Day 1 of OLAC2022: Celebrating the Oblate communities around the world

By Gerard Bennett

So already, day one is over. After all the hassle of travelling yesterday, I went to bed, happy that at last I am here, that I have settled into my room, and awoke early, having had a reasonably good night’s sleep. There was a ‘social event’ last evening, but I decided that the wiser choice might be to have an early night (to follow an early morning) and be bright and ready for today.

Our team was leading the morning prayer today for the entire conference group here in Kokotek. Kirk had us all prepared and with Kirk on guitar, Pádraigín on tin whistle and concertina, I think it wouldn’t be too much to say that we set the day off for everyone on a good note.

Weather here today wasn’t all that great, although it was more or less as forecast. The beautiful sunny afternoon and evening of yesterday had given way to a grey, overcast morning and well before noon, it started to rain heavily. However, while for those of us from these islands were very used to this weather, even if it was the end of May, some of the conference delegates, especially those I met from southern Italy where it is currently about 30° with bright sunshine and blue skies, said it was a little too cool for their liking!

Our theme today was ‘celebrate’! Our day was made of up two distinct parts. In the morning, we focused solely on interacting with those here in Kokotek and in the afternoon, from 2pm until 5pm (Polish time), we joined up with the worldwide Congress from Rome. Of course, when you come to something like this, you need to be prepared for everything and one of our first tasks this morning was to scribble on a blank sheet of paper, yes, just scribble – multiple, completely random scribbles! From these developed images of bird (don’t ask!) and from that, we then began to break up into four-person groups of mixed nationalities, selected one of the bird images as best representing myself (I know!) and then tell the others why it had been selected! If this had any saving grace it was that even if it felt a little silly explaining how a converted scribble was somehow linked to who I am, then it was that in our little four-person groups, we were all equally silly. However, it was an icebreaker and we all enjoyed it. To be perfectly honest, there was more than one or two moments when I looked over at Oliver Barry and wondered what on earth I had been invited to at Kokotek!

The morning workshop consisted of each of the language groups / provinces, working as a group to describe what it is that gives us cause to celebrate – the theme of today. The Anglo-Irish team discovered that we have some very creative people in our group and by the time we had finished, we had a very interesting and impactful picture on our table. We then had to go around to the other tables and see their pictures and listen to their stories. What was a surprise, was that, notwithstanding we come from different countries, different cultures, and different experiences, there was a lot that these pictures had in common, especially that sense of Oblates as a family, committed to building relationship and with a very clear care for those on the margins – in all the countries represented.

Before our afternoon joined with the worldwide group, we had lunch. It is very good, but not everyone in our group was enthusiastic about being served a whole trout with head attached (and those very glassy eyes looking out at you!). But once you got beyond that challenge, it was very well received.

The final part of our day was the time when we came together with Rome and by extension, were connected with Oblate groups from around the world, groups, like us in Kokotek, meeting as a continental group. There was a group in South America, in Asia and Oceania, in Africa and Madagascar as well of course as our friends in Crewe with Mary Tyrrell, and countless others that had joined either as individuals or small groups from throughout the Oblate world. Credit must go to the technical team in Rome for pulling that off so successfully. Our own Pauline Thomas was a leading light in Rome co-ordinating these myriad groups of Oblates and did the job splendidly.

If you participated in the Congress from Rome, then there is nothing that I can tell you here that you don’t already know (And if you didn’t get the opportunity to participate today, then don’t miss it tomorrow or Sunday. You don’t want to hear about it later and say to yourself: “I should have joined in.”).

Overall, the afternoon was an inspiring few hours. We listened to groups from various parts of the globe and from individuals in those places as they told us of what they do as Oblate persons. It really is a remarkable story. Even as someone who would have felt that I had a good grasp on what the Oblates do, I had no idea of the scale and commitment of lay associates of the Oblates globally, people in separate places, doing different things. And what did they all have in common? All were inspired by the same charism, the charism of the founder, St Eugene de Mazenod.

From this, at least for this author, came a clear message – the message, the charism of St Eugene de Mazenod, has never been more needed in the world and for this reason, his message is alive and is speaking to hundreds all over this globe.

To finish our day, there is another social event this evening. They are modest events but a great opportunity to relax and get to know the other delegates a little better. We have finished day one. Already we feel excited about the days ahead.

And don’t forget, if you didn’t join in on day one, don’t miss your opportunity tomorrow. And if you did join in today, then I hope that like us, you heard enough to make sure you don’t miss it on Saturday.

Good night!

Tags: Lay Congress, OLAC2022, Poland