SAN ANTONIO • At the beginning of July, the nameplate on the door of the president’s office at Oblate School of Theology (OST) still read “Father Bill Morell, OMI.” A new occupant, however, was working behind the heavy wooden door at the century old institution.
    Father Warren Brown, OMI, assumed the position of interim president for a term of one year on July 1, following the nine-year tenure of Father Morell.
     The Oblate priest is currently awaiting his next assignment from the U.S. provincial in Washington, D.C.
     But he’s staying busy during this sabbatical period, as both he and Father Brown will be representing the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for the United States as two of six delegates at the gathering of their general chapter in Rome this month.

    Father Brown had been serving as OST’s executive vice president since the beginning of January. He has been a member of Oblate School of Theology’s faculty since 1995 and has served as a teacher of canon law and co-director of the Lay Ministry Institute (LMI) and the Instituto de Formación Pastoral (IFP).He has served on numerous school committees and is knowledgeable of the general workings of Oblate Renewal Center, Pat Guidon Center and OST. He is well respected by the faculty.
    The Oblate cleric completed his doctorate in canon law at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, Canada, several years ago. He is the judicial vicar for the Appellate Marriage Tribunal for the dioceses of Texas, located in the archdiocesan chancery. His work in the Marriage Tribunal has earned him both the appreciation of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and its respect.
    He has demonstrated his administrative abilities and teamwork both at Oblate School of Theology and in his early parish assignments.
    Before coming to Oblate, Father Brown served in several Hispanic parishes in the Rio Grande Valley, the last one being the cathedral in Brownsville, where he was rector. He also directed the inter-congregational office of Justice and Peace (Texas CRI) here in San Antonio. He is fluent in Spanish and has a deep and personal appreciation for Hispanic ministry. He knows of and supports the tradition of OST in preparing seminarians, as well as lay men and women for bicultural and bilingual ministry.
   
    One week after assuming his new post, Father Brown sat down with Today’s Catholic to talk about himself and his vision for the 100-year-old theological institution.
    The new interim president said he started out at Oblate working in the yard as a seminarian. “I’ve been around here for quite a while,” he laughed.
    Prior to attending his order’s international conference in Italy, the priest will be meeting with the leaders of the various formation houses in the area. Next month, he will go on retreat with faculty for a three-day gathering, preside at an Aug. 27 convocation liturgy where he will be installed as interim president, and will greet the student body.
    Father Brown is also heavily involved in planning a second “Missionaries to a Secular Culture” symposium scheduled to be held on campus Oct. 21-23. Six focus sessions are slated which will reflect on the challenges of evangelization in a highly secularized society,
    “At the Tribunal and school, I’ve been blessed with an able staff,” said the interim president. “I follow a collaborative model of ministry where it all doesn’t on my shoulders. I’ve got a good team here at Oblate and a good working relationship with the Board of Trustees.”

    He continued, “The president of a seminary is like a pastor. I not only work with people but am present to them to form community. My role is to be a leader, but also to help. It’s more than just being a CEO, it has more to do with people.”
    Father Brown said his canon law studies at St. Paul’s in Ottawa provided him a good experience of Oblate educational ministry, and he was also able to observe the structures and procedures of different Oblate charisms.
    “Our founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod, placed importance on ministry to working persons, and that is an important concept for us here at Oblate,” he said. “We bring people together to celebrate their dignity as persons and their special gifts and talents. That is our special charism as Oblates to the world.”
    Over the next year, Father Brown sees his role as “keeping the momentum going as much as possible, but recognizing that there is a transition in leadership.” He added, “I want to help people see the good that we have here, that it’s not dependent on one person.”
    
    The interim president also discussed OST’s relationship with the archdiocese. “Having Archbishop Patrick Flores as our first honorary degree recipient is an important and significant statement of the gratitude we have. And the archbishop has said how much he appreciates the relationship we have and how we work together.”
    Said Father Brown, “We’re just not here as an academic institution. It’s obvious that we have close relationship with local church, building ministry in the city and outlying areas.”
    The Oblate cleric said OST’s staff has been kind, gracious and supportive of his new appointment, making for an easy transition. “We have working relationships and personal relationships and have been together as peers. I’ve got insight into the faculty,” he explained.
    Providing service to the community and continuing projects and plans for the future are also on the interim president’s agenda. As part of that effort a new course on Christian Spirituality will be offered for the fall semester.
    Focusing on spiritual direction, the class will be offered for credit and continuing education. Father Bill Meyer, SM, director of the Ministry to Ministers program at Oblate, will be the instructor.