Tag Archives: God’s love

YOU, MY DEAR CHILDREN, WHO SERVE THE GOOD GOD WITH SUCH A GENEROUS HEART, HAVE BROUGHT THIS ABOUT

It is the father and founder of the Oblate Congregation who rejoices. It was while Eugene was enthusiastically telling the Pope about the generous missionary zeal and extraordinary pastoral accomplishments of the Oblates that the Pope had recognized this work … Continue reading

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LET ME LOVE YOU AS MUCH AS YOUR HOLY MOTHER LOVED AND LOVES YOU

Eugene became a priest as a response to his awareness of God’s indescribable love for him. Here, in his retreat in preparation for his priestly ordination he prays to be able to make his priestly ministry a response of total … Continue reading

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THE SACRED HEART: OUR NOURISHMENT, OUR COMPANION AND OUR FRIEND

The command, “Love the Lord with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:4), has been an obligation which has expressed the totality of the person’s response to the love of our God who gives all. The symbolic expression for this in the … Continue reading

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A REVIEW OF LIFE THROUGH THE FOCUS OF HOPE

As he begins his retreat, Eugene intends to make an exacting examination of his life and behaviour. It is interesting that he wants to do this through the eyes of hope – through the lens of what God’s love holds … Continue reading

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I ENCOURAGE MY BROTHERS TO LOVE RATHER THAN BE AFRAID

As Eugene reflects on the necessity of focusing on hope in difficult times, he remembers how he constantly urges the Oblates to live in this spirit of hopeful confidence in the love of God. Addressing hope, he writes: You whom … Continue reading

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I NEEDED TO POUR MY HEART OUT TO OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

When faced with difficult situations, Eugene turned immediately to Jesus in prayer. He speaks of this gesture in terms of instinctively turning to a friend. I admit, my dear good Guibert, your letter had deeply affected me. This was to … Continue reading

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AN UNFAILING SOURCE OF SUPPORT

Eugene concludes his letter to Jourdan by urging him to pray each day and especially to take the Eucharist as his source of support. Beware of staying a single day away from the holy altar; it is there you must … Continue reading

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LISTEN TO YOUR OBLATE COMMUNITY

Having encouraged Jourdan in his suffering and invited him to place his confidence in God, Eugene now resorts to two further approaches to help him. The first is linked with the authority of the superior of a community of religious. … Continue reading

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YOU SADDEN GOD’S PATERNAL HEART ONLY BY LACKING CONFIDENCE IN HIS GOODNESS

The 23 year-old Jacques Antoine Jourdan had been ordained a priest in 1822 and immediately joined the Missionaries by entering the novitiate at Notre Dame du Laus. In February 1823 he made his oblation in Aix and joined the missionary … Continue reading

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A WINDOW FOR GOD’S LOVE TO SHINE THROUGH

On returning to Aix as a newly-ordained priest, Eugene had set the tone of his ministry: My chief occupation will be to love him, my chief concern to make him loved. To this I will bend all my efforts, time, … Continue reading

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