December 2008

2nd Meeting of the SA Oblates in the Central Province.
In an attempt to challenge ourselves to take up the batton responsibly in the Central Province the SA Oblates met in Bloemfontein at the Oblate House (Sunday till Tuesday) Br Mike Atoro was the convenor and the organiser. It was a challenging programme!


Opening & Blessing of the new Church St Peter and Paul. On Sunday, the first day of Advent 2008 the anticipated opening of the new Parish in the F Section Botshabelo was enthusiastically marked with the celebration of Mass and a feast. This is a culmination of many years of work by volunteers in the community. They collected the funds and built it themselves. Congratulations on the achievement. Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo OMI, in his address, made pointed mention of the success of the Parish of Emmaus in maturing as a selfsustainable Church. They have had a continuos building progamme in which a set of classrooms were built followed by a hall. Later they sponsored the new Hall and a Church in the F Section by their contributions and their labour. Fr Brian Ievers OMI is the parish priest of the two communities.

October into November

Bloemfontein Clergy Golf Tournament
The annual Golf Tournament starts on Monday 24 November - Priests from as far as Postmasburg and a Bishop from De Aar are gathering in Bloemfontein for this Masters Event. Fr D'Aes is the convenor of the event.Metropolitan Bishops Meeting
The Bloemfontein Metropolitan Bishops met at the Claerhout Retreat House from the 10th -13th November. Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo and Bishops: Hecht, Bucher, Risi, Brislin who make up the new Metropolitan. The meeting finished on Thursday with the Joint Witness with the Major Superiors of the Congregations in the Province. All in all both were successful encounters.

Recent Visitors:

Br Jens Weniger OMI,
a student from Germany, has come to our Province as part of his Regency. He will be staying in Mafikeng with Fr Meindl for an experience of a mission situation outside Germany. Here he is pictured visiting our community at the Oblate House in Bloemfontein together with Fr Mahlomola.

Fr Jef Cleymans a diocesan priest and Fr Eugene Van Helden OMI both from Kappellen, Belgium, near Antwerp have been visiting Fr Joye & the communities in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp also Fr Bessemans & Fr Louis in Kimberley and Fr D'Aes in Bloemfontein.

Oblate House Bloemfontein.

The Kelly Family:
If you ask the Children at St Bernard's or St Mary's School what is happening - they will quickly reply that the most significant reality for them is the visit of the Kelly family from Maynooth, Ireland. They are inspired and excited by this international contact. We congratulate the Kelly family for their listening to the situation here in SA and in the schools. We hope that together an exciting programme of exchange can be developed.

OMI Youth Ministry
The Oblate Youth Ministry was given a boost this year with the appointment of Fr Thidiso Moleko OMI to be full time Provincial Youth Chaplain and further boosted by the talents and commitment of our two regents Br Lehlohonolo and Br Paneng. They have worked systematically in the District to launch and support the Youth activity in the individual parishes where the Oblates are the Parish Priests. On the 15th & 16th of Nov the leadership group met at the Oblate House to do some strategic planning for 2009.

OMI Annual Retreat
Fr Dave Power OMI preached the Retreat for the Province this year. Here he is pictured with Fr John Nolan at the Oblate House where he came to rest between retreats in the OMI Sub-Region.



Oblates from the District in Rome

Fr Selomo Sooli OMI is fitting well into the International environment of the General House. He has done well in the first round of exams in Psychology and Italian which are essential for his studies.

Arcbishop Jabulani Nxumalo OMI seen at the General House after representing the SACBC at the Synod. Present from Africa were Bishop Phillip Pöllitzer OMI from Namibian Bishop's Conference, Bishop Evaristus Bitsoane Lesotho Bishops Conference. From further afield were Bishop Bejoy D’CRUZE OMI (Khulna, Bangladesh) and Bishop Rayappu Joseph (Mannar, Sri Lanka).

Br Rex Harrison OMI attended this third meeting of the Standing Committee for Oblate Brothers (Rome 2008), which is essentially one representative brother from each of the Oblate Regions and a Rep from Poland and the General House together with Fr Oswald Firth liaison for the General Council. In this meeting we consentrated on Formation issues, finalised Statutes, attempted to find ways of adequately articulating the Oblate Brother vocation relevant to the needs of the church today and we prepared for the Chapter in 2010.

