Congregazione degli Oblati di Maria Vergine

This past Thursday, while I was enjoying the sweet mountain air in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona (just north of Sedona), I received a phone call from the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary (Congregazione degli Oblati di Maria Vergine in Italian; Congregatio Oblatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis in Latin), the religious congregation to which I applied earlier this year. I retrieved the message Friday morning, the Feast of the Transfiguration, when we were in town and within range of a cell tower. Fr. Dave Nicgorski, OMV, the Provincial, left me the following message, in response to my application.

Paul, how are you, this is Fr. Dave Nicgorski calling from the Oblates of the Virgin Mary; I'm the Provincial here, in Boston. I just wanted to contact you to say I'm delighted that you applied to the congregation, for the community here, in Boston. We met today with the Provincial Council and we all are excited about you coming, so I want to welcome you to Boston, and say that we approved your application, and I am looking forward to seeing you again, brother, all the best to you and I wanted to be the first to call and say, “Welcome.” So, my confreres, Fr. Jeremy and the other guys in Boston, will be contacting you shortly to invite you to join them this semester coming up in school, in Boston. All the best, Paul. I'll see you soon, brother and if you have any questions, feel free to call my cell; my number is (hidden), but otherwise, Paul, I just want to say, “Welcome to Boston;” I look forward to seeing you shortly. God Bless, bye.

God is good! In the Oblates' slogan, from our Founder, Venerable Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri, Nunc coepi ("now I begin"). I received a second phone call, on Friday, from Fr. Jeremy Paulin, OMV, Vocation Director, who informed me that my entrance date will be August 23, 2010, just over two weeks away!

It is especially appropriate that I was accepted on August 5, because that is the day, in 1830, that our Founder died. His cause for canonization is currently in progress.

Please pray for me, and for an increase in those who consider and follow their true vocation, especially those who are called to the priesthood and religious life.

I will post here regularly, so that those who have known me up to this point may stay updated.

Love the Immaculata!