1819 – The Marian sanctuary of Notre Dame du Laus is entrusted to the Missionaries as a place of permanent mission. During the warm months, the Missionaries welcomed pilgrims and preached the Gospel to them, while during the colder months they went to the surrounding villages to preach parish missions. This sanctuary was the first of 9 Marian shrines entrusted to the Oblates in France during Eugene’s lifetime
To this end, I invoke the intercession of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, daring to remind her in all humility, but with consolation, of the filial devotion of my whole life, and of the desire I have always had to make her known and loved, and to spread her devotion everywhere through the ministry of those whom the Church has given to me as children, who have had the same desire as myself…
Eugene de Mazenod’s will, 1854
Son of Mary Immaculate – I am not used to seeing that, Son of Mary Immaculate. I think immediately of my local church where there are beautiful stained glass windows with depictions of Our Lady and where we have a side altar and statue of Mary. But we don’t hear a whole lot about her and there are not a lot of devotions to her which are spoken about or public in any way except for a few special days during the year. It is like she is there, but almost taken for granted in some way.
I think of the prominence of Our Lady in the chapel of the General House in Rome, beautiful, magnificent, inescapable. I think of the struggle and sorrow that was her life, this mother of Jesus and to all of us, and of the endless peace and serenity that surrounds her. Even as I sit here I want to sing out her name, she who embraces each of us as her own, wrapping us in consolation and solace. Maman.
I think of her, Mary, model of oblation and mother of tender understanding. It is to her that we pray as we recite the Hail Mary endlessly throughout the day, a part of our breathing in and breathing out. I am realising at this very moment how it is through or with her that I approach God. As I sit before the Blessed Sacrament I have so often found myself reciting that same prayer of the Hail Mary, as a way of centering myself, letting go and entering into. There is freedom in all it. Mary Immaculate – she is one of the things that I first noticed about the Oblates, that attracted me to them, this devotion to Our Lady.
Eugene, son of Mary Immaculate – all of us sons and daughters of Mary Immaculate. I can’t say as I have ever really promoted her or even thought of spreading devotion to her as did Eugene. This morning I awoke singing the Gloria (I love to sing praise to God and so this was one perfect little gift in awakening), but as I have been sitting here, thinking and sharing there is a part of me that has been starting to sing the Magnificat, which is perhaps my most favorite hymn, and is also Mary’s song of praise to God. I find myself trying to imagine what that would sound like being sung together at the same time – a perfect duet.
St Eugene speaks to us – “those whom the Church has given to me as children”. Sons and daughters of St Eugene, of Mary Immaculate. For one tiny point in time I touch on a oneness that is unfathomable, a great truth that is total mystery. Glory to God in the highest.