News Archives » Homepage Slider
4th Financing for Development (FfD4) Takes Place in Sevilla, Spain July 10th, 2025
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) took place in Sevilla, Spain from 30 June – 3 July 2025. The conference was the culmination of a yearlong process to renew the financing framework for achieving the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).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 )
LEARN MORE:
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.
25 Years of Faith in Action: VIVAT International June 6th, 2025
The OMI General House in Rome and our Superior General Fr Luis Ignacio Rois Alonso, OMI participated in this important celebration.
We have been members of VIVAT International from the beginning and are grateful for the support and organizational skills of our fellow Vivat members.
(Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI)
VIVAT International celebrates 25 years of faithful service to justice, peace, and the integrity of Creation
As a faith-based non-governmental organization rooted in Catholic social teaching, VIVAT has grown into a global network of over 17,000 members from 12 religious congregations operating in 121 countries. This anniversary is not only a celebration of past achievements but a renewed call to courageous action for the future.
- A Journey Rooted in Life and Mission
Founded in November 2000 by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), VIVAT International takes its name from the Latin verb vivere—“to live.” This name reflects a deep commitment to promoting life in all its fullness, especially for the most vulnerable. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) joined in 2009, bringing with them a deep-rooted presence in marginalized communities and a shared dedication to global justice.
- From Local Communities to Global Forums
VIVAT’s strength lies in its dual presence: deeply embedded in local realities while actively engaged on the international stage. Holding Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and being associated with the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC), VIVAT brings grassroots voices into global decision-making spaces. Whether advocating for human rights, environmental justice, or sustainable development, VIVAT serves as a bridge between people and the policies that shape their lives.
- READ FULL ARTICLE: bit.ly/3TgiYTW
- VISIT VIVAT INTERNATIONAL’S WEBSITE: https://www.vivatinternational.org/
Reflection on March Ecological Conversion Session with OMI Novices April 8th, 2025
Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director La Vista Ecological Learning Center
L to R: Edwin Silwimba, Alfred Lungu, Bro. Francois, Mike Katona, Eliakim Mbenda
For our final session this “year” we stayed at home so we could connect with Br. Francois Balga Goldong, a remarkable OMI brother who is from Cameroon and is currently studying in the Philippines.
After viewing the documentary, Fleeing Climate Change: the Real Environmental Disaster (https://bit.ly/4jmi9UO), Francois was so moved that he felt impelled to write his thoughts in an article he entitled “The Urgent Mission of Religious Congregations in Caring for the Earth” ( https://bit.ly/43E6ZpV). We viewed the video and were also moved by the way that rising sea levels in Indonesia, melting permafrost in the Arctic, extreme heat and drought in Cameroon, and desertification in the Sahel, are resulting in the mass migration of, “climate migrants”. Francois told us he is familiar with the crisis, having experienced heat and drought in Cameroon. He shared that he was now experiencing climate change effects in the Philippines in the form of flooding from rising seas levels and increased intensity of typhoons.
The novices were all ears when Francois spoke, since he is close to their age, has experienced climate change first hand, and had the courage to challenge the Congregation to a deeper response to the climate crisis. He said, “The documentary…presents a stark reality: entire communities are being uprooted due to ecological degradation. As I reflect on this I feel compelled to explore whether ecological justice should be considered and essential part of our missionary identity, even if it has not traditionally been emphasized within our charism”.
Even though it was the wee hours of the morning in the Philippines, Francois had the energy to share the urgency he feels about the many people around the world who are facing climate migration, saying, “The question is not whether we should act, but how we will act. If we, as religious, do not take this crisis seriously, who will? We cannot afford to delay, for the earth and its most vulnerable inhabitants are crying out for justice. By embracing this call, we as Oblates will continue to be true to our missionary identity bringing hope to the most vulnerable and witnessing to God’s love in a world in crisis.”
We ended our time feeling blessed by the witness of a young Oblate who is tuned in to the reality of the
climate crisis and who had the courage to write his thoughts, resulting in our meeting across the miles and supporting one another. Since we met in March, Brother Francois has also written ” The Three ” H”, Integrating ” Head, Heart, and Hands”: A New Culture of Response to Ecological Conversion”. I invite you to support him by reading his inspiring article and enjoying the photo of his garden, pictured here
climate crisis and who had the courage to write his thoughts, resulting in our meeting across the miles and supporting one another. Since we met in March, Brother Francois has also written ” The Three ” H”, Integrating ” Head, Heart, and Hands”: A New Culture of Response to Ecological Conversion”. I invite you to support him by reading his inspiring article and enjoying the photo of his garden, pictured hereBr. Francois’ article: https://bit.ly/43E6ZpV
READ La Vista’s E News & Eco-spirituality Calendar: https://bit.ly/3XATuU7
