Salesian Spirit

May 22

Last week was a time of prayer and preparation for the Church as we awaited the feast of Pentecost and the celebration of the Holy Spirit. The week before Pentecost is an opportunity for Christians to come together and seek the continual presence of God in their lives and in the world. This is a time to recall and reconnect with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit.

Photos from Business Network Happy Hour!

Last week, the Oblates and their friends in the Philadelphia region did all of these “spiritual” activities. This year they added one more event to their pre-Pentecost preparations. The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Business Network met at a restaurant in Northeast Philadelphia for a “Happy Hour” to share food, friendship, Salesian Spirituality, and fine spirits.

The Network meets throughout the year to provide opportunities for spiritual and professional growth for Gospel-minded people in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales. The network is made up of men and women who went to Oblate schools, are members of Oblate parishes, and have stayed connected to our community in some way. Some members have children who have continued the tradition of receiving a Salesian education at an Oblate school. Some worship in an Oblate parish or have continued the prayers and practices they learned as teenagers. Others may have just met the Oblates but were drawn by the practical path to holiness offered by St. Francis and St. Jane. Almost all who come to the Business Network are seeking ways to incorporate a common-sense commitment to God into their everyday business dealings and family life.

Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS with Billy Hunter

Throughout the evening, I was impressed and proud of how these hardworking, dedicated, professional men and women shared fond memories of their experiences with the Oblates and their understanding of Salesian Spirituality. Billy Hunter, a Northeast Catholic High School 1979 graduate talked about how much he loved his school and that he embraced the Salesian Spirituality he learned there. He even had the Latin phrase “Tenui Nec Dimittam” (I have taken hold and will not let go) tattooed on his left arm. This phrase was the motto of North Catholic because it is the motto of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. Reflecting God’s love as described in the Song of Songs, this phrase was a favorite image of St. Francis de Sales and how he felt God embraces all of us. More importantly, I was impressed that this same Salesian gentleman could recite the Direction of Intention that he has prayed since he was a student over 40 years ago.

Pentecost is not just a day to remember a past event or commemorate a one-time historical curiosity. Pentecost is a time to celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our world today. Each and every day we can experience Pentecost.

For friends, parishioners, and former students, getting together and keeping connected is a reminder that Salesian Spirituality is not a past event or a memory kept in our yearbooks or on a shelf. The examples and teachings of St. Francis de Sales influence us every day. Coming together for food, fellowship, and spirits reminds us that our Salesian spirit is always with us. May all of us who have been influenced by the Oblates in any way strive to take hold and never let go.

To learn more about the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Business Network click here.