As summer draws to a close, parents prepare to send their kids to school. What can patron St. Monica and St. Jane, teach us about trusting God with the people we love most?...

As summer draws to a close, parents prepare to send their kids to school. What can patron St. Monica and St. Jane, teach us about trusting God with the people we love most?...

At the Jersey Shore, the Wedding of the Sea brings faith, hope, and community together to honor Mary and connect with the Oblates.  Whether you're by the water or not, how can this inspire you?…

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?

This August marks the fiftieth anniversary of my entering the Oblate novitiate in Childs, MD. Childs is holy ground to me. I have always considered it the land of my spiritual birth, the home of my Salesian identity. As the years have brought change, loss, and new beginnings, how can the places and memories that shaped us continue to call us forward with hope?...

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...

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…

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…

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?...

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?…

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?…

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…

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…

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?…

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?…

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?...

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?…

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?...

What is your heart whispering? When we quiet our thoughts, we are better able to hear God's whispers. St. Francis gave us several tools to practice throughout the day to help us make time for these moments to happen...