THE SUPERIOR GENERAL
AND HIS COUNCIL
The Superior General guides the life of the Congregation and fosters its development with all the means that Divine Providence places at his disposal. The General Council is the organ designated to assist the Superior General in governing the Congregation.
Art. 148 & 156 OSJ Constitutions
17th General Chapter (2018) Edition
He was ordained priest in 1991 and after finishing his licentiate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, he left as a missionary in Nigeria in 1992. He then returned to Rome and appointed as the prefect of the students of theology and the postulants and as the assistant novice master. After that, he went as a missionary to Bolivia in 2001 but he figured in a grave car accident and almost died. He returned to Italy for his recovery.In Rome, he was nominated as the prefect of the Studentato Internationale. He did his doctorate in Spiritual Theology at the Teresianum and afterwards, his Master‘s in Bioethics at the Regina Apostolorum in Rome. In 2008, he decided to go back to Bolivia and continued his missionary work there. He was a dedicated formator, pastor and a brilliant professor of Moral Theology in the Major Seminary in La Paz, Bolivia. In 2010, he was nominated as the delegate superior. During the XVII General Chapter, he was elected as the Superior General of the OSJ, the first non-Italian confrere. Being conversant in Polish, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, he could truly reach out to all confreres. On August 21, 2024, during the XVIII General Chapter, he was re-elected to lead the Congregation until 2030.
He was born in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. He became a member of the Congregation on May 21, 1994. After his priestly ordination in the year 2000, he was assigned as prefect of the Minor Seminary in San Jose, Batangas and he became the rector in 2005. He participated in the XVI General Chapter in Paestum in 2006. Then, he was elected as councilor of the St. Joseph Province in 2007. He served as the parish priest of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Biñan, Laguna in 2009 and was re-elected as provincial councilor in 2010 and the rector and parish priest of Santuario de San Jose Parish in Greenhills. In 2013, he was elected as the vicar provincial and became the rector and parish priest of the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Rosario, Batangas. After that, he went to Rome for further studies and finished his Licentiate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Graced with charisma and intelligence, he participated in the XVII General Chapter and was elected as the Second General Councilor. He was tasked as in-charge of the Josephite-Marellian Laity, the apostolate for education and the Rector of the Studentato Internazionale in Rome. In the XVIII General Chapter, he was the first Filipino OSJ elected as the Vicar General.
He was ordained priest in 2006. and was
assigned as prefect of the OSJ Formation
House in Ibadan, Nigeria. In 2007, he went
to Rome for further studies and finished his
Licentiate in Moral Theology in 2009. Then, he
returned to Nigeria and was assigned as rector of the junior professed brothers and director of St. Mary' s Primary School in Ibadan. In 2010 he was nominated as the superior delegate. He also served as professor of Moral Theology at Sts. Peter and Paul Major Seminary. In 2011, he was nominated as member of the senate of the Archdiocese of Ibadan-Nigeria. In 2014, he was nominated as a councilor of the Conference of Major Superiors in Nigeria. He was elected as the Fourth General Councilor in the XVII General Chapter. He was given the task as councilor in-charge of the Congregation's social apostolate. At the XVIII General Chapter he was elected as the Second General Councilor.
He was born in Kodungallur, Kerala, India. In 1984, he came to Rome. On September 4 of that same year he entered the novitiate in Este and on September 15, 1985, he made his first profession of temporary vows. After his philosophical studies in Asti and theological studies a the Urbania, on September 24, 1989, he made his perpetual profession and was ordained a priest on June 14, 1992 in St. Peter' s Basilica by Pope John Paul II. In 1993, he was named Secretary General of the General Curia in Rome. In the year 2000, he took part in the Fourteenth General Chapter and was named vice Treasurer General. On April 4, 2006, he received in the ordinary meeting of the General Council at the Mother House in Asti, the offices of Treasurer General, Legal Representative and director of the Missionary Office and on February 5, 2007, he is a member of the council for economic affairs of the Congregation. On January 30, 2012, he took part in Asti at the Mother House in the Fifteenth General Chapter as Treasurer General. He was reconfirmed as Treasurer General for the new six year period and in 2016 was named General Councilor in place of Fr. Gabriel Kamus and served until 2018. At the XVIII General Chapter, he was elected as the Third General Councilor.
He was born in Albany New York. After graduating from Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park NY he entered the Oblates of St. Joseph in 1980 as a Postulant in St. Joseph' s Seminary in Laflin, PA and completed his studies for a BA in Philosophy at King' s College in Wilkes Barre, PA. After Novitiate in Este, Italy he professed Vows in 1985 and studied theology in the Angelicum in Rome.
After Ordination in 1989 he studied for a Masters in Dogmatic Theology in the Angelicum and for a License in Theology of the Religious Life at the Claretian Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University. Returned to the Our Lady of Sorrows Province in Pennsylvania in 1991, Fr. Finn has served in various roles: Assistant Pastor of St. Rocco' s Church in Pittston, PA and Pastor of St. Anthony' s Church in Exeter, PA, as Vocation Director, Assistant Master of Novices in the International Novitiate in Barletta, Italy, as Seminary Rector at St. Joseph' s Oblate Seminary in Laflin, PA, as Provincial Treasurer and as Provincial Superior of Our Lady of Sorrows Province. At the XVIII General Chapter, he was elected as Fourth General Councilor.