August - October OMI News

Short bits of news

• Welcome Back Fr John from holidays in Ireland
• Welcome to Fr Brian’s Family - to his brother John & sister Aideen - out on a short visit.
• Also welcome to Fr D'Aes' family Heidi & Swa from Belgium - on holiday in SA for a month.
• Also visiting Br Paneng was his family from Bergville, Natal - A big welcome to Nkosinathi, Mpho, Jabu, Sifiso & Fana
• Fr Leo Roche’s Birthday on the 21st Oct – Happy Birthday!
• Oblate Annual Retreat in Klerksdorp, Rabbuni Centre 27 Oct - 1st Nov 2008.
• The Retreat Master – Fr David Power OMI– will be remembered for all his books & and as a lecturer to some of us in Ireland or Cedara and for the conference on Liturgy that he gave our District some time back. - He arrives via Durban and will stay a few days with us before our annual retreat at the Claerhout House.
• Br Rex will be leaving for Rome on Thursday 23rd Oct till the 2nd Nov for the meeting of the Standing Committee for Oblate Brothers

In Memoriam

Saturday 18th October we bid farewell to the late Halifele "Hantjie" Phalole who came for a short while to assist at the Claerhout house.

She spent most of her working life caring for the sick. She loved the church and had a profound respect for the Fathers and Brothers that serve in it. She was happiest being a part of the team.
She was burried on the18th October 2008 in Botshabelo and she will be missed by all her knew her.

May she Rest in Peace!

Installation of the New Provincial Administration

The Oblates of the Central Province
converged on Assumption Parish in the Floors, Kimberley
on Monday 13th October for the
Installation of the Provincial and his Council.

We were also privileged to be able to celebrate
Bishop Hecht's Birthday
at the same event.

The Province is meeting very soon (27 Oct - 1st Nov) for the
Annual Retreat in Rabbuni Centre Klerksdorp.

OMI International and Local Family Visitors


Br Paneng Mohlakoana's family fromBergville, Natal visited us.

It is enriching to meet and to feel the support that our families give us in our ministry.

Nkosinathi, Mpho, Jabu, Sifiso, Fana & Paneng.











Heidi and Swa Verschuerey, family of Fr Leo D'Aes are visiting SA and staying in Bloemfontein for the Macufe weekend 10th - 14th October 2008.







Also John and Aideen , brother and sister of Fr Brian Ievers OMI (Botshabelo) in the country and staying over at Claerhout House on a few occasions during their visit.




Br Mike De Klerk and Br Greg Kennedy attended the St Joseph's CBC prize giving and visited the Oblate House

There is a very long association between the Oblates and the Christian Brothers' in Bloemfontein and we are happy to continue this mutual relationship

A big Welcome to all the visitors
from ALL the Oblates
of the
OMI Southern District Community.

YOUTH Leadership Workshop 3-5 October at Maseru Farm.


On the 3rd of October various representatives from five parishes in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo gathered for a leadership workshop. The workshop was conducted under Oblate Youth Ministry in Central Province on South Africa. Parishes that participated were Kriste Tshepo Ya Rona, Emmause, St. Mark, St. Rose and Christ the King. There were 50 young people participating and five facilitators, Brs. Lehlohonolo Molete, Paneng Mohlakoana, Pule Pitlele, and Teboho Molise. Ms. Lieketseng Setlaba also played an important role in the organization. The workshop was centred on the theme of leadership and different aspects relating to the topic were addressed and tackled. Areas like participative leadership, leadership within the Church, leadership in the bible and individual leadership coupled with self-awareness were major topics shared. Questions like what is leadership? How do we become heralds and witnesses of tomorrow’s Church? The workshop also focused on the values, morals and the vision of young people within the Church and the society at large.

We also elected a central committee for the parishes that participated in order to have an ongoing relationship that will help each youth group in terms of moral support. The committee members comprises of members from each youth group.

Br. Lehlohonolo Molete O.M.I

ACTS - Cultural Day
Heritage day was celebrated earlier by the combined ACTS groups of the University of the Free State and the Central University of Technology. There was a colourful turnout filling the lecture theatre Mass with energy and enthusiasm.










