Latest OMI JPIC News
Oblates Daily Prayer July 10th, 2025
Every day the Oblate Community and Family in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales publish a short reflective morning prayer video, created by members. Please join in daily from where you are.
Visit their Youtube channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOblates

Faith Meets Sustainability: Discussion With Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI & Br. Thomas Marchetti, OMI April 10th, 2025
Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI recently had a discussion with Br. Thomas Marchetti, OMI to explore his timely thesis on how the Catholic community in San Antonio, TX can increase their engagement in sustainability efforts.
The full title of Br. Thomas’ thesis is: “Investigating the Potential of Engaging the Catholic Community in Sustainable Interventions in San Antonio, TX.”
They discussed Br. Thomas’ passion for the the issue of sustainability, his process for gathering & analyzing data, and his plans for engaging with the community.
Watch this inspiring conversation on Youtube: https://bit.ly/425PJbR
4th Financing for Development (FfD4) Takes Place in Sevilla, Spain July 10th, 2025

It brought together political and financial leaders, representatives of multilateral and regional institutions, civil society and academia to seek solutions to the development financing challenges threatening the achievement of sustainable development, especially in the countries of the global South.
Fr. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI joined VIVAT International and other civil society groups in critical discussions on transforming economic systems that perpetuate inequality.
(PHOTOS: courtesy of VIVAT International )
SOUTH CENTRE: https://bit.ly/4lNcuII. — Renewed Financing Framework for Sustainable Development is adopted in Sevilla
VIVAT INTERNATIONAL: https://bit.ly/3GB80ps — Seville 2025: A Turning Point for Global Development Finance
2025 Investing With A Purpose: A Catholic Vision for the Jubilee Year June 30th, 2025

On Thursday, June 26, Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI, Director of JPIC Office and Chief of Faith Consistent Investing, OIP Investment Trust and Jean-Baptiste Franssu, President of the Board of Directors, Vatican Bank, spoke at a conference hosted by Ascension Investment Management in St. Louis, MO.
The panel was titled: Investing With A Purpose: A Catholic Vision for the Jubilee Year and moderated by Dr. John Paul Slosar, Sr. Vice President, Healthcare Ethics, Ascension.
In Action: OMI Come & See Program, Bangladesh June 24th, 2025
In the Spirit of the Laudato Si, Fr. Valentine Talang, OMI, Fr. Pius Pohdueng, OMI and 14 young men who have expressed an initial desire to become Oblates and are following the OMI Come & See Program 2025, planted trees on OMI property at London Punjee (village), Lokhipur, Bangladesh.
Fr. Valentine was appointed moderator of the week’s Come & See Program.
Through this program the OMI Bangladesh Delegation recruits college and university students to become Oblates.
Students from Zambia Explore “What Is Happening to Our Common Home” June 17th, 2025
(Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director La Vista Ecological Learning Center)

Fr Chisha chose this as our topic because in Lukulu, Zambia it is common practice to throw plastic bags and bottles on the ground since waste management is not in the picture yet. We discussed the impact of this common practice, and when I mentioned that globally an enormous amount of plastic ends up in rivers and ultimately in the ocean where it breaks down into microplastics and is eaten by fish which are then eaten by humans, the young people resonated. Lukulu is located on the Zambezi River which flows into the Indian Ocean, and fish are an important part of their diet.
When we considered what they could do about plastic pollution, they recalled Fr Chisha encouraging them to take a basket to market as people used to do instead of accepting a plastic bag. Raphel, one of the
participants, decided it was worth looking “old-fashioned”; in addition, if someone comments, he plans on sharing the reason for his behavior! Alice, also a participant, intends to bring this issue to school to see if she can make a difference there. And Fr Chisha has already begun his efforts by creating “The Voice of the Future”, a podcast on environmental issues with parish youth as guests!

(Click on the link to watch their first podcast about plastic: https://www.facebook.com/sanctamaria.mission/videos/451320151375694)
In Laudato Si, Pope Francis asked, “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” It was heartening to be with the youth he was concerned about, and it was also encouraging to be with youth and their priest who passionately care for our common home in the spirit of Pope Francis.
(Image 1 L to R: Raphael, Julian, Alice, Father David Chisha, OMI via Zoom)
(Image 2 Photo by Kabwe Kabwe: Pexels)