He was ordained priest in 1991 and after finishing his licentiate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, he left as a missionary in Nigeria in 1992. He then returned to Rome and appointed as the prefect of the students of theology and the postulants and as the assistant novice master. After that, he went as a missionary to Bolivia in 2001 but he figured in a grave car accident and almost died. He returned to Italy for his recovery.In Rome, he was nominated as the prefect of the Studentato Internationale. He did his doctorate in Spiritual Theology at the Teresianum and afterwards, his Master‘s in Bioethics at the Regina Apostolorum in Rome. In 2008, he decided to go back to Bolivia and continued his missionary work there. He was a dedicated formator, pastor and a brilliant professor of Moral Theology in the Major Seminary in La Paz, Bolivia. In 2010, he was nominated as the delegate superior. During the XVII General Chapter, he was elected as the Superior General of the OSJ, the first non-Italian confrere. Being conversant in Polish, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, he could truly reach out to all confreres. On August 21, 2024, during the XVIII General Chapter, he was re-elected to lead the Congregation until 2030.
He was born in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. He became a member of the Congregation on May 21, 1994. After his priestly ordination in the year 2000, he was assigned as prefect of the Minor Seminary in San Jose, Batangas and he became the rector in 2005. He participated in the XVI General Chapter in Paestum in 2006. Then, he was elected as councilor of the St. Joseph Province in 2007. He served as the parish priest of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Biñan, Laguna in 2009 and was re-elected as provincial councilor in 2010 and the rector and parish priest of Santuario de San Jose Parish in Greenhills. In 2013, he was elected as the vicar provincial and became the rector and parish priest of the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Rosario, Batangas. After that, he went to Rome for further studies and finished his Licentiate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Graced with charisma and intelligence, he participated in the XVII General Chapter and was elected as the Second General Councilor. He was tasked as in-charge of the Josephite-Marellian Laity, the apostolate for education and the Rector of the Studentato Internazionale in Rome. In the XVIII General Chapter, he was the first Filipino OSJ elected as the Vicar General.
He was ordained priest in 2006. and was assigned as prefect of the OSJ Formation House in Ibadan, Nigeria. In 2007, he went to Rome for further studies and finished his Licentiate in Moral Theology in 2009. Then, he returned to Nigeria and was assigned as rector and prefect of the junior professed brothers and director of St. Mary' s Primary School in Ibadan. In 2010 he was nominated as the superior delegate. He also served as professor of Moral Theology at Sts. Peter and Paul Major Seminary. In 2011, he was nominated as member of the senate of the Archdiocese of Ibadan-Nigeria. In 2014, he was nominated as the president of the Conference of Major Superiors in Nigeria. He was elected as the fourth councilor in the General Chapter. He was given the task as councilor in-charge of the congregation' s social apostolate. At the XVIII General Chapter he was elected as the Second General Councilor.
He was born in Kodungallur, Kerala, India. In 1984, he came to Rome. On September 4 of that same year he entered the novitiate in Este and on September 15, 1985, he made his first profession of temporary vows. After his philosophical studies in Asti and theological studies a the Urbania, on September 24, 1989, he made his perpetual profession and was ordained a priest on June 14, 1992 in St. Peter' s Basilica by Pope John Paul II. In 1993, he was named Secretary General of the General Curia in Rome. In the year 2000, he took part in the Fourteenth General Chapter and was named vice Treasurer General. On April 4, 2006, he received in the ordinary meeting of the General Council at the Mother House in Asti, the offices of Treasurer General, Legal Representative and director of the Missionary Office and on February 5, 2007, he is a member of the council for economic affairs of the Congregation. On January 30, 2012, he took part in Asti at the Mother House in the Fifteenth General Chapter as Treasurer General. He was reconfirmed as Treasurer General for the new six year period and in 2016 was named General Councilor in place of Fr. Gabriel Kamus and served until 2018. At the XVIII General Chapter, he was elected as the Third General Councilor.
He was born in Albany New York. After graduating from Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park NY he entered the Oblates of St. Joseph in 1980 as a Postulant in St. Joseph' s Seminary in Laflin, PA and completed his studies for a BA in Philosophy at King' s College in Wilkes Barre, PA. After Novitiate in Este, Italy he professed Vows in 1985 and studied theology in the Angelicum in Rome.
After Ordination in 1989 he studied for a Masters in Dogmatic Theology in the Angelicum and for a License in Theology of the Religious Life at the Claretian Institute of the Pontifical Lateran University. Returned to the Our Lady of Sorrows Province in Pennsylvania in 1991, Fr. Finn has served in various roles: Assistant Pastor of St. Rocco' s Church in Pittston, PA and Pastor of St. Anthony' s Church in Exeter, PA, as Vocation Director, Assistant Master of Novices in the International Novitiate in Barletta, Italy, as Seminary Rector at St. Joseph' s Oblate Seminary in Laflin, PA, as Provincial Treasurer and as Provincial Superior of Our Lady of Sorrows Province. At the XVIII General Chapter, he was elected as Fourth General Councilor.
We must not serve the Lord for the consolations and
pleasure we derive, but rather to give pleasure to
Him, to honor and console Him.
St. Joseph Marello
Writings, 359
