Administration News
Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI, gave a retreat on “Moving from Living through Will Power to Living through Grace” June 14-16 in Belleville, Ill., and another July 5-7 on “Spiritual Wisdom from the Deep Wells of Christian Tradition” at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minn. He spoke July 8-11 at a Summer Stillness Institute on “Prayer: Our Deepest Hunger” in Saskatoon, Sask.
He spoke on “Habits of the Heart and the Renewal of Our Religious Lives” July 14-19 at a Religious Institute in Mississauga, Ont. Fr. Rolheiser also addressed a Religious Institute on Oblate Life for Young Oblates in which young Oblate priests and brothers reflected on their religious lives and ministries Aug. 12-16 in Orlando, Fla. He gave a retreat titled “Naming the Present Moment: Some Nurturing Metaphors in a Time of Receding Transcendence” Aug. 19-23 for the Franciscans of Western Canada in Cochrane, Alta. On Aug. 26-28, he addressed priests of the Archdiocese of
Los Angeles on “Renewing Our Hope and Celebrating Our Priestly Communion” during a Study Days gathering. On Sept. 5, he delivered the Bob Beloin Memorial Lecture on “Academics beyond Ideology, Fashion and Fad: Some Principles for a More Genuine Sincerity and Authenticity within Our Learning” at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. He gave two keynote addresses Sept. 10 at the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Ministry of Consolation Annual Ministry Day on understanding the vulnerability of those who commit suicide. He was the keynote speaker Oct. 4-5 at the Religious and Moral Education Council Conference in Calgary, Alta. His topic was “Spirituality of Teaching: Sustaining Ourselves in Our Vocation as Educators.” He was the keynote speaker Oct. 10 for the Ignatian Volunteer Corps at St. Thomas More School in St. Paul, Minn., on “Wrestling with God.” He was a guest speaker before a lay formation gathering Oct. 12 in Saskatoon, Sask., and spoke to Mayslake Ministries Nov. 2 in Naperville, Ill. He is to give a retreat Nov 14- 17 at the San Sabina Center in San Rafael, Calif., titled “Listening for the Heartbeat of God: Discipleship in John’s Gospel.” He also will speak Dec. 6-8 at a retreat at The Star of the North Retreat Center in St. Albert, Alta., on a theme to be announced. A new search is to be launched for Fr. Rolheiser’s successor as President of OST. The search is to be both national and international.
Dr. Scott Woodward presented an address on Ecumenical and Ethnic Diversity in the Classroom recently at the annual meeting of the Chief Academic Officers Society of the Association of Theological Schools. He also was named to the ATS Global Awareness and Engagement Working Group, whose responsibility is to discern what global awareness and engagement entail for theological education in the foreseeable future. It will contribute to the redevelopment of ATS standards with reference to global awareness and engagement. Dr. Woodward also had an article published in CrossCurrents, a paper he had presented previously to “Theological Education between the Times,” a consultation funded by the Lilly Endowment for the Association of Theological Schools. The article was on The Telos of Theological Education.
Faculty News
Father Wayne Cavalier, OP, facilitated the closing retreat for the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Program of the Diocese of Salt Lake City May 18; he designed and facilitated the first meeting of the Diocese of Salt Lake City Pastoral Council on Implementation of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan May 25.
Dr. Renata Furst has been named holder of the Father Frank Montalbano Chair in Scripture, inaugurated in March 2009. Sister Sarah Ann Sharkey, OP, held the chair from then until her retirement in 2015. Fr. Montalbano taught Scripture at OST from 1950-79.
Dr. Rodolfo Luna presided over the French Canadian Catholic Biblical Association’s convention, June 7-9 at the Universite de Montreal on the theme of “The Bible, the Arts and Theology.” He attended the French Catholic Biblical Association convention Aug. 28-30 at the Institut Catholique de Paris on the theme of “Exodus and Migrations in the Biblical Traditions.” He also presented
a paper titled “Leave or Remain. The Ambiguity of the Locus of Salvation throughout the Johannine Tradition.” Dr. Luna is now director of the MA (Theology) program.
