On Sunday October 16, the installation of Fr. Antoni Degutis as pastor of the parishes in Sturgis, Buchanan, Rama, Norquay and Rockford took place. Archbishop Daniel Bohan of the Regina archdiocese arrived the day before and, together with Fr. Antoni, they visited all the parishes.  Fr. Antoni was installed as pastor in each of the parishes.

  On Saturday October 22, the John Paul II Legacy Concert took place at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.  The event was organized by Fr. Marian Gil and Catholic Youth Studio (KSM).  A number of talented artists from Poland, Canada and the USA performed.  The tickets sold out several days before the concert. About 2,500 people attended the concert. The event was very spiritually uplifting. Congratulations to Fr. Marian and all who worked hard to make the event a great success.

    Catholic Youth Studio broadcasts its Polish-language programs each evening starting at 8:00 PM.  You can tune in live through the internet at http://www.ksmradio.com .  I encourage you to put this information into your respective parish bulletins.  If you would like more detailed information, you can contact Fr. Marian directly or visit the above website for information in Polish or http://www.catholicradio.ca for information on Catholic Radio in English.

   On Sunday October 30, Fr. Giovanni Gioppato was formally installed as pastor of Holy Angels Parish.  The installation was overseen by Bishop Boissonneau. A reception was held in the parish hall following the installation ceremony.

    Brother Peter Nowak has been admitted to perpetual vows by the Provincial Council.  His request was approved by the General Council on October 22, 2005.  We sincerely congratulate Brother Peter, who will profess his perpetual vows on Monday December 5^th at the Queen of Apostles Retreat Centre.  All are invited.

  Our web page – http://www.omiap.org – has recently been updated and we have begun regular web updates concerning Provincial matters on the website.  You can visit the website to read about previously addressed matters.  If there are any corrections or omissions, please contact Fr. Tuan at tuan@omiap.org .  We greatly thank Fr. Tuan for his work in maintaining our Provincial website. 

    As has been previously announced, Fr. Chris Pulchny OMI has been named the new Provincial Treasurer for Assumption Province.  His appointment was approved by the Provincial Council and the General Council.

  The Toronto District Superior reminds you that we will gather to pray the rosary for all our deceased Oblate confreres on November 1, 2005 at 2:00 PM at Assumption Cemetery in Mississauga.

  On Thursday November 24, a workshop will take place for all the Fathers of the Toronto District who are involved in any way in the life of our Province and in the preparations for the 50th anniversary of our Province. The workshop will be led by Fr. Peter McKenna SCJ, who served as a Provincial for ten years and who is a very good facilitator.  We also encourage those who have not been informed already by the Provincial regarding the workshop to participate in it as well.  The workshop will begin at 10:00 AM.

   We remind everyone that in all ethnic Polish parishes, “wypominki” intentions are accepted for the month of November.  All donations collected for the “wypominki” intentions are to be sent in to the Provincial House.  Please note that thirty Masses will be celebrated during November at the Provincial House in memory of those mentioned in the WYPOMINKI.  Please inform your parishioners of this.

      We are in the process of finalizing our Provincial Personnel Directory for 2006.  Please forward us any changes to your e-mail addresses, web page addresses, phone numbers, cell phone numbers and other details before we send our updated booklets to the printer.  We need all your updates within the next week.

    Every member of the Province received the legal letters from the Provincial office concerning a new Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney for Health Care and an informational sheet. Please make sure that your Will and Power of Attorney documents are signed by two witnesses and all three documents are mailed back to the Provincial office.  The deadline passes today, and still there are a few Fathers who have not sent in their documents.

               We would like to inform you that Brother Peter Nowak has been formally admitted by the Provincial Council to the profession of his final vows.  On October 22, 2005 our General Superior together with his Council approved Brother Peter’s admission. Brother Peter will make his perpetual vows at the Retreat Centre on December 5, 2005 during our annual Toronto District meeting on the occasion of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The ceremony will begin at 11:00 AM. We warmly invite all brother Oblates to this celebration, and especially those who live in the Toronto district. We wish Brother Peter God’s abundant blessings, the protection of the Blessed Virgin, and the abundant zeal of our Founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod.

      The following Oblate confreres in our Province will soon be celebrating their birthdays.  We would like to wish them all the best.

Fr. Ted Nowak – November 1^st

   Fr. Slawek Trzasko – November 12^th

Fr. Slawek Oblak – November 13^th

Fr. Marian Mroz – November 21^st

Happy Birthday to you all!

Note: We apologize for the omission of Fr. Roman Majek in our last edition of News and Views.  Fr. Majek celebrated his birthday on October 23^rd.  Happy belated birthday, Fr. Roman!

     We remember the following deceased confreres:

Fr. Michael Kucharski – November 1^st

Fr. Casimir Holick – November 9^th

Fr. Peter Klita – November 18^th

Fr. Casimir Buchwald – November 30^th

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord.
And may perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

 

      We request information regarding various important events so that we can inform the rest of the Province on an ongoing basis.  Please send news to provincial@omiap.org

    As a reminder, here are the dates for the upcoming Advent retreats this year.  Fr. Roman Nisiewicz OMI will lead the retreats across Toronto and neighboring areas.  The parish mission on the occasion of the 15^th anniversary of Our Lady Queen of Poland parish in Edmonton will be led by Fr. Jaroslaw Wachowski OMI who will arrive from Poland.

Advent Retreat 2005

A letter from novice Marcin Serwin in Swiety Krzyz, Poland:

Dear Father Provincial,

On behalf of all the novices here at Swiety Krzyz, Father Superior and Assistant I would like to thank you greatly for enabling us to buy new hockey equipment here.  All the novices were greatly gladdened by this news as they all love sports.  Thank you again. 

Autumn is coming to an end here at Swiety Krzyz, so I’m hoping that in the near future I’ll be able to send you some pictures from our hockey games. 

There’s a long road ahead of me yet, but I am looking to the future with great optimism, toward my future formation and the work that awaits me.