WA Oblate Gathering 2018
From the 7th to the 10th September 2018, the Provence hosted our annual Oblate College’s Staff Formation Conference. Representatives and Principals from each of the four Oblate Colleges Iona Lindum, Mazenod WA, St Eugene’s Burpengary and Mazenod Vic were present.
From the 7th to the 10th September 2018, the Province hosted our annual Oblate College’s Staff Formation Conference. Representatives and Principals from each of the four Oblate Colleges: Iona Lindum, Mazenod WA, St Eugene’s Burpengary and Mazenod Vic were present.
The event was held in Perth and was a wonderful opportunity to share something of the Oblate Charism, giving those attending also the opportunity to share ideas and continue to build the already strong connections between the four schools.
A special highlight of the trip, was that it coincided with the Opening and Blessing of a new Design and Technology Centre.
After a year of planning and building, Mazenod College WA were immensely proud to open this new facility. This provides the school and students with a state of the art facility, giving the students the ability to conduct workshops and utilise studios within the building. This new building was blessed and opened by the Provincial, Fr. Peter Daly OMI.
New St Mary's Seminary Coming Soon...
Update on the developments of the new St Mary’s Seminary
The development of the building site at 647 Burke Rd, Camberwell has progressed successfully over the last several months. With walls up, windows in and rooms starting to take shape, the finished product is now in site. The re-location of St Mary’s Seminary to Camberwell has been an important step in the history of our Province to enable the Seminary community to be closer connected to the Provincial House community and the Catholic Theological College, where the students study. The site adjacent to the Provincial House was purchased several years back and renovations to the heritage-listed house and additions to it, have taken shape quite nicely to form the new St Mary’s Seminary. Development seems to be nicely on track and the living quarters should be completed by October, allowing the Seminary community to move in and slowly set up the other important parts of the building, including the chapel, library and community areas. This fresh, new facility will bring great advantages to our formation community and help form our young students to be the next generation of Oblate missionaries here in Australia.
See the following photos for the building progress so far:
Iona College's marine education makes a breakthrough for Moreton Bay region
Discover the great initiatives in Marine education at Iona College through Channel 7’s latest news story about their educational breakthroughs.
Iona College recently introduces marine biology education into their school syllabus as a way for students to understand the local environment of which they were a part. Iona College, located in Lindum, Queensland is only a few kilometres from the renowned Moreton Bay. This ecosystem has long history of importance for the local area and especially for the local indigenous population. Pope Francis, since the publication of his encyclical, Laudato Si', in 2015, has urged us more as Christians to care for the creation that God gave us. This brilliant initiative by Iona College to draw the students there into better understanding of their environment has paid off in students helping with a major breakthrough for marine education in the area.
See 7 News' full story here!
The Inspiration of the Cross
A great story of a genius initiative promoting prayer for vocations in two Oblate communities through the inspiration and challenge of the Oblate cross.
The Year of Oblate Vocations – The Inspiration of the Cross
Oblate crosses serve as both an inspiration and a challenge for the Oblates who own them and these crosses have the potential to continue to inspire and challenge others, even after their owners have entered eternal life. As a direct symbol and reminder of the mission of Christ to the world, Oblate crosses were never intended to be left to gather dust. These powerful religious pieces were always intended to draw people towards the mission and to encourage and challenge people to continue the mission of Christ.
In this Year of Oblate Vocations, a great initiative has started in two Oblate communities on either end of the country to each other. Amidst the sunshine of Queensland, the school community of Iona College have invited the boys and their families to host the Oblate crosses in their homes for a week at a time. The crosses of the late Fr John Hannah OMI and Fr Michael Clarke OMI accompany the boys home each week and invite their families to reflect upon the significance of the mission cross and pray for vocations.
On the other end of the continent, in the lush, green La Trobe Valley, the parishes of Moe and Newborough have started a similar venture. Each week a different family from the parishes or one of the school communities is presented with the cross of the late Fr John Dunlea OMI at the Sunday Eucharist. They take the cross and accompanying prayers home for the week. The parishioners have taken to the idea and even now invite other parishioners, neighbours and family to join them in their home for this time of prayer and a cup of tea to follow. The parishioners pray for the Oblate Year of Vocations, but also for Synod on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment and the 2020 Plenary Council, which is already underway here in Australia. When the cross is taken by a school community, it is the task of the ‘Mini Oblates’ group to take the cross to a different class each day to lead the prayers there.
In both communities, we hope that the Oblate cross will inspire people with the knowledge of the immense love God has for them, just as it did for Eugene that one Good Friday. The cross is a challenging symbol for many, but for Christians it is the sign of unconditional love and doorway for our own redemption by Christ to a life hereafter. Let us pray alongside these families and communities that the cross of Christ may inspire us to love more openly and more deeply. We continue to pray that this Year of Oblate Vocations may inspire young men to discern the call that comes from Christ to take up our own crosses and follow him as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Special thanks goes to Fr Michael Twigg OMI, Rector of Iona College, Mr Wayne Wilden, Dean of Faith and Mission at Iona College and Fr Harry Dyer OMI, Parish Priest of Moe & Newborough.
