FATHER BILL MORELL, O.M.I.

“Little in my Oblate life has turned out as I would have thought,” said Fr. Bill Morell, O.M.I. To him, surprises are part of God’s plan. “Many times what happens seems to be more the work of the Holy Spirit than my own planning.”

The Holy Spirit’s guidance deeply impacted Fr. Morell’s life. “I was always interested in being a missionary, so after ordination I thought I’d be sent to Brazil or Mexico. Then, I get this call to teach high school. ‘It will only be for a year!’ One year turned into eight! And every one was challenging and fulfilling, even for a young missionary.”

After teaching and coaching at an Oblate high school seminary and directing a formation program for Oblate theology students in San Antonio, Fr. Morell was hoping to be assigned to a new mission in Zambia. “I was eager to leave for Africa when I learned the (former) Southern Province needed a Provincial. I was asked by the Superior General to step in. I did so hesitantly, but again I found the Holy Spirit had guided me to a good but different missionary assignment.”

Father Morell did eventually get assigned as a missionary in Zambia when he finished as Provincial – but after only two years, he was asked to return to Texas to a place he had been as a seminarian 25 years before. He became President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio during a demanding time of expansion and building. After serving nearly ten years there, he thought he might get a chance to return to Zambia. But it seems the Holy Spirit had another idea. He was called to be Vicar Provincial and the Director of the Office of Mission and Ministry. This role involved visiting U.S. missions to help them more fully live out the Oblate charism.

In January of 2010 Fr. Morell took on yet another challenge. He is now Oblate Executive Director of Fundraising, working closely with the Office of Charitable and Planned Giving. “I already knew how important our friends’ support is to our mission and our community,” he said. “But I soon learned how important it is to our donors to be partners with the Oblates in mission work.” In his role as Executive Director he has the chance to meet Oblate benefactors in many different parts of the country. He says, “It is a way for me to thank our friends and share with them the Oblate spirit which is so rich.”
Looking back on the shifting directions his life has taken, Fr. Morell reflected, “So many unplanned, even unimagined things fell into place and made sense. I thank God for the sustaining presence of the Holy Spirit in my uncommon missionary life.”