This summer, five men in the United States and Mexico took their final steps in their formation process and began their new journey as Missionary Oblate Priests. Father Juan Ayala, Fr. Quilin Bouzi, Fr. Francisco Gomez, Fr. Joseph Dowling, and
Fr. Fernando Valasquez have joined nearly 4,500 Missionary Oblates in offering their lives to serve the poor in God’s name. Armed with strong hearts and fervent faith, they will venture out to proclaim God’s unending love to the world.

Before ordination, Missionary Oblates are required to give themselves totally to God by embracing four evangelical vows established by the Founder, St. Eugene De Mazenod. Taking vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and perseverance allows each Oblate to center his life on the person of Jesus Christ. The vows are an expression of the Oblate way of life and commitment to the mission.

The word “Oblate” has the same origin as “Oblation” or offering. Oblates, by special dedication, offer their lives in service to the Lord and the Church. Like St. Eugene, these new Oblates gather around the person of Jesus Christ so as to achieve solidarity of compassion, to become a single heart that can be food for the life of the world.

Each of these five young Priests has a very different story to tell, but all of them were called to offer their lives to God. They are men of mission, prayer, and community, seeking to get close to people and experience their hurts and dreams, their fears and joys.

We congratulate these new Oblates and welcome them into the community of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate!

Fr. Fernando Valasquez, O.M.I.
Father Fernando first met the Oblates in Mexicali, Mexico. “I met the Oblates because they staffed my home parish, La Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Mexicali. Their work with the people, prayer life, simplicity, and especially the love and happiness they show following Jesus are what attracted me,” he says.

Fernando was very involved in church and youth activities which fostered his faith and helped inspire his vocation to the Priesthood. Although he didn’t start the formation process until he was older, he was only eight years old when the Priesthood first crossed his mind. “I was an altar server at our church and I remember looking at the Oblate Priest during Mass one day and thinking, ‘I want to be like him,’ ” he recalls.

Father Fernando fulfilled his boyhood dream on June 16, when he was ordained a Missionary Oblate Priest in his childhood parish in Mexicali.

Fr. Francisco Gomez, O.M.I.
God’s call did not reach Fr. Francisco until later in his life. Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, Francisco was 40 years old when he entered the Oblate pre-novitiate program in Tijuana, Mexico. He later went to the novitiate in Guatemala. The Oblate charism of being with the poor is close to his heart. He says, “The Oblates are the voice of people who have no voice. It is important to me that the Oblates are so dedicated to the people. I hope that my ministry will involve working with the people. I have received so much from the people in my life and I hope that I will be able to give back to them as an Oblate Priest.”

Father Francisco was ordained in the Oblate parish of St. Eugene in “La Morita,” Tijuana, Mexico, on June 2.

Fr. Quilin Bouzi, O.M.I.
Father Quilin was born in Haiti and came to the United States at the age of 28. He first considered the Priesthood at the age of 16 after reading the biography of St. Thérèse. “Her book was very powerful. After reading it, I came home and said to my mother, ‘Mom, I want to be a Priest,’ but from that point I wanted to do it right. I prayed to God saying, ‘God I will give You my life if You will please guide me,’ ” Fr. Quilin explains.

Years later, the call was still very strong and he entered the Oblate formation program. “I feel close to the Oblate charism. Our mission is to help people to become human and to become Christians, and to become saints. We are called to be with the poor, to lift them up and tell them that they are the children of God and that they are loved by God.” Father Quilin was ordained on June 9.

Fr. Juan Ayala, O.M.I.
As a boy growing up in an Oblate parish in California, Fr. Juan Ayala was fascinated when Oblate Priests would preach about their missionary work. “Their homilies were inspiring and their love of Jesus radiated,”
he remembers.

Those sermons planted a seed in the young man who is now a Missionary Oblate. “It was through the Oblates’ sharing their life as missionaries that I was attracted to the congregation. They are men for the people, men who spend their time being with the people and working for the people. They are hospitable men who never judge, and they take time to listen to everyone who needs help,” he continues.

Father Juan was ordained in his childhood Oblate parish in Pacoima, California, on May 26 surrounded by many of the same Oblates who inspired him to become a missionary Priest.

Fr. Joseph Dowling, O.M.I.
Father Joseph Dowling is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He grew up attending St. Michael’s parish in Orland Park. Although he was always a very religious person, Fr. Joseph did not truly start discerning until he was in his thirties. He found the Oblates on-line while researching missionary orders. “I was most impressed with the Missionary Oblates because they focus on serving the poor, both here and abroad,”
he remembers.

Father Joseph contacted the Oblates and was invited to come to St. Louis, Missouri, to meet Fr. Greg Gallagher, who was the Vocation Director at the time. “I felt very close to the Oblates from the beginning, but when I visited the Oblates’ mission in Tijuana, Mexico, I was convinced that I wanted to be an Oblate. It was amazing to witness suchextreme poverty just minutes from the border and the Oblates were right there in themidst of it. They were with the people and they were truly loved by the people. I wanted to be a part of that,” Fr. Joseph explains.

Father Joseph was ordained on July 14 in Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, Illinois. His Mass of Thanksgiving was held the next day at his childhood parish in Orland Park.

You can help foster the future of our missions by offering a donation in support of our Seminarians. Call TOLL FREE 1-888-330-6264.