Page 104 - Reflections on St. Joseph

L SPIRITUAL FATHERING

in the IMAGE of

SAINT

JOSEPH

Fr. Winston Carrera, OSJ

the L
ike every other priest in the Catholic
Church, we, Oblates, who have received
orders
popularly
sacred
are
addressed “father.” But, this is not an exclusive
experience of the Oblate priests. The Brothers
whom the laity are not able to distinguish
completely from the ordained members of our
religious institute probably on account of
their belonging to one and the same religious
community with us, the exercise of almost the
same apostolate and the more telling, the
same religious habit that we don, are also
addressed “father,” albeit mistakenly. More
than just an expression, the word “father”
actually describes each and everyone of us,
Oblate religious, whether ordained or not, as
what we are and should be to the people of God
entrusted to our pastoral care specially the
fathers and the young (OSJ Constitutions, 3,
60, 65) in our faith communities.

As teachers in the faith, we, Oblates, reflect in
ourselves the image of God the Father.
According to our charismatic identity we
present to others the person and characteristic
virtues of St. Joseph. (OSJ Constitutions, 74)
For the OSJ, and the universal Church for that
matter, St. Joseph is the best image of God’s

80 Reflections on st. joseph