Fr D'Aes gets a new vehicle - and as is good tradition, we celebrated it at St Rose. Fr D'Aes has two loves at the moment the new car and he has just received Hans Kung's memoires in Dutch.

We also celebratedFr Motsiri Mosai's Birthday on the 29th September








Joint Meeting of the Lesotho Provincial Council and the Central Province SA
A meeting of the two Provincial Councils took place on 16 Sept at Assisi to discuss Fundraising, Areas of Cooperation and to explore the possibility of Restructuring.





Bloemfontein Cooling towers are getting a creative face in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup.
Among the hero's being depicted on the Tower art is a painting by the late Fr Claerhout called "The Suncatcher". Watch this space!

Womens Day - Fr Masike celebrated Women's Day with the communities of St Rose and the Lourie Park Churches on Sunday 10th of August 2008.






Jubilees & Special Birthdays were Celebrated in the Archdiocese on the 24th Sept

Final Vows on board a ship in Cape Town Harbour 50yrs ago
Br Hans Günter Arndt OMI recently celebrated his 75th Birthday at the Oblate House in Bloemfontein among the local Oblate District Community and at a Special jubilee Celebration of of the Archdiocese of Bloemfontein.

At these occasions two other Jubilees were celebrated: that of 50yrs in South Africa and his Golden Year Jubilee of Perpetual Vows in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

This brings us to an interesting story of how Br Günter made his Final Vows on a ship in Cape Town Harbour. It was on the Feast of the Assumption 1958. There was no clarity whether the ship would dock on time so Fr Duttmann, who was had been delegated by the then Superior General Fr Deschatelets, proceeded to receive the Perpetual Vows of Br Hans Günter Arndt OMI on the Usambara in Cape Town Harbour. Captain Bujes was in command of the ship at the time.

Br Günter received his obedience for the Kimberley / Bloemfontein OMI Province and worked mostly in St Paul’s Mission Taung. There he is well known for the numerous churches, Hospital additions, Mission buildings, schools and clinics that he built. He also had number of projects with his building team providing houses for the poor when they were not on some major project. The building and rebuilding of houses was particularly relevant after the floods in Taung.

In 2007 he represented the OMI Central Province SA at the Unification of the OMI Province of his homeland, Germany with that of the Czechoslovakian and Austrian OMI Units to become the Central European Province.

Br Günter is also a draftsman and an artist. He is now retired in Bloemfontein but still continues to manage the retirement house and upgrade the property where the Oblates have their home.

Fr Brian Ievers and his volunteer team have almost completed the new Church in the F Section, Botshabelo. This project has taken many months of consistent work. The parishioners have volunteered to build the church themselves.

From the digging of the foundations to the hanging of the ceiling and the laying of the tiles a representative group of the parish have always been on hand to handle the next phase of the construction.

News from the WYD Group

Angoma sent the following message:

"The WYDSY08 was Great experience

.....for the whole world

....seeing so many Countries together in one place,

like the Pope Benedict 16th said (live in the Spirit),

and the youth were really living in the Spirit.

Oblate Study Day

Oblate District Study Day - 15 July 2008
It is Mid winter in our part of the World at this time. The cold has been quite severe in the last 3 weeks but for the last two days it has let up somewhat. Some of our Oblate Priests are on holiday in Europe, enjoying the warmer weather and spending time with family. So our gathering was a little smaller than usual. The visiting students on mid year pastoral work made up somewhat for the regulars but the day was enjoyed by all.
We meet to check in and share our programmes and successes and struggles with each other. It is really community building.
Mr Godfrey Lehasa, a well known funeral Director, was invited to share with us some of the problems that he witnesses in providing funeral services for the poor. We were surprised by the large number of pauper burials they find themselves having to provide. It was an eye-opener! Our sharing ended with collecting each other's contact details and expressing a firm resolve to work together to alleviate the plight of the poor when confronted with the high cost of burying their loved ones.



Fr Michael Sekoati OMI
Has recently returned from Germany where he spent some time at the Franciscan Sisters of Siessen's Mother House prior to the start of their Congregational Chapter.



Fr Lebohang Malemoha OMI, Parish Priest in Zastron.
Conducted the retreat for the Franciscan Sisters at their Regional Mother House in Assisi, South Africa.







Br Don Claerhout OMI
We were happy to receive Br Don Claerhout for a short visit at the Oblate House on Wednesday and Thursday.

