There has been a pause in our daily reflections because I was on retreat at our Oblate house in Tower Hill, London. Eugene had visited this city twice as Leflon describes:
Moreover, in England, the dazzling facade of bustling activity, progress, and wealth had not blinded him to the widespread poverty there. In fact, through Father Aubert, who served as his guide there, we know that, after visiting the historical places in the British capital, the Bishop insisted on venturing into the dark and filthy alleys between the Tower of London and the docks where the spiritually and materially destitute Irish were crowded in among a wretched and degraded population. “That,” he declared, “is where an Oblate house should be established.”
Leflon 4, Chapter 5
Eugene’s wish was fulfilled after his death with the establishment of the Church of the English Martyrs, commemorating those Christians who were imprisoned and put to death just a few meters away.
Today, the district has become the business area of the City of London, and wears “the dazzling facade of bustling activity, progress, and wealth.” The Oblates continue to minister there. In recent weeks the house has been converted into a Centre of Spirituality with many plans to continue the outreach projected by St Eugene to those who experience being abandoned despite the glitter of the magnificent modern buildings of the City.
Eugene’s words, “That is where an Oblate house should be established,” continue to echo throughout the world of the Mazenodian Family:
Wherever we work, our mission is especially to those people whose condition cries out for salvation and for the hope which only Jesus Christ can fully bring. These are the poor with their many faces; we give them our preference.
CC&RR, Constitution 5
Welcome back Frank – hope you had a great retreat.
I was struck by a couple of images in todays posting. “… to those who experience being abandoned despite the glitter of the magnificent modern buildings of the City”. This reminds me of a television ad that would come on around Christmas showing the hustle and bustle of people doing much Christmas shopping and fading into the background would be a small family or a mother and child who were almost un-noticable. How often have I gone past a beautiful new building or structure that is surrounded by lovely gardens or lush greenery and not bothered to notice those sleeping on the ground, begging in the doorway or even just standing across the street looking because they will never be able to go in? How often as I went past one of those new buildings did I notice someone looking into the garbage dumpster for food or something useful and then turn my face away and look elsewhere? Or worse yet how often have I walked into church and failed to pay attention (note that I have noticed them), failed to pay attention to the poorly dressed person (who obviously is most likely from the streets) or the old lady or man that I don’t know who are sitting away from the centre of the church where it is brightly lit and people are congregating? (I was not expecting that to come out but there it is). And so Eugene’s words echo in my heart as do the words from the Constitution and Rules “These are the poor with their many faces; we give them our preference.”
As I reflect upon this reading after almost a week of “formation personal preparation classes” I see the key is our openness to continue the conversation with the society about us. That we just don’t remain here or there for the sake of tradition, but that we are open to being where after community discernment we need to be. Let the conversation continue.