Hundreds of Catholics gathered at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly March 18 for Live Jesus! 2023, a morning of inspirational talks, fellowship and prayer organized by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales to prompt spiritual growth from the wisdom of the order’s patron saint.
Artist and author Mickey McGrath, a religious brother with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, was one of the featured speakers. He shared reflections on and colorful illustrations of the saint’s wise sayings, such as, “We must sometimes take a step backward in order to better spring forward,” and “Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing is so gentle as real strength.” McGrath invoked parental themes, saying we should stay close to God as a baby bird nestles under its mother’s wing, and walk through life, as St. Francis de Sales advised, like a child who constantly holds his father’s hand while using the other hand to collect and use the goods of the world.
Speakers recalled pontifical celebrations of St. Francis de Sales’ teachings, including Pope Francis’ Dec. 28 apostolic letter, “Totum Amoris Est” (Everything Pertains to Love), on the 400th anniversary of the saint’s death. The pope said that the saint’s aim was to “discover an interior peace that does not separate us from the world but teaches us how to live in it and to appreciate it, but also to maintain a proper detachment from it.” The program featured wise observations from the saints, including St. Francis de Sales’ admonition to “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever.”
Oblate Sister of St. Francis de Sales Susan Louise Eder, principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Towson, Md. and previously principal at Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg, spoke about the witness and wisdom of St. Jane de Chantal, who corresponded with St. Francis de Sales in a series of letters. St. Paul VI Principal Tom Opfer spoke about modeling Salesian spirituality in everyday life. Mass was celebrated by Salesian Father Jack Kolodziej, a provincial from the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province. Dozens of St. Paul VI students and Salesian volunteers staffed the free event, at which books, artwork and other devotional material inspired by St. Francis de Sales were available for purchase.
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Organizers plan to post video recordings of the speaker presentations and homily at oblates.org and on the websites of Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. John Neumann parishes. The 19th annual Live Jesus! event is scheduled for March 9, 2024, at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria.
