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!