Br Don is an exceptional missionary having been stationed in a good many Oblate missions in a very short time: At each of these appointments he has left a major impact.

At the moment he is in Lesotho assisting the community there with their hostel project. Only a few months ago he was in Kenya helping to complete the Water supply project. And only a few months before that he was a formator at Cedara Scholasticate.

Another Claerhout
Paul Vanhee the nephew of the late Fr Claerhout is also an established artist. He has been featured on the Netherlands PZC web site - Click on this highlighted link to see the featured article - this is especially interesting for our Flemish brothers: PZC Website
Congratulations Paul & Katrien from all of us Oblates here in South Africa. We also believe that your son is touring South Africa at the moment - greetings to him!

WYD & Vocations Workshop 2008 & Renovations

WYD 2008

Tomorrow Fr Papi Mothai OMI and Angoma Maemba leave for the WYD in Sydney, Australia. Both are being sent by the Oblate Community of the Central Province SA. We hope that they will have a wonderful adventure, and that like those that attended the last WYD experience in Germany that it be an important touch stone for years to come.

Vocations Workshop 2008 - Regina Pacis Retreat Centre - Assisi

Each year we try to hold a Vocations Workshop. We missed out last year. It would have taken place only it had to be sacrificed for the schools catch up programme after the difficulties in the mid year. Long ago we were inundated with candidates - now days we don't advertise - we leave it to Parish Priests to recommend who should attend and so the numbers are smaller but we would like to believe that they are more focussed on their vocation.

To meet the more serious candidates we have introduced a retreat into the programme. Now comments like: "It was a beautiful time - I felt close to God, are regularly heard.

There is also a significant time spent on explaining the stages of formation of Religious and Diocesan Priests. Oblate Brothers and the Oblate Associates also get promoted.

Brs: Paneng and Lehlohonolo together with Fr Putlele & Deacon Rakaki were the main organisers - Brs Pule, Bruce and Rex and Leduma Mohale shared their particular vocations on the Wednesday.

We hope that this workshop will also realise a few more candidates next year at the Seminary and the Scholasticate.

Fr Tshidiso Moleko has also been busy in the Taung, Kimberley and Mafikeng areas promoting vocations workshops there together with a team of priests and Students.

Renovations at the Oblate House in Bloem
Br Teboho Molise and Br Bruce Mwenda together with Br Rex have been active with renovations at the OMI House extension (See Pictures).

The Claerhout House task team have had their proposal to the Provincial Council confirmed and are going into action with a plan to better utilise the facilities.

YOMI Conference

The YOMI Conference starts today at Good Shepherd Retreat Centre - Hartbeespoort Dam - Br Mike Atoro reports from the gathering that the Young Oblates of the Sub-Region are arriving and that the Spirit is moving!





Fr Mike Foley OMI writes from his sabbatical in Ireland:

I Am presently at Inchicore in Ireland.

Wish you well for your meeting and hope that it will be (or was) a very fruitful, restful and enjoyable time of fraternal sharing and renewed missionary energy.

Mike Foley

Fr. A.P.Joseph Benedict O.M.I. from Sri Lanka working in Chile:

Dear young Oblates I am glad to write to you all this letter to just to say hello from the Mission in Chile. I am a Sri Lankan Priest working as a Missionary here for the last 6 Years. I am Fr. A.P.Joseph Benedict o.m.i. Well I was in pakistan as a Missionary for 18 Years and then I went to Sri - Lanka and after the death of my father I volunteered to Chile Mission it is very interesting to be here in this mission and lot of work for us as Oblates to do here. We are very few Oblates in total 18 Priests many Foreign Missionaries few "Chilenos" . Last year we had one Ordination after a long time.
Well as Young Oblates you have the Enthusiasm and will do lot of work for the people, it is very good but what is important, I think, is to be in closer to the people and to listen to them much more than talking. This is our Mission now in the Modern world because everyone is busy. No time to Listen to the People. Here in the parish of St. Paul we are three priests from three different Countries. Spain, Argentina and Sri Lanka. We have organized our parish with a Plan Pastoral and we have 4 Different Religious women in the parish as well as two Men religious. Work is going on very well and I am glad that all are doing their pastoral work very well. The Laity too are fully dedicated to their work.
Well I wish all of you a good YOMI Conference and may the Good Lord Bless all of you in whatever decisions and the plans you draw up for the future for your Mission.
May Our Mother Mary Guide and guard each and everyone of you in the Mission. My prayers are with you say a prayer for us too. Bye for now

Fr. A.P.Joseph Benedict O.M.I.

