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Recent Posts
- MY HEART OF A FATHER WAS FULL OF LOVE FOR YOU WHO ARE DOUBLY MY SON
- WE MUST DISCOVER ALL THESE ADVANTAGES IN THE BLESSED CONGREGATION THAT HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO US
- YOU MUST BE A FATHER TO YOUR NOVICES, YOU MUST BE CLOSE TO THEM IN THEIR DIFFICULTIES AND ENCOURAGE THEM
- THE DREAM BEGINS WITH A TEACHER WHO BELIEVES IN YOU
- THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
Recent Comments
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on MY HEART OF A FATHER WAS FULL OF LOVE FOR YOU WHO ARE DOUBLY MY SON
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on WE MUST DISCOVER ALL THESE ADVANTAGES IN THE BLESSED CONGREGATION THAT HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO US
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on YOU MUST BE A FATHER TO YOUR NOVICES, YOU MUST BE CLOSE TO THEM IN THEIR DIFFICULTIES AND ENCOURAGE THEM
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on THE DREAM BEGINS WITH A TEACHER WHO BELIEVES IN YOU
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
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Category Archives: RETREAT NOTES
CAN I FORGET THE SIGHT OF THE CROSS?
Can I forget the bitter tears that the sight of the cross brought streaming from my eyes one Good Friday? Retreat Journal, December 1814, O.W. XV n.130 “Can I forget … the sight of the cross?” asks Eugene? Every … Continue reading
ONE GOOD FRIDAY OF SORROW, JOY AND GRATITUDE
Eugene then narrates the moment when all the strands of his conversion journey came together in a peak moment of illumination. From this moment everything in his life would be interpreted through the lens of this experience. Here is the whole … Continue reading
I AM NOT YET IMMERSED IN GOD – I ALWAYS FIND SELF WHERE I SHOULD COUNT FOR NOTHING
At the time of his conversion, we find nothing in what we have of Eugene’s writings on this theme. It is only several years later, when he was in the seminary and after his priestly ordination that we have some … Continue reading
I FLED HIM, DOWN THE NIGHTS AND DOWN THE DAYS
“The decline of Eugene’s spiritual life first manifested itself in the form of mediocrity, becoming more pronounced in the form of an ever more pervasive lukewarmness and culminated in what Father de Mazenod would call ‘open desertion’.” In this way, … Continue reading
FOCUS ON WHAT IS LIFE-GIVING
Hippolyte Guibert had been an Oblate priest for a year, and Jeancard for 3 years and were both in their mid-twenties. Eugene followed the missionary adventures of these young men with pride and interest. As they enjoyed successes and also … Continue reading
CHALLENGING A MENTALITY THAT DESTROYS GOOD
Eugene’s examination of his life leads him to a situation that is peculiar to his time after the French Revolution. Many religious orders had been destroyed – and with them that particular spiritual and humanitarian contribution to society that was … Continue reading
GOD ALWAYS READY TO WORK MIRACLES THROUGH OUR MINISTRY
Aware of the responsibility accompanying his vocation to seek perfection in religious life, Eugene invites me to examine my behavior to evaluate whether my ministry effectively aims at the salvation of others. When I do things for others, whose approval … Continue reading
A SPECIFIC VOCATION THAT DEMANDS FULFILMENT
Next in the examination of his life, Eugene looked at the quality of his life as a religious missionary. Always conscious of God’s love in calling him to be an Oblate, he reflected on the central components of his religious … Continue reading
GO DEEPER THAN SIMPLY THE PRESENT MOMENT
Doing the review of his life during his annual retreat, Eugene began by examining his duties as a Christian by highlighting the following areas: The examination of my general duties as a Christian must extend to all the commandments of … Continue reading
IDENTITY: FIRST CHRISTIAN, THEN OBLATE AND THEN PRIEST
Each year all the Oblates gathered for 8 days of community retreat. In 1826 it was held in Marseille from October 24 and concluded with the renewal of vows on November 1. Part of the retreat consisted in each participant … Continue reading