Author Archives: franksantucci

“In the prolonged silent prayer we make each day, we let ourselves be molded by the Lord, and find in him the inspiration of our conduct” (OMI Rule of Life, 33). The practice of Oraison was an important part of St. Eugene’s daily prayer during … Continue reading →

Every year Eugene spent some time on retreat, away from his busy schedule, aiming at refocusing his priorities. One example from his writings speaks today as we are invited to refocus on our priorities and the direction of our lives. … Continue reading →

When Eugene returned to Aix en Provence as a young priest he preached a series of Lenten sermons aimed at those who were the most abandoned as a result of the French Revolution. For Eugene the “poor” were those who … Continue reading →

During the cholera epidemic of 1835, Eugene was away from Marseilles, because he had been ordered to as a result of the ongoing hostility with the government In this letter Eugene confides his sense of impotence, and his anxiety for … Continue reading →

Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection (cf. Phil 3: 10). CC&RR, Constitution … Continue reading →

I originally published what follows in May 2016 and believe it has something to say to us today. It was written by Enzo Teodori, who died five months afterwards. He refers to the reflection of Fr Jetté that I used … Continue reading →

Class 3 of the online course “Eugene de Mazenod 101” is available from today.   All uploaded classes will remain available until the end of the year: https://moodle.ost.edu/course/index.php?categoryid=28 (Please note that the first part of this page refers to the … Continue reading →

Reflecting on this pivotal constitution of our Mazenodian spirituality, former Oblate Superior General, Fernand Jetté wrote that it : “expresses the purification and transformation that our outlook undergoes when it is in contact with the mystery of the cross: Through … Continue reading →

The cross of Jesus Christ is central to our mission. Like the apostle Paul, we “preach Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2: 2). If we bear in our body the death of Jesus, it is with the hope that … Continue reading →

While assisting those who were suffering so greatly from the cholera epidemic, Eugene and his uncle, Bishop Fortuné, arranged to focus the attention of the people of Marseilles on concentrated prayer. The population had a special devotion to the small … Continue reading →