Newsletter from the Blessed Mario Borzaga Scholasticate Community, San Antonio

We give thanks for the life and papacy of Pope Francis (2013–2025), and we joyfully welcome the newly elected Pope Leo XIV—the first Augustinian and the first Pope from the United States.

Above all, we thank God for the academic and formation year from August 2024 to May 2025 — a year marked by both joys and challenges. We began the year with seventeen scholastics; however, two have since discontinued their formation journey.

We were also deeply saddened by the tragic death of Elisha’s father, who was struck by a car and passed away in Zambia. Despite these sorrows, we are immensely grateful for the many blessings we have received.

On November 26, 2024, we celebrated the diaconate ordination of Mateusz Garstecki in Belleville. We also rejoiced in the perpetual vows of Stanco, Henry, and Moses on February 15, 2025. All three were subsequently ordained deacons on April 25, 2025.

This May, six scholastics graduated from the Oblate School of Theology. Looking ahead, we are delighted to share that three of our deacons — Dogo, Liba, and Max — will be ordained priests in Cameroon on July 26, while Deacon Mateusz will be ordained a priest in San Antonio this September.

As we offer our thanks to God, we also extend heartfelt gratitude to the entire Oblate family — especially to Fr. Ray Cook, Provincial of the U.S. Province, and to all the major superiors of our sending units. Special thanks to our Oblate confreres — Fr. Charlie Banks, Fr. Frank

Santucci, Fr. Tom Horan, Fr. Bob Wright, Fr. Thomas Klosterkamp, Fr. Billy Morell, Fr. Raul Salas, and Fr. Binh Ta, C.Ss.R. — for their generous service as spiritual directors to our scholastics.

Wishing you all a joyful Feast Day of St. Eugene!

Originally published on OMIWorld.org on Friday 23 May 2025