Viatorian Voices: Conversations on the Way

John is from downstate Illinois and is a retired English teacher who taught in the St. Louis area. Late in his career, much of his family settled in Bourbonnais, IL, and John began visiting more and more often and then set himself up to retire there. Over the last several decades, John became a very active parishioner at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Viatorian parish in town, and Viato...

Welcome into the Viatorian communications department! Every couple months, Associate Dan Masterton, director of communications, meets over Zoom with peers who do similar ministries for other Catholic organizations. They pray together and help each other review and improve our work. This time, they each shared a bit with Dan about why they prioritize bringing their group’s ministry online, what the...

Why did Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, spend his whole summer living in Colombia? He discerned a desire to strengthen his Spanish-language skills, but he didn't just want to take classes in Chicago. Br. Peter wanted to learn the language with his brothers, in a community home, studying in their country and culture. Hear about Br. Peter's 10 weeks with our Viatorian Community in Colombia, living at our for...

In this episode, we talk with Sr. Amy Mejia, SSCM. She professed first vows as a religious sister and Servant of the Holy Heart of Mary in April 2026. For the last year and half and counting, she has been ministering in two of our Viatorian parishes: Sacred Heart Church in Pembroke Township, IL, and St. Patrick Parish in Kankakee, IL. Here, she reflects on her vocation to the SSCM community and to...

In this episode, we talk with the Young Adult Leaders for the 2026 Viatorian Youth Congress. These are college-aged young adults who have identified God’s invitation to servant-leadership and applied for this role. They undertake two days of leadership training as leaders and then lead the four-day VYC program for dozens of teen delegates from Viatorian communities around the province. So, with so...

In this episode, we explore God’s invitations to Br. Juan David Ramirez, CSV. He grew up in the Bogotá area of Colombia. After some chance encounters with Viatorians during his teacher training, he discerned with us, entered formation, and joined our community. Br. Juan David professed first vows in 2019 and perpetual vows in 2022. He has taught math for several years at Colegio San Viator, or Sai...

In this episode, we head out on the way with Fr. John Eustice, CSV. For three weeks earlier this summer, Fr. John was a chaplain at Philmont Scouting Ranch in New Mexico. He assisted with camp setup for the summer trek groups and served in rotations around the property. Fr. John celebrated Masses and heard confessions, provided pastoral support to people in need of assistance, and spent time with...

In this episode, we take a closer look at Service and Song, an annual Saint Viator High School summer program for middle school students led by Viatorians and our high school students. Associate Ann Perez serves as the school’s Vice President of Mission and Identity, and, with Service and Song coming up next week, she shares how Service and Song is a vital way by which the school community can sha...

This summer and fall, 17 new associates will make their initial commitments as Viatorians. This follows a two-year period of discernment and formation, undertaken as regional cohorts with formation teams of Viatorian religious and associates. Two of our soon-to-be new members reflect on that process: Pre-Associate Dianne Marshall is a parish faith formation director and veteran pastoral minister w...

St. George and Maternity BVM, two Viatorian parishes, are two years into a shared model of youth ministry with Coordinator of Viatorian Youth Ministry Amanda Fierce at the helm. Here, Amanda shares about these two Bourbonnais parishes; her partnership with religious education and Catholic schools to provide families full youth formation; a balanced set of offerings in youth ministry; and the lives...

The conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV the first American pope will likely be a "where were you when" memory for many Catholics, especially Americans and Viatorians. In this episode, we collect a few stories from the big day and invite your reflection and prayer for Pope Leo XIV as he approaches the first anniversary of this election as pope. (This episode debuted May 4, 2026.) 00:00 Introduction...

This series exploring our global solidarity has helped demonstrate the amazing joy and vitality of our worldwide Viatorian Community. That joy is perhaps most evident as people from all around our worldwide community share their encouragement for those who might be considering Viatorian association or religious life. So, in this episode, we’re gathering this global chorus of encouragement in one p...

In this episode, we continue exploring our global Viatorian solidarity by connecting with the Province of France and Associate Claire Fayolle. Claire is a retired infant/child psychologist who has known the Viatorians from parish life in Oullins, just outside Lyon. She became an associate in 2020 and was a delegate for France to the General Assembly in 2025. The Venerable Louis Querbes was born an...