Fr Paul Decock OMI of the
St Joseph's Theological Institute, Cedara.

Greetings to you all and good wishes for your meeting.

I am at present at Lusaka and have just come back from Kalabo and Mongu.

Paul Decock omi

Fr R.Mariyanayagam, omi of Sri Lanka, writes from Lesotho where he is in the Formation Ministry at MaJesu Scholasticate:

Dear Young Oblate Friends, Kindly accept my prayerful wishes for the success of your fellowship gathering. As young and zealous members from various units, the experiences that you may have shared would have further increased your zeal to appreciate the charism better.

I am happy to realize that all of you are young now, but I wish that you remain youthful always in your life. God bless you and the Queen of Oblates intercede for you.

R.Mariyanayagam, omi

Fr Selomo Sooli OMI sent the following message from Rome:

I am thinking of you guys and be assured of my prayers. I feel very much part of you especially that I was involved with the initial preparations of this congress.

Modimo a le hlohonofatse bohle.

Selomo

Br Rex Harrison OMI sent from Bloemfontein SA:

Wishing you YOMI's a successful conference - We pray that the Holy Spirit inspire you with the gifts of wisdom and enthusiasm to address the many challenges facing us in this African Region.

Rex

Fr Paolo Archiati, OMI, Assistant General in Rome says:

Hello there! I hope I'm still on time to reach you with this short message. It's time for meetings in many places all over the Oblate world. You are gathered there at the Good Shepherd Retreat Centre, in a few days a meeting will start in Cochabamba, Bolivia, for the formators of the whole Region of Latin America, in August there will be a meeting in Aix, also for formators. I know you are not all formators, but you have in common with formation the very fact that you left a formation house not long ago... and maybe some of you are now working in a formation house as formators. No matter what you ministry is in the present moment of your life, what is important is that we all work for the same mission, the same Oblate family, the same Kingdom of God. I accompany you all and each one of you with my prayers and support, I'm thankful to God for what you do in His vineyard and for the generosity of your young age. Be happy to be Oblates! And be happy to spend your life as missionaries sent especially to the poor and the most abandoned. May Saint Eugene be proud of you! And may our blessed Mother keep you under her protection and guide you in your journey, especially when life becomes a little tough... If we are the one family that saint Eugene wanted us to be, nothing will stop our efforts for announcing the saving Gospel of the Lord. So go ahead, be happy and keep giving your life to your brothers and sisters! Thank you once again for your generosity!

Paolo Archiati, OMI

Fr Jean-Bosco Musubi OMI - General Councillor for Africa says:

Greetings from Rome where it is getting warm!
Since you are meeting at the moment at the Good Shepherd Retreat Centre, the same place that the Inter-Chapter was held in 2007, I would like to greet you and say I am happy with your reflection time.
Please don’t forget Fr General’s message to our Regional Conference held in Dakar in January 2004: “The Africa-Madagascar Region is full of vitality. (…)
The Oblates all over the world will be looking more and more towards Africa-Madagascar, our fastest growing Region.
The strength the Lord is giving you, will be a blessing for the many missionary needs on the increase in your own countries. It is at the same time meant to become a blessing for other parts of the world.
May Saint Eugene and the spirit of his apostolic zeal accompany you at your gathering.” So be ready to answer the challenge of Mission in Africa and everywhere in the world. God bless!

Jean-Bosco

Fr Donaat Bohe OMI from Potchefstroom says:


Dear young Oblates,

May you all be inspired and blessed during your days together.

Donaat

Inter-National Scholastic visitors

Saturday evening: Simon-Petrus Shikongo, Nhlanhla Mhlanga, Bruce Mwenda & Chibre Tembo arrived from the Scholasticate in Cedara by bus to the Oblate House in Bloemfontein.

Each year Scholastics, during the June holidays, are sent for pastoral experience to an Oblate Province. Our visitors this year come from the Zambian, Namibian and Zimbabwean Oblate Units.
Welcome brothers!

