In an impressive display of a truly unified support for a common project, the friars’ community of the Dominican convent in Oslo actively participated in a common reflection on the opportunity of establishing a fraternity of diocesan priests in the region.
On 24 May 2019, the friars of Sankt Dominikus Kloster headed by its prior, fr. Jon Atle Wetaas, OP, welcomed four diocesan priests who joined in the deliberation: Fr. Øystein Lund (Diocese of Oslo); Fr. Egil Mogstad (Territorial Prelature of Trondheim); Fr. Paweł Wiech (Diocese of Oslo); and Fr. Jesper Fich (Diocese of Copenhagen, Denmark). Both Frs. Mogstad and Fich belong formally to the Fraternité Sacerdotale Saint-Augustin of the Province of France. Also present in the gathering was fr. Pierre-André Mauduit, OP, of the Province of France, who travelled from his post in Lund in Sweden to participate in the discussion.
Organizing the event was fr. Haavar Simon Nilsen, OP, who likewise invited fr. Florentino Bolo Jr., OP, General Promoter of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic, to deliver a presentation on the nature, development and status of fraternities of secular priests in the Order. Of particular interest was the collective intention of everyone present to constitute a fraternity of diocesan priests coming from the Scandinavian region. United by the proximity that they share in language, history and culture, the priests affirmed the importance of building a brotherhood that more closely manifests the unique context in which their priesthood is lived and shared.
As a fitting conclusion to the fruitful endeavor, the community together with all the participants headed to the ruins of the old Dominican friars’ convent of St. Olav in Oslo to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in memory of the Translation of St. Dominic. With fr. Haavar as main celebrant, the Mass was attended by members of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic, Dominican Sisters, and other faithful of the diocese. In his homily, fr. Haavar highlighted the qualities of fidelity and courage in the life of St. Dominic, the same qualities that the Dominican family in Oslo embraces now more than ever as it treads the path towards giving birth to another of its branches in the person of the diocesan clergy.
