Office of the Provincial Superior

October 2009

My Dear Friends,

Today is one of those beautiful Autumn days when I truly believe no one could say there is no God!  The colors of the leaves are slowly changing.  The air is clear but not cold.  It is both quiet and yet the sounds of the children arriving for school just outside my office can clearly be heard.  And here I come on this beautiful day with hand outstretched once again.  I hope this does not tarnish your day too much!

Your generosity to us year after year leaves me humbled before God.  Year after year when we put together our budget I am convinced we will not make it and year after year you come forward and prove me wrong.  You bless us with your gifts and yes, year after year we make it.  Better, year after  year you make it for us!  And so, convinced that you are God's yes to us, we go forward in faith yet one more year.

God has indeed blessed us this past year with four young men who made their first Profession of Vows as Oblates.  What a wonderful day that was! Earlier in June two Oblates were ordained priests in what can only be called a day of abundant grace for all of us.  And yes, in the course of the year God called three of our men to come home to their eternal home.

And so today in the name of the newly professed who have several years of school ahead of them, in the name of our elderly, most of whom are still working well into their late 70's and early 80's, I come to ask for whatever you can give to help us continue to do what we believe to be God's work and God's will for us.

With your help and with your support behind us we will continue through this beautiful Autumn, through the Winter that follows, the Spring yet to come, and the summer next, because you tell us to go forward.  We will do our best to be faithful to our spirit and to all the works of ministry before us because God will's it and you make it possible.

May the Good Lord and his Blessed Mother Mary bless you so abundantly for whatever you can give us for this work of God.  Know that you and your needs are now intertwined with our needs and we will faithfully place all these intentions before the Lord as daily we pray for our benefactors.

Blessings my friends,

(Very Rev.) David M. Whalen, O.S.F.S.
Provincial Superior
 

The key to continuing the Oblates' ministry of the Toledo-Detroit Province and throughout the world in the missionary Oblates' territories is you!  Collaborate with the Oblates through your prayer and financial support of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales by contacting the provincial office.

The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Toledo-Detroit Province does accept gifts and donations in the forms of cash, property, stocks, bonds, etc. and appreciates the generosity of its donors past and present.

Donations are used to support the membership of the Toledo-Detroit Province in many aspects of Oblate life and administration.

If you are interested in supporting the Oblates through a donation, please contact our Provincial Offices for more information. 

All gifts are tax -deductable.

Online Donations Accepted

The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Toledo-Detroit Province now accepts donations online.  Please consider the Oblates and their ministries and give generously.  You may donate using your credit card or through your checking account electronically.

Your donation supports the work of the Toledo-Detroit Province in providing education for our seminarians and novices, supports the work of our vocation director in recruiting new vocations to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, aids our efforts to continue to provide for our senior priests and brothers, and helps all the Oblates in full-time ministries continue to be present, active and current in their training and education.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.