In this episode, we continue exploring our global Viatorian solidarity by speaking with Danilo José Hernández Caretero of Honduras. Though Danilo is not a Viatorian, he belongs to a Viatorian parish and has worked with Viatorians for a while. For 16 years and counting, Danilo has worked for SERSO Honduras, the Viatorians’ charitable and community development organization. Danilo is a civil enginee...

In this episode, we continue exploring our global Viatorian solidarity by speaking with Fr. Maurice Kouadio of Ivory Coast. Fr. Maurice professed first vows in 2006 and was ordained a priest in 2024. He is director of the school, Groupe Scolaire Saint-Viateur in Bouaké, which includes nursery, primary, and secondary schools, and he serves as vicar to the quasi-parish that utilizes the school chape...

In this episode, we explore our international Viatorian solidarity with Burkina Faso and Associate Julien Magloire Oubda. Julien has backgrounds in sociology and management, and he most recently worked as a contractor with United Nations Food and Agriculture programs. He committed as a Viatorian Associate in 2023, alongside his wife, Esther, with whom he has three children, and he participate...

In this episode, we explore our international Viatorian solidarity with Spain and Br. José Javier García García, CSV, Associate Ilse Kugel, and Associate Javier Elena Carrero. They all teach at Colegio Fátima in Madrid, including teaching English; Br. JJ oversees campus ministry, and Ilse and Javier help moderate Scouting groups. They all also belong to La Comunidad de Nuestra Señora de Fátima in...

In this episode, we explore our international Viatorian solidarity with Canada and Fr. Alain Ambeault, CSV. Fr. Alain professed first vows in 1980 and was ordained a priest in 1986. He served in several leadership roles for the Province of Canada and was elected to a six-year term as our Superior General in 2012, succeeding our own Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, for whom he was General Councilor, precedin...

We continue exploring our global Viatorian solidarity in this conversation with Br. John Alexander Avellaneda, CSV, of Colombia, a foundation of the Province of Chicago (US). Br. John professed first vows in 2019 and perpetual vows in 2022; he was ordained a transition deacon in 2025 and will be ordained a priest later in 2026. After studying philosophy, theology, and education in Colombia, he cam...

In this episode, we speak with Fr. Dudley Pierre. Fr. Dudley is a native of Haiti, where he met and joined the Viatorians. He professed first vows in 2002 and was ordained a priest in 2009. In his religious life, he’s studied and ministered all around the world, including his current graduate studies in Spain. In this episode, we talk about the Viatorian Community in Haiti, studying multiple langu...

At the Fourth Viatorian General Assembly in October 2025 in France, leadership invited six delegates to share their vocation stories with the full group. Among a mix of women and men, associates and professed religious, and English, French, and Spanish speakers, Associate Rosy Hartz shared her story. Rosy has been an associate since 2009 and served as Director of Youth Ministry at St. Viator Catho...

During National Vocations Awareness Week (Nov. 2-9, 2025), the People of God are invited to intentionality in prayer and reflection around vocations, perhaps including personal discernment, too. In our Church, we honor single life, married life, religious life, and priesthood, and in our Viatorian Community, we celebrate professed religious brothers and priests and committed women and men lay asso...

The Viatorian Community held the Fourth Viatorian General Assembly in October 2025 near Lyon, France. Delegations of associates, brothers, and priests from 11 countries gathered with support staff, provincial and regional superiors, and Fr. Nestor Fils-Aimé, CSV, our Superior General, and his General Council. During week of prayer, pilgrimage, and discussion on fraternity, synodality, and mission,...

As much as our charism lives in the members of our community, our stories from our past, and our ministry today, we also preserve and maintain our charism through our archives – the home of countless papers, books, artifacts, and other special items that help tell this story even more colorfully. Rebecca Skirvin is the Viatorian Archivist, and it's her responsibility to sustain order in this colle...

On the beautiful grounds of the Viatorian Province Center, tucked away near the back, is a white fence that encloses 25 raised garden beds. Volunteer gardeners from around the community come week-in-and-week-out to tend their gardens, and the produce these plots yield benefit local food pantries. The Community Giving Garden started with an idea from Fr. Dan Hall, CSV, who worked with the Provincia...