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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: DIARY
PARISH MISSIONS: THE STRUGGLE TO COMMUNICATE THE VALUE OF CHASTITY TO THE GIRLS OF THE VILLAGES
The missionaries wanted to make a difference to the lives of those attending the mission by helping them to live every aspect of their lives in the light of the Gospel. Today’s text looks at their concern for the girls … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE REWARDS OF PERSEVERANCE IN THE OUTREACH TO THE MEN
The culmination of the outreach to the men was the Mass especially for them where they were invited to receive Communion – many for the first or second time in their lives: The Mass at which the men were to … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: REACHING OUT TO THOSE GROUPS WHOM THE CHURCH TOUCHES LEAST
Where the Church is already established, our commitment is to those groups it touches least. (Constitution 5) While the women “would spend their lives in the church” it was not quite the same thing for the men, and so a … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE ATTRACTION AND DANGER OF COMFORT ZONES
The outreach of the missionaries to the women and girls was always the most successful and rewarding. Eugene tells us that in Marignane the women and young ladies were brought together at two o’clock in the afternoon… The gathering was … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: REACHING OUT TO EVERY CATEGORY OF THE POOR WITH THEIR MANY FACES
Our Oblate Constitutions and Rules are clear as to who the preferential recipients of our mission must be: Wherever we work, our mission is especially to those people whose condition cries out for salvation and for the hope which only … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: REACHING OUT TO THE MEN WHO HAD SCORNED THE EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION
Vespers at two. The Blessed Sacrament remained exposed during Vespers. Sermon on adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Immediately after the sermon, the procession left. The evening before, notice was given that all those who wished to join in were to … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: ALLOWING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO TOUCH THE EMOTIONS
We continue to explore the ceremonies of the missions, and the focus on the renewal of baptismal commitment. Today when we read the reactions of the listeners to the activities of the missionaries, we may be tempted to dismiss the … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: REFOCUSING ON THE BASICS
The ceremonies and symbolic gestures of the missions have been referred to as “doctrine in action” (Sevrin). For the people of the villages all this was new either in contents or in presentation. The people were either not used to … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD AS A CALL TO CONVERSION
Another ceremony with the intention of making an impression and leading people to conversion to Christ the Saviour was that centred on the dead. Eugene described this in the Diary of the Marignane Mission: Solemn service for the dead of … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE PENITENTIAL PROCESSION AIMED AT EVOKING HEARTFELT SENTIMENTS OF CONVERSION
Eugene continued his description of the ceremony and procession with true Provençal feeling: The procession traversed the village streets, which were flooded with water, mud and dung; but it seems that by trampling the filth underfoot, there were released the … Continue reading