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- 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)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on WALKING THE LINE BETWEEN PROPHETIC VISION AND SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE (CONSTITUTION 9)
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Category Archives: LETTERS
COME AND SEE
Our Rule of Life instructs us: “Our houses will welcome those who wish to ‘come and see’ and thus experience at first hand what Oblate life is like. In a brotherly way we will help them discern what the Lord … Continue reading
A MATURITY OF LOVE THAT FLOWERS IN SELF-SACRIFICE
The Oblates at the time of Eugene (and still today) were missionaries who wanted to spend all their time and energy evangelizing. None of them wanted to be in administration or formators of novices or scholastics. Father Guibert was a … Continue reading
MAKING SPACE FOR OUR GOD SHAPED VACUUM
Eugene placed high importance on the period of novitiate formation of the young Oblates –it was an opportunity to make space for God and to learn and imbibe the values of Oblate religious life. The spirit of a “novitiate” period … Continue reading
FORMED TO RESPOND TO THE LORD’S CALL
When someone wanted to join the Oblates, the first step was a time of postulancy followed by a time of intense formation, called a novitiate. It was the crucial period of the formation process of the future Oblate. We have … Continue reading
THE NEED TO BE REMINDED OVER AND OVER AGAIN
In response to reading one of Eugene’s many calls to his zealous Oblates to look after their health, a lay associate wrote, 200 year later: “When I take care of myself then I will also be able to care for … Continue reading
CEMETERIES ARE FULL OF INDISPENSABLE PEOPLE
Fathers Honorat (28 years old), Martin (24) and Sumien (25) were conducting a parish mission in the village of Condoulet. These three young Oblates were full of zeal and enthusiasm, and Eugene was concerned about them burning themselves out. I … Continue reading
A MODEL WHO REFLECTS GOD’S COMPASSION AND LOVE
Eugene’s admiration for Alphonsus Liguori was contagious. His moral theology which stressed the compassion and mercy of God became the guiding principle of the Oblate approach to people – especially in the confessional. (cf https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=1651 and https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=654 ) Eugene had … Continue reading
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS
At the beginning of the new year, 1828, Eugene reflected on his situation of having been condemned to humdrum administration work in Marseille for a fifth year already. Realizing that the years were passing he shared some of his downheartedness … Continue reading
WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR CHOICES
New year greetings to Fr. Courtès became the occasion for Eugene to lament about the situation in which he found himself. His passion for preaching and evangelization ran deep in his veins – and his example had brought many to … Continue reading
THERE IS NOT A SINGLE TASK THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHICH IS PLEASANT TO ME
As the year 1827 drew to a close, Eugene found himself overburdened by the responsibilities and boredom of his desk-bound work as Vicar General of Marseille. One can touch his pain as he reads Fr Honorat’s description of the successes … Continue reading