512 - June 2011
May 5th, 2011 - June 7th, 2011

ASIA-OCEANIA

Father Andrzej MADEJ has been Superior of the Misson “sui juris” of Turkmenistan since 1997 when Oblates from Poland were asked to minister to Catholics in that country. On 19 May, he sent the following e-mail to the Superior General:

Praised be Jesus Christ! I greet you cordially in Christ and Mary Immaculate from Turkmenistan.

I would like to share with you the good news that on 21 May, 2011, our Deacon Rafal CHILIMONIUK will be ordained a priest in the chapel of our mission in Ashgabat.

He will receive the Sacrament of Priesthood from the hands of Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, the Apostolic Nuncio in Turkey and Turkmenistan. The archbishop’s line of apostolic succession includes the Bishop of Marseille, Saint Eugene de Mazenod.

Let us rejoice together! We are happy to be one with you, dear Fr. General, on the day of the 150th anniversary of the birth to heaven of our Holy Founder.

The newly ordained Father Rafal was born in 1983. He pronounced his first vows in 2004.

The superior of the China Delegation, Fr. David ULLRICH, reports that the 150^th anniversary of the Founder’s death was the occasion of a joyous celebration in Hong Kong on May 15. The local Ordinary, Bishop John Tong, presided at a Mass that was preceded by an hour-long program presented by the teachers and students of the three schools run by the Oblates.

In his homily, Bishop Tong spoke of three “miracles” achieved by the Oblates: “their evangelizing fire, the promotion of vocations, and their care for foreigners.” He encouraged the missionaries to walk in the footsteps of the Founder through an ever better collaboration between the Congregation and the diocese of Hong Kong.

The Oblates came to Hong Kong in 1966. Since then, they have worked with the poor, the imprisoned, the marginalized and in the field of education.