Tag Archives: close to the people

I AM PRIMARILY THE SERVANT OF MY BROTHERS

Continuing his retreat reflections, Eugene evaluated how he divided his energy in his dealings with others: In my relations with others who are not part of the community. They must always be subordinate to the obligations I have to fulfill … Continue reading

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MISSIONARIES AT HOME

Just because the Missionaries had been forced to cancel two parish missions because of exhaustion, did not mean that they sat around idly. The normal ministry of the community to the youth and to the people of Aix in the … Continue reading

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TELL THEM THAT I THINK OF THEM AND THAT I LOVE THEM

Eugene and his Oblates have always been characterised as being close to the people. The Oblate Rule of life expresses it thus: Our communities seek to radiate the warmth of the Gospel to those around us                                                           (Constitution 41). The … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BY GIVING CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH ARE MUCH MORE USEFUL TO THE IGNORANT THAN BEAUTIFUL DISCOURSES

Thus their closeness to the people made them favour the lowly at all times, but not to the exclusion of anyone else’s right to the benefits of salvation. For many of the early Oblates, this was not an issue since … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO ALL PEOPLE, BUT PARTICULARLY TO THE POOR

Eugene’s reply to Honorat underlined the values behind their missions and what it meant to see people through the eyes of the Saviour. It was to the lowly that they were sent: I worry little about the infinitely small number … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE POOR BY PREACHING IN THE LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND

On the necessity of preaching in the language of the poorer people, Eugene noted in his Diary in 1837: Letter of Father Honorat of the mission of Maussanne. He tells me that the Pastor is delighted that our fathers are … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BY PREACHING IN THEIR LANGUAGE

The missionaries preached in Provençal, and their use of this language brought them closer to the humble and lesser-educated people. Eugene had founded his missionary family precisely to reach out to the most abandoned people by preaching in their language. … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BY BEING AVAILABLE IN THE CHURCH

They will spend the whole morning in the church, and – except in case of necessity – no one will leave without permission of the one presiding 1818 Rule Part 1, Chapter 2, §2 Each morning the missionaries were to … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BY VISITING THEIR HOMES

The examples abound in all the missions. In the Marignane narrative Eugene gave some examples of the usefulness of the method of seeking out the abandoned so as to bring them to the Saviour: After the Masses, the visits resumed. … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE TO BRING THEM TO GOD

Eugene was gifted in his ability to improvise in various situations. He was intuitive and his contacts with the people through visiting would have given him a good feel for what was necessary to be dealt with during the mission … Continue reading

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