We are members of the prophetic Church. While recognizing our own need for conversion, we bear witness to God’s holiness and justice. We announce the liberating presence of Jesus Christ and the new world born in his resurrection. We will hear and make heard the clamour of the voiceless, which is a cry to God who brings down the mighty from their thrones and exalts the lowly (cf. Lk 1: 52).
CC&RR, Constitution 9
Action on behalf of justice, peace and the integrity of creation is an integral part of evangelization.
CC&RR, Rule 9a
Therefore, as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and our associates, we strive to integrate into our ministry this vital aspect of the “liberating presence of Jesus Christ and the new world born in his resurrection” (C 9). We do this through our OMI JPIC congregational priorities.
These four Priorities were first developed in 2009 and were revised in 2012 following a process of both consultation and discernment by the Central Government and the OMI JPIC General Service. This process took into account the 2010 Chapter mandate “to develop fresh animation for mission and for discerning new missionary strategies and major missionary challenges”. It is also very clear that these priorities are ad intra: Witnessing Jesus Christ faithfully through our Oblate Charism demands that we put these priorities into practice first in our own Oblate community life; and ad extra: The way we organize our community is our first missionary commitment in witnessing and building the Kingdom of God, preached by Jesus, as the Good News for all Creation, all men and women.Kennedy Katongo OMI (http://www.omiworld.org/en/content/news/3805/towards-a-spirituality-of-jpic-the-oblate-charism-at-the-service-of-the-poor/ )
“Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries,’ but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples.’” Pope Francis The Joy of the Gospel, n.120
Very early on in AA I learned that to be able to “live and have sobriety” I would need to learn how to do more than just ‘talk-the-talk’; I would have to ‘walk-the-walk’. I saw others doing just that and I learned, and I joined them. The beginnings of freedom!
It was no different from my meeting and coming to know the Oblates and then the Mazenodian Family. It began with Saint Eugene himself, hearing his words in his letter to Henri Tempier, his words in his instructions for the Lenten Homily at the Church of the Madeleine. I grew as I came to know more members of this great family, learning from and sharing with them. Joining them.
We witness to each other and then to those outside. As Kennedy Katongo, OMI said: “…Witnessing Jesus Christ faithfully through our Oblate Charism demands that we put these priorities into practice first in our own Oblate community life; and ad extra: The way we organize our community is our first missionary commitment in witnessing and building the Kingdom of God, preached by Jesus, as the Good News for all Creation, all men and women.”
During the “Renewing Our Life and Mission” process a couple of years ago members of our leadership team shared how they were organizing and living within their small community. They were witnessing to us, inviting us to join them. I have never forgotten this and continue to see it alive today in our Mazenodian Family. Liberation does begin within the Mazenodian community and is witnessed to outside.