1818, November 1. The missionary community becomes a congregation of religious priests and brothers who make vows to live the evangelical counsels.
It is necessary that we understand, now more than ever before, the necessity of being perfect religious in order to be good missionaries. We need to be persuaded that the most efficient means of ensuring abundant harvest in souls is the holiness of our lives and the faithful practice of all the duties of our state.
Opening address to the 1850 General Chapter
Of course I cannot speak to being a priest or a brother, nor to being a religious. The most and the best that I can speak to is being who I have been created to be, trying to fulfill God’s call to me. And to that end God gave to me (us), through the church, Eugene’s spirit, his charism.
I wonder if it was to be Eugene giving the opening address of the next General Chapter what it might sound like. I have little doubt that Eugene whose heart was so incredibly open and full of love would continue to be a man of the times and share with all of us his spirit, his charism so that we all be good missionaries – each in the way we have been called. “We need to be persuaded that the most efficient means of ensuring abundant harvest in souls is the holiness of our lives and the faithful practice of all the duties of our state.”
Eugene, having first given himself utterly and totally to God and from there his heart grew, from there was he able to love, really love those he came into contact with who were so desperately poor and forgotten, voiceless and powerless. He opened himself to being a missionary to so many. He invited so many of us to follow, to share in his spirit and way of living, to become missionaries, to become like him co-operators of the Savior. I am not sure of the exact quote, but Eugene’s words himself come to mind: “What more glorious occupation…..”Indeed what more could we possibly ask for or want?
i would to know more about Eugene Demezonod, kindly please post it:
sello mokoka
9715 Zone 6 ext
Pimville
1809
regards
sello
Sello, there is lots of information that you can find on the official OMI website http://www.omiworld.org/ If you need any more, make contact with the Oblates in Victory Park or Regina Mundi.