Category Archives: LETTERS

HE WHO SEES TAKES OFF HIS SHOES

Eugene had every reason to be proud of the ordination and first Mass of Hippolyte Courtès – he had been the mentor of this young man both in the Youth Congregation and later in his formation as a Missionary. The … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

THE JOY OF BEING WITH SOMEONE WHOSE HEART IS FULL

Writing to a member of the Youth Congregation, Eugene shared with him something of the family joy experienced at Hippolyte Courtès’ first Mass. I have just come down from the altar where I assisted our good Courtès who offered the … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , | 1 Comment

WITH GRATEFUL SONGS ECHOING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS

At the end of the day, Eugene describes the return of the pilgrims to their mountainside villages. The mood is joyful because of the privileged moments lived in the presence of God in Mary’s sanctuary. The evening Office has just … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

FOR THE OBLATE, ALL MARIAN DEVOTION IS CHRISTOCENTRIC

The pilgrims from the villages came to Laus to express their devotion to Mary, and the Missionaries helped them to focus with Mary on Jesus Christ. Wherever our ministry takes us, we will strive to instill genuine devotion to the … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

THE PROTOTYPE OF OBLATE SHRINE AND RETREAT HOUSE MINISTRY

Notre Dame du Laus was the first establishment of the Missionaries outside of Aix and it was a Marian sanctuary: a place of pilgrimage and a place where people came for some days of retreat. Because it was our first, … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , | 3 Comments

EVANGELIZED BY THE PEOPLE AND THE PLACE

While the Missionaries were fully occupied in the first part of 1820 with the missions to the cities of Marseille and Aix en Provence, Henri Tempier and his community were ministering at the Sanctuary of Notre Dame du Laus. The … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , | 1 Comment

AN EXPLOSION OF PROVENCAL EMOTION

Emotions ran high in this city of the south of France and it did not take much to incite the passions of a crowd – particularly if the cause of their anger touched on someone whom they loved and respected. … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS, WRITINGS | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS

The Missionaries of Provence had the custom of extending a parish mission beyond the planned time if they had not managed to finish hearing everyone’s confessions and preparing them for Communion. In keeping with this custom, in the churches of … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , | 2 Comments

START IN THE HUB, LIVE IN THE HUB

The demanding nine week-long mission to the city of Marseille ended on 27 February 1820 and two weeks later we find the Missionaries fully immersed in the mission to their own city of Aix en Provence that lasted five weeks … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS | Tagged , | 5 Comments

IN THE FULL LIGHT OF GOD

The mission of 1820 was aimed at the whole city of Marseille. In practice the twenty Missionaries of France and six Missionaries of Provence concentrated all their efforts on the individual parish units, but there were two major manifestations for … Continue reading

Posted in LETTERS, WRITINGS | Tagged , | 1 Comment