Karen Bueno
The Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Fathers will celebrate this Saturday, July 24, at 10:00 am, the deacon ordination of seminarian Gabriel Felipe Oberle. Let us pray for Gabriel, for his vocation and for his new mission.
Who is Gabriel, the soon to be deacon?
Gabriel was born in Londrina and chose as the motto for this deacon ordination the phrase: “The child grew up and became strong, full of wisdom. And the grace of God was with him” (Lk 2:40).
The ceremony will be limited to a small group of family and friends due to the pandemic, even though everyone is invited to follow the celebration on July 24, 2021, at 10 a.m. (local time), through the Sion Shrine’s Youtube channel.
What follows is the interesting interview with Gabriel, in which he talks about this very special moment for the Schoenstatt family:
How did you get to know the Schoenstatt Fathers’ community and what prompted you to immerse yourself in this journey?
I had visited the Schoenstatt Shrine in Londrina with my parents since I was a child, but I did not know the Schoenstatt Movement. In 2008, a friend invited me to participate in the Covenant Circle to make a consecration to the Blessed Virgin, which I sealed on July 5th of that same year. A week before the Covenant, I was invited to take part in the University Missions that took place at the end of that same month. Since then, I began to participate in the Boys’ Youth (JUMAS) and a friendship with the Fathers and seminarians of Londrina was born.
I have always participated actively in the parish. So, the vocational issue was not something new for me, and it was also present when I joined the Boy’s Youth. I think that the casualness and friendship with the Fathers led me to go back to that question, and begin a new course of answers.
For you, why is it worthwhile to choose to be a priest?
I think it is worthwhile to accept the option that God has for us. Our life is in His hands, we just need to recognize it. God called me to the priesthood so that I could be happy and bring Christ to others, and I accepted that call. If I look at the story of my life, I can find many moments in which Mary was present by my side and helped me to find happiness. At the same time, I can recognize that my whole life journey was a path seeking happiness next to God.
When we look at our life as a journey of happiness, reality finds its true meaning.
Therefore, more than thinking about whether it was worthwhile to choose to become a priest, I believe that it is worthwhile to give my life to the path to which God has called me. This way, I can be happier and bring Christ to the people he places along my path.
“The child grew and became strong, full of wisdom. And the grace of God was with him” (Lk 2:40).
Why did you choose this motto for your deacon ordination and what do you expect from it for this ministry?
The ordination motto came through the same way, surrendering myself to God’s will. It was a journey of recognizing myself as a child in God’s hands.
During the ordination retreat with my course brothers, I found a picture in a book that caught my attention. It was a picture by Brother Roger (founder of the Taizé Community) of a child with a small plane in his hands. I kept that image in mind, but I changed the plane for a paper boat, a symbol that has been with me for many years. The little paper boat reminds me of that same surrender in the hands of the craftsman, it reminds me of the history I have written on paper, it reminds me of my frailties, it reminds me of the importance of art, etc. This is how that little paper boat in the hands of that child managed to represent several personal elements.
The second step was the one that led me to the motto. With the image of the child with the little boat already assembled, I got closer and closer to the image of the child Jesus, who learns to walk with Joseph and Mary, who plays in the garden at home, who helps Joseph in the carpenter’s shop, who runs to ask Mary for bread. A Jesus who grew up like any other child, who went through a whole journey of discoveries and development. I then looked for this verse which represents in a few words all that process that Jesus went through with the Grace of God.
Finally, I always trusted that I have a Guardian Angel who accompanies and protects me. Since my name is Gabriel, in a way the image of the Archangel Gabriel has always been present for me in God’s grace, I believe that I grew up with the presence of my Guardian Angel by my side. That is why I have chosen the prayer of the Holy Angel for this special moment in my life.
Photos: cathopic, schoenstatt.org.br.