Blessing of new Mazenod College Chapel
Mazenod College VIC opened its newly renovated chapel with a blessing from the Archbishop Emeritus Denis Hart on 6th June.
On the 6th June, Archbishop Emeritus Denis Hart blessed the newly renovated chapel at Mazenod College, Mulgrave VIC. A simple and prayerful ceremony lead by the Archbishop, the Provincial Fr Peter Daly OMI and the College Rector, Fr Christian Fini OMI, allowed the staff, Oblates and students of the College to gather and witness a remarkable event.
The faith life of Mazenod College has always been paramount to the school's mission and shining like a beacon amidst today's society, the College has invested in the expansion of the College chapel in order to allow for the growing numbers of young men who come everyday for mass before school and spend time in prayer throughout each school day. Very few Catholic schools these days would have the need for a bigger chapel, but Mazenod does and this is something the Oblates should be very proud of.
The newly renovated chapel boasts a simple and modern design allowing plenty of natural light to illuminate the several Oblate-inspired features of the space. The central feature is the cross. A stylized Oblate crucifix hangs behind the altar, reminding us of St Eugene's conversion before the cross and our own daily conversion to recognise Christ's love for us. On either side of the altar are two walls, featuring the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Eugene de Mazenod. Quotes of theirs accompany profiles of their faces and provide some food for reflection for those who visit this sacred space. The last great feature of the chapel is the Memorial Wall surrounding the chapel and the Resurrection Cross, honouring all the deceased who have been a part of Mazenod College's great history.
Congratulations goes to Fr Christian Fini OMI for his vision and planning, to all those involved in its construction and to the Archbishop for his presence and blessing last June.
Welcome From The Provincial
A warm welcome to the newly updated website for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the Province of Australia and the Delegation of China.
Dear Friends,
A warm welcome to our website!
This website has been created and updated by many dedicated members of our Mazenod Family. On this website you will find different links that will take you on a journey into the many and varied aspects of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. These links will give you information on the different aspects that give life to the mission of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate here in Australia and around the world.
This message is mainly a welcome from me as the Provincial of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for the Australian Province and for the Delegation of Hong Kong.
I believe this website gives interested people, like yourself, an opportunity to understand something of the Oblates and maybe inspire you to get involved with one or many aspects of our Oblate Mission activities.
Your interests might take you to areas such as:
Rosies Oblate Street Outreach in Melbourne and Queensland
A Priestly or Religious Vocation
Partners In Mission (Volunteers working for a period of time on in Oblate overseas mission)
MAMI (Fund raising for our Missions & Support of our Missionaries and their people)
Finding the nearest Oblate Parish or College
The history of the Australian Province and of our Founder St Eugene de Mazenod
Whatever your interest I know you will enjoy the website and all that it has to offer. Many thanks for taking the time to show your interest in the Oblates.
Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate
Fr. Peter Daly OMI
The Year of Oblate Vocations
Commencing on the 8th December 2017, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Oblate Year of Vocations was commissioned by the Superior General to celebrate and promote the Joy and Generosity of the Oblate Vocation.
On 8th December 2017, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, it was announced by our Superior General, Fr Louis Lougen OMI, that the following 12 months would be the Year of Oblate Vocations.
The theme given to this special occasion is 'Come and See!’ (John 1:39): Focusing on the Joy and Generosity of Our Oblate Life. This Year of Oblate Vocations is naturally dedicated to the promotion of vocations to the Oblate Life, in its many varied forms, both religious and lay. This Year of Oblate Vocations coincides with the Year of Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment, announced by Pope Francis and is already underway to the Synod later this year focusing on those three themes. Luckily for us, in Australia, we have a third layer on that cake, with the Australian Bishops announcing 2018 to be the Year of Youth for Australia. As we can see, the Church all over the world sees the importance that young people bring to our community and it is imperative to listen to their voices, for they are not just the Church of the future, they are the Church of today as well.
From these young people, will surely spring our future vocations. Although a vocations to the Oblate life can occur at any age, it is important that in this year we dedicate ourselves to our relationships with the youth, who walk alongside us in our missions and are often integral parts of that mission. All young people need a vocation, a calling, a direction in life. Many of them find it in their work, many will find it in single or married life; and a chosen few will find it in the consecrated life as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate. All together we make up our Oblate family and it is important to foster the vocations of all people in our communities.
This year will provide an opportunity for us, as Oblates, to get out there and be visible witnesses to the joy and generosity of our Oblate vocation. This is a great opportunity to hold special events in your community to promote vocations. There will be resources provided for us to reflect on how we engage with the topic of vocations. And lastly, but by far not the least, this year draws us into a more dedicated spiritual practice of praying for vocations. This is one of the most important things we can do; wherever we are and whoever we are.
Stay posted on this website and on our social media for updates about this exciting occasion and I wish you all the best in your adventures for this Year of Oblate Vocations! Let us all renew our vocation to be Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
- Br Joshua Nash OMI