In Gratitude to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate: Saint Eugene, San Pedro, and Our Lady Star of the Sea

Saint Eugene

Here it is Sunday Evening and I am just returned from a Confirmation at Saint Eugene de Mazenod Parish in Brownsville. Saint Eugene is one of the newer parishes in the City; founded in 1996, it is down a ways on the east side as you head across Paredes Line Road. It is a parish that is staffed by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who, as you know, have a long and storied history here in the Rio Grande Valley. I celebrated a groundbreaking for a new and permanent Church some weeks ago at Saint Eugene’s and the celebratory mood was amazing, as over 16 years of community sacrifice for the purpose of building a permanent church passed a mile-stone in the groundbreaking. Construction should begin soon.

The visit gives me a chance to encourage those of you who are interested in the lives of the saints (and I hope that is most all of you) to look up Saint Eugene. He is the saintly founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and was canonized by Blessed Pope John Paul II shortly before the parish was established. I think our Saint Eugene parish is the first in the world to bear his name. And that is fitting, since Saint Eugene himself sent the first Oblate missionaries into the Rio Grande Valley over 150 years ago. He lived an extraordinary life in extraordinarily difficult times, as he and so many others sought to re-establish the life of the Church after the devastating effects of the French Revolution. He was a contemporary of the Curé of Ars, Saint John Vianney, but I have never run across where they might have met each other. Surely in heaven, if not on earth.

I am grateful that Bishop Peña invited the Oblates to take up the challenge of establishing Saint Eugene de Mazenod parish, and that the OMI’s have so generously dedicated themselves to building up the community. And congratulations to Father Timothy Paulsen OMI, and the whole parish for the beautiful witness they give to the faith, hope and charity of the Church. As you can see from the smiling faces of the Confirmation class the work of the Oblate Fathers and of the community itself, is bearing fruit in the lives of our young people.

San Pedro MIssion

It so happens that yesterday, (that would be Saturday, May 5), during the morning, I was confirming the candidates at San Pedro Mission, also in Brownsville, off Old Military Highway. It is one of the oldest communities in the area. I recently helped them celebrate their 100 year anniversary as a mission. San Pedro church was part of the original Oblate Trail that stemmed from Brownsville up the Valley through to Mission, Texas and Rio Grande City and Roma. The Oblate missionaries would ride horse-back in the old days to bring the Gospel and the Sacraments to the residents in the small towns and communities up and down the river. Today, San Pedro Mission is staffed by a diocesan priest, Father Eduardo Gómz, who also serves as rector of our diocesan House of Studies next door to the Church. Each year some of our seminarians live and pray and study at the House of Studies, and participate in the life of San Pedro Mission. The community of San Pedro is very hospitable and friendly, and gives to our seminarians a generous commuity atmosphere to help nurture their vocations to the Priesthood. Again, the life of the Church shows great vitality in the faces of the newly confirmed at San Pedro Mission.

 

Both Saint Eugene parish and San Pedro Mission remind us of how much of our Church life in the Diocese of Brownsville has been and continues to be nourished by the work of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Our Lady Star of the Sea, Port Isabel

Now, as some of you may have heard, the Oblates recently announced that they are asking the Diocese of Brownsville to take over the pastoral care of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Port Isabel. This parish was also established by the Oblates, and – as you probably know— it is the parish “on the way to South Padre Island”. What you may not know is that the parish was established formally in 1927, though there had been a constant presence of pastoral care by the Oblates for residents of Port Isabel long prior to that. What does this request of the Oblate Missionaries mean? It means that the Oblate Community has discerned that for them to focus upon the missionary charism of the Order, it is pastorally best that at this time the Diocese of Brownsville supply the next pastor to the parish. This frees the missionaries to focus upon other commitments that they have in this diocese and other dioceses where they continue to serve. I have accepted their request and recommendation, and urge all of the faithful to pray for vocations to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and pray also for me, su pobre servidor, as I discern the naming of the next pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish.

It is never an easy thing for a religious community to leave a parish they have served for generations. And I know it will be difficult for the parishioners to say farewell to the Oblate presence in their parish. I am grateful to God for the work of the Oblates over the years at Port Isabel, and particularly the work most recently begun by Fathe James Erving, OMI, the current pastor. But, despite the changes necesitated by the current situation, we live in the sure and graceful hope that the Lord will continue to bless the growth of Our Lady Star of the Sea, and that the hard work of the Oblates in building up the life of the Church in Port Isabel will serve as the solid foundation for greater growth in the days and years to come.

In the name of all the generations of Catholics here in the Valley, I am grateful to the Oblate Fathers for their dedication and generosity.  And I am thankful for the parish communities they continue to serve here in the Rio Grande Valley

May God Bless the Oblates.

Saint Eugene de Mazenod, pray for us.