Monthly Archives: February 2012

17 FEBRUARY 1826: THE CHURCH RECOGNISES THAT EUGENE’S FOUNDATION IS A GOD-GIVEN CHARISM

On 18 February 1826, Eugene wrote this good news from Rome to his Oblate brothers in France: My dear friend, my dear brothers, on February 17, 1826, yesterday evening, the Sovereign Pontiff Leo XII confirmed the decision of the congregation … Continue reading

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A NEVER-ENDING SERMON

Rey recounts an anecdote concerning Eugene’s enthusiastic preaching and the not-so-enthusiastic response of the local pastor of St Laurent. During the three Sundays that he passed at St. Laurent, Father de Mazenod took the responsibility to preach the sermon in … Continue reading

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THE RULE: ENRICHED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS

When Eugene had written to Henri Tempier to invite him to join the Missionaries, he had said: We will live together in one house, that which I have bought, under a Rule we shall adopt with common accord and for … Continue reading

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THE RULE: PUTTING A LIVED EXPERIENCE INTO WORDS

Eugene spent 13 days at St Laurent, compiling a Rule of 55 hand-written pages. His early biographer, Jeancard, described him poetically as being like Moses “going up to Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments of God.” This was not quite … Continue reading

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A SPIRIT OF UNITY AMONG THE MISSIONARIES

Having received the approval of all the Missionaries to take responsibility for ND du Laus as a center of mission and the go-ahead to write a Rule of Life for them, Eugene responded to the Vicar General of Digne: In … Continue reading

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TIGHTENING THE BONDS SO AS TO HAVE UNITY OF THOUGHT AND ACTION

In the process of discernment, Eugene placed the situation of establishing a second community and its implications before all the Missionaries. His Memoires recall: I felt that I should summon to an extraordinary council, all those who then comprised my … Continue reading

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A MISSIONARY GROUP DISCERNMENT

The letter from the Diocese of Digne offering the care of Notre Dame du Laus to the Missionaries stated that two priests would be needed. In the summer they would devote their whole time to the many pilgrims who came … Continue reading

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A QUANTUM LEAP

Two and a half years after the foundation of the Missionaries, this seemingly insignificant letter signalled an explosion in their life and a new direction. The letter was written in response to an invitation from the Vicar General of the … Continue reading

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NEVER ABANDONING THE SALVATION OF THOSE WHOM JESUS CHRIST REDEEMED WITH HIS BLOOD

Reviewing the Diary of the Youth Congregation, Eugene wrote about the 28 month gap in keeping the diary up to date. I assigned a congregant to make a note of the principal events so that at the first free moment … Continue reading

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SHARING THE CHARISM AS A MAZENODIAN FAMILY

Having established that benefactors are indeed partners in mission, Eugene shows how these partners participate fully in the spiritual benefits of being associated with the Missionaries. Nevertheless, on our part, this is the contribution that we will make, despite our … Continue reading

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