Minutes of Hope

Oblate store, the first ever OMI store designed to support and help poor families, recently opened in To Kwa Wan, Hong Kong. The store opened on March 19, 2021 during the feast day of St. Joseph.   Fr Slawomir Kalisz, OMI and Fr. Mark Anthony Serna, OMI who are directly involved in the ministry of helping poor families in Hong Kong came up with the idea of renting a space where they can sell different products to support the ministry- and so the Oblate store was created.   The main thrust of the Oblate store is to support the increasing number of poor families in Hong Kong. It also serves as vocation promotion, creating awareness of the OMI mission in Hong Kong and to the world, to encourage the OMI mission partners and other people and to take part and develop the spirit of love and care for the poor by donating some used items that are salable.   With the arrival of pandemic in Hong Kong since last year, the number of affected poor families increased. And...

Thailand – The Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a religious, missionary and international congregation. Its broad mission has brought its identity “experts in difficult missions” as OMIs are assigned in many parts of the world where difficulty and danger are not hindrances for doing mission.   Formerly a lay minister while working in M&S company, Fr. Catanus experienced a crucial moment where an RPG hit the house where he lives in Plamango, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat during the all-out-war in 2000. Fortunately, he was not in the house at that time. He felt that it was his second life and so decided to enter the seminary to serve in the Church.   Fr. Ben Catanus, OMI is a missionary assigned in Thailand. He was ordained priest on September 11, 2011 and received his first obedience to work as a missionary in Thailand. He is from Tacupan, Carmen, Cotabato and now the parish priest of Christ the King parish in the Diocese of Udonthani, Thailand.   Thailan...

  The Oblate TV, an OMI youtube channel which was launched on September 21, 2020 has created a sensation in the social media arena. From a single video, now it has reached almost 200 different videos showcasing the different mission, ministries and apostolates of the OMI all over the world with almost 3 thousand subscribers in youtube.   The Oblate TV was initiated by the OMI Vocation Team Philippines as a tool and as a new way in reaching out to the people especially to the young who have the desire to live the OMI religious life. The main objective of the Oblate TV youtube channel is to introduce the different mission and ministries of the OMI in the Philippines. This includes stories of OMI priests and brothers, daily reflections, prayers, masses and OMI apostolates especially during this time of pandemic. Likewise, it is a way of promoting OMI vocation among the young people all over the country and across the world.   Early January of this year, the OMI Phi...

The Oblate Missionary Foundation - Inter-religious Dialogue (OMI-IRD) ministry of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate is one of the pioneering ministries when it comes to social action, dialogue, and building peace and development. It is a Non-Profit, Church-based Organization based in Notre Dame Drive, Poblacion, Pikit, North Cotabato, Philippines.   Living the Vision-Mission of the congregation, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate continues to immerse themselves to the lives of the people, especially to the poor and marginalized, and those affected by conflicts.  Through dialogue with peoples of different cultures, the IRD ministry continues to work for an integral transformation of the society, safeguarding human dignity, promoting culture of peace and responds to the call of justice and integrity of creation.   Due to the war in Pikit, North Cotabato in 1998, the IRD started as an emergency and relief operation program, assisting in the rehabilitation and the safety a...

       The Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (SOMPH) retreat house in Binoligan, Kidapawan City, an OMI-run center has become a haven of refuge for several (Locally Stranded Individuals) LSIs and (Persons Under Monitoring) PUMs under the care of city government of Kidapawan. Since last year, the shrine has been accepting individuals and families under quarantine during the event of the pandemic.        Through the joint program of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Kidapawan City government, LSIs and PUMs are quarantined in the OMI retreat house, identified as one of the quarantine centers. In Kidapawan City, only a number of centers have been assigned for such delicate role of accepting person under quarantine.        The decision was made by Bp. Charlie Inzon, OMI, the apostolic vicar of Jolo Vicariate, who was then the OMI provincial superior during their meeting with Mayor Joseph Evanghelista of Kidapaw...

     The OMI Novitiate program is a year of intense prayer, study, work and contemplation. Every OMI has to go through the novitiate year before reaching the scholasticate in Manila where they will undergo the training for theology before priesthood or brotherhood. One of the exciting activities in the Novitiate year is the Bible Apostolate. It is a weekend apostolate to different indigenous people areas such as Badak, Kusiong, Tapian, Nabilan, Pindaag, and Tambanan in Maguindanao. These are Teduray communities who accepted the Catholic faith and have built their chapels in the area.         The 9 OMI novices, namely; Bro. Jan Philip Cadungog, Bro. Illuminado Flauta V, Bro. Mon-Gi Park (Peter), Bro. Kelly Mark Socias, Bro. Vince Dignadice, Bro. Won Hyo Heo (Paul), Bro. Giovanni Paolo Donguines, Bro. Ariel Villaflor and Bro. Sung Ho Kim (Sabino) are formed into three groups assigned to different areas. From November to February, every Saturday, a...

  The OMI Indigenous Peoples (IP) ministry in the Philippine province is a vast and important ministry of the OMI congregation catering and working with the different tribal groups in the country, namely; the Tedurays in Maguindanao, the Dulangan-Manobo in Sultan Kudarat and the Sama of Sulu and Tawi-tawi.   In Langgal, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat, Fr. Danilo “Danny” Pacate, OMI is assigned as IP director among the Dulangan-Manobo. This tribal group is among the poorest in the province of Sultan Kudarat. While many of these people are still nomads, tiling forested lands from one area to another, foraging food from the deep forests, some of them are already settled in communities in different areas together with other Christian settlers, mostly in the deep mountains of Sultan Kudarat.   Fr. Pacate is from Kisante, Makilala, North Cotabato. He entered the seminary as a young professional. He used to worked with PLDT company for many years before deciding to join th...