Fr. Jim Myers, PSS, directed the 14th Institute for Seminary Formators June 5-12 at Theological College in Washington, DC. The Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Sulpician Province, serves as an orientation to seminary formation ministry for those beginning to serve as formators in seminaries and houses of formation.
Fr. Frank Santucci, OMI, organized the third Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies lecture event June 6 in Chennai, India. Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, OMI, the keynote speaker, spoke on “Daring, Ministering, Opting for the Poor: The Vision and Praxis of an Oblate Cardinal.” Fr. Rohan Silva, OMI, presented “The Mission of the Centre for Society and Religion in Sri Lanka,” and Fr. Chinnapan Mariasusai, OMI, spoke on “The Mission of Aanmodaya Ashram and the Oblate Charism.” Fr. Santucci and Dr. Scott Woodward represented OST. In August, Fr. Santucci also facilitated the assembly of the De Mazenod Family in Perth, Australia. Some 70 Oblates and laity spent three days exploring how to cooperate in living the common charism, spirit and mission of St. Eugene de Mazenod.
Dr. Philip Sheldrake edited Surrender to Christ for Mission, the book published with the presentations given at OST’s symposium on the French School of Spirituality in November 2016. The book won third place among the best books in spirituality at the 2019 Association of Catholic Publishers Association Awards. There were six finalists.
Rita Velasquez will retire January 1 after 15 years of service, first as Director of the Instituto de Formación Pastoral/Pastoral Formation Institute and associate director of the Lay Ministry Institute, and currently as Director of Lay Ministry Pastoral Certificate Programs.
Sister Addie Lorraine Walker, SSND, has been chosen by the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference to receive its Blessed Are the Feet Award on Feb. 19, 2020, at the Hyatt Crystal City Hotel in Crystal City, Va. It is a lifetime achievement award for having brought the Sankofa Institute for African American Pastoral Leadership into being and bringing a variety of scholars together for reflective insights on an array of social justice concerns.
Fr. Bob Wright, OMI, is to present a lecture, “The Native Mission Site at Polvo,” November 9 at the annual conference of the Center for Big Bend Studies in Alpine, Texas.
Student News
August Higgins presented a paper titled “Sandra Schneiders and the Question of Normativity: Spirituality Studies and the Postmodern Situation” Sept. 26 at the Pontifical Antonian University in Rome. The conference, sponsored by the university, has the theme “The Study of Christian Spirituality e la Teologia Spirituale: Metodologie in Evoluzione – Evolving Methodologies,” and is a joint conference of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality and the Forum dei Professori di Teologia Spirituale in Italy.
Cynthia Ladson’s name is to be submitted for ordination as an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Oct. 4 during the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of that religious body. The ordination is scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at Emmanuel AME Church, 1600 Semlinger Road.
David Pocta presented a paper titled “Thomas Kelly’s Mystical Itinerary as a Linchpin to Spiritual Orientation for Personal Spirituality” in June at the 25th anniversary Quaker Studies Conference in Birmingham, UK. As a result, he was asked to write a chapter on Thomas Kelly.
Visiting Professor
Dr. Peter Tyler, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Spirituality at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham, United Kingdom, and one of the most respected authors in the field of Spirituality today, taught at OST this summer. He is the director of St. Mary’s research center, InSpiRe – the Center for Initiatives in Spirituality and Reconciliation.
Staff News
Robin Rodriguez has been named OST’s new Controller, effective Aug. 10. She has been with Oblate School of Theology for 12 years as Accounting Manager, insuring the accuracy of the general ledger, processing payroll, handling financial aid, and providing human resources support.
Magda Valdez has been hired as a full-time Human Resources Director for OST and the other OMI entities in San Antonio and the Southwest region of the U.S. Province.
Noemy Colón-Pagán has been named the Assistant Controller after serving as Associate Registrar for nearly two years.