Mosupatsela Radio Station - Botshabelo

The community Radio Station in Botshabelo invited Br Lehlohonolo to an interview on the theme of Celibacy and HIV/AIDS. The interviewer tried to explore a connection between Celibacy, abstainance as a mode of living and as positive attitude development to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The interview was in Sesotho and broadcast to the Botshabelo and Thaba 'Nchu region.

Br Lehlohonolo is on his Regency year and he and Br Paneng are leading up a Youth Programme in Botshabelo and Bloemfontein Parishes. They are invited by Parish Priests to promote the Youth structures and activities in their parishes.

Youth Day 16 June 2008 & Other news

Fr Ralph Mothe OMI & Deacon Makhetha

Kriste Tshepo ya Rona was the venue for this years YOUTH DAY celebrations in the Southern District. Brs. Lehlohonolo and Paneng were up early on Monday to host about 250 Youth at the Church coming from as far as St Mark's & Christ the King Parishes in Bloemfontein.

The theme challenged the Youth to focus their lives for their future inspired by the Youth of 1976 who were able to bring about big change to the society they lived in.

HIV & AIDS
Crime Prevention
Talent Show
Dramas: on Township Life & June 16
Youth Mass

Fr Selomo Sooli OMI leaves for Rome

He has been accepted for the course in Psychology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He left on the 16th June 2008 and has arrived safely and is presently orientating himself at his new home: The Oblate Generalate. He is applying himself for the first two months with learning Italian.

Selomo we wish you all the best for taking on this challenge! He can be contacted on Skype but be prepared to speak Italian with him - he is that focussed and determined.


Africa Madagascar Region Meeting
The Africa Region met in Madagascar recently - This was for all Provincials and Unit Leaders. It seems from reports that the main focus at that gathering was the preparation for the upcoming General Chapter. Africa is the fastest growing Region in the Congregation and the realisation is that Africa will have to play a more concerted role in the International Oblate Community. It will be important to be well prepared for the General Chapter in 2010.

Prison Ministry

Fr Motsiri Mosai attended a Conference in Linbe, Cameroon in April for Catholic Prison Chaplains.

He found it inspiring and he has provided us with a full account.

You will find it on our Web Site at PRISON CHAPLAINCY

OMI District Retreat

The OMI Southern District attended the monthly retreat in Assisi (Free State) on the 9th & 10th June 2008. It was a silent retreat but also has moments of deep personal sharing and a brief audit of our pastoral response the the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Fr Brian Ievers OMI led a meditation on the late Fr Claerhout's : "The Suncatcher" during the Reatreat Mass.

We were also happy to have Fr Mariyanayagam OMI (SriLanka/Lesotho) and Fr Joseph Sephamola OMI from Lesotho on the Retreat of the Local District. Fr Mari was the celebrant at the Benediction to conclude the Retreat.

Recent events in the District

Youth Rally 2008

(ACTS - Association of Catholic Tertiary Students)

The annual ACTS Youth Rally at the Cathedral this year, follows successfully in the tradition of past years.

Once again youth from all over the Archdiocese and especially from the Tertiary Institutions where ACTS is active, gathered in their numbers, +/- 1000 to spend the day following a tightly packed programme.
There were inspirational & challenging presentations and discussions groups in the morning. Inbetween teas and lunches were provided. The afternoon moved into a deeper spiritual mood with a Penitential Service and Mass.
Even though the weather on the day started cold and wet - the Youth came in their droves and enjoyed every minute right up to the finish around 8pm.


Feast of St Eugene - Celebration of our Oblate Elders 21 May 2008

Today we paid special recognition to those of our District who have reached the stage where we look on them as "Elders". Here we do not refer to age but more in an African sense where they become our wise and experienced guides. We honour them for their years of committed ministry and for the Community of Faith they have contributed to building up.

Drs Louis & Lynn Goedhals installed as Honorary Oblates by the late Fr Zago, S General

The Elders we honoured this year are:

Fr Leo D'Aes OMI
Fr Michel Bissonnette OMI
Br Gunter Arndt OMI
Fr John Nolan OMI
Fr Tommy Swords OMI
Mr and Mrs Louis & Lynn Goedhals (Honorary Oblates)