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Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate  United States Province

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Frs. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI & Valentine Talang, OMI Attend UN FFD Preparatory Meeting December 9th, 2024

Contributed by Fr. Valentine Talang, OMI
 
Recently, Fr. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI and I were at the UN in New York City, participating in a Preparatory Committee Meeting for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development. The Financing for Development conference will take place in June 2025 (Spain).
 
Fr. Daniel spoke at a side event, “How FfD4 Can Strengthen Funding for Social Protection and Healthcare,” organized by the NGO Committee on Financing for Development (a substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN).
 
Other speakers at this event were Robert Powell (IMF, special representative to the UN), Umberto Cattaneo (ILO, public finance, Actuarial and Statistics Unit Social Protection Department), Lena Simet (Human Rights Watch) and Barry Herman (Social Justice in Global Development).
 

Church Leaders, Financial Experts Meet to Discuss Ways to Make Investments More Ethical & Effective November 12th, 2024

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI is among church leaders and financial experts meeting from November 11-12 at a London, England summit organized by the head of the Vatican Bank on making investments more ethical and more effective.
 
The starting point for the summit is Mensuram Bonam (Of good measure), a guide on faith consistent investing published by the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Social Science in 2022.
 

(Pictured L to R) Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James:  Alan Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner; Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Academy of the Social Sciences; Cardinal Reinhold Marx, President of the Vatican Council for the Economy, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster; (Back row) Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, President of the Institute of the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican Bank; Sr Helen Alford, OP, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences; Bishop David Urquhart, Advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury; Rev. Séamus P. Finn OMI, Chief Faith Consistent Investment, OIP Trust


READ FULL Religious Media Center article: https://bit.ly/3CwXrRP
 
 

Reflection on October’s Field Trip with OMI Novices November 8th, 2024

Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center

Novices Alfred, Michael, Eliakim and Edwin (L to R) are pictured here in Great Rivers Park by a monument honoring Godfrey, IL’s first mayor.

Carved into stone is a Native American quote, “The Circle of Life teaches we are all the children of the Earth. May we leave the Earth a better place than what was left for us.”

This quote reflects the mayor’s life as well as the life and service of the man we were to meet next.

This park is adjacent to the Great Rivers Land Trust, the destination for our trip, as we set out to explore ecological conversion from exploitation of land to “responsible stewardship” (Laudato Si, 116) Alley Ringhausen, who has been Executive Director of GRLT for 25 years, is a living example of a responsible steward. Under his leadership, five thousand acres along the Mississippi River bluff corridor has been preserved in perpetuity, protecting a thriving ecological habitat of oak and hickory forests and unique hill prairies. Home to migratory birds like the American bald eagle and the white pelican, those acres are an invaluable asset for wildlife. Were it not for the GRLT the hill prairies and forests might only be a memory, and several threatened and endangered species, along with many others, would have lost their habitat.

Ringhausen regaled us with stories of his cunning acquisition of land which often took many years to accomplish. Reflecting on his presentation, the novices wisely noted that patience, foresight and deep commitment are hallmarks of responsible stewardship.

Finally, we returned to the Novitiate, which is a beneficiary of Ringhausen’s efforts, as more than 150 acres of there are preserved. Once again, we are grateful to OMI for longtime efforts to care for our common home.


Friends & Community Gather at Three Part Harmony (3PH) Farm’s Annual Fall Festival November 5th, 2024

On what was a lovely, sunny day, friends and community came together at Three Part Harmony Farm (3PH)’s annual fall festival this past weekend.
 
The farm is on the grounds of the Oblate Administrative Offices in Washington, DC.
 
Festival goers connected with each other, watched a cooking demo, planted garlic, and shared a meal. 
 
(Huge thanks to OMI Staff Janice Cooke who captured the days events through lovely photos)
 
 
 
 

Washington, DC Council Members Tour Three Part Harmony Farm  October 21st, 2024

 
 
(Contributed by Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI)
 
On Friday, October 18, more than 65 people from the metropolitan Washington, DC Council of Governments visited Three Part Harmony Farm on the grounds of the Oblate administrative offices .
 
This was a great opportunity to tell the story of Missionary Oblates’ presence on this property since 1917 and the more than 10 year partnership we have enjoyed with Three-Part Harmony Farm. 
 
Gail Taylor, Owner and Operator of Three-Part Harmony Farm gave a wonderful presentation on that story and answered questions from the assembled group on how they might expand organic gardening, rooftop gardening and building community supported gardens in their jurisdiction.
 
The weather provided a beautiful 75° fall day for them to take a tour of the garden and to witness the variety of vegetables that are continuing to be harvested on a weekly basis. 
 
We will share more pictures in the coming weeks.
 
(Video courtesy of OM Staff, Janice Cooke)
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