Viatorians around the world gathered as communities to celebrate the feast of their founder, St. Viator, the 4th century saint whom the Venerable Fr. Louis Querbes chose to be the patron.
Fr. Dan Hall with Associates Brigette Brankin and Brian Hansen
“Fr. Querbes envisioned a community of lay and professed, who would come together to educate youth,” said Fr. Daniel Hall, CSV, Provincial. “I believe that if Fr. Querbes could see our community today, it would be more in line with what he envisioned than at the time in which he lived.”
Fr. Hall addressed his thoughts with members of the Arlington Heights/Chicago Region, before associates Brigette Brankin and Brian Hansen recommitted themselves to the Viatorian Community for another three years. Fr. Hall also introduced these pre-associates: Jennifer Anderson, Michael Betancourt, John Betzlauf, Lawrence D’Urso, Susan Kay and Daniel Masterton.
Fr. Tom von Behren addresses Viatorians in Las Vegas.
In Las Vegas, nearly 30 members of the western region gathered for dinner. Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV, reflected on the founder and patron of St. Viator Catholic Community and School, and Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory.
Fr. von Behren also celebrated the feast of St. Viator with students and faculty at Cristo Rey St. Viator. A highlight during the Mass was hearing from the students who had attended the Viatorian Youth Congress last summer. They described how the experience impacted them on a personal, spiritual and Viatorian identity level.
In the Bourbonnais/Kankakee region, associate and professed Viatorians gathered at St. Patrick Church in Kankakee for a prayer service followed by a festive dinner.
Viatorians in Montreal
In Spain, Viatorians celebrated as a community at Our Lady of Fatima School in Madrid, while students at their five schools in the Madrid area came together for Mass at Colegio San Viator in Vitoria. Fr. Jesús Arroyo, CSV, celebrated both Masses.
Meantime, in the Province of Canada, Viatorians formally celebrated the feast day and the 175th anniversary of the community arriving there from France. They gathered in Montreal, remembering the first three Viatorians who were welcomed by Bishop Ignace Bourget, who had asked them to come.