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Recent Posts
- IT IS IN THIS STATE OF HOLY ABANDON THAT I WAITED
- EUGENE PLACED THE RULE AT THE TOMB OF PETER AND IMPLORED HIM AND SAINT PAUL AND THE OTHER HOLY POPES WHO ARE BURIED IN THE SAME PLACE, TO ACCEPT AND BLESS THEM.
- THE CUSTOM WAS TO ENCOURAGE, NOT TO APPROVE
- THE DECISIVE MOMENT WHEN THE POPE RECOGNIZED THE WORK OF GOD IN OUR CHARISM
- THE GOODNESS, THE PLEASANT MANNER AND COURTESY OF POPE LEO XII
Recent Comments
- Mildred March on A SUMMARY OF TEN YEARS OF OBLATE MINISTRY
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on FAITH-FOCUSED INVESTMENT GROUPS: A PRESENCE WHERE DECISIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE POOR ARE BEING MADE (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on VIVAT: A PRESENCE WHERE DECISIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE POOR ARE BEING MADE (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on WE SHOW A VERY HUMAN FACE OF JESUS TO THE WORLD, ONE FULL OF COMPASSION AND SOLIDARITY (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on JUSTICE, PEACE AND THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVANGELIZATION (Rule 9a)
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Category Archives: LETTERS
OBLATION INVOLVES FAMILIARITY WITH SCRIPTURE
… continue to have them learn by heart several verses of the New Testament every day Letter to Henri Tempier, 18 June 1821, EO VI n. 68 Familiarity with the Sacred Scriptures was an essential requirement for the Missionary. It … Continue reading
OBLATION: LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE GOD IN PEOPLE AND EVENTS
The novitiate year was a time specifically set aside to live the intimacy of Jesus and the apostles, during which the future Missionaries were allowing themselves to be formed in perfection: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for … Continue reading
LEARNING TO LIVE IN ONGOING OBLATION
We have been seeing the year 1821 was marked by the gradual expansion of the Missionaries and Eugene’s concern with maintaining the spirit of the foundational charism in the three communities. Paramount to his concern was the proper training of … Continue reading
FASTING AND OBLATION
It was Lent – a time previously marked by severe and detailed laws of fasting in the Church. Eugene, with his spirit of oblation, wanted to be generous in everything. He wanted to be faithful in his observance, however, he … Continue reading
LEADERSHIP IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN OF LONELINESS
Entrusted with the ministry of maintaining all the communities functioning in harmony with the founding spirit, Eugene’s role was not always pleasant, especially when human weaknesses got in the way of the common welfare and the superior would have to … Continue reading
AS LONG AS I AM THE SUPERIOR, IT IS I WHO MUST GIVE THE GUIDANCE
In this letter we see Eugene continuing his efforts to establish and maintain a spirit of unity among the three communities of Missionaries. He was away preaching long parish missions, and so he wrote to Hippolyte Courtès who was the … Continue reading
THE COMMUNITY LEADER AS THE LIVING BOND OF UNITY
Eugene continues his reflection on maintaining unity in the small but growing group of Missionaries. His particular role as general superior was that of ensuring that each member live by the founding spirit. The local superiors of each community participated … Continue reading
KEEPING THE COMMUNITIES IN UNITY WITH THE FOUNDING CHARISM
At a first glance these words, written to Henri Tempier who was the superior of the community of Laus, could appear to be those of an autocratic controlling superior who wanted the last word in everything. … You must not … Continue reading
A DOSE OF REALISM
Having agreed to send some of his Missionaries to Marseille to do youth ministry with the orphans, Eugene was surprised when the Archbishop began to insist that they also had to take over the responsibility for the ministry of the … Continue reading
COOPERATING WITH AND LEARNING FROM THE LAITY IN MINISTRY
I find it very significant for the Mazenodian Family that it was the youth who led us to take two important steps. Right at the beginning of our existence it was the youth ministry of Eugene that led him to … Continue reading