Both “Oblates”

As mentioned before, a few more bits and pices of information have been added to the pages of Father Rocky Grimard omi and the recently deceased James Roth OSFS.

It’s both intriguing and confusing, is it not, that though these priests belong/belonged to to different orders, they were both “Oblates” ?  Father Rocky Grimard is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) – they are traditionally referred to as Oblates.  Father Jim Roth was a member of the Oblates of St. Francis De Sales (OSFS) – they frequently refer to themselves as Oblates (prior to his untimely death he was the last of his order serving in Canada – now there are none).

That aside, a few comments on both priests and some of the new information posted:

(1)  Father Rocky Grimard omi

(i)  We now know that Father Grimard was chaplain to the Kennedy County Sheriff’s Office, in Sarita, Texas.  At the time of his arrest Grimard was Director of the Lebh Shomea House of Prayer in Sarita.

I wonder if he has served as chaplain to other police forces in other locales?  Does nayone know?

(ii)  According to a faculty profile posted on the Oblate School of Theology website at an unknown date, we now have the following additional information:

– Father Grimard received a Diploma in Police Studies in Regina Saskatchewan

– attained a Certificate of Advanced Spiritual Direction from Loyola House in Guelph, Ontario (that’s a Jesuit facility)

– he is certified to administer the Myers-Briggs (Personality Test I assume?)

– he was certified in Religious Formation at the Chicago Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois

(iii)  I see no comment as yet on the Worldwide Marriage Encoutner Movement website regarding the charges against their national priest leader in the States.  Has anyone seen anything?

Also, are there any priest out there who may have had the misfortune of attending an ME weekend with Father Rocky Grimard?  I ask because I am familiar with the manner in which the weekends are conducted, and know that where possible priests are paired up to answer questions and share those answers with one another in  privacy.  There is, dare I say, almost an intimacy to the setting?  I dread to think of the shock befalling a naive priest paired up with the likes of a Father Grimard who was unable to contain/control himself when he happened on those two plainclothes police officers in the park.

(iv)  there is still some confusion regarding Father Grimard’s whereabouts over the past few years.

we know that in or around the Fall of 2013 Father Grimard was off to Chicago Illinois.  Since that time, aside from returning to conduct retreats and such in Canada, he has, it seems,  served in the States

– at some point Father Grimard began to serve at the Oblate School of Theology (OST), San Antonio, Texas, and for at least some if not all of his time there was Director of Internship Program/Director of Operations at OST – apart, of course,  from conducting retreats and so on

– in the Fall of 2012 he was assigned to the  Immaculate Retreat House in Williaminitc, CT .  There is nothing to be found by searching the Immaculata website regarding his time there: not a hint that Father Rocky Grimard was ever there.  There are however references to his time at Immaculata elsewhere, but nothing indicating specifically when he left for Texas.

– by November 2014 Father Grimard is referenced as “presently stationed in Sarita, Texas, where he is Director of Lebh Shomea House of Prayer.”  When he was relocated to Sarita is, at this time, unknown, but it appears that he spent about or close to two years at the retreat house in Connecticut?

– the Canadian Catholic Church Directories from 2010 to the present give his address as that of the Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, Texas .  (Unfortunately I don’t have easy access to the directorates from 2003 to 2009 so not sure how he is listed there.  If anyone can check please do)

(2)  Father James Roth OSFS

(i)  From the Winter 2015 edition of Bondings

Bondings is a quarterly magazine published by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, North American Provinces

I’m not sure when the Winter 20is was published.  Would it have been early January 2015?  or was it perhaps mailed out in December?

No matter, Father Roth’s untimely and questionable death transpired 11 February 2015, and that was only weeks after a victim who had been molested by the priest about 14 years ago came forward.

The  Winter edition of Binding contains a section with input by priest of the order explaining why and how they entered religious life. Teh editors apparently posed the question to several Oblates.  Father Jim Roth was one o that group.  Here is how Father Roth answered the question:

“When I was in high school I had little understanding of what the difference was between a ‘religious’ vocation and a diocesan one.  But, while in high school, I was educated by a group of me who knew me, who I enjoyed being around and having as teachers and coaches, who seemed to like what they were doing and knew how to smile, joke and have fun – men like Frank Schimscheiner, Dick Nelson, Lehr Barkenquest, Tony Steger, Jerry Bartko, etc.  So upon graduation from De Sales High School., I thought I would ‘try it out’ for a year, but then that year became two, then three, and now I can contentedly say forty-three.  The ultimate total will rely upon God’s good pleasure, but, so far, I must say the pleasure has definitely been, and continues to be, mine.”  – Father Jim Roth, OSFS, Toronto, Canada

By the sound of things, between the time he wrote that and his death. Father opted not to rely on God’s good pleasure?

[I just noticed that part of the text is highlighted and part is not!  Well, I have been have great difficulty getting my highlight function to work properly.  That is why in most cases now, and until I can sort out what the problem is, I try to draw your attention to the relevant text with a red box.  This morning I had tried the highlight again on that section then gave up and decided just to post it as is.  And, lo and behold,  for some strange reason the highlight function decided to work on that  one para!  Cross fingers that whatever the glitch was has worked itself out!l.  ]

(ii)   April 2015:  Father Jim Roth on Archdiocese of Detroit website list of “Clergy Accused of Abuse

Dare we in Canada dream of the day our Canadian Bishops and Archbishops see fit to publish the names of the accused in their respective dioceses?

A stark reminder that we have a long long long way to go here in Canada.

(iii)  Comment posted re confession and religious ed class

In case you missed it, a concerned parent posted the following comment on the “Don’t they deserve to be told?”  blog

This priest was absolutely around children and confessions are heard in closed quarters. Whether Father Jim conducted closed confessionals, I cannot say. What I can say is that Father Jim was frequently around children and also acted as a supply teacher at a school for a religious class when a teacher was away. To say he was involved with adult faith education is a broad generalization and completely taking away from the reality of this situation. I am truly sorry but our children deserve more safety then this.

*****

I don’t see any news about the Nathan Labatt courtdate of today.  If there is nothing I will check tomorrow afternoon for the next courtdate.

*****

I have some news regarding the Brothers of Christian Instruction.   I know it seems that all has been quiet, but, I have received some news which I am quite certain you will find of interest.  I need to do a  little work on it – will get it together and have it posted either later this evening (EST) or early tomorrow morning.

Enough for now,

Sylvia