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Recent Posts
- I COULD NOT HOLD BACK MY TEARS, SO TOUCHED WAS MY HEART BY THIS GOODNESS. IT IS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY AND WE CAN ONLY BE DUMBFOUNDED BEFORE GOD AT THIS PROTECTION
- “THIS SOCIETY PLEASES ME; I KNOW THE GOOD IT DOES… MY INTENTION IS NOT MERELY THAT THESE RULES BE PRAISED BUT THAT THEY BE APPROVED” (POPE LEO XII)
- 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
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
THE LONGING OF EUGENE TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS FATHER
When will we be able to make these consoling reflections together and encourage each other… Letter to his father, C.A. de Mazenod, 7 July 1816, O.W. XV n. 137 Here Eugene repeats for the umpteenth time his desire to be … Continue reading
SOME ARE DRAWN TO ANSWER THE CALL OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE JOY AND GENEROSITY OF OUR LIVES
Once Madame Gontier and her girls had vacated the premises, the whole Carmelite convent building was available for the Missionaries. With many rooms available it was now possible to accommodate others. Eugene had begun his Youth Congregation three years earlier, … Continue reading
THANKS TO THE GRACE OF GOD, THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF THE SMALL GROUP BEGINS TO TAKE A MORE DEFINITE SHAPE
Leflon tells us that on 13 May 1816, “Madame Gontier surrendered the use of the entire Carmelite house to Father de Mazenod, in exchange for a financial consideration, since her boarding school was in bad straits.” (Volume 2, p. 44). … Continue reading
ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI: A MODEL FOR THE DISCERNMENT OF THE DEVELOPING MISSIONARY COMMUNITY
The year 1816 was marked by the newly-founded community’s development of the understanding of their vocation and how to live it out in response to the needs of Provence. One of the guiding figures for Eugene in this process was … Continue reading
OBLATION: THE JOY OF COMMUNION
… we pronounced our vows with an indescribable joy. We savoured our happiness throughout this beautiful night, in the presence of Our Lord, at the foot of the magnificent throne where we had placed Him for the Mass of the … Continue reading
THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE UNITED WITH THOSE OUT ON MISSION
“We fulfill our mission in and through the community to which we belong” (Oblate Rule of Life, Constitution 37). While one part of the community was out evangelizing, the other part was supporting the mission through prayer and unity of … Continue reading
ONE HEART, ONE SPIRIT, ONE OUTLOOK
After two weeks of the intensity of living the experience of doing a parish mission together for the first time – where they worked day and night practically non-stop, Eugene exclaims: Among us missionaries, we are what we should be, … Continue reading
WE FIND OUR SUPPORT IN FRIENDSHIP AND IN FRATERNAL LIFE
“We will find our support in friendship and in fraternal life, in apostolic commitment to all,” is the call today to each Oblate in our Rule of Life (Constitution 18). Its origin is clearly visible from the first moments of … Continue reading
SHARING THE EXCITEMENT OF THE FIRST MISSION
Henri Tempier, Eugene’s main support in the foundation of the Missionaries of Provence, did not actively participate in the mission to Grans, because one of the group had to stay behind to look after the youth congregation and direct their … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS EVALUATION: MARVELS ARE TAKING PLACE EVERYWHERE
The writings of the missionaries indicate that some of their missions were not a total success, yet the overwhelming majority were presented in superlatives as successes of God’s grace. The letters I receive from our various missions ‑ we are … Continue reading