forward
God asks us to let go of what is familiar and trust Him with what comes next. When change stirs fear, nostalgia, and hesitation in our hearts, will we keep looking back—or will we allow God to lead us forward in faith?...
A Legacy of Salesian Leadership - Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS
We say goodbye to major figures at our Oblate high schools. In part one of this series, we highlight Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS, who recently concluded his ministry as as principal of Salesianum School in Wilmington, DE…
A Legacy of Salesian Leadership - Fr. Geoff Rose, OSFS
We say goodbye to major figures at our Oblate high schools. In part one of this series, we highlight Fr. Geoff Rose, OSFS, and the Salesian legacy he leaves at St. Francis de Sales School in Toledo, OH.
Spiritual Fatherhood
A beloved line from Goodbye, Mr. Chips reminds us that a life devoted to others can make us fathers to hundreds. This Father’s Day, reflects on the blessings of being a spiritual father to generations of God’s children...
Feast of the Sacred Heart
Inspired by St. Francis de Sales' devotion to the Sacred Heart, Bro. Mickey O'Neill McGrath, OSFS, shares some reflections on his artwork of the Sacred Heart…

