The pastoral year of service is an important component of our formation process—a time to grow closer to Christ by serving His people in our ministries. It’s a year of grace, challenge, and discovery, lived under the loving guidance of Mary, our Mother and model in faith.
This year, two of our seminarians—Br. Christopher Puglia, OMV and Br. Miguel “Miggo” Roque, OMV—share how they encountered God’s providence in unexpected ways. Through their service, they’ve learned what it means to entrust everything to Mary and to begin again each day in God’s mercy.
Saying Yes like Mary
Pastoral Year Reflection by Br. Christopher Puglia, OMV
Over the past year, I had the privilege of serving at St. Peter Chanel Parish, staffed by the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Hawaiian Gardens, California. My time there deepened my identity as an Oblate and affirmed my call to a lifetime of service. When we Oblates say we are “Sons of Mary,” it means more than simply praying the Rosary—we entrust everything to her, confident that she will bring it to God.
This kind of trust isn’t always easy. I often think I know better and want to stay in control. But this year taught me to let go and give it to Mary. Whether I was adjusting to a new parish culture, leading ministry groups, or running the Confirmation program, there were many moments when I was in over my head. I needed God to show up because I couldn’t do it on my own. Each experience helped me grow in trust—but one moment truly taught me what it means to rely on Mary.
The Biggest Celebration of the Year
In December, we were preparing for the biggest celebration of the year: Our Lady of Guadalupe. The parish puts on a massive fiesta, complete with a procession, music, traditional dancers, games, and food booths. I oversaw the food, and as an engineer, I figured I knew how to plan. How much food could we really need?
About a week before the event, the woman handling ticket sales came to me excitedly. “We’ve already sold 10,000 food tickets!” she said. My jaw dropped. Ten thousand?! Panic set in. I had already asked everyone I knew to bring food, and we had only 3,000 servings. I could already imagine the frustration of people arriving with tickets in hand, only to find we had run out of food.
Mary, I Need Your Help
I spent the next day frantically trying to fix the problem my way. I looked into buying more food, but vendors were already committed to other Guadalupe celebrations. I tried to recruit more volunteers, but no one was available. In the middle of my frustration, I finally turned to Mary. I went into the chapel and prayed.
“This is your fiesta, Mary. I need your help.”
And she came through. The next day, people I had never met started approaching me, offering to bring food, drinks—anything we needed. I don’t speak much Spanish, but I quickly learned how to express my gratitude to these unexpected volunteers.
The fiesta was a huge success. We sold more than twice the amount of food than the previous year.
Looking back, I realize: the more I tried to handle it alone, the more things unraveled. But when I handed it over to Mary, God worked in ways I could never have imagined.
At this point, I’m no longer surprised at how God works through Mary. After all, when she said “yes” to the angel Gabriel, Jesus entered the world. And when I say yes to God—even when it’s hard, even when I have to let go—God always shows up in a big way.
Mary’s Invitation to be her Oblate
By Br. Miguel “Miggo” Roque OMV
When I first heard I was headed to Florida, I had mixed emotions—excited, nervous, and full of questions. Why was God sending me to a place that’s mostly hot and humid? Would I be happy and fulfilled? How would I serve the people of God? Would Jesus, Mary, and Fr. Lanteri confirm my Oblate vocation? And, just as pressing: where would I get my taco fix?
That last question was answered first. I found a taco truck near the beach, and as I sat on a plastic stool in the thick Florida humidity enjoying perfectly seasoned tacos, something unexpected happened. That simple moment of satisfaction opened the door to deeper answers and a quiet sense of gratitude.
Life as an Oblate Brother
From the start, I was welcomed warmly by Fr. Tom, my superior and pastor of San Pedro, and by Fr. Nate. They encouraged me to serve in youth and young adult ministry, religious education, parish missions, senior life programs, fundraisers, even hurricane cleanup. I also had the privilege of leading a 10-week Spiritual Exercises retreat, something close to my heart, since my own faith was rekindled during a similar retreat at St. Peter Chanel Parish in California.
But more than giving me responsibilities, these Oblate brothers gave me freedom: the freedom to live as an Oblate brother among them. That freedom allowed me to fully receive Mary’s invitation to be her Oblate and to respond with a wholehearted YES: a yes that is joyful, generous, and freely given.
Am I Worthy?
One moment stands out most vividly. I was accompanying a men’s group through Exodus 90, a 90-day program to grow in freedom, fraternity, and prayer. As we prayed at our first gathering, I suddenly realized: I’m leading these fathers. I’m now a father to these fathers. That image consoled me but also left me asking, Am I worthy to be a father? Am I worthy to be a priest?
I knew my history—failures before entering religious life, failures even as a brother. The sense of unworthiness overwhelmed me. In prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, I imagined Fr. Bruno Lanteri kneeling beside me. Through tears I told him, “I can’t live up to being a father who never fails. I’ve failed so many times.” Gently he placed a hand on my shoulder and said,
“Miggo, I never wanted you to be a father who never fails. I want you to be a father who never fails… to begin again.”
That moment crystalized everything: the tenderness of God, Lanteri’s spirituality of Nunc Coepi (“now I begin again”), and the grace of my pastoral year. Every question, every doubt, every act of ministry found its answer there.
To all who supported me through your prayers and generosity, Thank You! You helped me receive this grace. As I finish my studies and prepare for lifelong service with the Oblates, I carry this year as more than formation. It was a season of sacred joy, of learning to begin again, and above all, a season of deep gratitude.
Forming Sons of Mary
The pastoral year is an essential part of an Oblate’s journey—a time when seminarians live their vocation in service and community. Through experiences like these, they learn to entrust every joy and struggle to Mary and to lead others closer to her Son.
Your support makes this possible. When you give to the Oblates of the Virgin Mary Annual Fund, you help form future priests, sustain our parishes, and share God’s mercy with people everywhere.
Together, as Sons and Daughters of Mary, let us continue saying “yes” to God and trusting that He always shows up in a big way.
