Institutional Advancement News

The beginning of another school year at Oblate School of Theology - what an exciting time it is! We welcome back our returning students and what a joy it is to see so many new faces on campus, the new students we look forward to getting to know. The buildings have had their regular summer cleaning and maintenance; and the grounds have been meticulously manicured. The campus looks its pristine best. We’re ready, once again, for another academic year!

Our fall Ministry to Ministers four-month sabbatical program is in session and we welcome the fall cohort of the International Priest Internship Program to the School.

As we begin this new school year, we reflect on the many blessings Oblate School of Theology has enjoyed over the years and the blessings it enjoys still today. Great among those blessings are our generous donors and friends, for whom we are truly grateful. Every part of the School - the buildings, the grounds, the chapels, shrines, gardens and sculptures - exists because of those whose generosity made it possible. We are most grateful to our benefactors, living and deceased, and remember them at Mass and in our prayers. Thank you for your gifts to the School and especially to the students who benefit from your generosity. Your support ensures OST will provide the quality theological education it offers well into the future.

Fall 2010 holds much anticipation for OST. In addition to our annual Alumni/ae Gathering, Oblate Open and Oblate 285 Benefit, we hope to have a ground breaking toward the end of the year.

Our historic Building on Faith capital campaign continues in the expectation OST will be able to begin construction on our new $7.5 million multi-use auditorium/classroom building and $1 million residence building later this fall. The Building Committee is working closely with the architects to ensure our new buildings will be “green” in every way. We still have more than one-third of our $30 million goal to raise, though. If you have contributed to the campaign, thank you. If you haven’t and would like to know more about the important role you can play in OST’s future, please contact me. With your help and that of other generous donors, we will have two beautiful new buildings on our campus completed by the spring of 2012.

If you are an alumnus/a of OST, please save the evening of Monday, October 11, for the 2010 Alumni/ae Reunion at the Oblate Renewal Center. It is sure to be a fun evening catching up with former classmates. We’ll also have some great door prizes.

We hope you will mark your calendar and plan to play in the annual Oblate Open golf tournament on Monday, November 8, at Oak Hills Country Club. The summer heat will be behind us and it should be perfect weather for an enjoyable round of golf.

You also won’t want to miss the annual Oblate 285 Benefit on Tuesday evening, November 16. The celebration will begin with a very special Mass at the Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel. Cocktails and a delicious buffet dinner featuring Middle Eastern cuisine will follow at the Oblate Renewal Center. Come, and enjoy lively entertainment from the hit Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar produced by Fr. Leo Perez, OMI. There will also be door prize drawings, a silent auction and a live auction for dinner with the president of OST.

Mailings will be sent out soon with information about each event. If you are not on our event mailing list and would like to be, please contact Yolanda Garcia at (210) 341-1366, Ext. 219 or yolanda@ost.edu.

Want to show your OST spirit and pride and be environmentally responsible at the same time? We now sell 14-oz. stainless steel travel tumblers featuring the OST logo to hold your favorite hot or cold beverages. The School offers an array of very reasonably priced OST merchandise, including golf shirts, T-shirts, baseball caps and visors. Stop by and see what we have. Help us spread the word about OST.

We’d love for you to visit the campus, especially if it’s been a while. Come by soon. You’re always welcome.

Sincerely,
Lea Kochanek
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
(210) 341-1366, Ext. 285/(210) 457-7731 (direct)
lkochanek@ost.edu
Fax: (210) 341-4519