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Recent Posts
- YOU MUST BE A FATHER TO YOUR NOVICES, YOU MUST BE CLOSE TO THEM IN THEIR DIFFICULTIES AND ENCOURAGE THEM
- THE DREAM BEGINS WITH A TEACHER WHO BELIEVES IN YOU
- THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
- I RECOMMEND KINDNESS IN YOUR LEADERSHIP
- YOU WILL NO DOUBT THANK ME FOR MY PATERNAL ADVICE; IT WILL PROVE TO YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
Recent Comments
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on YOU MUST BE A FATHER TO YOUR NOVICES, YOU MUST BE CLOSE TO THEM IN THEIR DIFFICULTIES AND ENCOURAGE THEM
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on THE DREAM BEGINS WITH A TEACHER WHO BELIEVES IN YOU
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on I RECOMMEND KINDNESS IN YOUR LEADERSHIP
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on YOU WILL NO DOUBT THANK ME FOR MY PATERNAL ADVICE; IT WILL PROVE TO YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
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Monthly Archives: December 2010
PARISH MISSIONS: INSIST ON MAKING JESUS CHRIST KNOWN AND LOVED
The instruction of the missionaries did not stop at giving people academic knowledge about the catechism and who Jesus was, but Eugene insisted that they were to teach them that Jesus was their Saviour and aimed at inviting them to … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: PREACHING THAT AIMS ONLY AT INSTRUCTING
According to Eugene’s Rule of 1818, the missionaries had to seek “only to instruct the faithful” and not dazzle them with eloquent speech. They had to be content not only “to break the bread of the Word for them, but … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: INSTRUCT, INSTRUCT, IGNORANCE IS THE PLAGUE OF OUR TIMES
Eugene’s constant insistence to his Oblates was: Instruct, instruct, ignorance is the plague of our times. Letter to Hippolyte Courtès, 19 January 1839, EO IX n. 683 Studies of the missions in France during the period of the Restoration emphasize … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE ANNOUNCEMENTS MUST BE LIVELY AND INTERESTING
The superior of the mission was the one responsible for the smooth-running of all the activities and to ensure that they achieved their objectives. He could be regarded as a type of master-of-ceremonies, and used the time of the announcements … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: REMINDING THE PEOPLE OF THE DIRECTION OF THE JOURNEY THEY WERE ON
Once a week, on Sundays, the sermon and avis were used to give a summary of all the instructions of the previous week. In this way the people were kept focussed on the directions which the missionaries were proposing to … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: THE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS THE MEANS OF KEEPING THE MISSION ON TRACK
The avis, at the end of each sermon summarised the main points of the sermon and invited the people to apply them. The superior of the mission, who had the “feel” for the direction that the mission should be taking, … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER THROUGH THE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Another point of contact and closeness was through the announcements made each day in the church, referred to as avis. These were vitally important for the unity of the mission and aimed at weaving all the activities together so as … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BY GIVING CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH ARE MUCH MORE USEFUL TO THE IGNORANT THAN BEAUTIFUL DISCOURSES
Thus their closeness to the people made them favour the lowly at all times, but not to the exclusion of anyone else’s right to the benefits of salvation. For many of the early Oblates, this was not an issue since … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO ALL PEOPLE, BUT PARTICULARLY TO THE POOR
Eugene’s reply to Honorat underlined the values behind their missions and what it meant to see people through the eyes of the Saviour. It was to the lowly that they were sent: I worry little about the infinitely small number … Continue reading
PARISH MISSIONS: CLOSE TO THE POOR BY PREACHING IN THE LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND
On the necessity of preaching in the language of the poorer people, Eugene noted in his Diary in 1837: Letter of Father Honorat of the mission of Maussanne. He tells me that the Pastor is delighted that our fathers are … Continue reading